Fr. Ben’s homily for Friday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Theme: THE 2 ESSENTIAL DEMANDS OF LEADERSHIP!
By: Ben Agbo (Rev Fr)
Homily for Friday September 10 2021
* I Tim 1 : 1 – 14, Lk 6 : 39 – 42.
The 1st demand of leadership is to know the way. A blind man cannot lead a blind man. It is only in a place like Nigeria that an ignorant man (without certificate) is allowed to lead the wise. Leadership requires clear vision and knowledge. Even what we call “conscience” needs guidance because an unenlightened conscience can make a man turn savage or mentally nauseated.
The 2nd requirement of leadership is ability to make others follow. Even if you know the way but end up scandalizing people by your practical conduct/ behaviour, you cannot be a good leader. According to Pope Paul VI, ‘A man teaches with moral authority only that which he does and practices. Because when the conscience becomes obstacle to speech, then what is preached becomes difficult to accept’.
Self examination must precede condemnation of others.
* There is this story of a man who saved for a trip to Rome in order to see the Pope. He came to the barber before his travel who criticized the air route he was to use and tried to discourage him from going because he was a nobody. Finally the traveller made it and later told the barber that the only complaint he had in his trip was his bad haircut.
We need to examine ourselves and our Country with regards to the demands of leadership. We need to be very careful always to elect good leaders who not only know the way but how to make us follow them. Unless we address the problem of leadership in Nigeria both secular and ecclesiastical, we cannot make any headway.
May the Lord bless you today!