In every age the Church must come to understand the kind of leadership she needs to carry out the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. As noted a few weeks ago in the homily, we are a Church that is both human and Divine. We are comprised of human beings, both clergy and laity, who administer the Church’s offices, ministries, parishes and agencies—the human side of the Church. We are also created by God, founded by Christ, and now guided by the Holy Spirit in-and-through human cooperation/discipleship—thus the magisterium of the Church. Indeed we are both human and Divine.

This duality of our nature brings with it both good and not always so good outcome. Let’s see how this weekend’s readings bring duality to light in our time and place.

A commentary on the readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time highlights the 1970’s author, businessman and consultant—Robert Greenleaf—who wrote an essay about “Servant Leadership” which describes the Leader as “Servant First.” The gist of this essay is that a leader must prioritize other people’s needs first—above and beyond the needs of the leader him- or her-self—especially when talking about the poor and the vulnerable. In the Church this is even more important and “Service First!” must be the “tag line” of all our ministries and of our singular mission.

In today’s first reading from the Prophet Isaiah we hear a story told of the Suffering Servant who gives His life for others. Christ, the Suffering Servant, illustrates the love which C.S. Lewis speaks of in his book entitled, The Four Loves, Agapé – the highest form of love, a self-emptying Love illustrated by Christ’s life-giving love at the Crucifixion, when He emptied Himself for our salvation.

In our second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, St. Paul illustrates the compassionate love of Christ as the High Priest who was tested in all things and in every way save for sin. Christ has experienced our human lives with all the joy, pain and suffering, trials and tribulations that come with the human condition—and so He is a God who walks with us in our own human lives. Our God, our Leader, has shared in our life.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus offers His own definition of servant leadership with the following “quote: “…Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." In our Church—the hierarchy—as well as in our parishes, meaning both in priesthood and parish ministry leadership, should put aside what they personally want, seek and desire and fulfill what the Church (meaning Christ) desires. For priests in the parish it means to offer a homily on Church teaching rather than on my interpretation of what Christ meant to say or should have said in light of today’s culture. In the hierarchy it means that the greater good is not identical with my position or power, but the common good of the people of God—justice; and in ministry it means that leadership is about the how the parish ministry best serves the mission of Christ.

As the Church moves forward in these challenging times—including but not limited to the sex abuse scandal, parish closings and the secularization of our culture—there is a greater need to understand the real meaning of Servant Leadership in a particular way: as more and more generations have little if any foundational faith—children are being given the “choice” by their parents to make their own decision about their faith beliefs as they turn say 15 or 16, and actually have little if any experience of faith on which to base their “educated” decision—and now are told that they didn’t have to participate in religious education or youth ministry or Mass. Believe what you wish to believe in.

While the Truths of Christ and His Church do not change from age-to-age, for they are immutable, absolute truths, the leadership style of the Church—how she brings the Truth to the world can change. As society moves further and further from faith and families choose sports or “family time” over church (isn’t church a family time event?!?), the Church must identify new ways to meet and engage new generations in faith discussions. No longer can the Church, live in the well-known quote of Yul Brenner, who played Ramesses II in The Ten Commandments, when he said, “So let it be written, so let it be done!”

We must meet people where they are. In John’s Gospel (20) in the story of doubting Thomas, the Apostle who chooses not to believe in the Resurrected Christ until he sees Him or touches His wounds show us Christ turning away from Thomas but rather calling him closer to Him saying, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” God is Truth and God does not run away from doubters. He invites us closer to His Truths.

As Church in a new era, we must also meet people where they are. Entice them with Christ’s love
and Truth, and illustrate to them that the Church continues Christ’s mission of forgiveness, love and charity to all who choose to believe and follow. We must go into the streets and lead others back to faith. We can’t just say our doors are open, come it. We need to go out, meet and bring them home to faith. We can do this with new and innovative ministries and programs as well as finding new avenues to evangelize—more with actions than words. Words will come later, when the dialogue begins. In the next few weeks I will be discussing in the bulletin and in homilies some new ways our parish will accomplish the new evangelization as our Parish Council is in the
process of developing and initiating these exciting prospects.