29th Sunday of Ordinary Time homily notes

     Servant Leadership became a popular business model in the corporate world some years ago. There are even renowned business schools that offer advanced degrees in the philosophy supposedly grounded in the concept that the goal of the leader is to serve. The modern concept seems to have originated with a secular essay by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970, but government officials and even some monarchs have fancied themselves as public servants for centuries. Christians going back to the 1st Century have long understood this idea because Jesus introduced the very concept of servant leadership to everyday human endeavor by His very words and actions.    

    The problem with the secular philosophy of servant leadership is the fact that servants are often treated very poorly. While the idea sounds very good and selfless on the surface and might even make for great public relations slogans, very few people respond well when they actually get treated like servants. This idea is at the heart of what the Mass readings are speaking about today.

    All three readings today easily fit as readings for Lent because the image of Christ as the suffering servant who freely offers himself as a ransom for many is one of the central images of Christ’s passion that we hear during Holy Week. This image of Christ has roots in passages like today’s reading from Isaiah, which specifically has several chapters that  speak directly about a suffering servant. This unnamed servant “gives his life as an offering for sin” so that “the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.” Christians from the very earliest centuries have always looked to these passages and immediately seen them as a direct foreshadowing of Jesus on the Cross.

    Christian ideals of a servant leader are grounded in the idea that Christ freely and willingly offered Himself. He was not forced to endure the cross nor did He passively accept it. The Letter to the Hebrews today makes clear that Jesus actively offered Himself to perfectly fulfill both the role of high priest but also of sacrifice, as a perfect offering to God the Father, freely given on our behalf. 

    In today’s gospel from Mark, Jesus has just finished giving a prophecy of this upcoming sacrifice of Himself on the cross. James and John blithely offer to share in the same power that Jesus has and become servant leaders without the vaguest idea of what true servant leadership and sacrifice truly means.  Jesus clearly lays out what true servant leadership in the Kingdom of God entails and grants James and John their wish, to the indignation of the other disciples there present. All the disciples will eventually learn that true Christian leadership is, in fact, not about gaining power but fully and freely embracing the same self sacrificial love that Jesus personified with His Passion on the Cross.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts on the 'Connecticut 6'

For some weeks, I have had several friends (mostly non-Episcopalians surprisingly) wanting me to voice an opinion on this Connecticut 6 (sounds like a fleabag motel) business. If you are unfamiliar with this fiasco, for lack of a better term, let me describe it as best as I understand it. There is so much spin going on (from both sides I might add) that I have been having trouble discerning fact from fiction. As I understand the situation, the Rt. Rev. Andrew Smith is the Bishop of Connecticut. Well, at least he has a pointy hat, I do not think he is particularly acting like one. Likewise, as I understand, there are Six rectors of churches (at least they have collars, but likewise are not acting like it) that have applied for DEPO oversight (i.e. another Bishop to oversee them.) The best way I know how to describe the hoohah is as follows: The Feloniously Rev. Smith is trying to defrock the Superciliously Reverend Rectors. Darth Smith claims they have abandoned communion and has shadil
Read more

The History of the Football helmet

Image
NCAA.com put out an interesting editorial about the evolution of the football helmet that can be found here . This is in part due in my estimation to the current buzz (one might go so far as to describe it as hysteria) about concussions in contact sports, particularly football. I have always found this an interesting evolution. Long gone are the days of strapping on your leather helmet: In the 50's and 60's, the helmet evolved into, basically becoming a metal then hard plastic version of the leather helmet with the addition of a rudimentary face mask (which was really just a bar at first): Gradually, the helmet's face mask itself began to evolve: Combines with new space age style lightweight plastics and foams, the helmet mask ultimately became a type of full, goalie style face mask (This little number costs just under $1000 to purchase new): Ironically, being a military history major, the football helmet evolution followed the pattern of design that helmets worn
Read more

Homily Notes for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

                Many churches often have Stewardship Renewal drives around this time of year, with St. Michael’s beginning its drive in mid-October. Talks or homilies on stewardship during this time of year often utilize the imagery of the fall harvest season because stewardship is often a time to take stock of God’s bounty-both spiritually and materially-and plan accordingly as to how much a family or individual is willing to commit to giving to the parish in the coming year of their time, talent, and treasure. The Mass readings today are picked in part to reinforce that theme of the importance of giving to God’s work through the church out of the bounty God has given to us. The question in the back of some people’s minds as they listen to stewardship appeals often is not touched upon in depth by the preacher or speaker discussing the importance of stewardship, however. That question is best summed up as, “If God is all powerful, why does He need my money?” The readings today beaut
Read more