Introduction
We
live in a age when values and beliefs are redefined. As a Catholic and as a priestly candidate I
believe that changing phase of life calls for a deeper introspection of being
the church
The
essay has three chapters. The first chapter deals with the summary of the three
articles, provided as the study material. The second chapter deals with the
method used in the contextualizing and the emerging findings. The final chapter
reflects theologically on the findings.
Chapter 1: Summary
of the Articles
1.1
An Effective Pastor- A Model for Spiritual Leadership[1]
The
competent leadership is much sought after commodity today and most desirable
leaders in this arena are Strong Natural Leaders (SNL). Some of their characteristics are
i)
visionary mind and forward thinking
ii)
being energetic and action oriented
iii)
courageous
and goal or task oriented
iv)
Paternalistic
and ego centric.
They
are often intolerant and indispensable. They lead by precept and power. In
general their leadership style could very well be called this-worldly.
In
contrast to this style, the author presents us with a Paradoxical Style of
Leadership. This is based on the life and teaching of Jesus, explained through
various imageries and metaphors. Leader, presented here, is a servant or a
slave. (Mk 10, 42; Lk 22, 27) Jesus showed that true spiritual leaders are
servants, first of God and then of people. Contrary to SNL, servant leaders
operate from a spiritual plane than from the natural. This leadership places
character above function, motives above activities, humanity above promotions,
faithfulness above success and others above self.
1.1.1
The Example and Teaching of Christ
Jesus
was a servant and was engaged in fulfilling his Father’s will. He often used Slave-
Master metaphor to teach about servant leadership. We see his dramatizing of
humility in Jn 13, 12-17, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your
feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” He gave us a clear picture of
what he meant by leadership leading for service.
We
also see, how he gave a new orientation and common origin to all leadership
saying, “For one is your Teacher and you are all brothers….for one is your
Father who is in heaven”( Mt 23,8-13). A Christian leadership bases itself and
flows from its master and Lord; it flows from the deep intimate relationship
between God and human.
We
find Jesus confronting the human desire to be Masters and present his disciples,
the model of Servant Leadership, as the model of the Kingdom. Jesus also
stresses on one important quality – being childlike, to be seen
in a Servant Leader. One important aspect of childlikeness is purity of
intention, without self interest and hidden motives. Jesus’ understanding of ‘the
last will be first and least will be great’, presents a leadership which is
deeply spiritual and operating from one’s depth. ‘Servant leader must shun pride and embrace humility and self sacrifice’
is the crux of Jesus’ leadership expectation.
1.1.2
Some New Testament Terms for Leaders:
The
most common metaphor here is - Servant or Slave which translates three Greek
Words – Dolous, Huperetes and Diakonos.
i)Doulous:
It views a servant in relation to his master. Doulous is commonly translated as, “bond
servant”. Paul calls himself and Timothy as servants of Christ (Phil 1,1). Paul
sees himself being slave to sin and his relation to Satan was broken by his
identification with Christ in his death. A bond Servant was not necessarily
without dignity or authority. Jesus himself became a bond servant (Phil 2,7).
We have instances where we find occasionally, slaves are put in a position of
responsibility and command (Mt 24,25). In the parables of Jesus, the word Dolous is used to describe relation of
men to God.
ii)Huperetes:
This
word is used in relation to superior. Huperetes
can be variously used as ‘servant’, ‘minister’, attendant’ and ‘helper’. Theological
Dictionary of New testament gives the meaning of - willingly learning the task
or goal from one who is above him. As a huperetes
who is granted oversight of others, the servant leader must faithfully obey
Christ’s orders and convey those orders to those who are under his care.
iii)Diakonos:
Greek term for a slave
is diakinos. Its root diako means to hasten after or pursue.
Jesus said, ‘If anyone serves(diakonos)
Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant (diakonos) also be; If anyone serves me,
the Father will honour him(Jn 12,26).
From
dulous, hupertes and diakonos emerge
a picture of a spiritual leader as a bond servant whose highest goal is to fulfill
God’s will for his life.
1.1.3 A Servant
- Leader Is a Steward
Another
metaphor for spiritual leaders is – Steward. The root of steward – oikonos means ‘a house arranger’. It
pictures one who oversees and dispenses the property and goods of another. True
spiritual leaders are stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4,1).
1.1.4 A Servant Leader is a Shepherd
Another
metaphor for a servant leader is a Shepherd. In our times, we find Pope
Francis’ call to be shepherds who smell the sheep. Jesus was a Shepherd. Jesus saw himself as a Shepherd to his
people. “I lay down my life for my sheep…. My sheep hear my voice…” ( Jn 10)
1.1.5 A Critical View
The
article brings in Jesus’ model of leadership, in contrast with Strong Natural
Leadership of the world today. Christian leadership bases itself on Jesus who
led by example. His leadership was that of a servant and filled with humility.
