Wednesday of 2 Lent
A sermon by John Anderson
A sermon by John Anderson
Matthew 20:20-28
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I believe that our gospel reading tonight contains good news, as
it should, but also some bad news. Let’s get the bad news out of the
way. As a species it seems we have not matured very much over the
centuries.
In the story we see the disciples jockeying for positions of power
and notoriety in the kingdom. This story has a parallel in Mark’s gospel
(chapter 10). But in Matthew’s telling of the story even the mother of
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, petitions Jesus on behalf of her
sons. She asks that they may sit in glory at the right and left side of
Jesus when he comes into his glory. It is good that the disciples are
ambitious. But judging by Jesus’ response it seems they don’t quite understand
what they are asking.
They seem to want power and glory and recognition, which was (and
still is) a downfall of those seeking power. And when the other disciples hear
that Jesus is even talking to the sons of Zebedee about it they get angry and
jealous. Arguing and competition breaks out.
It seems we have not grown too much since then. One would have to
be living under a rock to not see that the lust for power, recognition,
attention, and glory is still very much alive among many people in positions of
power. Often times, sadly, the lust for power is present among those who
claim to speak for Christ himself. To me, that is not good news.
Fear not! The gospel always contains good news, words of hope, and
a way out of our predicament. In the midst of their quarreling, Jesus
gathers his disciples together and teaches them about real greatness, real
leadership.
Some of you may know that my full time job is as an Activity
Director in a care center. On any given day I am called upon to be many
things: organizer, planner, bingo caller, game player, chaplain, friend, bus
driver, administrator…leader. For my job I am taking some college courses
to earn my official certificate as an Activity Director (I will be done with
the class in May, thank God!).
In a recent unit of the course we studied many kinds of leaders in
the world: Autocratic leaders say how it is, with no input from
others. Period. Democratic leaders accept input from the
people. This can be good, but sometimes the “Majority rules” concept
marginalizes the minority voice. The most vulnerable can be left behind. Laissez-faire
leadership is often seen as a lack of leadership. The leader is too removed and
“hands off.”
Because I am in the midst of Deacon discernment, the section on Servant
Leadership captured my interest the most. The descriptions of a
servant leader could have come right out of a handbook on Christian
leadership.
Leadership scholar, Robert Greenleaf, offers this description of a
servant leader: “The servant leader is servant first. It begins with the
natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice
brings one to spire to lead. The best test is: Do those served grow as persons;
do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous,
more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least
privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, not be further
deprived?”
This could be a modern paraphrase of Jesus’ teaching on
leadership. Jesus loves to teach by comparison. He reminds his
disciples of the types of leaders they were accustomed to seeing. “You know
that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials
exercise authority over them.”
If that is the idea the disciples have in their minds about being
great in the kingdom, Jesus intends to correct that. As portrayed in the Bible,
the disciples aren’t always the brightest. Jesus reminds them how the
gentile rulers “Lord over” their people. They were not open to discussion; they
did not care if their people grew healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous.
They did not care if the least privileged benefited. Those were the
leaders the disciples knew. Then Jesus turns it around: “ Not
so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be
your servant.”
Saint Louise de Marillac was born in France on August 12, 1591.
After a brief marriage in which her beloved husband died young, she spent the
rest of her life leading others in servant ministry. She traveled all
over France organizing and creating shelter homes for neglected children, the
sick, and the poor. She was intelligent, humble, and physically strong
for the hard work.
Despite her own failing health over the years, she continued to
lead from within the trenches of her growing group of followers. She worked
with the great priest Monsieur Vincent, better known later as Saint Vincent de
Paul. She created a “rule of life,” communal guidelines for her growing faith
community called Daughters of Charity of Vincent de Paul. She spent her
life as a servant leader. She cared that her people grew as persons, became
healthier, freer, wiser. She cared that the least privileged would benefit from
her leadership.
When she died on this date, March 15th 1660, there
were more than 40 shelter houses all over France. Today, Louise de
Marillac is the patron saint of social workers.
The good news for us tonight is that the world can be healed and
transformed by servant leadership. As Jesus said, some leaders “lord
their power” over others. Not so with us. Not so with us. There is
a better way.
Sometimes we are a bit like those first disciples and we need
some reminders about what works, and what doesn’t. That’s ok. That’s why we’re
here; we are here to share Word and Sacrament. And we are here to remind
each other, work with each other, help each other, serve each other…and the
world. Amen.
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