Cycle B - Year I:  

17 October 2021: Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 53:10-11

Second Reading:   Hebrews 4:14-16

Gospel:  Please Read  Mark 10:35-45 

To be a servant-leader!

Every election time candidates present themselves as the peoples' leaders. Many of those who run for public office do so because of their desire for power and status. This is inherent longing in most human beings.  So then, nothing wrong with that. For power gives us some control in our lives. But we get in trouble when our desire for power and status begins to control us.

What is our concept of leadership?  Is leadership something obsessed with power, perks and privileges?  Or is leadership really service to others, with humility and caring attitude?

The Gospel this Sunday is a timely message on what true leadership is all about. Once again, the word of God provides us daily tips on Christian living.

In the Gospel incident, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, have the audacity to ask our Lord Jesus if they could be on Jesus' right and the other on His left when the Lord comes into glory.  Obviously, the two apostles are talking about the positions of power and privileges.  And they want to even be higher than Peter!

Incidentally, the Gospel narrative is the third announcement of the Passion, and like in previous ones, it shows us the incoherence  of the disciples.  They not only do not understand, but the disciples continue with their own personal ambitions. And so they persist discussing about the important places of honor in God's kingdom.

Now at this point in our reflection, we cannot help to notice that in spite of the time that they were together, the disciples failed miserably most of the time during Jesus' public ministry at really understanding His full identity and the Gospel way of life that our Lord proclaimed.  This incident with James and John is a classic example of their failure to understand the teaching and mission of Jesus.  For our Lord insists on leadership that is focused on service to others, and on the gift of one's life, like our Lord Jesus did.  Thus, Jesus uses the proud, selfish question of the brothers James and John to teach the apostles about how God defines true greatness and leadership.  

So Jesus said to them: "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servants; whoever wishes to be the first among you will be the slaves of all." (Mk 10:42-44)      

Let us have them again, what the Lord said: "to be great is to be servant, to be a leader is to be the slave of all!"   And so what do we make of this teaching?

First of all, we know that in Jesus' teaching and preaching ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ is constantly turning upside-down various norms in our culture or traditional way of living that flow from our broken and damaged human nature, because of our greed and selfishness.

For example, the message of the Gospel this Sunday is that Christian leaders must take a different approach from what is conventional.  Because Jesus is teaching us that to be true leaders must view leadership as an opportunity to serve, to sacrifice and to do what is truly best for those under their authority.  At the conclusion of the Gospel reading, Jesus states very clearly that He Himself came not to be served but to serve, and to offer His life for the salvation of all.  Thus, there is no better proof of greatness, leadership, or love than to lay down one's life for the sake of one's friends.

In other words, our guide in choosing our leaders, especially in public governance, is greatness and leadership through service to others, especially the poor, neglected and helpless in our society.  This is the epitome of good governance.

It is national election next year. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom to guide our people in choosing wisely and elect servant-leaders.

A blessed Sunday to us all.  And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!