The true servant leader is life-giving and self-sacrificing

Another grace we pray for is that Jesus will ‘summon’ us to prayer and discernment in making our choices in the same way that he ‘summoned the 12’

Oct. 17—29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Psalm 33, R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.; Hebrews 4:14-16; Gospel— Mark 10:35-45

Over a week ago, one of the regular online Mass-goers sent me a message, enthusiastically suggesting we revise the election prayer for 2022 to make it more inclusive.

This was during the week of the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the elections. We had a very good exchange of messages.

My first response was to clarify what she meant. After she explained, I pointed out that prayer was meant to provide a “guide” of the values and principles of servant-leadership, but above all to pray for the grace we seek.

The heart of the election prayer is in these following lines: “We put our trust in your promise that you will send us leaders after your own heart and spirit ... Lord Jesus, inspire all who seek office to be servant-leaders ... who will seek office to genuinely ‘serve and not to be served’; servant-leaders of integrity and compassion.”

At the center of all this, the core grace we ask for in our leaders to be elected is in today’s Gospel:

“Rather, 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.” (Mark 10: 43-45)

Leadership framework

I invite you to begin our reflection on the word, “rather.” It clearly signals that Jesus will present a new framework of leadership, one that radically reorients the concept of leadership.

We saw the same radical reorientation in the Beatitudes (“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” Matthew 5: 10) as well as in the Magnificat (“He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly,” Luke 1: 52).

The Lord’s “correction” and reorientation of the ambition of James and John is the context of this unequivocal defining of what it means to be a servant-leader. Without any shadow of doubt, with no equivocation whatsoever, any Christian who seeks to lead must be the “servant ... the slave of all.”

There are two other elements in the election prayer that further make clear the grace we ask for: “our trust in your promise that you will send us leaders after your own heart and spirit” and “servant-leaders of integrity and compassion.”

This trust is in God’s providence, that he will not abandon us. This was an old testament promise: “I will appoint for you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.” (Jeremiah 3:15)

It is the promise of the Lord: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you ...” (John 14: 18); “Feed my lambs ... Take care of my sheep ... Feed my sheep.” (cf. John 21: 15-19)

The Risen Lord will send us his Spirit. This he did in the Pentecost, which completes the Paschal Mystery. It is this same Spirit that inspired the apostles, the first Shepherds of the Church after Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Models of integrity

Jesus, then the 12 apostles, are the proto-servant-leaders, the models of integrity and compassion.

We go back to the heart of the matter that lays out the standard of integrity and compassion. “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

John reiterates this, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 10-11)

The true servant leader is life-giving because he/she is life-giving and self-sacrificing.

He/she ransoms us by laying down his own life.

As Christians, these are the standards the Lord gave us.

The election prayer is a prayer for us who will choose our leaders, not for the leaders, otherwise it may seem like some sort of incantation that will magically transform those who present themselves as leaders into genuine servant-leaders.

Another grace we pray for is that Jesus will “summon” us to prayer and discernment in making our choices in the same way that he “summoned the 12.”

This “admonition” in today’s Gospel worked.

James died a martyr’s death and in his efforts to evangelize Portugal and Spain, the very first apparition of the Blessed Mother happened to encourage him.

John stood at the foot of the Cross and to him was entrusted the Blessed Mother.

We pray this will transform us, too, and thus be blessed, through choosing well, with the leaders we deserve, genuine servant-leaders.