A favorite story among us seminary formators (at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary) is a joke about a monsignor who can’t wait to become a bishop. The story has it that the monsignor has been summoned by the Papal Nuncio to his office.
Nuncio: Monsignor, I’ve arranged this confidential meeting in order to bring up to you the fact that you are being considered to become a bishop. And I… (Monsignor interrupts).
Msgr: Well, that’s just great, Your Excellency! May I know when is my ordination?
Nuncio: Ah… Monsignor… I want you to think about it first… pray over it first. Okay?
Msgr: Okay, Your Excellency. (Frantically looking around) Where’s the chapel? Where’s the chapel?
There’s a tagalog expression that best describes this monsignor--Atat na atat! I recall, about three weeks ago, the Inquirer columnist Conrado de Quiros used this term, atat na atat, to describe many of the presidential wanna-bes for 2010 elections. He even went as far as to call for voters not to support aspiring leaders who are atat na atat. I think the logic behind his precaution is quite obvious: Those who are atat na atat are up for power and personal glory. Most likely, serving the people is the least of their concern.
"No one stands as straight and tall as he who bends to help the poor."Jesus’ message in today’s gospel is one of reproach for those who are atat na atat for power and personal glory. In the gospel reading, Jesus, for the second time, predicts his eventual suffering and humiliation on the cross—a reversal of the expected power and glory of the messiah. But still the whole point seems to escape his disciples’ understanding. Jesus finds them still preoccupied with the debate about who is the greatest among them! So Jesus, in plain and simple language, teaches them saying: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all” (Mk. 9:35). Jesus then presents a child for illustration to make the point crystal clear: In God’s reign, the greatest is the one who stoops down to serve the least.
I’m aware that discussing politics on the pulpit irritates some people. But today’s gospel message lends itself to our on-going political concerns specifically the search for public leaders in 2010 elections. Do we have candidates whose idea of greatness is that of the gospel? Who sees public position as opportunities to serve and not to be served? As we continue to discern as a people about who we would like to lead us and also how we ourselves act as leaders in our own varied capacities in the communities, we may do well to be instructed by the gospel today. I would have us reflect on two related things that directly emerge from the gospel: On servant-leadership and on preferential option for the poor.
Servant-leadership. For the most part of our life as a people, leadership has been associated with power. The power that has colonized us for centuries… the power to govern with a strong hand… the power to manipulate democratic processes to maintain positions “on the top of the world”… the power to control resources and wealth in the hands of the few… the power to conceal the truth… So we have come to believe as a matter of course that leadership means power to lord it over.. But as we recall Lord Acton’s statement, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” we ought not be surprised why we top the list of most corrupt nations today.
The lesson that Jesus teaches is simple and clear: Servant-leadership. But like the early disciples, people choose not to understand. To be great is to embrace the humble stance of a servant. A great leader, in the eyes of God, is not one that maintains at all cost one’s glory and power for one’s own sake but one that harnesses whatever influence is under his disposal for the common good. A great leader is one who serves. For centuries now, this simple lesson seems to escape our nations understanding and commitment. It’s high time we heed the wisdom of God. Let us identify leaders who are servants at heart. And what’s more, let us realize something that lies in our own hands; let us be servants in our own capacities.
Preferential Option for the Poor. Whom are we serving? We really don’t mind serving people of great stature, do we? We take pride in having served in one way or another someone we deem significant. Or we think we are serving when we attend to someone who would most likely serve us in return or pay us back in whatever form. “Bahala’g ‘water-boy’ ra ko, si Manny Pacquiao man sad akong tagaan og tubig!” But can I be a ‘water-boy’ to a thirsty child in the street? The child that Jesus presents in the gospel may well represent anyone or any sector in society who is helpless, powerless, nameless, dependent, insignificant, incapable of paying back—the poor.
The type of leadership we, Filipinos, have habitually or perhaps forcibly embraced is one that easily indulges the needs, or more to the point, the whims of the influential and the big shots. It’s a leadership that hardly transforms the ills of society as it is slow to listen to the cry of the poor and quick to conform to the design of the powerful and the ‘superpowerful.’ Again, let us heed the wisdom of God in Jesus—if you wanna serve, serve the least of all!
Hopefully, the gospel message today spurs us to a continuing critical discernment about the brand of leaders we truly need today as we prepare for the national elections in 2010 and as we go on with our day-to-day vocation to use whatever power is entrusted to us in the service of the lowliest.
“What are we empowered for?” I’ve heard it said with a tone of entitlement and self-indulgence and with a sense of being atat na atat from people of position and power. May the simplicity of Jesus’ message allow us to see quite clearly the real answer—for the service of the poor.
