Wisdom 2:23 - 3:9 / Luke 17:7-10 (2013, 2019)
Our beliefs and our destiny have an intricate connection.
Our beliefs shape our destiny, not just our destiny in this life, but also our destiny in the life to come.
Because out of our beliefs flows our actions. Our actions slowly form our character, and by our character we build our destiny.
For example, if someone believes that a good education can make life better for himself as well as for others, he would take his studies seriously.
When he begins to realise that reading widely and deeply has enhanced his understanding of life and of himself, his studies begin to shape his character.
When he has attained a high educational standard, he may even see that he can indeed make life better and more meaningful for himself as well as for others by being a teacher so as to impart his knowledge to others.
This is just a simple secular example of what is meant by our beliefs shape our destiny.
The 1st reading tells us that God made us imperishable; He made us in the image of His own nature.
But it was the devil's envy that brought death into the world.
In other words, sin has distorted our beliefs as well as amplified our doubts.
Sin has also robbed us of our destiny, the destiny to be fully human and to be fully loving.
That is why Jesus tells us in today's gospel that we are merely servants.
No doubt, we are made in the image of God's nature, and God's nature is love.
Hence, to love God and to love others is our duty, because we are servants of love, and we can't expect a reward for it.
When we heed the call to this duty of love, we begin to build our destiny, our destiny in this life and also in the life to come.