Today
I will be focusing on Holy Thursday.
Ever since my first participation in the Triduum so many years ago, Holy
Thursday has held a special place in my heart and has shaped and affirmed my
own leadership style in my own earthly pilgrimage. But before I get ahead of myself let us set
the stage by listening carefully to the story.
A
Reading from the holy Gospel according to John. X
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his
hour had come to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to
the end.
The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon
the Iscariot, to hand him over.
So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had
put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning
to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then
he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them
with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master,
are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing,
you do not understand now, but you will understand later.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will
have no inheritance with me.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my
feet, but my hands and head as well.”
Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need
except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so, you are clean,
but not all.”
For he knew who would betray him; for this reason,
he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
So, when he had washed their feet and put his
garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what
I have done for you? 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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
This
passage seems to always take me back to a situation that happened during my
military career. We were deployed to
Rota, Spain. One of my crews was
assigned to assist in the construction of a daycare center. I arrived on the scene to notice the crew
standing around this gusher spraying from the earth. The water main broke.
Once
the plumbers shut off the water. My crew,
using a backhoe, cleared as much of the dirt and mud around the broken pipe and
the plumbers got into the hole to clear the rest of the mud and dirt to patch
the break.
The
problem was the plumbers, wearing polished boot were doing their best not to
get their boots dirty and really making no progress in clearing the pipe.
Frustrated,
I told the two plumbers in the hole to get out and I pointed to two of my team
who immediately jumped into the hole, knee deep in mud and they cleared the
pipe in minutes.
This
is the important part of the story, where the Gospel story came to life for
me. The plumber’s supervisor looked at
me and asked, “How did you do that?” I
asked, “Do what?” Get your guys to jump
into the mud without them talking back or complaining? I thought for a moment and responded, because
they’ve seen me do it myself before and they know I will take care of them in
their need.
You
see, at the time, I didn’t give much thought to all the people who modeled leadership
for me. Over the years, with much
reflection, and as I matured as a person, coupled with the re-appropriation of
my faith, I recognized, not just who but how the people in my life were the
good models and the not so good models of leadership.
For
me, Jesus is the ultimate model of servant leadership. There are characteristics a servant leader
will exhibit: Courage; Authenticity & Stewardship; Accountability &
Humility; Interpersonal Acceptance, Standing back, & Empowerment). What I would like to do is take some key
phrases from the Gospel reading and overlay the characteristics of a servant
leader.
“Jesus knew that his hour had come to
pass from this world to the Father.” (Jn
13:1)
Courage is
taking risks, being innovative, & the ability to overcome fear.
Jesus
knew what awaited him in Jerusalem. Three
times, on the way, Jesus shared with his disciples the prediction of what they
could expect to happen while they were in Jerusalem.
· First Prediction: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed.” (Mt
16:21; Mk 8:31; Lk 9:22) The disciple’s response: Peter took Jesus
aside to rebuke him, “God forbid!”
· Second Prediction: “While they were all amazed at his every deed, he
said to his disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man
is to be handed over to men.” (Mt
17:22; Mk 9:31; Lk 9:43) The response in the Gospel of Matthew: “They were overwhelmed with grief.” (Mt
17:23) In Mark & Luke: “They did not understand this saying … and they were
afraid to ask him.” (Mk 9:32; Lk 9:45)
· Third Prediction: “Then he took the Twelve aside and said to them,
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and everything written by the prophets
about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.” (Mt
20:17: Mk 10:32; Lk 18:31) and the disciple’s response was: “They understood nothing of this…” (Mt 20:19: Mk 10:34; Lk 18:34)
Knowing
and doing, especially when you know the real or potential lethal consequences
is courage. Consider the first
responders and the medical professionals and their response to serving those
who have contracted COVID-19. They know
they will be exposed, yet many are taking the risk for the good of the other.
Jesus
knows and has been as transparent as possible in sharing what is to come, yet
he pushes on to Jerusalem. Therefore, at table with his disciples and so,
“Fully aware that the Father had put
everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to
God.” (Jn 13:3)
Authenticity is
being true to oneself professionally, publicly and privately.
Jesus
knows who he is and the purpose for which he came. There was no duplicity found within him. The phrase “what you see is what you get,”
comes to mind. It was his spiritual
depth and counter-cultural behaviors that made it so hard for his disciples to
grasp the totality of his message and identity as evidenced by their responses
to Jesus’ predictions.
