Weekly Gospel Reflection

Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese, Elon Musk, and Pope Francis are just a few of the many leaders that come to mind. It seems like everyone wants to be a leader or is encouraged to become one. A quick Google search will yield numerous books and videos about the qualities of good leadership. Academia is filled with research on what it takes to be an expert, transformative, and dynamic leader - the buzzwords abound. Even children are encouraged to take on leadership roles, such as being captains or leaders of student bodies, in order to prepare them for future success.

Surprisingly, there is much less research on what it means to be a good follower. This is particularly striking when we consider that the majority of employees are not in managerial positions, and by definition, leaders cannot exist without followers. In fact, we can think of times when there were perhaps too many leaders, leading to chaos and confusion. All we have to do is turn on the television and look at the news to witness the effects of this.

In this week's Gospel, we gain insight into what it means to be a follower of Jesus. He looks out at the crowds and sees them as lost, "like sheep without a shepherd." So he calls upon his twelve disciples and sends them out to "gather the lost sheep of Israel." Jesus further emphasizes his mission by stating, "You received without charge, give without charge," or in other translations, "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." What this means for us is that Jesus has given himself to us freely, without expecting anything in return. However, we are called to pay it forward.

We are challenged this week to reflect on what it truly means to be a good follower. It means understanding the mission entrusted to us and actively carrying it out in the world around us. Jesus provides us with a simple roadmap for this: paying it forward and expecting nothing in return. 

We can observe examples of this mindset all around us. People volunteer their time with organizations like the Vinnies society or food kitchens. There are pay-it-forward initiatives, where you can purchase a coffee for someone in need as an act of generosity. Lentals as Anything is another example, where people can pay what they can afford for meals.

Perhaps you might volunteer your time, do a small act of kindness for someone else or maybe stand back and allow someone else to lead rather than yourself. 

In the midst of these uncertain times, such as the current cost of living crisis, I believe that the help we need is more likely to come from our fellow followers rather than our leaders!

I am created to do something or to be something for which no one else is created; 

I have a place in God’s counsels, in God’s world, which no one else has; 

whether I be rich or poor, despised or esteemed by man, 

God knows me and calls me by my name. 

God has created me to do Him some definite service; 

He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.  

Prayer by St. John Henry Newman