20240227 SERVANT LEADERSHIP
27 February 2024, Tuesday, 2nd Week of Lent
First reading |
Isaiah 1:10,16-20 © |
Cease to do evil; learn to do good
Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the command of our God,
you people of Gomorrah.
‘Wash, make yourselves clean.
Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good,
search for justice,
help the oppressed,
be just to the orphan,
plead for the widow.
‘Come now, let us talk this over,
says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
‘If you are willing to obey,
you shall eat the good things of the earth.
But if you persist in rebellion,
the sword shall eat you instead.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23 © |
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,
your offerings are always before me.
I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from among your herds.
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘But how can you recite my commandments
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise my law
and throw my words to the winds,
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘You do this, and should I keep silence?
Do you think that I am like you?
A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me
and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt4:17 |
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Repent, says the Lord,
for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Or: | Ezk18:31 |
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks –
and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel | Matthew 23:1-12 © |
They do not practise what they preach
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Isaiah 1:10,16-20; Ps 50:8-9,16-17,21,23; Mt 23:1-12]
The theme of today’s scripture readings is servant leadership. This is beautifully summed up by our Lord in the last sentence of today’s gospel. “The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” Humility is one of the most difficult virtues of a leader. Exaltation comes with the office. This is because a leader is always placed in the limelight. He is always taking the lead, the first place in any function. Because of his office, due recognition is given to him or to her. A leader is treated with respect and served by his assistants. His words are taken seriously and his orders are carried out. He always takes the place of honour, whether in a procession, or in a meeting, or a celebration. Because he is honoured, he is given a special address, like, Your Majesty, Your Excellency, Your Eminence, Your Grace, Your Lordship, or simply Your Honour. These are titles that are bestowed upon a leader.
Whilst such honours are given to the leader, it can lead to an over-estimation of himself. He might think of himself more highly than he should. Just because he is given honour, attention and service, he can assume an air of self-importance. He might begin to believe that he is so important and great, that everyone must treat with him respect and reverence, give him precedence in everything and listen to him. And when he does not get the attention that he thought he should be given, he reacts with anger and resentment and even threaten to punish those who do not give him the honour that he expects.
It is for this reason that Jesus warned the religious leaders of Israel of such potential pitfalls in leadership. Certainly, the scribes and Pharisees should be respected because they “occupy the chair of Moses.” But they must never forget that it is the “chair of Moses” that is respected, because it is a symbol of teaching authority. In other words, it is the office that is given honour and respect. The person who sits on the chair of Moses would be accorded the honour because of the authority the person holds. If not for the dignity of the office that must be maintained, those in office must not seek attention for themselves, unless it serves the dignity of the office. The Lord reprimanded those leaders saying, “Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honor at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.” If leaders are given special honour and position or addressed by honorific titles, it is to remind them of the dignity of their office and what is expected of them. Consequently, those addressed by such titles must live up to their calling whether we are called, “Your Excellency, Your Eminence, or Your Grace.”
However, for those who are given the position of leadership, it is not enough to teach or to instruct others what to do, but they must practice what they teach, and obey the laws that are imposed on the people. No one is above the law. Otherwise, it is hypocrisy. Leaders cannot make one set of laws for the people and exempt themselves from the laws. Leaders must show that the laws they formulate for the people are for their good, and for that reason they themselves must uphold what they impose on others. The Lord told the people, “You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they!” Some leaders rely too much on their office they hold to earn the respect of people. Leaders must earn the personal respect of others by the lives they lead. Leaders must lead the way by showing that the laws are truly good for all.
Unfortunately, one of the greatest injustices in the world is the contradiction in the way the rich and powerful are punished for the crimes and offences they commit, compared to the ordinary person, or those who are poor. The rich who steal billions of dollars from the state and society are given a light punishment whereas those who are poor and steal a few thousand dollars are given long jail sentences. The rich and powerful are often exonerated and pardoned by the State for the crimes against the people. This is true also in the international scene as well. Powerful nations get away with crimes against other nations, simply because they have military and economic powers, money and influence. They make one set of laws for other countries, but another for themselves. You can see this in the current wars that are being fought in our times. The rest of the world are helpless in the face of cruelty and injustices towards the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. There can be no true democracy and world order if powerful nations do not respect the international order.
Consequently, leaders must realize that they are equal among all others before God, if not for the office they hold. If they do not “sit on the chair of Moses”, that is, if they are not exercising the office, then they should be regarded as equal among all others. This is the implication of what the Lord said when He told them, “You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.” Truly, when we are called Rabbi, Master, Teacher, or Father, we must not forget that there is only one Rabbi, Master, Teacher, and Father. The office we hold represents God who is our only Master, Teacher and Father. This is what St Paul advised the slaves in those days. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:21-24)
Indeed, because leaders are exercising the Lordship of God, Isaiah reminded the leaders and people of Sodom and Gomorrah to exercise justice. “Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.” Those of us who are in positions of leadership, those of us who are doing well in life, rich and powerful, have a grave responsibility to do good. We must not use our power, position and money to commit evil or to enrich ourselves further. Rather, because God has blessed us with the good things of life, we should use our extra resources to “help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.” Indeed, those who are oppressed, the lowly and the ordinary people cannot defend themselves because they are without resources and influence. The orphan and the widow in those days were without financial means and often exploited. Leaders, therefore, should care especially for those who are weak, marginalized and exploited by society. They should use their influence and power, not to protect their own interests or to enrich their lives, but for the people they are called to serve. This is what ultimately servant leadership is all about.
Hence, today’s readings invite us to reflect for ourselves, what kind of leaders we are. Are we representing Christ in the way we act and talk in our lives? Are we helping people to recognize God in us when we exercise our leadership? Indeed, if we have failed, then in humility, we must turn to God and turn over a new leaf. “Come now, let us talk this over,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'” If we truly live our lives as servant leaders who serve with humility, directing people to God rather than to ourselves, carry out our office with dignity and with responsibility, then not only will we bring good to ourselves, but also to everyone else. For the Lord promised, “If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth. But if you persist in rebellion, the sword shall eat you instead.” Indeed, the Lord warns us through the psalmist, “How can you recite my commandments and take my covenant on your lips, you who despise my law and throw my words to the winds. ‘You do this, and should I keep silence? Do you think that I am like you? A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.”
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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