World Youth Day: 2008

Patrick Daly looks at leadership and how Jesus, himself, provides us with the perfect example of what a leader should be

Leadership

In recent weeks, both the front and the back pages have been full of news stories and commentaries on leadership. Whether it is Gordon Brown fighting to remain political leader of this country or whether it is the illustrious John Terry being stripped of the England football team captaincy; the media has been consumed with the debate about leadership. Even the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict, had his face plastered onto the front pages of most of the daily papers, after it was reported that he had spoken out against the recent equality bill that the British Government were trying to put through.

This fascination with leaders, and with a General Election and Papal visit approaching, leads us to a question of our own: what makes a good leader? I won’t pretend that there is an easy answer to this question but there are some obvious traits – compassion, the ability to listen to others, an imbedded moral compass (something John Terry will be wishing he had) and a confidence in what you profess.

As Lent approaches, this question about what makes a good leader must surely be a question that we as young people reflect on. When poor decisions are reported on so often because of the popular media’s fixation on what our society’s leaders do wrong, there is a need to remind ourselves what a strong leader is like.

Jesus, himself, provides us with the perfect example of what a leader should be. As we begin this new Lenten season, we only need survey the actions of Christ to appreciate what makes a good leader. Before his Passion and Resurrection, Jesus went into the desert for forty days and forty nights to prepare himself for what was to come - a reminder that we must properly prepare for tasks in hand. When he enters the Temple in Jerusalem to find sellers denigrating his Father’s house, he throws them out in righteous rage, proving that good leadership decisions must also be ones of moral authority.

 In John’s Gospel, before the Passover meal, Jesus takes the time to wash each of the disciples’ feet and says to them: “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example; that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.” (John13: 14-16)

And this is where so many of our modern leaders fail. Yes, a leader has an elevated position with a lot of authority but too often they forget that they have been called to serve, as well as lead. With a General Election coming up this year, and with the Pope also coming to visit Britain, what makes a good leader seems a pertinent concept to ponder this Lent.