| This reflection was prepared by David McCallum, SJ, the Executive Director of Discerning Leadership, a ministry of the Society of Jesus that fosters leadership for a synodal Church. David has been serving as one of the facilitators for the Extended Leadership Meeting in Loyola, Spain. On the Road Together 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time |
| “Always forward” Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Greetings and Christ’s peace to you! We are glad to reconnect after our break and a few weeks getting underway again, preparing programs and anticipating the Synod in October. At the moment, a few members of the DL team are in Loyola, Spain, the birthplace of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus. As we accompany two religious congregations through a voluntary merger process, there is no escaping the reminder of the Cross each day as we gather for liturgy in the chapel, The crucified Christ presides over the space in the form of a massive mosaic on the wall above the tabernacle. Of course, the crucifixion is, on the surface, a reminder of indescribable pain, suffering, and death. Yet, for us Christians, it is also at the same time, the expression of ultimate love, sacrifice, and self-offering… the sign of immanent resurrection, the deepest renewal and transformation of life. As these two congregations undergo this voluntary process of re-union and merger, they are, in their own ways, facing this cross, this paschal mystery at the heart of our faith. The leadership of these two international communities, with hundreds of years of history and service to celebrate, also faces the surrender and loss of matters precious to them. These losses are painful to face, and the pain and grief involved are sometimes harder to feel than denial, or cynicism, or anger. But without the freedom to feel their way through the letting go, there will not be the space for the renewal of life to come and the fruitfulness that will follow. Yes, there is uncertainty. Yes, there will be the awkwardness of transitions and the disequilibrium of change. And yet, life goes on and their charism goes forward. To say “yes” to this deep change of life is itself an act, not only of acceptance, but also an affirmation of faith and an expression of deep and hope-filled resilience. And we are so deeply inspired by the ways the members of these congregations model this “yes.” In Sunday’s Gospel from Mark 8:27-35, this is the big hearted courage and great spiritedness that Jesus asks of his disciples. He models it for them himself as he faces the road to Passover in Jerusalem. In his own often lonely way, Jesus undergoes the inner work of acceptance and surrender. Yes, there are moments of fear and even resistance. But his commitment to his mission, faithfulness to his Father’s will, his passion and purpose are greater than his fear. His love for his people carries him beyond the limits of anything that would hold him back from taking the cross on his own shoulder and putting his strength into the way forward. Of course, he understands our vulnerabilities, the human desire to complain and protest against change, let alone death; but he also asks more of us. He knows that it is possible to experience peace, even joy, in the midst of doing hard things, and he wants this for us. By acknowledging the cross and telling Peter and the disciples that they must be ready to take it upon themselves, he is not suggesting he wants them to suffer. He is simply being real with them about the cost of what they’ve undertaken, and realistic about the resistance that prophetic leadership faces when challenging the status quo and giving voice to an emergent future that calls for conversion and deep change. The spirit with which we take up the cross matters for how we and others experience the cross. What sense do we make of this invitation to boldly take up our crosses as leaders? We know that while we are often side by side with our people in the processes of change, we often must undergo passages of conversion and change slightly in advance in order to better serve others along the way. Where in our organizations and in the history of our missions do we need to face the paschal mystery and take the cross upon our shoulder? If we are seized by fear and dread as Peter was, what measure of magnanimity and courage do we desire from God in order to take up our cross with energy and even passion to go, always forward? Jerusalem, let alone Calvary, is not the end of the story… With you on the road as siblings in Christ, David and the Discerning Leadership Team |
