Veterinary assistants play a large role in ensuring proper care of pets in veterinary hospitals. There are two categories of assistants. There are those who enter veterinary technician programs, usually based at Community Colleges. After completing a roughly 2 year program, and passing examinations, they are considered to be certified veterinary technicians. Many veterinary hospitals train individuals themselves within their practices. These persons typically are labeled as veterinary assistants. Care of animals cannot be done with any real efficiency and effectiveness without techs and assistants working alongside the veterinarians in the practices. Same can be said for the reception staff. A good practice functions as a unit with all these people working as a team.
The same sense of team can be seen in attorney’s offices where paralegals play a large role working with attorneys to prepare cases. Dentists could not handle fillings, extractions, root canals and enamel repair without their time being freed up through the work of dental hygienists. And without nurse practitioners, medical doctors would be overwhelmed.
The point being that we all have skills that allow us to serve our neighbors in one way or another. And people are served best when everyone works together, respecting the abilities God gave to each person. When veterinarians see themselves as superior to their staff members, animosity reigns and pets are not served well. When paralegals resent the attorneys and try to do the lawyer’s job, poor results are inevitable. When an NFL running back sees himself as being the centerpiece to the team, he neglects the fact that it is the offensive line that opens up the holes in the defense that allows him to excel.
In today’s reading from Acts, we see the young Christian community suffering growing pains. The apostles no longer can handle all tasks to serve the Church. They recognize that their mission is to preach the Word of Christ. But they are being bogged down in handling daily assignments such as being sure that the proper daily allotment of food is handled fairly. The Hellenistic Jewish Christians, those Palestinian Jews who mainly speak Greek, are upset that they are being ignored in the place of the Hebrews, Palestinian Jews who speak mainly Hebrew and Aramaic.
As a solution they ask the community to appoint 7 virtuous and skilled men to take on the role of caring for the daily needs of the group. Thus allowing the Apostles to focus on preaching the Word. These 7 were the first deacons (“servants”) of the new Church. In no way did the Apostles view these servants as being inferior to themselves. How do I know that?
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
This would not have happened if jealousy and contempt between the groups were the order of the day. Only from cooperation could the Church have continued to grow. Father Burke Masters, pastor of St. Isaac Jogues parish in Hinsdale, Illinois, likes to say that “if you compare, you despair”.
Trust. That is the key word. The Psalm response for today is:
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you
The Apostles trusted in each other as they also placed their trust in the Lord. They did not take the approach that, because they were in Christ’s inner circle, they were then superior to everyone else. All are parts that, when working together, form the Body of Christ. We all find ourselves in the same situation every day. We all work with others to accomplish goals. We must all remember that we are brothers and sisters of the Lord. The first shall be last and the last shall be first. We must wash each other’s feet as Christ did. If you have one or more deacons in your parish, take the time to thank them for their service to the Church Local and the Church Universal. And while you are at it, thank the liturgist, the lectors, the choir members and director, the ushers, those that collect the offerings, the sacristan, the religious education teachers and directors…along with the priests. All have dedicated themselves to help us all grow in faith and grow closer in our journey to the Father.
The words of Marty Haugen ring true to this theme in his song, “We Are Many Parts”
We are many parts
We are all one body
And the gifts we have
We are given to share
May the spirit of love, make us one indeed
One, the love that we share
One, our hope in despair
One, the cross that we bear
