But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant. (Matt 20:25-26)

How easy it is to be filled with our own self-importance! This tendency is exacerbated when we are given some form of leadership or authority. Human history is filled with the ego-fuelled folly of leaders – political and ecclesial. The leadership that Jesus encourages is that of service, the symbolism of the foot-washing (John 13) being a stunning example. Pope Francis lives this kind of leadership. I’m sure we each know members of the body of Christ who are servant leaders – to great effect.

There are plenty of current examples of ego-fuelled leadership – don’t get me started! Our task is to ensure that young people are encouraged to be servant leaders – through our example and our words. They will then grow in their understanding that ‘it is in giving that we receive’ and so further build right relationships in the body of Christ.

Have a great week!
Patrick