There was a story from the Middle Ages of an Acolyte and an Abbot that goes something like this:
In the course of his training in the Monastery, new acolytes were given their first interview by the Abbot. They all knew that the Abbot was looking for a grounded and correct interpretation of the Gospel from each before they would be given their new name, and could continue their studies, otherwise they would be sent back to the Proctor and would have to try again the next year. The catch was that none knew the time in which they would be summoned before the Abbot. So all studied continually the Gospels and the teaching of Jesus, waiting for their time.
It came to pass that one acolyte after another was called and some were passed, and went on to other teachers, and some were sent back to the proctor.
Finally, the youngest acolyte was called in. In some trepidation he entered the chapel, genuflected, and sat down at the feet of the Abbot.
The Abbot looked at this young acolyte and asked, "If this chapel were on fire, and the very flames were licking the altar, and you had only time to save one thing, what would it be?"
Quickly the acolyte went through an inventory of all the irreplaceable things, and tried to decide what to take. Would it be the sacred urn, taken back from the Moors in the war. Perhaps it would be the crucifix, the gold encrusted symbol of this fine Chapel? He looked about and saw the rare tapestries, the carved birds in the pews, the Passion Story unfolding in the stained glass above the altar. He saw the silver baptismal font, and the cup of the Eucharist. Any of these things would be hard if not impossible to replace.
Then he closed his eyes, bowed his head, and prayed that God would show him the answer, for he did not wish to be sent back for another year to the Proctor.
At that moment, a single drop of sweat fell from his face and hit the feet of the Abbot. It spattered in the dust on the Abbot's feet, and hit the simple leather of his sandal.
In a flash of inspiration, he turned his head up to the Abbot and said,
"A fire would destroy many wonderful and beautiful things in this place; and it would be a shame. But they are only things. Even the sacred relic is only a thing. But I see two things in here which are truly the most valuable of all. And if I had time only to save one......."
"Yes my son? What would you save?"
"Father Abbot.....I would save you; even if it meant me staying to face the flames."
And then the Abbot surprised the young Acolyte. He reached down and took the acolyte's hand in his own and said in a soft voice:
"And I, my son, would save you; even if it mean that I faced the flames in your stead."
"You understand, as it took me many many years to understand, that is that you and I who are the most valuable instruments of God. With these hands (and he grasped the acolyte's hand harder), and these feet (motioning to his foot that received the drops of sweat) are what God uses to love and serve the world. Not even the greatest, gold leaf crucifix, or the most holy of relics could serve a single soul, the way that you and I may. They are symbols of the living God, but we are servants of that same God. We are the ones using the symbols, the services, the sacraments to minister to the world."
"So now that you have passed the interview, and done it so well, you may choose with whom to continue your teachings. Your choice?"
The acolyte then surprised the Abbot when he replied,
"Father Abbot. I wish to go back to the proctor."
"Why do you choose this my son?" asked the Abbot in bewilderment.
"You have shown me that my purpose is to serve others. What better place may that be than in teaching the new acolytes the lesson I have learned here today. To show them in my chores and in my duties that they, the newest of our brothers, are worthy of being served."
Then the Abbot smiled and said,
"In your humility, you have taught me the lesson that I wished to teach to you. From now on you shall be named Brother Service. Now go forth and spread the Gospel through your simple service.
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