The number of examples that are sighted here point at one unique factor – that
a servant leader is connected to his master at the depths of his being and
operates from the depth. The aspect of Being is very much stressed over having
which is normal in SNL.
The
other metaphors like Shepherd and Steward too give us the idea of Christian
leadership which is filled with love and care. Thus to put things together the
leadership model presented here is – Love leading to service through caring for
his people.
As we see the author
tries to present Jesus’ leadership for service, in terms of a shepherd. He
says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his
sheep” (Jn 10,11). Through Jesus’ life we see that He feeds, nourishes,
nurtures, comforts, corrects and protects His flock, the people of God. Thus,
Jesus was a servant-leader. He taught and embodied leadership as service.
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever
wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20,26-28).
In the Christian realm, our leadership should be of servant leadership.
Jesus was a servant
leader who served the will of his Father. Jesus’ mission was to be the Messiah,
the saviour of the world. He served his mission by being as Suffering Servant,
Messiah. Jesus did everything in the service of his mission i.e., to serve the
will of His Father. He said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my
will but to do the will of him who sent me” (Jn 6,38).
Jesus was also led with
a vision of what things would look like when he completed his mission as the
‘Kingdom of God’. Jesus eloquently unfolded tales to help people to see that he
was the chosen One of God. This He augmented by serving his followers through
the episode of the washing of the feet (Jn 13,12-17); thus teaching them to do
the same.
Thus we find seven
timeless principles that described how Jesus led his life as a servant:
·
Jesus humbled himself and allowed God to
exalt him.
·
Jesus followed his Father’s will rather
than aiming at a position
·
Jesus defined greatness as being a
servant and being first as becoming a slave.
·
Jesus risked serving others because he
trusted that he was God’s Son.
·
Jesus left his place at the head table
to serve the needs of others
·
Jesus built a team to carry out a
worldwide vision and lastly
·
Jesus empowers his followers by sharing
responsibility and authority with them.
Thus we see how
the author tries to compare Jesus’ quality with the qualities which are present
in the world especially in the other religions.
Thus challenges us to lead a such a life where we share and respect each other.
1.3 Servant Leader is humble and balanced[3]
It
is a comprehensive presentation by Most Rev. Thomas Menamparampil SDB
Archbishop of Guwahati on who a leader is and what his qualities should be, and
can truly serve as a guideline in our pastoral ministry.
In
earlier times people used to look at persons like Alexander, or Caesar, or
Napoleon who conquered nations and led their communities to high achievement as
great leaders. Event today people like Bill Gates and George Soros have become
icons for ambitious young men who want to be great achievers. James and John
wanted to sit at the right and left of Jesus in his kingdom. Like in their
case, the Gospel invitation to become a servant or a slave is not high on our
agenda. Exercising effective authority and getting things done seems to be more
attractive idea. But these are moments of self-evaluation for us priests when
we would like to question ourselves whether the leadership we wish to offer is
truly according to the mind of Christ.
Nicolo
Machiavelli thought that the ruler should seek to be feared than loved. He
should concentrate on getting things done, not entertain too many scruples, nor
worry about keeping his word. He should be prepared to manipulate the minds of
people when required, and not have any hesitation about being a liar or a
hypocrite, as long the goal was achieved. However, the teaching of Jesus is
directly opposite. For him, uprightness is everything. Humility matters. He
asked those whom he chose to be leaders to place themselves at the service of
others. That is the meaning of being a Christian leader. Martin Luther King
said, “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have
a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree
to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Peter
asks Christian leaders to serve happily, not for money; to lead others not by Lording
it over them, but being examples to them (1 Pet 5:1-4).
Today,
we realize that ‘followers’ also are leaders’. In this sense everyone is a
leader and is leading all the time in hard-to-measure ways, if only their
potentialities are developed. Heroism is not mere showmanship; it is something
far more sober and real. The genuine heroism of a servant leader is not the
urge to surpass all others at whatever the cost, but the urge to serve others
at whatever cost. Abraham Lincoln said,
“Servant leadership is all about character than style.” No one in authority
today can get things done or introduce needed changes merely by issuing orders.
Change comes when the followers desire it or seek it. We know from experience
that people generally follow leaders with a vision, those who seem to see
clearly where best to go.
