READINGS:   Wisdom 2: 12. 17-20   /   Psalm 54: 3-4. 5. 6-8   /   James 3: 16 – 4: 3   /   MARK 9: 30-37

HIS WORD… WHAT WERE YOU ARGUING ABOUT ON THE WAY? …IF ANYONE WISHES TO BE FIRST, HE SHALL BE THE LAST OF ALL AND THE SERVANT OF ALL. …WHOEVER RECEIVES ONE CHILD SUCH AS THIS IN MY NAME, RECEIVES ME; AND WHOEVER RECEIVES ME, RECEIVES NOT ME BUT THE ONE WHO SENT ME.

my words… Hunger for power… political ambition… family dynasty… cravings for higher ranks and hierarchies are very common not only in the Philippines but even throughout the whole wide world! And the 12 Apostles were not exempted from these ambitions and cravings for power.  What were they arguing about along the way? Answer: They were quarreling on who will be the number 1 or ranking first among them once Jesus will reign in the City of Jerusalem. But Jesus gave them a lesson: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all (Mk 9:35). The statement of Jesus was a scandal for them; for no one on earth who would make an ambition to become just a servant or a slave. But the lesson is strongly supported by Jesus when He took a child (a child is insignificant in the Jewish culture) and put the child in their midst saying, “Whoever receives one child as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me” (Mk 9:37).

Brothers and Sisters, “election fever” is on and is now an epidemic in the Philippines. It is now in the media, on the tarpaulins on the streets and highways, and is now the talk of the town. What are they vying for? “Service”, “Leadership”, making themselves “humble servants” of the people; but beneath their skins are cravings for power, money, popularity, dominion, and even manipulations just to become NUMBER ONE! Definitely, this is NOT the ideal of Christian Service in the only Christian country of the Far East. They are liars! For Christian service according to the mind of Christ is to make oneself LAST and TRUE SERVANT or SLAVE of all… If all Filipino candidates would have this Christian attitude of Leadership and Service penetrating into their minds and hearts, what a prosperous and graceful country the Philippines would be! But as of now, it is still “a pie in the sky” for the Filipino citizenry and patrimony. And what is left for us, but PRAYER… for the conversion and change of hearts and values of our leaders.

Brothers and Sisters, the Catholic Church and Her mission have been sustained by Her ministry for more than two thousand years because of the platform of “humble service” as envisioned by the founder, Jesus Christ. And we always commemorate this platform of leadership in the Catholic Church every Holy Thursday at the rite of the Washing of the feet of the Apostles to remind us that “humble service” is the way of Christ, the way of the Church. If the Philippines is acclaimed as the only Christian country in the Far East, can’t we Filipinos not live and follow the way of Christ? This is indeed the challenge of our Filipino Youth of today, our future leaders, to change the paradigm of political service and leadership in the Philippines into true and authentic Christian Leadership and Service for the welfare of the Filipino people. And today… is the time to begin.

MAY OUR FILIPINO LEADERS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW IMBUE CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE IN THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS…  

(By Fr. Julius C. Lupot)