Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Peter 1:18-25; Mark 10:32-45)
Renaissance bishops were no less notorious than Renaissance
popes for “lording it over their subjects.”
Church reform in the Council of Trent included bishops governing no more
than one diocese and residing within that diocese. In today’s gospel Jesus indicates serving the
members of their diocese is essential as well for successors to the apostles.
Most bishops today render such care. One bishop stood out among his peers for such
service twenty-five years ago. Bishop Kenneth
Untener of Saginaw, Michigan, sold the bishop’s palace after his ordination. He then stayed with pastors in rectories for
extended visits to parishes. When
Untener discovered how dissatisfied parishioners were with rambling homilies,
he resolved to give homiletic workshops.
Bishop Untener traveled throughout the country showing priests how to
limit homilies to one point and four minutes.
As Jesus wanted his disciples to care for the faithful, he
wants all of us to serve one another.
This rule especially to those in positions of authority. Whether we are baseball managers or
baby-sitters, our principal concern should be modeling Jesus’ way of
leadership. We should be slow to
criticize and quick with gratitude. We
should be patient and kind, never rude or demeaning. Like Jesus, we should be ready to make sacrifices
for the good of our charges.
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