Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B
October 20, 2024 – 10:30 AM
Saint Cecilia Catholic Community
Rev. David Justin Lynch
Isaiah 53:10-11 | Psalm 33:4-5;18-20;22
Hebrews 4:14-16 | Mark 10:35-45
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
One of the first questions I was asked when I commenced my journey to ordained ministry was, “Who is God for you?” I don’t recall exactly how I answered that question, but if someone asked me today who God is, my response would be, “God is love.”
Our conservative sisters and brothers have a very different view of God. They understand God to be a divine king or a judge, in other words, a patriarchal authority figure at the top of the world’s power structure who keeps people in line by punishment and threatening punishment. They see God as a father who demands absolute obedience and is entitled to use domination, violence, and abuse to prevail over humankind, just as a bad parent abuses a child.
Envisioning God as a king at the top of the world’s power structures supports policies that promote unquestioning obedience. Seeing God as a judge who declares everyone “guilty” of eternal punishment lays a foundation for cruelty and scapegoating. People with this viewpoint believe that God has granted them absolute dominion over creation, and that somehow justifies their destructive exploitation of the people and nature. Conservatives use their ideas about who God is to excuse their own bad behavior.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to the Christian right’s view of God. There are many ways to view the Christian message without rigid dogmas and to experience the gospel message of forgiveness, freedom from guilt, spiritual connection, transformation, empowerment, and the unconditional grace and love of God instead of the conservative view of God. By following the two Great Commandments to love God and neighbor and being true to the message and vision of Jesus, we experience the healing and transforming power of the God of love that Jesus both revealed and proclaimed.
Unfortunately, the world is full of authoritarian personalities in positions of power, what I call the “My Way or Highway” type. Their characteristics include strict adherence to conventional values, unquestioning obedience to authority figures, a tendency to be aggressive towards those perceived as outsiders, and rigid thinking, often displaying prejudice and intolerance towards those who deviate from established norms. They punish dissent and disobedience from those they lead or manage. We’ve all known parents, teachers, bosses, judges, police officers, and politicians who fit this description. These individuals are the polar opposite of Jesus, as portrayed in the Gospels.
Sadly, people at the top of the world’s power structures are not the only ones who accept this view of God as a judgmental authority figure. Many who are sick, poor, or in unjust circumstances do so as well. They feel powerless to do anything about their situation. Their view of God only compounds their suffering and often leads them to blame themselves for their misfortunes or to accept their circumstances as God’s will, when really it is not.
To exist, the world’s domination system needs both dominators and those who consent to be dominated. This is not, however, the way Jesus intended people to relate to one another. What Jesus preached was, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus did not preach one person dominating another.
Today’s Gospel addresses the human tendency to seek domination and control over other people. We hear the disciples arguing over who was the greatest among them and who would have places of honor in heaven at the left and right hands of God. Jesus, however, takes a dim view of those who aspire to exercise authority over other people. Jesus instead declares a radical concept: the person who desires to be the greatest of all must be the servant of all. In the words of Jesus, “Whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” Those words are heresy to those who want to maintain themselves in power by dominating other people and those who find security in obedience to authority.
Many business organizations follow a hierarchal model based on lines of authority. This structure provides an organized way of managing people and resources, ensuring accountability, and facilitating decision-making. And, of course, churches in the Catholic tradition tend to be hierarchal. But is this authoritarian model best for the church’s mission of making the Kingdom of God a reality?
Ask yourself why Jesus had his doubts about hierarchal leadership based on dominance by some over others. In my thirty years of leading business organizations, I found that hierarchal structures have substantial disadvantages. First, rigid structures can be inflexible and slow to adapt to changes in the market or within the organization. Second, centralized decision-making stifles creativity and innovation. Third, there are also communication Issues. Information may get distorted or delayed as it moves up and down the chain of command. Finally, different departments may focus too much on their own goals and not collaborate effectively with other areas of the business.
But businesses don’t have to be this way. What if leaders of business organizations took at least some of what Jesus taught in today’s Gospel and put it into practice? What does servant leadership look like?
Servant leaders focus on empowering those they lead to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Their companies prioritize the personal and professional development of their employees, offering training and opportunities for advancement. Servant leaders put the needs of workers ahead of profits, believing that by serving their teams, the business will thrive. These companies emphasize transparency, trust, and open communication across all levels of the organization.
Many businesses that follow servant leadership principles also have a strong commitment to community service, sustainability, and ethical practices. Real-world examples include Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and Marriott International.
What does all this mean for churches? For Catholics, when one is ordained, one is ontologically and permanently changed. That means the essence of who you are undergoes a metamorphesus. It’s like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. All priests and bishops were first ordained as Deacons, and Deacons we shall remain thereafter throughout our lives, no matter what happens after we are ordained, just as a butterfly is no longer a caterpillar and can never be a caterpillar again.
Thus, a priest remains a servant throughout her or his ministry. A priest serves her or his community as an intermediary between people and God. In that capacity, a Priest helps individuals deepen their faith, find meaning in life, and navigate spiritual challenges. Hence, the principles of how a Deacon serves the church are relevant to all ministers, lay and ordained.
The word “Deacon” is derived from the Greek word Diakonos, whose meaning is “servant.” Diakonia is the concept of servanthood. It is how the church spreads agape, the word for divine love. Both agape divine love and diakonia are linked to charity and care for the needy. Both ideas are derived from the ancient responsibility of all Jews and Christians to serve other persons and fortified by the urgent need for such service in our own time.
What is the ministry of a Deacon? A Deacon is a distinct symbol of Christ the Servant. Deacons function among the faithful as model Christians who lead, enable, and encourage other Christians in charitable service. Deacons are among us to remind us of what servant leadership looks like in the church.
Unfortunately, however, many churches are infested with authoritarian priests and bishops who have forgotten that the first ministry into which they were ordained was that of a Deacon. Those priests and bishops who delight in lording their authority over others substantially contribute to ecclesiastical dysfunction. The human desire to control other people does not stop at the church door. Authoritarian clergy have forgotten that Jesus described himself in today’s as one who serves, not one who is served.
So, what’s the remedy for all that?
Ecclesiastical authorities need checks and balances to ensure that power is not abused. Transparency in decision-making, regular evaluations by peers, and active parish councils can help ensure that leadership remains focused on the well-being of the community rather than personal control. To paraphrase today’s Old Testament Reading, those of us in church leadership must focus on our servanthood as an offering to those who we serve.
Active involvement of laypeople in decision-making, teaching, and ministry can help diffuse power, making the church more inclusive and community-driven. Both clergy and laity benefit from continuous spiritual formation that focuses on humility, empathy, and service. Education for everyone on the principles of pastoral care, conflict resolution, and shared leadership can be crucial in mitigating power struggles.
Most importantly, those in leadership positions in church must demonstrate compassion for those they lead. As we are reminded in today’s Epistle, Jesus was a high priest able to sympathize with our weaknesses.
I see my own role here as Pastor of this church as not that of someone who dominates the congregation but as someone who serves the community. When I preside at Mass, when I baptize, when I hear confessions, when I anoint the sick and the dying, I am your servant. I serve here without monetary payment of any kind. Financially speaking, we are a non-profit in the truest sense of the word.
What Jesus is telling us in today’s Gospel is to quit trying to be better than the next person so you can dominate that person. Jesus said “no” to both the religious and political authorities of his day. No one except God told Jesus what to do.
Jesus saw himself as God’s servant whose objective was to make the kingdom of God a reality among humanity. Our role is to help Jesus do that as fellow servants in and of God’s kingdom. AMEN.