Project

in

Theo 106
Humble and Generous Service

Group 2

Alfaro, Nyll A

Bermejo, Julia Isabelle A.

Borra, Fea Mae P.

Capayan, Mer Conrad L.

Coñate, Margarett Cindy E.

Escondo, Kesha Era J.

Farhan, Faras

Gonzales, Thea Izza T.

Losanta, Jasper A.

Malicia, Aylrose M.

Rizon, Lovely May A.

Suello, Chriza Jem S.

(MLS 2-F)

Sis. Jean D.Alcain, LMSH

 Humble and Generous Service

When we talk about “Augustinian Values” we refer to the values which are Christian and

which Augustine has influenced us by his teachings. A Value that is good that contributes to the

perfection of being and Christian Values that are based on the Gospel proclaimed by Christ and

handed to us by the apostles. Both the Augustinian and Christian values contribute to the

fulfillment of the Lord’s two-fold commandment of love in the spirit and the Beatitudes. “Humble

and Generous Service” is one of the Augustinian values that has been taught to us.

Being humble means having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.

It is also to be equal to others; not above or below them, to be compassionate, patient, calm and to

recognize that you are a part of the force that created all things. Humility and charity characterize

the Augustinian value of service. It is humble service because it is done in the spirit of gratefulness

(utang na loob) and in recognition that the service is owed to God must be rendered to man. It is

generous service because love does not count the cost. Indeed, the measure of love is love without

measure. Service is love in its dynamic dimension; it is love that builds up the community by being

directed towards persons. When we do good to someone or something, we shouldn’t expect for

return for it is all for God. That we shouldn’t count the cost of our doings because to love is without

measure. For it is written in love that “"it is not self-seeking (1 Cor. 13:5); "that is to say, love puts

the interests of the community before personal advantage. Love needs no explanation. It does not

need the limits of our minds which cannot fully grasp the real meaning of love. Love in its entirety

has to be shared for it to grow and spread. Jesus commanded, “Love one another as I have loved

you.”
 Service is love in action. Service in Augustinian concept is a person should not be first

concerned about him/herself but for the others because if a person only looks for him/herself,

he/she disregards the basic law of life in community that is love. In Paul’s hymn in praise of love.

"Love is not self-seeking" (1 Cor. 13:5), in other words, it is not love’s aim to serve only its own

interests. Moreover, "the way of love is exalted above all other ways" (1 Cor. 12:31). Our care for

others is given an eternal value, for love is the enduring element in the alleviation of human needs

on earth. The needs of human beings are transitory; either they will be alleviated in this life or they

will come to an end with death. One good example of caring for others is Mother Teresa. Mother

Teresa was a teacher in a school in India, and all her needs were met in the convent where she

lived. However, she chose to give up her life in that convent in order to live with the poorest of the

poor on the streets of Calcutta, taking care of the very sick and dying. She took care of people with

whom no one else wanted to bother. This shows that loving others is a righteous doing even to the

point of giving up your good life because you know it will all be worth it when helping those who

are in need as God will always be there for you, to help you and support you. To serve others,

therefore, is to live life in the dimension of gift, a project that one lives out in utter gratuity because

conscious that life itself has been gratuitously received. "Service" is the dynamic and temporal

manifestation of "community."

Within the context of service, human work exits. We do not view it as a burden or simply

a means of sustenance, but as cooperation with the Creator in shaping the world and serving the

human community. We all strive to be competent in our particular skill or profession and to treat

fairly our classmates/coworkers. A key to success is combining Humility and Determination.

 Leadership is one of the elements that shape the life of a society. Jesus gave it a new

meaning; to the disciples, he said: "You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them,

and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who

wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you

must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life

as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:25-28/ Mk. 10:42-45 ; Lk. 22:25-27) There are three Augustinian

ideas of leadership: The Leader is a Companion; The Leader is an Animator; Leadership is a

Burden of Love. The Leader is a Companion in Augustine’s idea is the one who stays at the side

as a companion in the journey in Deum. The Leader as an Animator is the one who livens things

up. The Leader is not like the General of an army who merely gives orders. After all, in Augustine’s

mind, the only General is Christ Himself whose command should be taken seriously. That we

should only listen and believe to Him as He know already what are the plans for us. The Leader

then is one who, by his life of service, encourages the rest of the community towards their goals

and objectives "with one heart and one mind intent upon God". In an Augustinian community,

Leadership is more of a burden rather than an honor. It is a burden of love because he/she should

ensure that the community becomes the place where the commandments of love are fulfilled and

realized by each of the members. And it is a burden precisely because the Leader will be

accountable to God who has created the community which he is called to serve.

Humble Service according to St. Augustine is divided in 5 parts. First, it talks about

humility in general notion, wherein humans accept the fact that everything around us is a gift from

God. Second, humility and charity characterizes the Augustinian value of service which we owe

to God. Third, Generous service is love in action which signifies that love is not selfish but it is

selfless. Fourth, a humble heart draws man to God just like God who gave his only begotten son
for us. Lastly, the heart of humility says that even if we are sinners, we should accept and confess

our weaknesses in the name of God.

Humble and Generous Service taught us how to realize that communal humble service

brings about social transformation; develop sensitivity with regards to the needs of others and

generously serve with love without counting the cost. A lot of our problems and troubles could

have been avoided if we learned to be humble to God and to others. When we commit sin, we

disobey God’s will because of our pride, believing that we can do anything without Him. When

we are proud, we cut our dependence on and need for God. The road back toward God’s heart is

humility. Unless and until we take this road, we will not have true peace. Being generous does not

only mean giving something to someone, but being generous is giving to someone something

wholeheartedly and without asking something in return. Practicing humility and generosity is

really good in living our Christian Catholic life, it is just how our Lord Jesus Christ lived here on

earth. Also, to be forgiven of our sins, we need to be humble. Developing humility is a part of

repentance process. If we humble ourselves, pray and turn away from sin, He will hear our prayers

and forgive us. To achiever Humility, we need to earnestly and regularly pray for the Holy Spirit

to change our hearts, for it is impossible to do it in our own strength.