This is part two of last Monday’s piece.
THIRD, AS A SERVANT-LEADER, JESUS CHRIST LEADS BY EXAMPLE. In the gospel reading, Sundays ago, Jesus told His disciples, “You know how among the Gentiles who seem to exercise authority lord it over them; their great ones make their importance felt. It cannot be like that with you. Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest; whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all. The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve—to give His life in ransom for the many” (Mark 10:42-45).
True it is, indeed, among the Gentiles, among the nondisciples, the leaders lord it over their followers. In our country, it is no different. Although our leaders are elected by the people and call themselves public servants, yet they arrogate unto themselves power and authority over the life and death of our people. Hence, they allocate unto themselves huge “pork barrel funds,” or whatever it is now called, so they could dispense patronage and favors. So, people will owe them the building of roads, the repair of public markets, or the construction of water systems.
Indeed, our leaders make themselves the center of authority such that no business can be opened without their blessing, no employment can be secured without their recommendation, and no wedding or baptism will be complete without them, the politicians, as sponsors. Indeed, our leaders make their importance felt—not by reason of their wisdom or service—but by the authority and power they clothe themselves with.
Quite the opposite, Jesus did not come to be served but to serve. He gave of Himself freely and fully, not wanting or needing anything for Himself. And more than that, He led by example. To show that He is ready to perform the humblest of service, He washed the feet of His apostles, telling them “You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and fittingly enough, for that is what I am. But if I, who am a Teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, then you, too, must wash each other’s feet. What I did was to give you an example: as I have done for you, so you must do (John 13:13-15).”
FOURTH, JESUS IS A LEADER OF INTENSE PRAYER AND UNBENDING FAITH. The Bible is replete with stories of Jesus praying. Just before he walked on the water, the evangelist Matthew related that “He went up on a mountain by Himself to pray, remaining there alone (Matthew 14:23-24).”
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed so intensely that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. And while He was nailed to the cross, He prayed aloud several times, like “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” and “Father, into Your Hands I commend my spirit.”
And to emphasize the great importance of prayer, Jesus Himself taught His disciples the best prayer of all, the “Lord’s Prayer.”
FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, JESUS IS A LEADER OF JUSTICE AND LOVE. Romans 14:17 says that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit.” Justice, peace, and joy. These are hallmarks of Christ.
The Scriptures describe Jesus as the ultimate judge of all. He will come in glory with His royal angels and will pass judgment on whether we gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, and comfort to the imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-40).
But Jesus is not only just. More than anything, He is compassionate and loving. In many parts of the gospels, Jesus showed His compassion for the crowds that followed him. Though He was at times tired and weary, still He taught them, fed them, and healed them. He never turned them down. On the contrary, He showed overwhelming love for the weak, the sick, the poor, the marginalized, the outcast, and the sinner.
A good illustration of the supremacy of His love is shown in the story of the adulteress (John 8:1-11). Jesus was confronted by the scribes (or canon lawyers) with a woman caught in flagrante with adultery. “Teacher,” the scribes mischievously blurted, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. In the law, Moses ordered such women to be stoned. What do you have to say about the case?”
This was a difficult situation because the law, as known by the Jews, imposed the penalty of death by stoning on every woman who commits adultery. If Jesus did not impose it, He would be violating the law. And if He did, He would be authorizing murder. In the face of the dilemma, Jesus replied, “Let the man among you who is sinless be the first to cast a stone at her.” At this, the men dispersed for they realized that Jesus knew their many sins.
Indeed, to be just is to be wise. But justice is not the most valued virtue in the kingdom of God. It is love. As St. Paul said (1 Corinthians 13): “If I speak with human and angelic tongues but not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal … if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have no love, I gain nothing … If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned but have no love, I am nothing … There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.”
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