Jesus
understood full well that he “did not live his life for himself but for us, from
his Incarnation “for us men and for our salvation” to his death “for our sins”
and Resurrection “for our justification”. (CCC 519) “Though
he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be
grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself…,
he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phil
2:6-8) and so…
“He poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’ feet.” (Jn
13:5)
Stewardship is
practicing service for the larger institution or society.
Jesus’
public ministry was never about him. He
fulfilled the Law by seeking out the lost and forsaken, the sick and lame, the
widow, orphan & foreigner. It was
all about the invitation to know and love His heavenly Father.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law
or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Mt
5:17) In fact he continues, “…Not
the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law…” (Mt
5:18) What he did was
always model these greatest commandments, to “…love
the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
mind and your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt
22:36-40) The Law makes all sense when viewed through this lens of
love.
Humility is placing
one’s self in perspective.
Jesus
ate with sinners, touched the untouchable, forgave all and for those who had
faith they were freed. He loved so
deeply that he assumed the lowest place, among the disciples who called Him
teacher and master, he humbly washed his disciple’s feet.
With
this in mind, let’s touch on Peter’s response.
“Peter said to him, “You will never
wash my feet.” (Jn 13:8)
Accountability is
holding self and others responsible for actions.
How
we often perceive and respond to those in leadership positions, including
ordained ministers and religious can open the door to temptations,
expectations, and complacency. In the
cultural norms of Peter’s time teachers, prophets, masters and lords did not
stoop to wash the feet of students, subjects or slaves. We heard it in the predictions of the
passion, the disciples didn’t understand and were unwilling to question the
teacher and master.
Jesus
consistently challenged the religious and secular leaders. The ones who interpreted the Law and expected
blind obedience by the people. The same
ones who were often exploiting the Law and abusing their power.
In
part, isn’t this what has contributed to the many scandals that have shaken the
Church throughout history? In our belief
we must give ordained ministers their due respect, we many times fail to appropriately
challenge them and hold them accountable for their actions.
The
temptation to abuse power and take advance of someone blind trust exists
everywhere. Therefore, Jesus asks his
disciples a question:
“Do you realize what I have done for you?” (Jn13:12)
Interpersonal Acceptance the
ability to understand the others’ perspective.
We
believe Jesus Christ is true God and true man. (CCC
464)
He gets our weaknesses & woundedness, our questions & limitations. It is by his behaviors that he continues to
coach his disciples (us included). In
the Book of James, we hear how faith and works go hand in hand. Our deeds must support our words. It is by Jesus’ actions and compassionate
words that we are encouraged, despite our shortcomings, to learn from his
teachings in scripture.
As
the parent of adult children sometimes this next characteristic of a servant
leader can be very challenging, especially when you see them walking down a
slippery slope in life or just making poor choices.
Standing Back is
allowing followers to have priority and to receive credit for their work.
“He [Jesus] sent them to proclaim the kingdom of
God and to heal [the sick].” (Lk
9:2-4) As we evangelize, like the apostles, we will need to meet
people where they are at in their spiritual, their faith life and their station
in life. Jesus allowed them and us to experience the fruits of self-giving
ministry.
Jesus
tells his disciples and us, “I have much more
to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of
truth, he will guide you to all truth.” (Jn
16:12-13) He is constantly preparing his disciples for the day he
will not be with them, physically, as they, as we continue his earthly
mission. So, he tells them…
“I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” (Jn 13:15)
Empowerment is the ability to assist others in realizing their full potential.
Jesus
told Sr. Faustina, “I am giving you three
ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first – by deed, the second
– by word, the third – by prayer. In
these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an
unquestionable proof of love for Me. By
this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy … there must always
be acts of mercy … because even the strongest faith is of no avail without
works.” (Diary, 742)
Jesus
models these 3 degrees in the imagery of Holy Thursday that we know as the Mass
of the Lord’s Supper and the institution of the Eucharist.
In
the end, we are given a mission as Jesus pronounces the great commissioning,
empowering us to “Go, therefore, and
make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt
28:18-20)
Holy
Thursday, Jesus has given us a model. A model of servant leadership for
everyday life and a model for evangelization. May our walk together through the
sacred liturgies of the Triduum bring us to a new level of Courage to
share the Good News; Authenticity & Stewardship to know ourselves
better and offer ourselves for the great good of all, Accountability & Humility
to serve boldly to the Gospel standard without counting the cost; and Interpersonal
Acceptance, Standing back & Empowerment of our children, and our
children’s children, and all the others we encounter in our daily lives to
reach for their full potential and embrace the knowledge that all are beloved
children of God.
May
almighty God bless you and keep you safe, X Father,
Son & Holy Spirit.
Go
and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
