Readings (Year C):
Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
Reflection: What does it mean to be a leader?
When Jason took over the pastoral leadership of St. Peter’s parish, the liturgy for his installation as the pastor at a well-attended celebration filled him with a sense of duty. Speaking at the reception, he recounted his journey to the priesthood and his overwhelming conviction of the grace of God in his priestly ministry to proclaim the gospel of peace, hope and love.
Like Jason, most who experience a call to service in response to a deeply-consuming conviction of a divine invitation do so even when feeling personal doubts about one’s capability to lead.
In the first reading, a theophany changed the prophet Isaiah’s outlook on life, as he responded to the summons to serve, and to lead his people. He identified his context: a place filled with people who speak with profanity about God’s self-revelation in the world, a place where perjury and unjust decisions destroy human relationships, a place of vulgarity and verbal abuse. Misinformation diminishes the integrity of the people’s collective vision of themselves as a community of shared interests and purpose. Certain utterances and decisions are putting individuals and an entire community at severe risk.
By naming the problem his community faces, Isaiah shows his desire to take the lead towards change. His theophany has convinced him that he can make a tremendous difference in the lives of his people.
Like Isaiah, Paul was also empowered with the word of God, which he preached to the Corinthians. And they embraced what they heard, placing themselves on the path of salvation. Paul speaks of his experience in ministry as the result of a divine encounter. He confesses his unworthiness to share in the ministry of an apostle because of his vicious persecution of the followers of Christ. But his encounter with the risen Lord transformed him, and imbued him with the disposition for leadership, enabling him to speak with passion and candor in his ministry about God’s plan for the world’s renewal through Jesus Christ. He links his effectiveness as an apostle of Christ with the grace of God.
In the gospel, Jesus speaks about the truth of the enduring presence of God in human affairs. The crowd is spellbound by his teachings. And his words find concrete expression in the miracle of the fish, as despondent fishermen became astonished and overjoyed with their catch. The words of Jesus reveal the abundance of God’s goodness to Peter and the other fishermen.
Ultimately, by the power of Jesus’ words, the crowd experiences the transforming power of God’s message of a new beginning for humanity. Like Isaiah and Paul, Peter finds that his weakness as a fisherman meets God’s abundant provision. Peter’s confession of his sinful nature should be understood within the context of the imperfections of our human nature. Peter answers the call to leadership as he takes on the task of catching people for the kingdom of God—just as Isaiah and Paul also answered the call to leadership.
This Sunday, the church invites us to reflect on our experience of receiving the invitation or the appointment to lead, and our willingness to do so despite feelings of limitation. The readings for this Sunday teach us to embrace any opportunity to lead as a mandate to make a positive difference in peoples’ lives. Leadership is a collaboration, a participating in the work of God to bring about renewal to the world.
In our society today awash with various means of disseminating information, the mark of a true leader will be determined by how often one speaks with candor, and speaks truth to power to bring about a positive difference in the life of anyone who depends on such information in their state in life.
Add comment