A
priest who has a vision is not merely constructing a church; he is building a
people of community. It is great ideas and great ardour that touch human
hearts. It is the sharing of one’s profound convictions that will bring people
round to one’s beliefs. Leadership means inspiring people. People look up to
leaders who are strong, convinced and competent, but who are also human. They
respect those who respect them and place their confidence in them, those who
take their ideas seriously. People admire a leader who is known for his
objectivity, reasonableness and truthfulness. A leader must anticipate
troubles, recognizing his own limitations. He needs at every stage to be
equally ready for both success and failure. A servant leader is willing to take
risks. He is prepared to fail and take the blame for it. But he learns from
every failure. Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99%
perspiration.”
A
leader must be creative, break new ground and push into un-chartered ways. A
leader must explore like a scientist, imagine like an artist or cultivate
sensitivity like a poet. George B. Shaw said, “Imagination is the beginning of
creation.” A leader may feel diffident about his intellectual abilities. But
the intelligent is not necessarily the most creative. The leader must equip
himself with every form of competence required for the ministry that he is
engaged in: proclaiming the word, promoting social justice, counseling,
organizing self-help groups, leading prayer-groups, or forming candidates to
the priesthood. He must study, take notes, reflect, compare, apply his findings
to the immediate situation, and explore and understand other areas that are
related.
The
priest’s achievement depends on his co-workers. When the leaders show
enthusiasm, passion, and fervor, then these qualities spill into the lives of
the members of the team. They take on responsibility for their common success.
And they win. Pastoral care involves reaching out to the weak and the lost.
Leader must listen to ordinary peoples’ sad stories. Listening means: paying attention
with one’s senses, mind and intuitions and giving recognition to people.
Leadership does not come from mastering a list of techniques, but it originates
from knowing what one really is: from self-awareness, self-regulation,
self-motivation, empathy, social skills. This self-discovery and
self-motivation is an on-going process.
Chapter 2: Method and Findings
2.1 Qualitative
Method: We used the qualitative method for our field study.
The method included, that we had the initial discussion in the group. The questionnaire was prepared to carry out
the contextual study of the topic we are dealing with. Here is the detailed questionnaire which was
prepared in common in the class.
2.1.1 Questionnaire
1.
Leadership in parishes is multi-layered and includes spiritual, moral, and
social dimensions. What do you think are the most important concerns of
leadership in parishes today? What are the competencies required for servant
leadership?
2.
Jesus, the servant is the model of humility. How is this aspect reflected in
leadership in your Parish?
3.
Do you consider the leaders in your parish as humble, available and service
minded? Do you feel respected, inspired, and empowered by them?
4.
How is your relationship with the leadership in your parish? Do you think it is
challenging? If so how can you respond?
5.
Griped by the spirit and inspired by the Word Church leaders are called to
serve? Do you experience this attitude in their very action?
6.
How do you find conformity between service and leadership in your parish? Give
examples
7.
His mission is our Mission. This entails a sense of sacrifice through love in
action. Do you find a struggle in Church leaders to reflect His love in deed?
8.
We are bound by our human limitations. Can you think of some areas that needs
special attention?
The findings will come in these
categories mentioned below
a.
For change and transformation in parish leadership?
b.
For service
c.
To make this leadership more realistic?
It
was a qualitative questionnaire, as that would be apt for our study of this
topic.
Having
prepared the questionnaire, we met the people, of three different age groups.
They are People between 20-40 years, 40-60 years and people aged 60 and above.
For our field study we visited St Ignatius Church, Khadki. Having met people
and discussed with them our questions, we came back as a team with the data.
Guided by Fr Konrad Noronha,SJ we
processed the data we collected from our field study. This processing through
the method of………..helped us to come out with 4 findings, supported by peoples
quotes and opinions. The surplus data was discarded.
2.2 Findings
2.2.1
Humble and balanced Leader
2.2.2
Witness of Life.
2.2.3
Effective Pastoring
2.2.4
“Shepherd with the smell of Sheep”[4]
Now we
present before you our findings as stated above, supported by people views we
found during our interactions.
2.2.1
Humble and balanced Leader
In
today’s world we need leaders who are balanced yet humble. In our field study
we come across a young man aged 23 who said, “Yes, I consider the religious
leaders in my parish as humble and service minded because they are always ready
to help people in times of need. They are very understanding and cooperative.
And I do feel respected, inspired and empowered by them because of their
positive attitude towards the need of the society”.
And
other person who supported the view by a woman aged 39 also said, “The leaders
definitely come across as humble and service minded. The various programmes for
the parishioners and the ready available do make the people feel respected,
inspired, and empowered. However, there are occasions when the parishioners may
be made to feel lacking in their faith- either in personal conservations or
during sermons. The aim of the leadership should be not to point out
shortcomings but to introduce them to the faith and help them find it their own
way and time.
