Lead or Follow?

What is leadership? Why is it important? Is it more important to be a good leader or a good follower?

These are questions that have come up recently in my mind. This morning, the small group leaders had a very fruitful discussion about how to be an effective small group leader and facilitate an environment where people can grow in their relationship with Christ. Tom Corcoran said one thing I found worth remembering (before I get hate mail, let me rephrase-Tom said more than one thing worth remembering): "Everything rises and falls on leadership."

That's a tall order and may cause some of us to swallow hard. I want that NOT to be true. I don't want my failure as a leader to be a stumbling block for anyone. At the same time, there is truth in this statement, real truth. As Tom also pointed out this morning (see, I told you he said more than one thing worth remembering), God works through leaders. We see it throughout Scripture-Moses, David, Samuel, the apostles, John the Baptist, Mary (yes, I see her as a leader; though we don't have a lot of text about her dealings with other women, she was with them, even at her Son's death, and surely she led by word and example). The picture above shows a statue of the early Church leader Paul, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.

Leaders are vital. God selects them for a reason. Where would the Israelites have been without Moses? What Church would even exist without Peter and the apostles? Christ ascended into heaven. Our ultimate Leader left this world for a reason. Though I don't fully understand why He left, we know He did. We know He established leaders in His place and He told them to be leaders-to go out into the world and to baptize people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and to teach them all that He taught to these selected leaders. 

At the same time, I recognize that there is real merit in being a godly follower of the right leadership. I know one very good minister who struggles with being a leader and wonders if there is too much emphasis placed on leadership. Now, I think she might just underestimate her ability as a leader. She's actually a very powerful leader (maybe in a quieter way than others, but that can be more effective than us blowhards talking all the time). 

I guess the answer is that we are supposed to be both. We are supposed to follow Christ and those that are in rightful authority under Him. However, at some point, we have to accept that others are watching us and listening to us. Even if we feel unworthy of leading, eventually we are thrust in to some area of leadership simply by virtue of adulthood, parenthood, or career. 

Will we be good leaders or careless ones? 

Will we be self-serving or Son-serving? 

Easter Hangover

I feel an Easter hangover coming on. No, I did not overindulge in alcohol this Easter. What I mean is that, typically after an intense Lent and Holy Week, I go backwards spiritually. During Lent and Holy Week, I tend to cultivate pretty good habits regarding prayer and Scripture. This year was no different, except for one thing: I am going to try not to succumb to the yearly Easter Hangover.   

Last year, I fell completely off the wagon right after Easter, not picking up my Bible for weeks and filling up my free time with unworthy causes like sitcom watching and internet surfing. (It would be more honest to say I filled up my free time with more sitcom watching and internet surfing). Seems harmless enough, right? You can't read the Bible all the time, and we all need mindless time with Ray Romano. But each year I notice that, during an extended time during which I am neither praying nor reading Scripture, my behavior suffers too. I am grumpier and less productive. I don't exercise. I feel generally lazy.

We are supposed to be "serious and sober for prayers." (1 Peter 4:7). That sounds severe and off-putting, but I think it means we are supposed to be focused on what we are praying about and what we are reading in Scripture (which of course is a form of prayer). We are supposed to mean it. We are supposed to be authentic with God during this time with Him in His Word.

If I am reciting a long-memorized prayer without a thought in the world about what it means, then it means nothing. If I am reading Scripture in a race to finish a chapter or book of the Bible (yes, I've done this) without being in the moment, I'm reading nothing. Example: I used to say the rosary in my car when I would commute to DC on Fridays for court conferences. I had a CD to help me. I got really good at it (that's the goal, right?) One day, in the middle of the Hail Mary, another car cut me off on I-95. I completed "full of grace" before I let a number of expletives rip from my mouth. I was shocked by my behavior. But why? I wasn't really praying. Turns out that the rosary, a beautiful, meditative prayer, doesn't work for me. No doubt that is my own failing and not the prayer's. Nevertheless, with such a lack of focus, it was meaningless to me and, I'm sure, to God.

So, what's my plan? To give myself the first week after Easter to read less Scripture and even pray a bit less. It feels wrong to type that, but I think it will help. Because right now I'm drained, and to keep up my pre-Easter prayer and Bible reading regimen would be form over substance.  

But I get just one week. And then I will begin again with a nice, moderate schedule for Scripture and prayer. 

This might not be the optimal post-Easter regimen, but having a plan is an improvement. And maybe a reader will call me out on it next week to give me a little accountability.

Thoughts on the Weekend

It's Easter Sunday. I'm in my favorite chair, satisfied from a tasty brunch and a great day of worship.  I had easy tasks today--greeting people and signaling Kristin when the sermon was almost over so she could wrap up the Praise Party for the young kids during Nativity's three Easter Masses this morning. While my feet are worse for the wear, my spirit is lifted from watching amazing ministers in action, listening to moving worship music, and being fed by a great message.

To those ministers who read my blog (all three of you), I want to thank some Nativity ministers in particular.  First, all Nativity ministers serving this weekend did a great job. I have a "thank you" list brewing in my mind, but for now, I want to say a quick but heartfelt thank you to all who served!  

In particular, I want to thank those who served during Easter Vigil.  You made this celebration so special for the newly baptized and confirmed. It was really a beautiful Mass, well executed from start to finish. I give a big thanks to Brian Crook, donning sacristan garb for old time's sake while still running the operations end of the event flawlessly. I was the recipient of undeserved praise for the beauty of the Vigil Mass, so I want to pass that along to Brian and his ministers. Brian's mom, Sharon, made the stoles for the newly baptized; as with all of Sharon's needlework, the craftsmanship was elegant and beautiful. Mary Lou Toohey and her crew put together a lovely reception for the newly initiated and their guests after the Vigil Mass.  It was a great finale to a great evening. Thank you!

One amazing minister, a jack of all trades AND a master of many, who served at every Mass this weekend (you know who you are), jokingly promised me that he would enter the Church next Easter Vigil. I'm holding you to it!  

As I come down from the Easter Sunday (and caffeine) high, I feel blessed to be a part of such a Christ centered church. 

Nap time.