Undercover Boss

Learning to lead by serving others not ourselves

02/21/2017

Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it.  They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they remained silent. For they had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.  Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first,  he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me."

          I am not a fan of reality T.V. shows, like the Apprentice, or the Voice, or American Idol. But last week a couple of priests were talking about the reality show called “Undercover Boss.” Have you ever heard of that one? It’s been around for 7 years or so. The idea is that the CEO or upper-level management “boss” would go undercover as an entry-level employee to see what’s really going on in his or her company. The boss wears a disguise so no one recognizes him or her and uses an alias, a fake name. Through doing menial jobs and interacting with their employees, they grow to love and respect their workers, and often end up helping them out with personal problems.

          The reason my priest-friends were talking about Undercover Boss is because they had seen a Saturday Night Live skit on it. But in this case, it was the evil Kylo Ren (who you’ll remember from Star Wars is the leader of the First Order) who goes undercover as a radar technician to work on the Death Star. How many of you like watching Saturday Night Live? Well, stop watching it: it’s a terrible show! Kylo wears a wig of orange hair, a technicians suit and converses with storm troopers and commanders in the break room, and he goes by the name of “Matt.” They start making fun of Matt, kicking his wrench as they walk by, making fun of Kylo Ren’s black dress he wears, until he loses his temper and throws one of the storm troopers through the soda machine, and kills another one. At the end, Kylo says he really connected with his employees and it was a real learning experience for him. Of course, that’s a total joke because he’s still the same ruthless leader and killer he ever was. Some bosses should not go undercover but stay in their comfy CEO suites.

          In the gospel today, Jesus tries to teach his disciples what it means to be a good boss, a good leader, that is, an apostle. But the apostles had their own ideas, and they thought of leadership a lot like Kylo Ren did – someone who dominates others through fear. And you cannot really blame the apostles; after all, that’s all they saw in the scribes and Pharisees and the Roman soldiers around them. Nevertheless, Jesus holds up a different model of leadership, saying, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Jesus almost sounded like he’s suggesting they be like the “undercover boss” and learn to serve their followers instead of terrorize them. Indeed, isn’t this undercover boss concept basically the meaning of the Incarnation, where God becomes a man, to live among us (not hanging out in the CEO suite of heaven), to look like us (to have a human nature), to have a human name (Jesus, not Matt), to work shoulder to shoulder with us (as a carpenter), but even more to suffer and die for us? You could almost say that the life of Christ was the original episode of “Undercover Boss.” Jesus models for us a very new and a very different way of being a boss.

          Boys and girls, today I want you to think about your idea of what a “boss” is and what a “boss” does. In your mind how does a good boss behave: like Kylo Ren or like Jesus? Many of your parents are bosses in their line of work (Forsgren, Beshears, Albertson, Catsavis, Coleman, Johnston, Ralston, Barrett, Hunter, Goldtrap, to name a few), and you are watching them and learning from them. Furthermore, you are privileged to study in a Catholic school, and so you carry the mantle and the promise to become tomorrow’s leaders – the bosses – in various fields and endeavors. This school has put you on a leadership track.  How will you conduct business as the boss? Several years ago teenagers used the expression “like a boss” to mean they did something without caring what others thought or how it even could have hurt others. I’ve heard of some students who use curse words to sound tough on the basketball court.  That’s one way to act “like a boss.”

          On the other hand, I’ve seen some really amazing examples of leadership, the quiet kind that Jesus teaches. I’ve heard of students who stay behind and help clean up after their table makes a huge mess at lunch, instead of walking away and leaving it for others. Students who play with those who seem to be “loners.” Students who sit with those who sit alone at lunch. Students who go out of their way to help others with homework assignments (not copying homework assignments!). These students are already acting like the “undercover boss” among their classmates, and they will make the really great bosses and leaders of the future. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

          Boys and girls, there really are only two kinds of bosses: the dictator and the disciple, Kylo Ren and Jesus. Ask yourself today: what kind of boss would I want to be?

          Praised be Jesus Christ!