We
also came across a view contrary to this by a woman aged 29 says, “No I don’t
consider them humble and service minded, but they do seem available and ready
to listen to what people say. Those whose views area acted upon feel respected,
while others are left ignored. I do not feel inspired or empowered, but
actually feel constrained to live by their rules and have no freedom to express
myself.”
Another Youngman
aged 21 also feels the same. “I see there is no balance. Some are very
dominating, shouting and some are different and open in some priests, I see
this balance and in some I do not see.
Thus we have
come across as presented above- there are contrasting opinions about the humble
and balanced leadership in the church.
2.2.2
Life of Witness
People
have their own expectations of their pastors and leaders. The data we collected
clearly tells us that pastors need to be a witnessing value though their life. We
have a person aged 61 clearly articulated …”We know of St. John Vianney how he
brought about the change in the society. Prayer is the foundation for
everything. We need priests those who pray. They should cultivate a sense of
love for the poor and the marginalized.”
We also have
woman aged 38 who gave qualitative picture of a pastor, “Qualities for servant
leader: Acceptance and respect for all, encouraging the people welcoming the
other faiths in sharing and dialogue. Love for poor.”
There
are also expectations in line with priest also being – contemplatives in
Action. A senior man, aged 61
says, “Priest as servant leader, should be able to uplift them by not just
giving them money but by spending time in their houses and listening to them
and encouraging and motivating to uplift themselves socially”. And another
person supports similar view as he says, “Church leaders involve at the gross
root level struggles of people and build human communities”
Priest is also
seen as a person who builds bridges among various cultures and languages. A
youngster aged 22 says, “Most important concerns of leadership in parish:
uniting the people of different language groups.”
Though there are
lots of expectations as mentioned above, coming to the concrete reality people
do find a struggle among the church leaders.
Another young woman aged 25 says, “There is a struggle in church leaders
to reflect the sacrificial love of Jesus in their action. They do not visit the
poor people; they are friendly to rich and higher class society. They neglect
the poor. The gap between the poor and priest is increasing and an area of
concern.”
Thus we do
realize that a life of witness that is, to be Alter Christ, is indeed a struggle
and an ongoing challenge.
2.2.3
Effective Pastoring
Is
Pastors duty- 9 to 5? Or is it 24 x7?. The people we met give us an idea in
this regard. A senior woman aged 65 says, “Priests think that their job is from
9 to 5 like that of office. But people look at them as to be available for
24x7. When people for their needs, there may be tendency for priests to come
later on but they should be available to the needs of people. If priests are
not there, at least somebody should be there. The role of priests should be
well explained to the people”.
We
have another/ different view from a man aged 61 who thinks, “Finally priest as
a servant leader should be rated as successful not in terms of success by
constructing the church or organizing the feasts but he should be good and
successful in loving his people and know his people well and lives with the
people and journeys with the people.”
Thus
the people’s view clearly tells us that priest is not a professional employee
who is bound by time rather he is a servant of Christ and his people and
available 24x7.
2.2.4
“Shepherd
with the Smell of Sheep”
Our
final finding of the interactions with the people is, “Shepherd who smells his
sheep”, where the aspect of service is very much highlighted. Like Pope Francis
says, people too expect their priests to be a shepherd to them. To support this
view woman aged 25 says, “Priest should know the pulse of the people and they
should be concerned about the faithful”
Smelling of the sheep also has a factor of
deep understanding of the people and responding to their needs. A middle aged
man 45 says, “A person should feel that
priest is giving homily to me and solution through word of God.” And we also
have another woman aged 32 finds a shepherd shouldn’t hesitate to approach his
sheep. In her words, “at any cost Priest as a servant leader should not
hesitate in asking for help from anybody.”
The
important aspect emerging here is that priest is a spiritual leader who guides,
enables and leads his people spiritually. According to a young man aged 29,
“The most important concern according to me is the need for spiritual
reformation. Compared to older generation, the present generations lack faith
in God. There is need for a movement in parishes where the younger generation
can come together and express their faith in God. A priest or leader’s life
should be a model for them in their faith and that can make them stronger and
consistent in their faith.
Thus
the fact is as Pope Francis Says priest is a Servant Leader who journey with
the people and closely walks with them and accompanies them.
Chapter 3: Theological Reflection
I
am on our search to understand the deeper implications of Servant Leadership.
It would be interesting to know from our findings, what does Servant Leadership
really mean? What are its theological implications?
As I understand, it begins with the
natural feeling that one wants to serve first. Then the conscious choice begins
to one to aspire to lead.[5]
I
would like to base my theological reflections on the four findings from the
field study.
3.1
Humble and
balanced – Alter Christi
The above statement
which emerged out through various opinions of people focuses on the important
aspect of the characteristics of a Christian leadership. As said earlier in the
summary, Christian leadership is for service and not merely for the exercise of
power.
