Following the Leader

Sitting among about seven thousand men and women, in a large auditorium in Vatican, Rome, awaiting the arrival of the Roman Pontiff to grant audience to the eager visitors, I had mixed feelings criss-crossing my mind, and for a while I thought the mighty setup which has become the seat of power for the Roman Catholic Church, has not much to offer to the simple people who had come to the Eternal City with so much of love and expectation, than a far away glimpse of the Pope. When the Pope began to address some groups, a few of them out of deep love and admiration shouted Sancta Papa (holy father), and I really wonder if the Pontiff really realized what these people wanted to tell him. Was there any paternal instinct in him, that expressed itself, in response to their loving call? At one moment I thought if the pope had become insensible to the feelings of the thousands of people. In the name of security, the pope had remained far away from the masses, and that pains me.

Yesterday we had the fortune of witnessing the 44th president of the United States of America, Barrack Obama assuming office at the White House, and the countless number of men and women who had gathered to witness this wonderful event had much to contribute to the success of his political career, and it is the masses who had made him what he is now; and rightly he is accountable not only to every American citizen, but as extension to every citizen of the world. He did not mince words in expressing his commitment to rebuilding the world, and in ushering in the reign of truth and justice, and every American citizen’s earnest desire to contribute to the goodness of the world around. Two leaders, and two masses, two vision, and two kinds of response to the masses. No doubt I was touched by the audience, especially when the Pontiff went on addressing the people of different languages in their own languages, tirelessly going on for about one hour and ten minutes. But I could see that there was something amiss at the hall.

One of the biggest differences between these two great leaders is that the president of the USA has been elected by the citizens of the country, and the toil and sweat of thousands have gone in making of this man, and today he is determined to bring to fruition what he had promised during his campaigns, and he has already reiterated his determination to do so in the days to come. That is so very different in the case of the Pontiff, who had been elected by the College of the Cardinals, and it would be very difficult to say if the cardinals had the consent (even in a very remote way) of the people they represented! Granted that the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, who works at the heart of every person, but unfortunately we have come to consider that the Spirit can inspire one section of the hierarchical church better than the hoi poploi. No wonder, more than sixty per centage of the Catholics of the subcontinent don’t even know the name of their bishops, leave alone the Pope. This is the world we live in, and I feel it hard to believe we still believe in such a world.

I might sound quite critical about the Church I belong to, and the way how things are done. Sometimes I recall to mind the story of Peter and John walking into the Jerusalem temple after the resurrection of the Lord, and the paralytic looking upto them hoping to get a coin or two, and Peter tells him that they did not have neither silver nor gold to offer. But with the power of the name of Jesus, they restored health to the sick. The church is very different; at least the Vatican cannot say that it did not have silver and gold. The wealth that belong to the Vatican can feel millions of hungry stomachs in Africa and Asia, but still we will never dare to raise this question, because we would like to be faithful Christians, who accept the authority of the Vicar of Christ, as flowing from Christ himself. If Peter had walked the streets of Jerusalem, can his successor do the same. Is the Popeomobile a requisite while he visits a poor nation, or he could use the local secure conveyance, and spare the huge expenses involved in transporting the special vehicle!

I would sound heretic if I were to say that the Church today is every Christian, who believe in Christ and follow his footsteps faithfully, and if I believe in Christ and his teachings, sadly, sometimes I am compelled to distance myself from the madding crowds who believe that is what Christ would want of them. I would like to pause for a while, even as I am just a few kilometers from Vatican, and think what Christ wants of his Church today? What sort of leadership would Christ envisage for his successors, those who stand in his place? But before I point my finger at the Pope, let me look deep into myself, and ask how can I be a leader of the people I am sent to. At least there is one indication for sure; if the people I serve can pronounce my name, then I will know that I am close to them; because I know for sure, people will bother to remember the names of only the persons who matter to them, whom they love. And some of them not only write the names of their humble and simple leaders in their hearts, but carve their names in the hearts of everyone they come in touch with, and that is the reward of every sincere leader. (Rome)