I have been in leadership for a number of years, and still am, in many ways. I have been under leaders, too, for all my life. Some of those who occupy positions of leadership are reputable; some are not. A number of them are wise; and a great many are dumb. (Just look at the many “honorable” and “distinguished” people that hog the air lanes every day!)
There are leaders whom I like. They are prudent and charismatic, apart from being role models. There are leaders I dislike. They are narcissistic, focused too much on results, and please themselves more than they try to please God or their constituents.
I bet you know what’s coming next. Yes, in the Church that we love, there are leaders and there are leaders... pastors who are exemplary and pastors who are just a bit less than scandalous. The Church has had bad popes and good popes, sinful and saintly bishops, ambitious and humble priests, and men of the cloth who deserve to be called unsung heroes of our times. They do their work quietly and without fanfare.
It is easy to love many of them. Like the seven deacons of today’s first reading, a great many are “reputable, filled with the Spirit and wisdom,” and utterly selfless in their service.
But it is just as easy to hate, or at least, dislike a number of them, for reasons as many as there are people. People will always find reasons and motives to dislike them. They could be less than reputable. They may sound like they are filled, not with the Spirit, but with some kind of spirits of the liquid kind. They may not be doing right in our eyes. They may not be worthy from our point of view.
But they are appointed by God. Through them, “the Word of God continues to spread.” For God can write straight even with crooked lines. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB
Reflection Question:
What kind of leader am I?
Mold me, Father, to be the kind of leader that You want your sons and daughters to be — a leader with a servant heart.
St. Fulk, pray for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment