Howdy, Church fans! Here is the latest from your one-stop salvation shop! Authority in the Church is not exercised like authority in secular politics. To be credible, it must be done as service, not just power. Check out the video on our YouTube channel by clicking here. The whole Mass can be found by clicking here.
I’ve always been impressed with the leadership style of Pope St. John XXIII.
You know, he almost did not become pope. There was a much more qualified Italian cardinal by the name of Massimo Sicola. However, the other cardinals decided against him in the end because they could not bring themselves to elect someone who would be known as “Pope Sicola”.
Pope St. John XXIII is often seen as the Pope for the common person, but his genius was not so much that he brought the papacy down to the level of the people, but that he brought the people up to the level of the papacy. Without giving up a single trapping of the office, he exercised his authority in such a way that everyone could identify with Good Pope John. The secret as to how he pulled this off lies in this week’s gospel. There are three parts to this passage and each one deserves some reflection.
In the first part, Jesus is introducing the disciples to the notion that the Messiah will suffer and die and be raised on the third day. In doing so, he is identifying with the image of the Suffering Servant described in the first reading from Wisdom. He does this very deliberately. He doesn’t mince words.
But this is not what the disciples had in mind at all. Like everyone at that time, they were looking for the Messiah to be a powerful priest-king who would kick out the Romans and establish the Kingdom of Israel where true worship of God could happen in peace. Accordingly, they were arguing about which cabinet positions they would hold in the new power structure.
Jesus sets them straight. Authority in the Kingdom of God is not exercised like authority in secular politics. True and lasting authority which comes from God is exercised as service to the common good. “If anyone wishes to be the first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all. (Mk 9:35) To be credible and effective, it cannot be any other way. Good leaders don’t tower over others; they raise others up to a higher dignity. This was the genius of Christ, the genius of Good Pope John, and a challenge for us. Let us lead by service in our families for the good of our neighborhoods, in our parish for the good of our local community, in our Archdiocese for the good of our State, and in the Church Universal for good of the world.
Pope Sicola… was never going to be the Real Thing eh??🤣🤣