3.1.1
Humility: We live in a world where strong natural leadership
is much valued, where perfection and authority play a vital role. But, before
God nothing counts but humility and this requires of religious leaders to give
space to God, to have something to do with interior experience of obscurity, to
not know what to do.[6]
Thus to be a humble person, one needs to depend totally on God. Christian leadership involving humility, points us towards
the Calvary, where Christ humbled himself on the cross, unto death.
“Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with
God as something to be exploited but emptied himself attaining the form of a
slave….. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even
death on the cross” ( Phil 2, 5-8). A leader hanging on the cross paves way to
humanity, to be a contrast community with a contrasting style of leadership.
We live in a world where
people like to own and take pride in their achievements. We find successful
leaders who love to control and convince. Lao-Tzu writing about servant
leadership in the 5th Century BCE said: “The highest type of ruler
is one of whose existence the people are barely aware. When his task is
accomplished and things have been completed, all the people say, ‘We ourselves
have achieved it!”[7]
Thus the important aspect of Christian
humility focuses on derecognizing or detaching oneself from the result and able
to see the work of God in his creation, being executed beautifully, in everyday
living. Jesus in his teaching very much stressed the aspect of humility.
Scriptures support the aspect of humility as a virtue to be sought after.
·
But not so with you. Rather,
let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who
serves. ( Lk 22, 26)
·
Mk10, 35- 45 we see Jesus, responding to
the request of the sons of Zebedee, once again stressed the aspect of humility
and points at the deeper meaning and implication
·
If I then, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For
I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to
you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor
is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ( Jn 13, 14- 15)
Thus humility, after the example of
Christ, is a deeper call to imitate him, today. I believe when people speak of
humility in a priest, they are inviting a church leader or a pastor to be
another Christ. The other important aspect we need to focus here is that being
humble means breaking one’s own ego and moving beyond one’s own petty attachments.
Thus to find God at the depths of one’s being, a place where there is no place
for ego and pride. And having found God, help others too to do the same.
How does the priest cultivate this indispensable humility? The
simple answer would be, as everyone else cultivates humility: by humble prayer;
by daily reflection on his failings and sins; by humbly performing the menial
duties and not looking for positions or places where he can shine. In the case
of a priest there is, I believe, one distinctive path to humility, by not
seeking to please; and when duty requires it, and it often will, being willing
to displease. Thus we shouldn’t mistake between being humble and being a
pleasing person.
The
aspect of humility has also to do with the letting go of controlling and more
and more flexible. Humility also means walking with the faithful not clinging
on to the external power position.
3.1.2 Balanced:
Every physical body has its own vibrations and others are above to feel them. A
balanced person is a person who is integrated. There seems to be certain amount
of restlessness within every human. Possibly this is part of the existence of
every human. To be balanced in that sense is to be restful within oneself. Will
that be really possible? As St Augustine puts it, “Our hearts are restless O
Lord until they rest in you…”
As I see the aspect of being balanced
very much linked to human frailty and the call to move beyond. The interactions
that brought in the idea of ‘balance’, in a pastor very much focus on the human
aspect, and call for human maturity and growth in our pastors. Thus it’s a call
to walk though a rough path or a hard road, which is less travelled. It’s easy
to yell at people. But to listen to them patiently even when their views and
ways are not agreeable to us, needs courage.
This entails a pastor dying to his self and rising in Christ every day.
“Suffering serves to establish a closer and more authentic relationship between
mankind and God.”(Heb 12, 10)
Thus to be balanced is to be integrated
and to be perfect. As Jesus says God alone is perfect and reaching that is a
Christian ideal.
Therefore being humble and balanced the pastors execute their mission
effectively. Citing the words of St
Augustine LG 32 says “to you I am the Bishop and with you I am a Christian. The
first one is an office and second is a grace”[8]
This is indeed a call to be an Alter Christi.
3.2 Life of Witness – To be and to make
disciples
The
faithful expect their church leaders leading a life of witness. There are
umpteen examples in the history like John Mary Vienney, Padro Pio and others
who were exemplary through their rich spiritual life and service. The word
witness, as I see from the field study is used in the sense that pastor should
be a man of God by being open and respectful to other faiths and cultures. Life
of witness in the opinions of people also means someone who is able to lift the
spirits of people around him. Can we have a better example to this than our
master and Lord, Jesus himself, who did not close the doors to anybody,
including Samaritans( Mt 15,27).
In the incident of raising Lazarus from the
dead(Jn 11,38-44), we see him listening to their pain(Martha and Mary) and then
refreshing them by re uniting Lazarus back to their family by raising him, (
ressucitation) and thus lifts their spirits at the same time manifesting that
God is Almighty. Thus uplifting the spirit is not mere secular act, rather a
spiritual intervention where god’s glory is manifested.
