Head of the Table

Handling authority issues without resentment or resistance

05/19/2017

Acts of the Apostles 15:22-31 The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church, decided to choose representatives and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. This is the letter delivered by them: "The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings. Since we have heard that some of our number who went out without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings and disturbed your peace of mind, we have with one accord decided to choose representatives and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are sending Judas and Silas who will also convey this same message by word of mouth: 'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.'" When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.

         Most people struggle with “authority issues” to some degree, that is, they can’t quite relate to authority figures in a happy and holy way. They get nervous when the cop pulls them over for speeding. Their knees knock when they’re called into the principal’s office (or the pastor’s office). They dread the conversation with their boss.  This authority angst tends toward two extremes: either you become obsequious, and just a “yes man,” or you become belligerent and oppose the authority figure. When we have a parish council meeting, the last seats to be taken are always next to me. At church on Sunday, there are always plenty of empty pews up at the front, near the seat of authority.

Now, sometimes, the “authority issue” resides in the authority figure himself or herself. The leader makes it hard for people to approach them: they are aloof, or arrogant, or acrimonious in their attitude. John Maxwell paints a portrait of an able and approachable authority figure in his book Developing the Leader Within You. He writes: “The chairman of a large corporation was late for a meeting. Bolting into the room he took the nearest available seat, rather than moving to his accustomed spot. One of his young aides protested: ‘Please, sir, you should sit at the head of the table.’ The executive, who had a healthy understanding of his place in the company, answered, ‘Son, wherever I sit is the head of the table’” (Developing the Leader Within You, 68). What a humble thing to say, and how easy it would be to approach such authority. Relating to authority figures (and relating to other as the authority figure) is critical in any organization, be it a family or a country or a church.

         

          In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear the first instance when the pope and bishops asserted their authority, namely in Acts 15 and the famous Council of Jerusalem. Pope Peter and the other bishops settle a dispute about new converts having to follow old Jewish customs like circumcision. Hearing about circumcision all the men in the room would have slowly crossed their legs. The apostles gently assert their authority, saying, “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities.” Like Maxwell’s humble CEO, the apostles knew that wherever they sat was the head of the table. And how did the people respond? We read a few lines later: “When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.” There is no trace of authority issues in the early church. The apostles were humble leaders and the people were cheerful followers, and therefore the Church grew exponentially.

          My friends, the longer you live, the more leaders you see.  Just think of all the pastors who have preached from this pulpit during your lifetime. Msgr. Galvin, Msgr. O’Donnell, Msgr. Oswald, Fr. Luyet. Each one had a unique leadership style, and each exercised his authority differently in this parish. And how did you respond to that leadership? Did you feel some “authority issues” by either being overly subservient, or did you rebel and become a “roaming Catholic” and take your ball and go to another parish? How do you deal with our bishop and with our pope as leaders of the Church? Be aware of the authority issues lurking in your heart, and try to react to their teachings like the people in Acts to the authority of the apostles, that is, by being “delighted in their exhortations.”  All healthy organizations need humble leaders and cheerful followers.

     

           Do you want to know how I deal with my authority issues, as both a leader and as a follower? I remember that the real leader of the Church (including Immaculate Conception Church) is the Holy Spirit. I like to say that “the Holy Spirit is driving the bus!” That means that the Holy Spirit speaks through the clergy and the laity to lead the Church. When we gather for a parish council meeting, I remind myself, “Wherever the Holy Spirit sits is the head of the table,” and he sits in every seat.

Praised be Jesus Christ!