27th September 2021
Memorial of Saint Vincent De Paul
Service as the authentic form of leadership
Zechariah 8:1-8;
Ps 102:16-18.19-12.29 and 22-23;
Luke 9:46-50
The gospel of today reflects about the service as object of leadership, as Jesus intervenes when the disciples were discussing among themselves who is the greatest. This discussion of the disciples reveals that they did not understand fully the nature of leadership that Jesus taught them. They still conceived leadership as dominion and power over others, as privileges and reverences but not leadership as a way to serve and to fulfill the mission of God with those who are under their leadership.
In fact, when Jesus realizes that they were too much concerned about having power and privileges, He comes in with a child by his side to show them that whoever has the mission to lead others should be like a child. Why did Jesus bring a
child in their midst as a model for the leadership? It is because most of the qualities and virtues acquired by a child are crucial for a successful leadership.
What is the understanding of leadership we have? Are we conceiving it as an opportunity to get privileges and honors or even to fight for our own interests and not the ones of whom we are leading; is it a service where we fight for the interest and good of others or we only want to find comfort and easy access to whatever we wish?
Only if we are able to accept to live according to God’s commands, we will be having God dwelling in our midst as prophet Zechariah says in the first reading that God will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and it shall be called the faithful city; God still promises that “they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and righteousness.”
Today we are celebrating the memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, a French priest who gave his life at the service of the
poor and the formation of clergy, he was known as Saint of charity. He was able to fulfill the notion of service as taught by Jesus; he gave his attention to the poor and served them with joy and zeal; he was very attentive to the needs of the poor in the society and gave his entire life to the work of charity. May he pray for us so that we may imitate his example as a real leader and server of the poor who always.
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