Discipleship is about service. It’s about following in the way and in the example of Jesus. If you took the readings together toady, particularly the gospel, the one phrase I think that would stand out if we could combine it all together would be this. As those who serve. Interestingly enough, our late Cardinal Bernadine here in Chicago, that was his motto. His motto was, as those who serve. The discipleship following Jesus has to be about service. It can’t simply be about words, but it’s got to be action, action of compassion. Walking, and helping those who suffer in life. Cardinal Bernadine lived that beautifully, I thought, in the way in which he showed example, the way in which he offered service to the Archdiocese of Chicago for so many years, faithfully and humbly. Proud to say we were good friends, and I can remember one Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful afternoon in the fall, and we went out for a walk together. He was not wearing his clerics, his blacks. Rather, he was just dressed as many of us go out when we go for a walk, and we walked down the street. We came to a street corner right there on Clarke Street and North Avenue, a very busy intersection.

There was an elderly woman standing there, and you could see she was nervous about crossing the street. The cardinal stepped forward. He never introduced himself, but he could see the woman was trembling a bit. He said, “Can I walk across the street with you?” She looked at him, and she said, “Oh, I would like that,” and the two of them walked across Clarke Street. When they got to the other side of the street, and I was witness to it all. It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen, but beautiful. The elderly woman turned to the cardinal, not knowing who he was, and she just said to him, “As a matter of fact, I don’t think your wife would mind that you walked me across the street.” Rather than saying who he was, or what he did, he said, “You’re right. I don’t think it’ll make any difference to her whatsoever.” Humility, service. The simplest things as one who serves. All of us who are disciples of the Lord Jesus, all of us who claim the name of Christian, and in particular, Catholic, are called to be people of service to one another, to build up, and to enhance the body of Christ, to make life just a bit easier.