Readings: 2Thes. 2:1-3. 14-17, Ps.96, Matt.23:23-26
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
LEARN TO BE A GOOD LEADER AND NOT HYPOCRITICAL LEADER LIKE THE PHARISEES
God created humanity to be managers of all that He created. To carry out this responsibility, He gave us the mantle of leadership as one of the characteristics of the human person, that which makes us unique from every other creature. Thus leadership is a gift from God by which we serve Him and our neighbour responsibly in this world.
But this great gift has often been abused by humanity because of greed, love of power, fame and selfishness. This was the attitude of most of the Scribes and the Pharisees in the Gospel today. They had the responsibility to lead the people to the Kingdom of Heaven, but they neither entered nor allowed those who wanted to enter to go in.
Hence, Jesus called them hypocrites and blind guides because they misused the gift of leadership entrusted to them. Many of them multiply the laws to suit their agenda by enforcing a very strict interpretation and application of the law to the smallest details while neglecting the true purpose and meaning of the law. They only focus on the letter while neglecting the spirit of the Law, thereby making the law a mere formality that gives room for people to take God’s law for granted.
And such attitudes towards the Law are meaningless if not accompanied properly by the desire and understanding from the heart and soul that truly love God. Thus, he called us to embrace love, justice, mercy, and good faith as good qualities of a leader.
Meanwhile, St. Paul, in our second reading, tells us to stand firm and keep the traditions that we were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter and not be swayed by worldly temptations and false leaders who only wish to achieve their ambitions and mislead others from the path of truth. He also, asked us not to be too excited or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from him, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. We should never let anyone deceive us in any way.
Dear friends, What type of a leader are you? Are you a blind and hypocritical leader or a committed and responsible leader? This is important because the major problems in our societies are caused by bad leadership. So today, we are called not to be hypocrites or blind guides but good leaders who are committed and responsible with whatever we are entrusted with. As leaders we are called to serve God and humanity in any capacity we find ourselves.
Remember, the first person to lead is your very self from which we can extend it to others in our families, societies and the world at large. This is what we see in the life of St Monica, whose memorial we celebrate today, for she devoted her life and talents to praying for the conversion of her son Augustine. She once said to him: “Son, one thing there was, for which I desired to remain still a little longer in this life, that I should see you a Catholic Christian before I died. This God has granted me in superabundance, in that I see you his servant to the contempt of all worldly happiness. What, then, am I doing here.”
LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have given to all humanity the grace of leadership, but we have often misused it because of greed and selfishness. As we embrace the gift of leadership today, may we never be tired of doing what is good? And as we struggle it out the remaining days of this month and the rest of the year, may You’re the sole fount of true wisdom and knowledge guide all our decisions in life, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.
