Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
Jesus
spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the
Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and
observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For
they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and
lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All
their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and
lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor
in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for
you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be
called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you
must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever
humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Reflection:
Do you lead by example?
The
principle of leadership by example is one wherein the leader set the standards
to be followed and he himself leads the way in following the said standards. In
the same manner parents should set the benchmark in their home and they live to
the hilt these benchmark for their children to emulate.
On the
other hand bad or lousy leaders will tell their people to do this and that but
they will not do what they command. They preach the standards but they do not
practice what they preach. Same as with irresponsible parents; they will tell
their children to observe this and that discipline but the irony is they themselves
do not do what they tell their children.
The
Pharisees and scribes during the time of Jesus were the religious leaders and
they were supposed to lead by example. But they did not; they were only good on
giving commands/orders but when it comes to living it they were badly
deficient.
Perhaps,
this was one of the reasons why the common people of that time started to
gravitate towards Jesus. Because they saw in Jesus someone who leads by
example; someone who empathised with them, someone who ate and mingled with
them; in other words Jesus lived what He preached.
What is
the lesson of our gospel for us? We must
always be true with our words and actions. We must not be like the Pharisees
and scribes in our gospel: For they were only good on preaching but very
deficient in practicing and living what they preach.
We must
always be like Jesus; for He lived what He preached in other words Jesus is
always true to His words and actions.
Do you always live what you preach and are you always true to your words? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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