20200404 A LEADER’S BROAD AND SELF-LESS VISION
04 May, 2020, Monday, 4th Week of Easter
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
First reading
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Acts 11:1-18 ©
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God can grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life
The apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that the pagans too had accepted the word of God, and when Peter came up to Jerusalem the Jews criticised him and said, ‘So you have been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them, have you?’ Peter in reply gave them the details point by point: ‘One day, when I was in the town of Jaffa,’ he began ‘I fell into a trance as I was praying and had a vision of something like a big sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. This sheet reached the ground quite close to me. I watched it intently and saw all sorts of animals and wild beasts – everything possible that could walk, crawl or fly. Then I heard a voice that said to me, “Now, Peter; kill and eat!” But I answered: Certainly not, Lord; nothing profane or unclean has ever crossed my lips. And a second time the voice spoke from heaven, “What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane.” This was repeated three times, before the whole of it was drawn up to heaven again.
‘Just at that moment, three men stopped outside the house where we were staying; they had been sent from Caesarea to fetch me, and the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going back with them. The six brothers here came with me as well, and we entered the man’s house. He told us he had seen an angel standing in his house who said, “Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter; he has a message for you that will save you and your entire household.”
‘I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way as it came on us at the beginning, and I remembered that the Lord had said, “John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” I realised then that God was giving them the identical thing he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God’s way?’
This account satisfied them, and they gave glory to God. ‘God’ they said ‘can evidently grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life.’
Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4 ©
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My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
Like the deer that yearns
for running streams,
so my soul is yearning
for you, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
My soul is thirsting for God,
the God of my life;
when can I enter and see
the face of God?
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
O send forth your light and your truth;
let these be my guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
And I will come to the altar of God,
the God of my joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,
O God, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation
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Jn10:14
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me.
Alleluia!
Gospel
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John 10:11-18 ©
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The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep
Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not belong to him,
abandons the sheep and runs away
as soon as he sees a wolf coming,
and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;
this is because he is only a hired man
and has no concern for the sheep.
‘I am the good shepherd;
I know my own
and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me
and I know the Father;
and I lay down my life for my sheep.
And there are other sheep I have
that are not of this fold,
and these I have to lead as well.
They too will listen to my voice,
and there will be only one flock,
and one shepherd.
‘The Father loves me,
because I lay down my life
in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me;
I lay it down of my own free will,
and as it is in my power to lay it down,
so it is in my power to take it up again;
and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’
A LEADER’S BROAD AND SELF-LESS VISION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 11:1-18; PS 42:2-3, 43:3-4; JOHN 10:11-18 ]
There are so many people claiming to be shepherds for the world today. They speak loudly too, using all the resources they have, media, money, power and influence. Of course, they often get elected to be leaders. But are they really shepherds that put the interest of the sheep before their own? This is where the sheep must make proper discernment. Often, if they are deceived or misled by the leaders they had chosen, they have much to be blamed themselves because they are not discerning.
The ultimate criterion of a true shepherd is one who lays down his life for his people. “Jesus said: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; this is because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep.” This is why we must be alert and watchful of those leaders who seem to care for their own vested interests than truly serving the people under their care.
The clear mark of an authentic leader is that he is not hired. This does not mean to say leaders should not be paid for the work they do. Even the Lord Himself said, a labourer deserves his wages. (cf Lk 10:7) St Paul wrote, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching; for the scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves to be paid.'” (1 Tim 5:17f) When we say that one is not hired, it means that one is not motivated by remuneration and earthly rewards but by a sense of mission and duty. Such is a real leader, motivated because of a vision and mission implanted in him so that he could lead his sheep to greener pasture. It is this grandiose vision that inspires and excites him in his work.
Because the shepherd is faithful to his vision and mission, he would even die for the cause. In Jesus’s case, His cause was His Father’s plan to save all of humanity. When Jesus said, “the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep”, He was not just saying some beautiful words but He applied it to Himself. Hence, He said, “The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as it is in my power to lay it down, so it is in my power to take it up again; and this is the command I have been given by my Father.” Jesus came to lay down His life for us. His life is a total offering for the salvation of humanity. Jesus came to serve and not to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
A leader’s vision is never narrow. Although he serves his own organization and his people, he seeks to serve all of humanity. A great leader is not myopic in his vision of service. Whilst he is answerable to the people that he is called to serve, he sees his organization or people as connected with the rest of humanity. So, if he leads his organization and community, it is in order that they may benefit not just themselves but the larger community. He understands that no one can work in silo or is an island. We all belong to each other regardless of race, language and religion. We all belong to the human race. There is only one humanity. We have the same origin and the same destiny. That is why a true leader is never a protectionist or exclusive in his relationship with others and those outside his organization. He reaches out to all and is concerned for the well-being of all men and women. He is a promoter of justice, love, compassion and understanding. So a leader is also supportive of others who are not of his group. So long as it is for the common good of the community and contributes to peace, harmony and growth for everyone, the leader thinks beyond the narrow confines of his own group and organization.
Peter too, must have remembered what the Lord said as well with regard to the other sheep. “And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and these I have to lead as well. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, and one shepherd.” So when the voice of the Shepherd spoke to him, he sensed that it was from the Lord. He took the courageous step of breaking the Jewish boundaries in stepping into the house of a pagan when he was invited by some men from Caesarea. Cornelius told Peter that he had seen an angel standing in his house who said, “Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter; he has a message for you that will save you and your entire household.”
Peter, having the heart of the Good Shepherd, did not hesitate but went without fear to meet Cornelius. As a consequence, God proved Himself to be the shepherd of all, whether Jews or Gentiles. For as Peter recounted, “I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way as it came on us at the beginning, and I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ I realised then that God was giving them the identical thing he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God’s way?'” Peter could have declined to go and reach out to Cornelius because it would not have been a popular move. He would have earned the criticism and even the wrath of his own community. But he had a broad vision and an open mind. He was ready to take the risk and thereby opened the Jewish Christian Church to the Gentile world. Indeed, he actually took the first step and Paul completed what he started by bringing the Gentiles into the Christian Church. Otherwise, Christianity would just have become another little sect within Judaism. Indeed, his courageous action led the Jewish Christians to give to God saying “God evidently grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life.”
This explains why in the Constitution of the Church in Vatican II, the Church is called to be a sacrament of unity and love. “So it is that a messianic people, although it does not actually include all men, and at times may look like a small flock, is nonetheless a lasting and sure seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race. Established by Christ as a communion of life, charity and truth, it is also used by Him as an instrument for the redemption of all, and is sent forth into the whole world as the light of the world and the salt of the earth.” (Lumen Gentium, 9) As Church, we must continue to reach out to all regardless of race, language or religion. Not all will come to know the Lord personally and find faith in Him. But we will continue to reach out to all and share the Good News about Jesus both in words and in actions. In this way, we will all be one family even though not all will recognize God as their Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
But we can hope and believe that we will all one day arrive in heaven because as Vatican Council teaches, “All this holds true not only for Christians, but for all men of good will in whose hearts grace works in an unseen way. For, since Christ died for all men, and since the ultimate vocation of man is in fact one, and divine, we ought to believe that the Holy Spirit in a manner known only to God offers to every man the possibility of being associated with this paschal mystery.” (Gaudium et Spes, 22) The Constitution of the Church assures us that God is not “far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things, and as Saviour wills that all men be saved. Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life.” (Lumen Gentium, 16) Indeed, as Peter concluded, “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34) Thus, it remains the Church’s duty to preach the gospel to every creature.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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