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for Family and Life (SvFL)
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The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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<< Go
to "Servant Leadership" Menu...
ON SERVANT
LEADERSHIP
(Part 20)
WATCHING OVER THE FLOCK
June 8, 2011
Today’s reading: Acts 20:28-38
The task of servant leaders is not only to lead, to form, to
pastor, but also to protect and watch over the flock. The servant
leader is a shepherd, looking over God’s sheep, accountable to
the Chief Shepherd.
Paul warns, “savage wolves will come among you, and they will
not spare the flock.” (Acts 20:29). The enemy attacks those who
threaten his dominion (these are the evangelizers), and he tries
to weaken or destroy those who oppose him. How many in the Church
have these savage wolves already devoured? There are the
unrepentant sinners, there are the nominal or lapsed Christians,
there are those who may still go through the motions but no longer
live for Christ.
Further, there is the enemy within. “And from your own group,
men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples
away after them.” (Acts 20:30). There are those Catholics who
favor the reproductive health bill, or even divorce, and will even
be at the forefront of having anti-life and anti-family bills
legalized. There are the dissidents in the Church, including
theologians, Catholic teachers, even bishops, who work to
undermine the Magisterium, even attacking the Holy Father in the
process. There are the top leaders in CFC, who veered away,
disobeyed the bishops, and attacked those who were working for
restoration to our authentic charism.
Thus, servant leaders are to keep watch “over the whole flock of
which the holy Spirit has appointed (them) overseers” (Acts
20:28b). It is a God-appointed task. They are to be overseers.
They are to stand in the very place of God. They are to have the
same concern for the flock as Jesus did, even to the point of
giving their lives.
How do servant leaders watch over the flock?
First, they must know what they have been tasked to do, how
important their work is, how much God is depending on them. What
is their work? They are to “tend the church of God that he
acquired with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28c). Jesus suffered a
horrible death and shed his precious blood, so that we might
experience salvation, and be brought back into the family of God.
Once there in the Church, servant leaders must work to keep them
inside, growing and thriving. Jesus wants no one to be lost.
Second, they must be vigilant (Acts 20:31a). They must be wary and
watchful.
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They must be aware
of the wiles of the devil, who can even come as an angel of
light. They must know that Satan is the father of lies, and
the enemy is able to deceive many through lies, half-truths,
disinformation, etc.
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They must know
that the enemy never rests, that the enemy is able to exploit
even the smallest dissatisfaction or hurt or conflict among
the faithful, that the enemy in fact oftentimes causes
conflict among top leaders.
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They must know
that people need to continually grow in righteousness and
discipleship, with the ideal of God’s very own holiness, and
to not grow is to backslide.
-
Servant leaders
must be prayerful, asking for God’s own wisdom and
discernment in helping them watch over the flock.
Third, they must be
persistent in teaching what is right and just and true, especially
in the continuing formation of servant leaders. Paul told the
presbyters, “remember that for three years, night and day, I
unceasingly admonished each of you with tears.” (Acts 20:31b).
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They must realize
that the strength of the body depends on the strength of each
and every member, and especially each and every leader. They
look not only to their part in the work, but have concern for
everything and everyone else as well. They must want leaders
to succeed, and not be in competition with them.
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They must not back
down in the face of opposition from dissenters or complainers.
They must know what is right, and unceasingly keep at it,
“for years, night and day.”
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They must greatly
desire the proper formation of leaders, taking such task to
heart. They must come before the Lord in humility,
acknowledging their own sinfulness and lack of power, and beg
the Lord “in tears” to help them at their task.
Fourth, they must also
keep watch over themselves (Acts 20:28a).
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They must know
that they are special targets of attack by the enemy. They
must not be overconfident, lest they fall.
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They must be
leaders who are truly servants, unmindful and not desirous of
power, position, acclaim. They must not have an personal
agenda. “I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or
clothing.” (Acts 20:33). They must be careful not to lord it
over their subordinates, even as they exercise authority in
the Lord.
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They must walk in
integrity of life, along the path of holiness, looking to
perfection unto the Father.
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They must have
supportive fraternal relationships with other servant leaders.
Finally, after they
have done all that they can through the power of God given to
them, they are to entrust the presbyters to God, who Himself
called them to serve Him. At the end of the day, it is God’s
grace and God’s blessing that will change minds and hearts, that
will build up, that will form and transform. “And now I commend
you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you
up” (Acts 20:32a).
After all the teaching and formation and admonition and guidance,
servant leaders turn to God in prayer, private as well as
communal. As seniors we worship, in our households as well as in
our assemblies. We look to the Chief Shepherd, whose work we do,
and whose strength we ask for. “When he had finished speaking he
knelt down and prayed with them all.” (Acts 20:36).
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