Love and Leadership

On this day this year the Church recalls one important event in the life of Jesus Christ - the Last Supper. This event, as every Catholic knows, is a critical one in the economy of salvation, for it is here that the Lord set up the Holy Eucharist. This is my body, Jesus said to his disciples, raising a piece of bread. And this is my blood, he continued as he brought up the cup filled with wine. Do this in memory of me. Through the Holy Eucharist Jesus ensures his presence in the world of men. In the Blessed Sacrament he lives - bread and wine to the naked eyes, but in reality bones and flesh of the living God.

Before breaking bread with his chosen followers, Jesus did something extraordinary - he washed the feet of each of his disciples. God washing the dirty body parts of lowly men? It was a shocking thing to do. You shall never wash my feet, Peter exclaimed when Jesus approached him with a basin of water. The poor fellow simply couldn't figure out why the King of Kings, the very Son of God could bend so low as to do the job fit for a slave. Jesus explained. "If I do not wash you, you can have no part of me". And Peter relented.

Later, having done that menial job, Jesus said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another's feet. I have just given you an example that as I have done, you also may do".

Example. What Jesus had done was to teach by example. As in his parables which he often used to clarify what he taught, he demonstrated what it meant to be a real leader. A leader must be a servant to those he leads. He must bend low to make his people assert themselves and become leaders in their own right. Although imbued with his own idea of what is right and what is wrong, the leader does not impose his views but rather through words and deeds teaches these to others.

More than the need to teach, however, is the need to love. Jesus so loved those who followed him that he would do anything - even unto death - just to serve their needs. And what was this need? Salvation. More than mere physical good, more than a good life, more than honor and name, saving the souls of his people was Jesus' primary concern. That's why in this portion of the Scripture Jesus talked of the "many rooms" in his Father's house which he would prepare for his disciples.

But to be deserving of these rooms Jesus' people must first love one another. "Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another". Next to loving God, loving one's neighbors is the greatest commandment, Jesus taught. For those who lead this commandment is a must. Too often a leader forgets to love. He may be afire with the obsession to work for the good of his people, and he may succeed in bringing in material good for them - a roof over their heads, food on their table, good clothes on their backs, education for their children. But if these were accomplished with an empty heart the whole thing has no merit in the eyes of God. Saint Paul was eloquent on this. He said: "If I could speak all the human and angelic tongues, but had no love, I would only be sounding brass or a changing cymbal. If I had prophecy, knowing secret things with all kinds of knowledge, and had faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I had to the poor, and even gave up my own body, but only to receive praise and not through love, it would be of no value to me".

In the context of the Philippines socio-political scene, how great is the people's thirst for leader who really loves them! If such a leader is gifted to them, what a difference he would make! Then every minute of his watch would be a task-driven minute with no other end than to give the best to his people. Corruption would be tamped down because honesty would be the byword of his governance, and key men would have no choice but to be honest too. Nobody would go hungry because an honest government brings about prosperity.

These days, even as the Filipinos recall the passion of Jesus Christ politicians are milling around to gain mileage on their campaign. Who among them are willing to wash the feet of their followers? Who would gladly give up his life for the good of those he serves? Whose heart beats with love for the poor and downtrodden? The Passion and politics are so wide, wide apart there seems no point in asking these questions.

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