The Memorial of Saint Pius V
Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak."
Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years. After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' From this man's offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise. Before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel. As John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'
I indeed declare, "Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them." "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant.
With whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him. No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.
Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I don't speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.' From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he. Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me."
Saint Pius V, the sixteenth-century pope who implemented the reforms of the Council of Trent and organized the naval victory at Lepanto, reminds us that faithful leadership often requires both courage and humility. His feast day arrives as we hear Paul beginning his mission to the Gentiles and Jesus teaching about the nature of true service.
Notice how Paul doesn't start his sermon with his own credentials or authority. Instead, he traces God's faithfulness through generations – from Abraham through David to John the Baptist. The movement here is from particular history to universal promise. Paul understands that he's part of something much larger than himself, a continuation of God's covenant love that stretches back centuries and forward into eternity.
This connects beautifully with Jesus's words about servants and those who are sent. The paradox is striking: true authority comes not from asserting our importance but from recognizing our place in God's larger story. When Jesus says a servant isn't greater than the master, he's not diminishing anyone's dignity. Rather, he's revealing the secret of genuine influence – we matter most when we remember who sent us.
Consider how this plays out in our daily relationships. Whether we're parents guiding children, colleagues collaborating on projects, or neighbors offering help, our effectiveness often depends on this same humility. The parent who remembers they're stewarding a gift, the teacher who sees themselves as part of a tradition, the friend who knows their love reflects something greater – these people carry a different kind of authority.
What emerges from both readings is that God works through ordinary people who understand their role in an extraordinary story.
How might remembering our place in God's larger narrative change the way we approach our responsibilities today? What would it look like to carry ourselves as people who have been "sent"?