Leadership, a life of sacrifice (Feast of St Matthias, 14th May, 2021)

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One of the reasons why God was so much worried about Israel was because of the culpable ignorance of the leaders: they had great opportunities to know, but they did not care to know. God was not just worried because of them; He was much more worried because the lives and destinies of those they led were at stake. Of course, a leader who is bereft of knowledge will surely end up as a disaster to the led! We must accept it as a principle that: “For any group to be productive and progressive, there must be an effective leader. For a leader to be effective in leadership, he/she must know what it means to lead and must have the willpower to apply that knowledge.”

 

We are celebrating Matthias, chosen to fill the gap left by Judas; elected to occupy a leadership position as an apostle. Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 gives the criterion for which one must be elected into that position: he must be a direct witness to the baptism, public ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.

 

Jesus’ life, ministry and death lend credence to the fact that He sacrificed all for the sake of those He came for. In Jn. 15:9-17, He said to His disciples: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”. Jesus was a true and effective leader: He sacrificed everything including His life for the sake of those He led. The apostles might have decided then that anyone who is to chosen to carry on the mission of Jesus as a leader must be someone who must have directly experienced Jesus, and must have learnt from the life of Jesus that “leadership is all about sacrifice”. Thus, Matthias was finally chosen.

 

Some of us are leaders already. All of us must end up as leaders in one way or the other: either as parents in the family or in some other capacities. To be effective in leadership, we must be ready to sacrifice: we must be prepared to forego certain things for the sake of the led. That many groups and nations are failing and are obviously becoming dysfunctional is largely attributable to the fact that those who are meant to lead have refused to sacrifice.

 

Prayer:

Through the intercession of St Matthias, may we be inspired to commit ourselves more and more for the right cause, Amen!


Have a blessed day.



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