Monday of 24th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: A piece of advice for people who have maids

Reading: Lk 7:1–10

The centurion’s compassionate treatment of his sick slave in today’s gospel stands in stark contrast to the typical treatment of maids by many Madams and Ogas nowadays.

Today’s gospel narrated that a centurion whose slave was gravely ill summoned elders of the Jews and asked them to implore Jesus to come and lay hands on his slave and heal him. Recall that this was happening at a time when there was no legal protection for slaves in their masters’ homes. Slaves back then were treated like common property in their owners’ homes, and their masters had complete control over their lives. However, this centurion loved his own slave so much that he sent for the greatest healer to come and save him.

On the contrary, the pages of newspapers and social media platform nowadays are always filled with stories of the ill-treatment of maids by their madams and Ogas. We have heard cases of madams pouring hot water on maids, some use hot irons to inflict pain on maids, and some starve their maids to death or send them out of the house to roam the streets like mad people or dogs.

Dear friends, the centurion in today’s gospel stands as a model on how to treat maids; he challenges people of our time to treat their maids — and everyone who works for them — as they would like their own children to be treated, seeking help for them when they have needs and helping to add value to their lives.

May your new week be blessed, Amen.

Fr Isaac C. Chima