Qualities for a Good Leader
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mal 1:14b-2: 2b.8-10; Psalm 131; 1 Tess 2: 7b-9.13; Mt 23:1-12
The Gospel text which the Church proclaims on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time appears to be the climax of a series of conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus takes the behaviour of the latter as his main target of attack, discerning that, although the Scribes and the Pharisees presented themselves as the most pious among believers, yet their attitudes and behaviour revealed that their heart was far from pleasing to God. Furthermore, to the 10 Commandments which God had given to Moses as a moral guide for the people, the Scribes and the Pharisees had added a manifold of precepts and laws to ensure the strict observance of the Law of Moses – 613 in all!
The quality of any Christian community depends much on its religious leader/s. This theme emerges as central to the 12 Matthean verses which the Church posits for our meditation on this coming Sunday .
Everybody is aware that with the passage of time the number of priests and religious is gradually decreasing. The role of the laity within the Church has been brought to the foreground, not as a result of the decrease in priestly vocations but because Vatican Council II (1962-65) has ushered in a rediscovery of the unique value of the sacrament of baptism. Through this sacrament, the baptized are called to become disciples of the Lord, whereby they are called to take an active role in the mission of the Church. The laity even have a role to play in the way the Christian community is to be led and oriented. In fact, in many of our parishes, there are structures which create space for clerics and lay people together to discern how a particular community can develop and grow in a particular point in time in the light of the Word of God.
At this point it is good for religious leaders (be them cleric or lay) to ask themselves the meditative question: ‘what kind of leaders are we in today’s ecclesial community?’ Surely, we would not like to be like those in Jesus’ times. This means that we cannot direct our energies and focus merely on the external cult (liturgical celebrations, ministering of sacraments, etc.) because, although these are central to our faith, we can be caught up in the illusion that through such means alone we would be drawing people to God. Hence, the pastoral ministers as well as lay pastoral assistants must seek to posses two fundamental characteristics: (i) a passion for God, whereby his/her life must radiate a genuine and mature love for the Lord, and (ii) a compassionate love for all his/her fellow brethren, which entails being ready to show solidarity with everyone, especially the needy.
These two characteristics reveal a common element: it is love which pushes us forward. Where there is love, there is really no need for rules and norms telling us what we ought or ought not do. Somebody driven by mature love does what he has to do out of loving service to his brethren and actually does not need any law to regulate his behaviour. Perhaps it is in this sense that Saint Augustine said: “Love God and do what you want”.
Mal 1:14b-2: 2b.8-10; Psalm 131; 1 Tess 2: 7b-9.13; Mt 23:1-12
The Gospel text which the Church proclaims on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time appears to be the climax of a series of conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus takes the behaviour of the latter as his main target of attack, discerning that, although the Scribes and the Pharisees presented themselves as the most pious among believers, yet their attitudes and behaviour revealed that their heart was far from pleasing to God. Furthermore, to the 10 Commandments which God had given to Moses as a moral guide for the people, the Scribes and the Pharisees had added a manifold of precepts and laws to ensure the strict observance of the Law of Moses – 613 in all!
The quality of any Christian community depends much on its religious leader/s. This theme emerges as central to the 12 Matthean verses which the Church posits for our meditation on this coming Sunday .
Everybody is aware that with the passage of time the number of priests and religious is gradually decreasing. The role of the laity within the Church has been brought to the foreground, not as a result of the decrease in priestly vocations but because Vatican Council II (1962-65) has ushered in a rediscovery of the unique value of the sacrament of baptism. Through this sacrament, the baptized are called to become disciples of the Lord, whereby they are called to take an active role in the mission of the Church. The laity even have a role to play in the way the Christian community is to be led and oriented. In fact, in many of our parishes, there are structures which create space for clerics and lay people together to discern how a particular community can develop and grow in a particular point in time in the light of the Word of God.
At this point it is good for religious leaders (be them cleric or lay) to ask themselves the meditative question: ‘what kind of leaders are we in today’s ecclesial community?’ Surely, we would not like to be like those in Jesus’ times. This means that we cannot direct our energies and focus merely on the external cult (liturgical celebrations, ministering of sacraments, etc.) because, although these are central to our faith, we can be caught up in the illusion that through such means alone we would be drawing people to God. Hence, the pastoral ministers as well as lay pastoral assistants must seek to posses two fundamental characteristics: (i) a passion for God, whereby his/her life must radiate a genuine and mature love for the Lord, and (ii) a compassionate love for all his/her fellow brethren, which entails being ready to show solidarity with everyone, especially the needy.
These two characteristics reveal a common element: it is love which pushes us forward. Where there is love, there is really no need for rules and norms telling us what we ought or ought not do. Somebody driven by mature love does what he has to do out of loving service to his brethren and actually does not need any law to regulate his behaviour. Perhaps it is in this sense that Saint Augustine said: “Love God and do what you want”.
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