Leadership is a very vital part of every human society. Every human society and institution needs leaders to steer the affairs of the community and to give direction toward the holistic development of that society, institution and organisation. Every educational pursuit is, therefore, geared towards making one responsible and thus equipping one with the necessary skills to be able to take up the curial position of leadership in society.
Leadership can be group in relation to what aspect or sphere of human life and endeavour within which this leadership is exercised. Examples are Youth Leadership, Business Leadership, Political Leadership, Religious Leadership, etc. Leaders in any of these particular fields require certain skills and expertise that are critical to the peculiar characteristics of the particular field.
Religious leadership is unique in that it has the character of stewardship. Leaders in this aspect of human life are stewards who make themselves available in service to God and also to and on behalf of humanity to God. They take care of the People of God and render account of their stewardship to the God of the People. E.g. Moses, the Judges, the Prophets, etc., who were called by God to take responsibility of guiding the religious life of the Israelites and be mediators between them and God.
Jesus , in line with perpetuating the message of the Gospel and ensuring an able leadership for the church until the end of time , appointed Twelve men from among his followers and entrusted to them the task to "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.”(Mark 16:15). Aside this twelve were also “some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.”(Luke 8:1-3)
This work of stewardship and leadership has been handed down to our generation and is being rendered by the Priests , Religious Brothers and Sisters and other Lay people who have offered their lives to serving the church in various areas.
However, the words of Jesus in regards to the ratio of religious leaders and those to whom they render pastoral care, that, “the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few” (Mathew 9:37) aptly applies to our age and time. The church thus needs more young men and women like you to embrace the vocation to serve God and the church as Priests, religious Brothers and Sisters.
There can be nothing more rewarding than taking care of the People of the Lord while the Lord of the People takes care of you. Like Phillip to Nathaniel inviting him to Jesus, I also invite you to respond to the Lord’s call to serve Him, with the words, "Come and see."(John 1:46).
