Catholic Homily for November 11, 2025
Serving Without Expecting a Thank You
Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
Luke 17:7–10
We all like thanks and recognition. It feels good when people notice our hard work and appreciate what we do. But Jesus teaches us something difficult: we should serve without expecting applause or rewards.
Jesus tells a story about a servant who works all day in the fields, plowing and taking care of sheep. When he comes home tired and hungry, does his master say “Thank you so much! Sit down and I’ll make you dinner”? No way. The master expects the servant to wash up, cook dinner, and serve him first.
Jesus asks the obvious question: “Does the master thank the servant for doing what he was supposed to do?” The answer is no. Then Jesus says something that challenges us: “So when you have done everything you were commanded, say: ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'”
Why This Is Hard for Us
We naturally want appreciation when we work hard or make sacrifices. When we don’t get the recognition we expect, we often become upset (“After everything I’ve done for them!”), manipulative (“I guess nobody cares about my hard work”), or we start bargaining with God (“If You don’t reward me for this good deed, why should I bother?”).
Jesus teaches service without entitlement. He’s not being mean – He’s actually freeing us from the exhausting need for constant approval. When we serve because we love God and our neighbors, rather than because we want something back, we find a much deeper joy.
The word “duty” might sound cold, but in Christ it becomes love. This happens in three ways: It stops us from trying to earn God’s favor through good works, it shows us our true motives (are we serving others or just trying to look good?), and it turns ordinary work into worship when we do things for God’s glory instead of human praise.
Saint Martin’s Amazing Story
Saint Martin of Tours shows us exactly what selfless service looks like. As a young Roman soldier in France, Martin was riding through the city gates on a freezing winter day. He saw a beggar sitting there, nearly naked and shivering in the bitter cold. Everyone else walked past, but Martin couldn’t ignore him.
Martin had no money to give, but he had his warm military cloak. Without thinking twice, he pulled out his sword and cut the cloak in half. He gave one half to the beggar and kept the other half for himself.
That night, Martin had a powerful dream. Jesus appeared to him wearing the half-cloak he had given to the beggar. Jesus told the angels: “Martin, who isn’t even baptized yet, clothed me with this robe.” Martin learned that when we serve the poorest people, we’re actually serving Jesus himself.
Later, when Martin became a bishop, he kept the same humble attitude. He was always ready to help the poor, firm about teaching the truth, and quiet when people praised him. Martin understood that while it’s nice when people thank us, expecting applause becomes like a chain that ties us to what others think instead of freeing us to serve God.
Three Ways to Serve Like Martin
Divide your cloak – Share something that costs you comfort. Like Martin cutting his cloak in half, find something valuable you own that could really help someone else, even if giving it up inconveniences you. This could be clothes you actually like, food when it means you’ll have less, time when you’d rather rest, or money even if it affects your budget.
Serve first – Do one task quietly for God alone. Pick one duty and do it excellently without telling anyone or expecting thanks. Clean something without being asked, help a coworker without taking credit, visit someone lonely without posting about it, or pray for someone who hurt you without telling them.
Say the servant’s prayer – “Lord, all is gift; let me do my part.” Remember that everything you have – your abilities, opportunities, resources, even your desire to help others – comes from God as a gift. When pride creeps in, remember: “I’m just doing my duty.” When you feel unappreciated, remember: “My reward comes from God.”
The Beautiful Outcome
Here’s the amazing thing: when we stop serving for applause, we actually become happier in our service. We’re not constantly disappointed when people don’t notice what we do. We stop keeping score of whether we’re getting enough appreciation.
When people do thank us, we can pass that praise to God. When they don’t thank us, we keep our joy anyway. Our duty becomes pure delight because we’re serving the God who loves us perfectly, not trying to earn love from people who might never even notice.
Jesus takes our small acts of love and makes them part of his own perfect service. When we serve without seeking recognition, Christ receives our humble efforts and adds them to his own work of loving the world.
Like Saint Martin cutting his cloak without worrying about the cost, we can serve quietly and faithfully, knowing that the best servants don’t keep score – they just keep serving.
Let us Pray,
Lord Jesus, free us from needing constant thanks and recognition. Help us serve You and others simply because it’s right, not because we want something back. Like Saint Martin, help us see You in people who need our help, especially those who can’t repay us. When people thank us, help us give You the credit. When they don’t thank us, help us find joy in knowing we’ve pleased You. Turn our sense of duty into love, and make our service an act of worship. Amen.
❤️ Thank You dear friend, hope this reflections touched you. 🙏 Please do not forget to share with your loved ones this november 11 homily.
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