Disciples also had a spirit lifting experience
when Jesus walked on the water. But today the miracle is not to walk on the
water rather dwelling deeply in the present and responding creatively to the
crisis of the time. We are slowly moving from an age where cassock was valued
over the person. We are into an age where person / pastor is judged by his
character and not merely by his costumes.
I
would like to discuss the mission command in this context.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28, 19) For long Church seem to have understood the mission
command as baptizing people and growing numbers. But the fact is, that is only
a partial command. We have forgotten the first and most important aspect of it.
As Fr George Saurus Prabhu says, we need to focus on – ‘make(ing) disciples’. I
believe making disciples is a greater and a harder task than merely baptizing
them.
Pope
Paul VI, in the Evangelii Nuntiandi,[9]
Chapter 2, tells us that “ Today witness is the way to proclaim the gospel.
Each one of us must become a living Gospel which people in contact with us will
read”
Thus putting
things together, to be a witness is to be a disciple and make disciples. And
that fulfils the mission command or the proclamation of the gospel. We are all
invited to do this as the Samaritan Woman in the gospel of John did( Jn
8,1-11); she shared with others, the treasure, she found.
In
our times we have several people who lived a life of witness, life of
discipleship. I would love take the example of Bishop Oscar Romero, who listened to Lord attentively in the
struggling and suffering people of his. “I beg you, I order you in the name of God;
stop the repression”[10],words
from his last Sunday(March 23, 1980) homily tell us how helpless was he and yet
how faithful to the Lord and his people. He knew that there was always the
possibility that he might be murdered. He received death threats frequently.
But he refused all forms of protection, and did not even bother to vary his
daily routes. He was the prime target. Yet he argued that the poor people of
the country whom he represented went without protection. Then why should he be
any different?[11]
In my opinion, he was a disciple who
imitated his master and Lord who died a helpless victim’s death on the cross.
Thus let us remember to be a witness is to be helpless as Jesus was and yet be
hopeful.
Having spoken about the discipleship I
would also like to make a mention that in the interaction with the people,
there was also an undertone, to be open to other faiths too. We do see the hand
of the Spirit where he is gathering all things in HIM gradually. Anonymous
Christians (by Karl Rahner) or the
Unknown Christ of Hinduism by Pannickar, point at the mission field where the
Spirit of God is at work. Over the years we see the Church recognizing these
elements. This in other words to say, the doors of the Kingdom of God are open
to all (while we do believe that Jesus is the Unique Savior (1 Tim 2, 5)).
Nostra aetate 1, speaks of one human community with common origin and destiny
in God alone. Ad Gentes 8 says, ‘ Whatever truth and grace are to be found
among nations as a secret presence of God, this activity frees them from all
stain of evil and restores to Christ it’s maker.’ Thus how ‘ Missio Ad Paganos
changed slowly into Ad Gentes, in the church hierarchy, so is happening now in the minds of the people of God.
Dialogue is an important tool here. Dialogue
also means mutual education. We learn from each other[12]. Thus
it’s good for us to read the sign so of the time, which quietly point towards
the gathering of all, in Christ as St Paul puts it. “ as a plan for the
fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things
on earth.”- (Eph 1, 10)
Thus to be a witness or to lead a life
of witness means to be and make disciples; disciples from all people and being
open to the work of the spirit. And one important aspect to be note in the life
of the disciple is, Prayer. As Pope Francis puts it, “Without prayer all our
activity risks being fruitless and our message empty”[13]
3.3 Effective Pastoring – part of the greater plan
of God
How
to be an effective pastor? The field data as tries to answer this question to
some extent. The aspect of availability is very much stressed together with the
being over doing. It’s quite clear for me reflecting on my own vocation, that a
pastors work is not a profession which could be timed rather it’s a deeper
invitation to be, a special vocation which cannot be time bound.
St Paul speaking of his inner conflict ‘for
I do not do the good I want but the evil I do not want, what I do’ (Rom 7,
14-23). It’s human to be tempted to be
successful, which is often counted in terms of achievements, though often a
pastor hears the voice deep within, to be. Jesus, clarifies Martha, that being
with him has greater value than doing lots of things for him, when she
complained about Mary ( Lk 10, 38-42). Jesus sent his disciples out into the
world, only after they were with him for a substantial time. Thus being with
him is an important aspect of the servant leadership and being an effective
pastor and of being a desciple. By being with him or focusing on the being
aspect than doing, one knows his master and also knows that one is a servant.
