Church Authority is to Serve not be Served
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay
We have all grown up in awe, fear or respect for authority or rebelling against it. Many of us can become that which we feared or loathed. Having domination or power over another creature or human being can do strange things to people and the temptation to abuse can be exceedingly strong. Human Authority is just that -human and it can be used for great good or evil. A person in authority can be frail, fallible or false and ought to be treated with the respect and courtesy due to any human being but never more. Authority carries grave responsibilities and a person in authority has to be accountable for every action statement and expense that is made under his or her watch.
God does not want the authority of domination and fear but that of which comes from love, concern and compassion. People who see these virtues willingly place themselves under his or her benign authority. They feel safe, secure wanted and valuable. This is what God wants, that we serve others without selfishness, control, manipulation and intimidation but with love. The one who serves others without seeking a reward has an authority conferred by the power of love and goodness not authority imposed by law tyranny dictatorship.
We all have the same dignity and God wants no one to lord it over another. He made us one with him and we ought to have equality with each other. He told his quarrelling disciples that their greatness is not because they are his followers but it flows from what they do for others without seeking rewards, praise or fame. He made it clear that he came to serve and not to be served and so should they. So it should be with all who are in authority in the church or community.
The twelve disciples were rattled when he told them that their arguments along the road about one being better than another were useless. They were excited and carried away by their own false understanding of the mission of Jesus. They believed that Jesus was a messianic figure that would restore the Kingship of David in Jerusalem. He would be carried to power by the crowds and proclaimed king as soon as he reached the capital. How wrong they were.
They were vying who among them would be the most influential. They probably imagined the ruling elite being ejected and Jesus sitting on the throne of the High Priest surrounded by the twelve of them. The positions of importance such as the right side of the throne and the left were the prime positions. Even the ambitious Mother of James and John came to Jesus to ask him to give her sons the top jobs on his right and left. (Mark: 10.35-45)
He must have turned his eyes to heaven felt frustrated and sad at this struggle of power within the group. It was very human and although they were overwhelmed with his dynamic personality and his empowering message they failed to understand what the mission of Jesus really was until after Pentecost.
He reached out for an example of what the Kingdom of God on earth ought to be. He took a little child and stood him by his side. Then he said to them, "whoever welcomes this little child, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. And Listen: the one who is found to be the least among you all, is the one who is the greatest."
What a fantastic and even more brilliant revelation about the dignity of the human person. The living example of calling poor uneducated fisher folks to be the messengers of the gospel to the poor was a stroke of genius, but now to select a child of even lower status and makes that child equal to himself boggles the mind and beggars belief.
In those days a child had no rights, no status, no standing in society. They were the property of their parents. Jesus declared the child his very own equal. Being as innocent and blameless as one of them makes for greatness. Not money wealth, power nor opposition. But honesty spontaneous love and service. That's the greatest of all and that sums up the mission of Jesus. [End]
