The Word Of Peace
Homiletic Reflections On Peacemaking

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

September 1, 2002

The Challenge of Servant Leadership

   Why would anybody accept the leadership of another except that the other sees more clearly where it is best to go? Perhaps this is the current problem: too many who presume to lead do not see more clearly and, in defense of their inadequacy, they all the more strongly argue that the “system” must be preserved—a fatal error in this day of candor.

   But the leader needs more than inspiration. A leader ventures to say: “I will go; come with me!” A leader initiates, provides the ideas and the structure, and takes the risk of failure along with the chance of success. A leader says; “I will go; follow me!” while knowing that the path is uncertain, even dangerous. One then trusts those who go with one’s leadership.

   We remember that last week our gospel has our Lord requesting of the 12 who they thought he was. Peter announces the inspired truth that Jesus is the Son of the living God, the Christ. Then Jesus tells them not to say anything to anyone about this. That is peculiar. One would think that Jesus would have wanted them to run about through the empire announcing that Jesus is the Messiah! But no, he tells them not to say anything and we can guess why can’t we? Jesus tells them about the cross and the one that confessed the mystery of Jesus pipes up and says, “Just wait a minute, I mean isn’t there another way to glory?” Jesus reprimands Peter because he is tempting the other members of the 12 to see Jesus in terms that human beings want to see him—as a triumphant earthly ruler that assumes the trappings of earthly authority like large standing armies, gold and arbitrary political power, that is, despotism.

   Jesus is not here for any of that. His royal authority will not come from or on an earthly throne erected on the backs of others. His authority will come from the servant leadership of the cross. Until one can see that one cannot understand Jesus. His leadership is one that is willing to take the risks of rejection and failure in the eyes of the world to give witness in his whole person of the love of the Father for all of us. And it is this model of leadership that is the pattern for anyone that would aspire to leadership in the Church. The People of God are not there for the ministers to make a living. The People of God are there to be served with the truth of the gospel. This goes for ordained and non-ordained leaders in the Church. Sometimes this leadership will take the form of gentle compassion and support. Other times this leadership will be prophetically challenging calling the People of God to confront the distortions in our world with the gospel. But how will such a leader be credible? Only by the enfleshing of the things he or she expects and calls hers to in the name of Jesus Christ.

    Jeremiah the great prophet that endured so much suffering and rejection laments his lot of being rejected and suffering because he preaches God’s word to the people. This is an instructive element in our readings today. People want to know God but usually as a God that supports there way of life and ambitions. The God of Israel will brook no compromise however, it is justice in the land, compassion, integrity and courage that the Lord desires not fancy liturgies that try to ignore these demands. Real worship is about taking the risk to be a leader in the Spirit of Jesus risking failure and leaving success to the vindication promised by the Father. As was said in the movie “Braveheart”, “People don’t follow titles, they follow courage.” Jeremiah was a man of courage, though he complained and struggled with God he kept preaching until he was killed in Eypt.

    This brings us to Paul’s letter. For Paul it is not about just learning a series of beliefs and creeds and formulas. It is about enfleshing Christ to others, having the courage to do so and risking everything for and with the Lord. Then and only then will we come to know him, walk with him, die with him and rise with him! That is what it means to be a leader in the Spirit of Christ.

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Created November 10, 2002