·
A servant is
humble – does not attract attention to himself.( Mt 10, 24 ; 2 Tim 2,25)
·
A servant is
diligent – actively working and not lazy ( Mt 24, 45-47)
·
Servant is busy
serving ( Lk 17, 7 – 8)
·
A servant is
obedient ( Eph 6, 5-6)
·
A servant is
dedicated ( 2 Sam 15, 21)
·
A servant is
watchful - Alert and attentive to the
needs of his master(Lk 12, 35-36)
Having known that one is the servant of
the Lord a pastor needs to move out to his people. And I believe, the servant
model will indeed be a great help in effective pastoral work, as it would make
the other feel at home.
Biblical requirements of effective leader
are Commitment, Conviction, Competency and Character[14](1
Tim 3, 1-13; 2 Tim 2, 1-13; Titus 1: 5-9; Acts 6, 1-6; Ex 18, 21-22). For an effective pastoring there needs to have a
mature emotional bond between the pastor and his people. Listening, empathy,
healing, foresight, stewardship etc will help in effective pastoring.
Mother Teresa comes across to me as a
perfect example for effective pastoring. No matter what our strategies are, what
our talents are, we still may not become effective pastors. Here comes the WHY
of effective pastoring. Mother Teresa at a crucial point found that call within
her call. Effective Pastoring is a call, at the depth of one’s being. It can’t
be forced. It’s God given. Only the one who has received much from the Lord can
share with others (time and energy) And I believe, the personal call to the
pastor is for a greater cause, which is part of the greater plan of God.
3.4 Shepherd
with the smell of Sheep
Shepherd is one
of the important metaphors used in the Christian Scriptures for leaders or
pastors. Ps 23 portrays it beautifully. A shepherd knows his Sheep (Jn 10, 3;
14, 27). Shepherd is with the sheep. He’s available to them when they need him.
(Lk 22, 27). A Shepherd leads from the front. He’s daring who also guides and
corrects. He has a concern for the straying or lost sheep.(Lk 15, 4-6) Jesus
calls himself a Good Shepherd ( Jn 10,11).
Dwelling deeper
into the aspect of Sheperdhood, we come to the realization that a shepherd has
a deep bonding with his sheep and they trust and recognize him and feel at home
with him. As said above they are available and approachable to the sheep
easily. Today the Christian leaders need to be available and above all approachable[15]
In this regard it’s apt to mention the words
of Pope Francis, who addressing the priests says, “The
priest who seldom goes out of himself … misses out on the best of our people,
on what can stir the depths of his priestly heart. … This is precisely the
reason why some priests grow dissatisfied, lose heart and become in a sense
collectors of antiquities or novelties — instead of being shepherds living with
‘the smell of the sheep.’ This is what I am asking you — be shepherds with the
smell of sheep.”[16]
Scriptures also give us a similar
call.
·
Pay careful attention to yourselves and
to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for
the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.(Acts 20,28)
·
Shepherd the flock of God that is among
you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would
have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ( 1 Peter 5:2)
Opposed to good shepherd, whom the sheep love, are
the Clerics. Pope Francis speaking about laity, “the risk that we pastors and
Bishops, have to avoid is to fall into clericalism, which is a corrupted
posture of the religious. The Catholic Church is all the faithful people of God,
including the priests. When a pastor leads a diocese or a parish, he must
listen to his community, to mature his decisions and to lead it in this
journey. But when he imposes himself and in some way says, “Here I am in
charge” he falls into clericalism.[17]
For the shepherd leader the product is the follower.
When the sheep survive the hazards of the journey, when they grow strong, the
shepherd has faithfully discharged his duty.[18]
In this context it is worth mentioning about the
priesthood of Old Testament and the priesthood of New Testament. Old Testament priests
were involved in separating the sacred from the profane whereas Jesus
assimilated, brought together.[19].
That is the uniqueness of Jesus’ priesthood. Pastors today as the Shepherd
Leaders are invited to gather and bring together. Here one important thing is
that a pastor should understand the reality deeply. Having met and listened to
his people, he should take them and form them as one fold. To understand the reality, we need to approach it with the gaze of
the Good shepherd, who seeks not to judge but to love.[20]
Thus
a shepherd with the smell of the sheep leads his flock, in Love, with Love and
to Love for God is Love (1 Jn 3, 8). Love is the driving principle.
Conclusion
Having
gone through the meaning, relevance and the implications of ‘Servant
Leadership’ model I come to the realization that this model is part of the
larger plan of God to his people. Theologizing on the finding reveals that
Servant Leader -being a humble and balanced, is a deeper invitation to the
pastor to be another Christ in this world. Through the witness of life, Christ
(Alter Christi) in the pastor gathers and reconciles all people. Effective
pastoring results in building a strong bond among the gathered and finally
pastor being the -Shepherd with the smell of the sheep, leads all in love to
love, for God is love. I would see this whole cycle as a gradual process,
leading to the ‘Eschatological union’.
