Read: Matthew 21:1-11
“… your king comes to you, gentle, and riding on a donkey …”
Our focus this year is on community.
What is leadership? Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Shepherds lead us. A good shepherd leads us to still waters, fresh grass, and protects us as we trudge the valley of the shadow. Six weeks ago we saw Jesus “led” into the wilderness by the Spirit (Matthew, Luke), or “driven” by the Spirit (Mark). In the wilderness, Jesus was tempted. He was tempted in every way like us (says the author of Hebrews), but without sin (he adds).
It’s tempting to think Jesus had some sort of armor plating off of which sin bounced, or Teflon skin to which sin could not stick. But the point of the Bible is that Jesus was just like us: flesh and blood, fears and anger, frustrations and sadness, happiness and pain. At the risk of sharing heresy, I don’t believe Jesus was superhuman. I believe he shared in both the glory of what it is to be fully human (which he embraced), as well as its ugliness (which he, God helping, cast off).
There is a common adage that a leader leads by example. Amongst twelve-step groups there is a saying, “We have no leaders, just trusted servants.” Jesus comes into our lives as a trusted servant of the highest order. He comes into our lives riding on a beast of burden. It carries him; he carries us; we carry one another, through us he carries the world. We don’t lead through power or might, but by love, grace, and, ultimately, sacrifice. It is scary, but it is the way of Jesus – the way of the cross.
Let us pray. Jesus, I am ashamed. You carry a burden, and it is me. You endured betrayal. I betray you daily. You endured hardship and pain. How often I seek to find a softer, easier way. You have every reason to hate the world you have made, and yet it is not your desire to conquer and destroy, but to gather and save. Weak though we are, help us to be more like you, and less like those who sought to destroy you. Help us to carry on your work and share your burden, we pray. Amen.
–Fr. Keith Axberg