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Ascension ●● Acts 1:1-11 ●● Psalm 47 ●● Ephesians 1:17-23 ●● Matthew 28:16-20 ●● TITLE: Servant Leadership. Ascension
[_00-a__] There was a real-life hero this past week, in
Michigan, a 13-year-old boy who interrupted his video game-playing when he
heard his younger sister screaming outside. Jumping into action, though scared
himself, he saw his sister being abducted by a real bad-guy. And, he targeted
and made perfect projectile “throw“ with his slingshot the assailant who was
injured/hurt and gave up …and the sister was able to escape. Do not try this at
home.
Nevertheless, it is
an example of biblical level heroism, reminding you perhaps of the young King
David also w/ a slingshot against the much taller Goliath doing something in an
act of courage/kindness that no one else wanted to do
[_00-b__] I hope and pray our worship and works of service might also manifest God’s protection to those in need and also to those whom we meet at Lourdes here at church for the first time or the only time, to help to keep you away from harm, to know God’s love for you at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Today you are here
with us. I hope you will return.
[_00-c_] A few years
ago, I went to a discussion / educational event priests / clergy at
S-Hall-U on “servant leadership”, what does it mean to be a servant and leader
for clergy/priests. Everyone was asked for a definition or example. I don’t remember
what I said, but I do recall what the last priest said, “servant leadership
means doing the things that no one else wants to do.”
[_00-d_] That may sound negative, but I suggest that
this experience of doing what is undesirable is also part of our discipleship,
our salvation, and – I daresay – our true happiness. It is what it means to be
both “spiritual” and – to use a popular term – truly “social”.
St. Benedict – in his rule for
monasteries – would have endorsed prayer and silence, but also would have
applied the “rules” to the leaders. The priest in charge of the monastery is
the servant of all. Even a title for Pope Francis “servant of the servants of
God.”
This is also Christ’s model for all
Christians and there is a “priestly” aspect of life for all of us as part of
our baptism, we are called to serve and make sacrifices.
In Catholic worship, in Holy Week,
Holy Thursday (night
before Good Friday), whether at a monastery or in St.
Peter’s Basilica Rome, you see the priest in charge washing feet as menial task
imitating Jesus at the Last Supper.
If you transferred this type of
leadership to government, then the Speaker of the House would wash the feet of
congressional representatives – both parties !
And, the President would was the feet of White House cabinet members and
employees.
I wonder why that has not happened
yet.
“Servant leadership means doing the things
that no one else wants to do.”
[_02_] A few years ago, a friend told me of a young person whom he wrote a recommendation for a college application. The young person was strong in academics and for several years also a sports/basketball star.
However, by his senior year in high
school, he was no longer playing in the games. He was not injured, but he just
was not as good as the younger newer players and was now a “benchwarmer” during
games.
But, he recognized he still had a
place on team, as both a servant and leader. The coach asked him to teach the
younger players, those who had taken over for him. Being a servant leader means
doing the things no one else wants to do.
I do not know the young man, but do know that he got into Harvard.
It reminded me that we will all be
called into service to do something we do not want to do or would not choose,
to hand on to others what we know, whether we like it or not.
In the high school senior’s case,
there was an immediate payback for his “leadership.” Ours may came later. We
store up treasure in heaven.
[_03_] This Sunday is the Feast of the Ascension.
We recall that Jesus – our leader and Lord – was raised up to sit at God’s
right hand in heaven. Why did this ASCENSION or ELEVATION happen?
Now, we might be inclined to think
that Jesus was raised up to heaven in order to get away from his problems on
Earth, right?
Or, as they say on Star Trek: “Beam me
up, Scotty” …. As Captain Kirk might have exercised leadership by demanding his
servants to get him out of a jam with Kling-ons or some other malevolent force
that might abduct him.
There are some things that even
Captain James T. Kirk does not want to do. He is good, but not really the
perfect servant-leader.
[_04_] Jesus, as the perfect servant-leader, will
rise up to heaven and also leave himself behind in the person of the Holy
Spirit and in Holy Communion.
So, the Ascension feast is also an
anticipation of Pentecost which happens 9 days later. The prayer interval of
Ascension-to-Pentecost is the original biblical “novena”, a devotion of 9 days.
[_05.01_] Church
fathers / theologians have taught that the reason for the Ascension was
not for Jesus to be more comfortable in heaven or to get away from us. Nor is
Jesus in heaven to get a better view from up there of what is going on down
here.
Rather, Jesus ascends to heaven so
that we will focus more in his presence within us and also within each other,
rather than on what we can see and touch.
As St. Paul wrote about this in terms
of faith being more than what we experience with our 5 senses of
see-hear-taste-touch-smell. Of our spiritual perception, Paul wrote: “eye has
not seen, ear has not heard what God has prepared for those who love him” (1
Corinthians 2:9)
We are called to become the Body of
Christ, by …
· In
works of mercy…
· from
feeding the hungry TO:
· to
bearing wrongs patiently
Do you find it difficult to bear a wrong
patiently? To forgive a trespass against you?
Do you sometimes keep your resentment inside
only to boil over later?
Just because we come to church – or
even for the priest – we not have our priorities in order.
WE need each other in community and
solidarity and prayer and we are called to turn to God in prayer for guidance
to do things no one else wants to do or what we would not choose on our own.
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