Practice what you preach, teach
ONCE a bishop was giving a talk about world hunger. “Millions of people in the world are starving. They eat barely once a day.” But here’s the rub, he was speaking at a dinner overflowing with mouth-watering food and drinks!
* * * Then there was a couple preparing to go to Mass. The phone rang and the husband, a lay minister in church, picked it up. Apparently it was a wrong number. “Don’t bother me with your wrong numbers,” he growled. “We’re in a hurry to go to church!”
* * * In this 31st Sunday gospel, Jesus denounced the religious leaders of his time, saying: “The scribes and Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses but do not follow their example. For they preach but do not practice what they say” (Mt. 23:3). Jesus’ words may well apply to the bishop and the lay minister in the above stories, which shows a yawning gap between words and deeds.
* * * SERVANT LEADERSHIP. Jesus went further and said, “All their works are performed to be seen. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor, and titles like “Rabbi.”
“That should not be the case with you,” Jesus said. “The greatest among you must be your servant,” (Mt. 23:11). Greatness is not concerned with titles and seats of honor, the Lord pointed out, but in the capacity to serve.
* * * One time I was talking to a barangay chairman. I asked him why he keeps running for the top barangay position.
His reply was: “I want people to have a high regard for me and my family. I want them to recognize me. I feel good when they reach out for my hand and touch it to their foreheads in respect.”
I admired the man’s candid answer, but his motive was self-serving. A true leader doesn’t run for position in order to gain and enjoy self-admiration.
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Obviously, there is nothing wrong about titles and positions. What’s wrong is the attitude that authority is appropriated purely for personal glory and interest without regard for humble service to people. What is condemned is not authority but authoritarianism. The gospel message is a clear warning to priests and bishops.
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However, it applies also to men and women of authority. For instance, government leaders who preach austerity or impose new taxes should show good example by not junketing abroad, undertaking ill-timed projects or worse, using their authority by misusing or stealing people’s money.
Servant leadership applies also to authority figures like parents, teachers, employers.
* * * BY THE WAY, Catholics are criticized by Bible-believing Christians for calling the Pope “Holy Father” and priests “Fathers.”
They say this is against the teaching of Christ, citing this Sunday’s gospel. “You must not be called ‘Teacher’... And do not call anyone on earth your ‘Father’ (Matt. 23:8-9).
* * * In reply, such an interpretation leads to absurdities. Taken literally, the words would forbid us to call our natural fathers “Father.” Then how would we call our teachers in school?
What Christ stresses is that our concern should not just be after titles of honor and worldly dignity which the scribes and Pharisees’ were craving for but rather the obsession to serve people and constituents.
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