Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.” 

"Servant of the servants of God" is one of the titles of the Pope and is used at the beginning of papal bulls.

Gregory the Great(549-604) was the first to use it extensively, and he was imitated by his successors, though not invariably till the ninth century.

A servant leader – as any fine parent , or priest - shares power, puts the needs of others first, helps individuals develop and optimize performance, is willing to learn from others, and forsakes personal advancement and rewards. Servant leaders concentrate on performance planning, day-to-day coaching, and helping people achieve. 

Currently, I am working on setting up a Dementia Carers Support Group at Westminster Cathedral.

If anyone you may know would like to come on board, please let me know.

Caring for dementia sufferers is  - as I have these past three years discovered - a real servant job. 

What  keeps me going are the words of Jesus Christ, “What you do to the least of mine you do onto me.”

Albert Einstein once said, “I speak to everyone the same way, whether he is a garbage man or the president of the university.” 

By speaking to everyone as if they are genuinely important, no matter their position in life, Einstein demonstrated genuine respect for all people. Respect – as the life of Jesus Christ showed  - and I hope mine does, defines the underlying attitude of a servant leader.