Thus
a pastor with the Servant leadership model will not only build a spirit filled
church on earth, but also becomes an effective instrument in enabling the
Kingdom of God on earth and takes part in fulfilling the divine plan of
gathering all things in him.
I wish God gives me the
grace to be a ‘Servant Leader’.
Bibliography
Books
1.
D’souza, Antony, Leaders for Today Hope for Tomorrow, St Paul’s, Mumbai, 2001.
2.
Dupuis, Neuner, The Chrisitan Faith I Docctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church, Theological Publications in India, Bangalore,
2004.
3.
Flannery, Austin, Vatican II- The Conciliar and
Post Conciliar Documents, St Paul’s, Bombay,1995.
4.
Gaeta, Saverio, The Life and Challenges of Pope Francis, St Paul’s Publications, Mumbai, 2013.
5.
Greenleaf, Robert, The servant as Leader, Paulist Press, New York, 1981.
6.
Joseph, PT, Pastoral
leadership and Emotional Intelligence, St Paul’s, Mumbai, 2010.
7.
Keogh Dermot, Romero – El Salvador’s Martyr, Dominican Publications, 1981,
Ireland.
8.
Kulandai, A, The Uniqueness of the Priesthood
of Jesus, Salatian Publications, Chennai, 2011.
9.
Menamparampil, Thomas, Never Grow Old, St Paul’s, Bombay, 2008.
10. Pope
Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, Carmel
International Publishers, Kerala, 2013.
Articles
1.
Mcbride, Dennis, “The Biblical Model for
Spiritual Leadership”, at http://www.yoyomaster.com/ministry.file/Servantleadership.html,
accessed on 10.10.2014.
2.
Menamparampil, Thomas, “Servant
Leadership”, in Oriens Theological Journal, 2011.
3.
“Pope Francis Quotes”, at http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-s-quotes-smell-sheep, accessed on 08.10.2014.
4.
“Pope Francis Quotes”, at http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-s-quotes-smell
sheep, accessed on 08.10.2014.
5.
“Pope Francis”, at http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-s-quotes-smell-sheep,
accessed on 08.10.2014
6.
“Servant Leadership”, at http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/05/01/why-isnt-servant-leadership-more-prevalent,
accessed on 07.10.2014 ( No Author Mentioned)
[1] Dennis, Mcbride, “The Biblical Model for Spiritual Leadership”,
at http://www.yoyomaster.com/ministry.file/Servantleadership.html,
accessed on 10.10.2014.
[2] “Jesus, the Servant” , (rest of
the references are not available)
[3] Thomas, Menaparampil, “Servant
Leadership”, in Oriens Theological Journal, 2011, 3-30.( Issue and Vol. No. not available)
[4]
“Pope Francis Quotes”, at http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-s-quotes-smell-sheep,
accessed on 08.10.2014.
[5]
Robert, Greenleaf, The servant as Leader, Paulist Press, New York, 1981, 1.
[6]
Saverio, Gaeta, The Life and Challenges
of Pope Francis, St Paul’s
Publications, Mumbai, 2013, 59.
[7]
“Servant Leadership”, at http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/05/01/why-isnt-servant-leadership-more-prevalent,
accessed on 07.10.2014 ( No author Mentioned)
[8]
Austin, Flannery, Vatican
II- The Conciliar and Post Conciliar
Documents, St Paul’s, Bombay,1995, 355.
[9] Neuner, Dupuis, The Chrisitan Faith -Docctrinal Documents of
the Catholic Church, Theological
Publications in India, Bangalore, 2004, 491-495.
[10] Dermot,
Keogh, Romero – El Salvador’s Martyr, Dominican Publications, 1981,
Dublin, Ireland, 2.
[11]
Ibid. 82.
[12] Thomas,
Menamparampil, Never Grow Old, St Paul’s, Bombay, 2008, 159.
[13] Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, Carmel International
Publishers, Kerala, 2013, 189.
[14]
Joseph, PT, Pastoral leadership and Emotional Intelligence, St Paul’s, Mumbai,
2010, 23-24.
[15] Antony, D’souza, Leaders
for Today Hope for Tomorrow, St Paul’s,
Mumbai, 2001, 42.
[16] “Pope Francis”, at
http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-s-quotes-smell-sheep, accessed on 08.10.2014
[18] Antony, D’souza, Ibid., 41.
[19] Kulandai, A, The
Uniqueness of the Priesthood of Jesus, Salatian
Publications, Chennai, 2011, 98.
[20] “Evangelii Gaudium” , Ibid., 100.
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