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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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ON SERVANT
LEADERSHIP
(Part 7)
In today’s reading
(Jn
13:1-15), we have one of the clearest lessons on servant leadership,
taught and demonstrated by Jesus himself. Jesus washed the feet of his
disciples.
People during Jesus’ time traveled by foot on unpaved roads. They
stepped on dust, mud and dung. When entering into homes, it was
customary to wash their feet. It was such a lowly task that it would
not even be required of the lowliest slave in the household.
Thus it was that when Jesus came to Peter to wash his feet, Peter
objected vehemently, “You will never wash my feet.” (Jn 13:8a).
Taking the lowest place
By washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus demonstrated servant
leadership. Jesus took the lowest place.
At the end, Jesus gave his lesson on servant leadership. “You call
me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If
I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought
to wash one another’s feet.” (Jn 13:13-14).
Jesus knew well enough the fallen human nature’s inclination to
power and position. This would be especially true of those given
leadership positions. Had not an argument in fact broken out among the
apostles as to whom should be regarded as the greatest (Lk 22:24)?
Jesus would be using his apostles powerfully for the spread of
Christianity and the building of the Church. They would be great
missionaries and founders of Christian communities. They would occupy
places of prominence in the Church hierarchy, with Peter becoming the
first pope. It was time to impress upon them the true meaning of
servant leadership. It was to be a lesson they would never forget.
Servant leadership
What is servant leadership?
First, it does not belittle the position of being a leader. Jesus
affirmed the apostles’ recognition of him as teacher and master,
saying, “rightly so, for indeed I am.” (Jn 13:13). Such positions
of leadership are important in the work of the Church. We need not be
apologetic or embarrassed in being recognized as leaders.
But second, it recognizes that to be a leader is to be a servant. As
Jesus said, “I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your
feet” (Jn 13:14a).
What does it mean for a leader to be a servant?
Jesus “took off his outer garments” (Jn 13:4a). Our outer garments
are often our expressions of position, power and acclaim. It might be
the expensive branded shirt, the medals and insignia, or the bejeweled
cape. Some of these might have been given to us as well-deserved
expressions of appreciation and honor. But when we serve, we shed
these. We do not stand on privilege and pomp. We are just servants.
Jesus “took a towel and tied it around his waist.” (Jn 13:4b). It
is not a sword or a gun that we have around out waist, which are
instruments of power and domination. Rather, it is a towel, a standard
tool of servants. When we serve, even as we do exercise authority and
indeed power, we are not authoritarian or dictatorial or domineering.
Jesus knelt before his apostles to be able to wash their feet. Jesus
literally took the lowest place. Jesus humbled himself before those
who were his subordinates. When we serve, no task is too menial for
us.
Jesus “poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’
feet” (Jn 13:5). What Jesus did was degrading work. It was also an
allusion to his humiliating death on the cross. Jesus did not look to
acclaim or glory which he richly deserved. Rather, he embraced the
cross, with all its pain and shame. When we serve, our only concern
should be those whom we serve, and we look not to our own comfort and
privilege. We serve simply in order that those we serve may be
refreshed, cared for and loved. And if ever such service causes us
great difficulty and even pain, then it is cause for rejoicing.
Jesus washed the feet of even his betrayer Judas. Jesus “knew who
would betray him” (Jn 13:11a), but he washed the feet of Judas
anyway. When we serve, we do not discriminate against those who do not
like us, or who do not respect us, or who have done us wrong.
Jesus told Peter, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance
with me.” (Jn 13:8b). The ultimate aim of our service is to help
bring people to their eternal reward. Our service is centered and
founded on Christ. Our pastoral care is intended to help people grow
in holiness and righteousness unto the Lord. We extend to people the
love of Jesus, in order that they might grow in that love. We help
bring them to their true relationship as children of the Father, being
able to take hold of their eternal inheritance.
A lesson to be learned, a model to be followed
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to give them a lesson they
would never forget. Though washing of the feet is done in churches
every Holy Thursday, it is not meant to be done literally for those
who are servant leaders. Though there might be occasions that will
call for it, we do not normally go around actually washing the feet of
those whom we serve. The “washing of feet” is not external but
rather an internal disposition of the heart.
Servant leadership is a posture that calls for humility and
unconditional loving service.
Because this is not easy to do, because the temptation to pride and
authoritarianism is something that will always beset us, Jesus needed
to demonstrate what he wanted us to learn. “I have given you a model
to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” (Jn
13:15). In his call to service as leaders, Jesus now directs us,
“you ought to wash one another’s feet.” (Jn 13:14b).
We ought to realize what a great privilege it is to be given the
opportunity to serve. Because Jesus loves his people, he touches their
lives, even directly without the intervention of others. But Jesus
calls us to service perhaps not so much for the good of others so that
they might become pleasing to God (though using human instruments
certainly is God’s way), but for us to have the opportunity
to be pleasing to God.
Jesus says, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet
washed, for he is clean all over” (Jn 13:10a). People can be
purified and can attain to holiness without us. But God gives us such
people to have their feet washed, so that we may have the opportunity
to do so. When we serve, it is for our good as well as for the good of
those whom we serve.
Such servant leadership is a radical overturning of the wisdom of the
world. We might object like Peter. We might find the demands of
servant leadership unreasonable or even unacceptable. But Jesus tells
us, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will
understand later.” (Jn 13:7).
Let us take to heart the lesson that Jesus is teaching us. And be
assured, if you humble yourself, you will understand.
Holy Thursday
April 9, 2009
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