lead-off banter
"Once the trees went to anoint a king over themselves." —Judges 9:8
Why has Jesus been waiting for almost two thousand years to finally return to the earth? He is waiting for as many people as possible to give their lives to Him (see 2 Pt 3:9). He is waiting for us to lead the world to Him. The Lord is waiting for His harvest of souls, for workers in that harvest (see Mt 9:37), and especially for leaders of the workers in the harvest.
Fathers and mothers are called to lead, and we all are called to be spiritual fathers or mothers as we lead others to new life in Christ. Therefore, all of us are to be leaders to some degree. Moreover, some of us have a supernatural gift of the Spirit to lead (Rm 12:8). It is important that we lead to the maximum. To do this, we will have to give up our desires, pleasures, selves, and lives (see Jgs 9:9, 11, 13). Because of the need to make such sacrifices, many refuse to lead. Then others fill the leadership vacuum with bad, oppressive leadership. Until we create a society of sacrifice, we will not have much good leadership, and we will remain a culture of death.
On this threshold of the Great Jubilee and the third millennium, sacrifice, and lead others to also sacrifice and lead.
Prayer: Father, help me discern and fully use the charism of leadership.
Promise: "When those hired late in the afternoon came up they received a full day's pay." —Mt 20:9
Praise: St. Jane Frances served Jesus totally in two vocations: as a wife and mother of six, and later, after being widowed, as a nun and foundress of a religious order.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, February 22, 1999
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 24, 1999