IWKnights Corner For October 31, 2021
– 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Halloween)

Did you know this about the IW Knights of Columbus? 

Recently Gerald Korson wrote an article which appeared on the KofC web site (i.e. the weekly Knight-line column) entitled: ‘Live the Virtues of a True Leader – Leadership is not primarily giving orders, but about serving others.’  The following is the second of four installments of the article about the Son of God becoming man and humbling himself in order to lead us to the Father and to eternal life.

“Jesus is our model of servant leadership and humility: The Son of God became man, humbling himself in order to lead us to the Father and to eternal life.

The term ‘servant leader’ can seem like an oxymoron; ‘servant’ sounds like an underling, while ‘leader’ is a superior.  And we might picture a humble person as a spineless pushover who takes no initiative of his own.  How do we reconcile these terms?

Jesus demonstrated servant leadership throughout his life, but most remarkably at the Last Supper when he washed his apostles’ feet.  It was an example, Jesus told them, of how they must serve one another.

Serving others and inspiring them to do likewise provide a model of leadership.  It says, ‘Follow me in this virtuous way of living for others.’  When we exemplify the service and humility of Christ, we inspire others to follow us and to draw closer to him.

‘Service is strong in its meekness and zeal combined together, that you serve a cause that’s higher than yourself,’ said Cameron Thompson, a member of the Virtuous Leadership Institute. ‘We are all called to be leaders, to really achieve greatness in whatever sphere that you’re called to.’

That’s how a man is called to lead his family.  Certainly he teaches and directs his children as necessary to form them in faith, in character and to prepare them to become mature and responsible Catholic adults.  But he must do so above all by example, as a man of prayer and virtue himself.  And he lives his leadership in humble service, or stewardship, sacrificing himself daily for the good of his family.

‘Headship is rooted in service,’ said Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, author of the book Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality.  ‘A man is the head of his family precisely because he is the chief steward of his wife and children.’

A servant leader is one who gives his life for others, willing even to die for them.  Rare is the man who will literally die for his wife, his children or a friend.  But every man must ‘die to himself’ each day by sacrificing his own wants for his family.”

To find the link to our feature story - and other information about the Knights of Columbus -  can be found at IWKnights9981.com/bulletin or on facebook.com/IWknights9981 and NOW on Twitter at twitter.com/IwKnights.

Links Related to this week’s column: