Petition: Lord, I adore you in your Kingship. Not only are you Lord of all Creation, but you have given me everything I have. I thank you for the time to be with you in prayer and to reflect on your Kingdom. Help me to learn from you be a leader through service - among my family, friends and all those you wish to touch through my action. 

Gospel Passage: Mt 10:42-45 

Jesus summoned them, and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. 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." 

1. Jesus is a leader... but not as the world imagines leadership 

The world puts a premium on leadership. Leaders are held in great esteem, often the object of adulation. And unfortunately the attention can inflate a person's ego. Power can intoxicate, become addictive. But is this the kind of power and leadership Jesus wants his disciples to exercise? 

Our gospel passage sets the pattern for Christ's the Church's leadership. 

The context is enlightening. In several places the evangelists tell us that the disciples argued among themselves as to who among them was the greatest. Here, two of Jesus' closest apostles took matters into their own hands... discussions with the others were no longer enough, they took action to clinch the first places for themselves. "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left." An ambitious request, and made to the highest authority. The others were no less ambitious, because they got upset with the two. Here we see the worldly ambition of the apostles at work: the desire to control, to be on top, to have it MY WAY no matter what, to rule over others. Jesus could not afford to miss the opportunity. He was molding the men who would be the foundation of his Church, the leaders and shepherds of his flock, and he had to make sure they understood. 

"Jesus summoned them and said to them, 'You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. 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"' (Mt 10: 43-45). 

Every Christian is baptized as priest, prophet and king, each one is called to be a leader. But we have to be clear about what that means. The Lord's words tell us that in his eyes, the leader (the king, the shepherd) is a servant and a slave to the needs of others. In other words, a true Christian leader doesn't look for a pedestal to sit on top of, he is a servant. One of the Holy Father's titles is SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD. That reflects Jesus' message here. As leaders, we are here to serve... to serve the Church, to serve our families, to serve the whole world. 

These words of Jesus put us in context. They help us to see where we should head. Now let's take a closer look at our Lord in action. Looking at him, we can detect some of the characteristics the leader should strive for. 

2. "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I wish...!" He knows where he is going and why. 

Things don't just happen to him. He makes things happen. He had received a mission from his Father and he put all his energies into bringing it about, nothing could sidetrack him. On several occasions he made it clear to the apostles that achieving this mission is the only thing that mattered to him. 

For instance, in the 4th chapter of John when the apostles were trying to convince Jesus to eat something, he told them: "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work." And it's not that Jesus had anything against eating. Many times we see him at banquets in the Gospel, and the principal sacrament he left us, the Eucharist, is a meal. He gets a point across: nothing is as important for him as the work his Father gave him to do. The Christian apostle has received a mission from God and that's got to be his main concern. Everything else is meaningful inasmuch as it forms a part of that mission. 

3. "I lay down my life, no one takes it from me 

The 10th chapter of John also gives us more insights into what Christian leadership is about. It contains Jesus' description of the Good Shepherd. The leaders who put their own life and limb in first place are, as Jesus puts it, "thieves and robbers." The Good Shepherd, on the other hand, "lays down his life for the sheep." He does it willingly, freely, out of love. Every time we look at the crucifix, we see the image of what the Christian leader ought to be, the one who dies so that the others may live. 

Elsewhere Jesus speaks of going out in search of the lost sheep. This is an excellent image for us. How many "lost sheep" do you know? How many persons in need of what you have? To serve them, to meet their needs you have to die to yourself freely. The hallmark of Jesus' style of leadership is always his self-giving. What a beautiful way to understand your vocation too! 

Questionnaire: To help you to examine your life, in the light of the inspirations God just gave you in these moments you shared with him. 

1. What does leadership mean for me: control or service? 

2. Are my personal relationships based on getting my own way? 

3. How vain am I? Can I do good without having to get personal recognition? 

4. Do I know yet where I am going and what I have to do in life? 

5. What would I be willing to sacrifice to lead a single person to heaven?