The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16:18

How do you feel, about our leaders, the men and women who run our government, the leaders in our churches and in our schools, not to mention the companies and institutions in which we work? Probably, you have misgivings about many of them. Leaders are not very popular these days, especially since scandals have been reported about so many of them.

If there is one quality leaders should have; it is integrity, the deep and all-pervading honesty that causes leaders to act consistently, fairly and compassionately.

In today’s scripture, from the gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus appoints St. Peter head of the church, not because he was perfect which he wasn’t, but because he possessed the qualities to lead.

Historians have often commented that a country and, by implication, a church or any group of people, receive the leaders they deserve. When people are concerned with their own comfort, they tolerate and even choose a leader who does nothing but promote self-indulgence. How different is the case, however, of a people who have deep convictions and are even willing to make sacrifices for their beliefs. The early church demonstrated such sacrifice and dedication by accepting the leadership of St. Peter as a gift from God. The Christians of the early church, particularly, St. Paul, did not always agree with St. Peter or follow him in every single instance but they did accept his gift of leadership.

Leadership is recognized by the church as a charisma; that is, a special gift of God, which is the property of certain individuals who are capable of exercising authority in the name of a group or organization by leading it in a desired direction. St. Peter possessed this gift of leadership in the early church, and it has been passed down to this day through a long succession of Popes who lead the church.

During mass, every day, Catholics pray for the church’s leaders, particularly; beginning with the Pope and working our way down to the parish priests. We pray each day, during mass, for all the faithful, for the strong and for the weak. By becoming more unselfish ourselves the better are our chances of obtaining strong and compassionate leaders. We depend on each other for we are all members of the body of Christ.

Leaders are often surrounded by men and women who like to agree with them and hesitate to tell them the truth. In a sense, our leaders, whether they are civic leaders or religious leaders, live in a kind of cocoon. We free them from this isolation when we are willing to be open and tell the truth as we see it.

Let us make our contribution to the quality of leadership in the church by being honest with ourselves, by being open with those in authority in the church and by praying for all people holding public office.

Fr. Hugh Duffy