Embracing the Servant Leadership of Jesus

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 17, 2021

Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45

(Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian)
To listen to my video reflections, please click here

The desire of every human person is to be somebody or someone in society. In pursuit of such desires, we are ready to undertake any means. Sometimes such means may be disliked by others. However, the desire to seek divine intervention through physical sacrifices is accepted by all. Recently I visited the Gunadala Matha Shrine in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh - India) while I preached a retreat to the Oblate Sisters of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (Luigine). I saw a young mother with two of her children making their way by kneeling-walk on that hot sand to the Gunadala Matha Church. In order to satisfy the diety, the simple faith of our people can take up very hard physical sacrifices in contrast to what the Gospel reading of today speaks about the power struggle of James and John.

1. Being a follower of Jesus means becoming a person of indifference

The reply of Jesus to James and John, the sons of Zebedee is astonishing. Jesus says "but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all" (Mark 10:43-44). To reach the greater heights there are no shortcuts but only long and tough routes. Jesus cautions his disciples that to be the greatest of all one has to dirty his or her hands. In other words, one has to get down doing things that many people may not take notice of them, or may not appreciate or recognize at all. Being a slave or servant means one must be ready to shed one's freedom, one's selfishness, one's ego, one's honour or even prestige. Such a state of life is not easy and almost impossible for us in the materialistic world in which we live today. 

Today, we are continuously hounded by all sorts of desires and divisions, temptations and wants, cravings and calories! All that is not supposed to be ours or belongs to us is bought or taken over forcibly. We are not finding it easy or to let go of things or be indifferent. St Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises cautions while dealing with the Principle and Foundation on the purpose of our life here on earth: "we ought to use the created things to the extent that they help us toward our end, and free ourselves from them to the extent that they hinder us from it. Therefore to attain our end, it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in regard to everything which is left to our free will and is not forbidden..." (No, 23).  It is almost living our life against a culture that is being propagated and encouraged by our consumeristic society. 

2. A servant leadership - a way of the follower of Jesus

The question and desire of the sons of Zebedee are also of ours today. Because they were thinking in terms of how the non-Jewish rule, of royal privileges and honours, made them distinct and distinguishing in society. However, Jesus shows his disciples a way that is underappreciated by all, moreover scorned by many. That is, the road to Christ's kingdom is by way of His Cross. To participate in the glory of the Master, the disciple will have to share the cross which is not an easy one, moreover, a tough one. To be a disciple of Jesus, one ought to immerse oneself totally in the Master's doings including suffering that might bring. 

Jesus as a servant-leader utterly knows and loves his followers. As a servant leader, Jesus does not sin, but faces the consequences of sin and forgives and heals. Moreover, he does not "Lords over" but understands them from their point of view.  The values that Jesus propagates here are real and authentic, honest and sincere, truthful and just. Only those people who imbibe these qualities might be able to follow that Jesus. A disciple of Jesus must walk in the footsteps of servant leadership that the Master showed us throughout his life. In fact, every baptized Christian has been called to enter into the servant leadership of Jesus.

3. Following in the footsteps of our Master is counter-cultural 

Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity did not turn up on this earth unexpectedly. Prophets of old had spoken about him especially Prophet Isaia. And we see here Isaiah prophesying, "my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities" (Isaiah 53:11). Jesus would be showing the way, all the more, he will bring justice and hold others accountable and righteous.  The Son of Man (Jesus) will give His life as an offering for sin, just like Israel's priests offered sacrifices for the sins of the people (Leviticus 5:17–19). As Christians, we believe that we are saved by Jesus Christ because of his work of redemption of humanity from spiritual slavery of sin and death. In fact, he has delivered us from all that is evil, enemy and death. 

In all things, what we need is a strong faith which is detrimental to achieve our goal of salvation as today's epistle exhorts us. We experience trials and sufferings that we go through because we stand for the values of Jesus and His Kingdom. Many misunderstand us because we do simple human duty, as Dom Hélder Câmara (1909–1999) a Brazilian archbishop, who said, "When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." St Ignatius tells us that when we are moving in the wrong direction, it is the evil spirit, which is comforting us and it is the Holy Spirit, which is challenging us at the same time. 

4.  Jesus shows us the way for a demanding life

In our search for the Will of God, it is the discernment, which helps us to stay close to the heart of Jesus. When I experience Jesus' mercy, it's easier to stay close to him. However, when I experience him totally from the depths of my heart then I see him clearly, love him more dearly and follow him more closely. It is easy to fall in love with someone I'm attracted to. Ideologies and hostilities that we get attached to as we make our way in this world fall away when my heart is drawn with compassion, affection, and the tender heart of Jesus. Only then do we truly hear the prophetic voices of the Gospel. 

The liturgical readings of this Sunday invite us to think deeper into the reality of life and what suffering brings about. Looking at what Jesus did and accomplished through his sufferings is a lesson we must learn once and for all. In fact, Jesus brought harmony, peace, understanding, compassion, and fraternity in abundance amongst his disciples. His self-sacrificing love moved countless people to accompany and work for the oppressed, downtrodden and marginalized. We too are called to join the prophetic message of Jesus in voicing out our closeness for the poor, and those who are in need of us including the planet earth. Thus through our efforts, we may bring reconciliation which would lead to healing. And healing would lead to embracing each other's brokenness.

Questions for reflections:
1. When I think about Christ's sufferings for the salvation of humanity, what feelings evoke within me? 
2. When we look at the sufferings in the world today like malnourished children, jailed innocents, uncared senior citizens and people with physical disabilities and chronic illnesses, abused children, war, flood, ethnic refugees, etc, how can I view this reality with the reality of Jesus's suffering for us?  
3. What concrete steps I would take up to be humble, meek even though I have a high position in society, company, firm, congregation, community, family, church or diocese?

4. How can I incalculate within me a servant leadership of Jesus?

Prayer:
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.

Gracious Lord, help me to be like you in everything especially to understand the ways of this world. Guide me the grace to develop within me the qualities and characters of servant leadership which you demonstrated so beautifully in this world. Thus I may take everyone who is under my care together to do your Holy Will. We make this prayer in Jesus' name. AMEN.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

October 14, 2021