The Knights of Columbus, the Elks Club, the Local Ambulance Squad, the Volunteer Fire Department, the Little League, the Red Cross, Parish Ministries and Societies, Food Pantries, and other charitable and civic organizations all have something in common. They find it increasingly difficult to recruit volunteers. People seem less willing to step forward and share their time and talent.
As difficult as it is for clubs and organizations to recruit members, it is even more difficult for them to find people willing to assume leadership positions. People hesitate to take on such roles because these require a greater commitment of time, energy, and effort. But perhaps a greater drawback is the knowledge that once a person becomes a leader, that individual becomes a target for complaints, criticism, protests, gossip, and sometimes even violence.
Perhaps that is the reason that political parties find it an increasing challenge to recruit people willing to run for office. Candidates are attacked by their opponents, criticized on social media, and their past, and even that of their relatives, is scrutinized for any imperfection.
That hesitancy to assume a leadership role is true even in the Church. It is said that 30% of priests who are asked to become a bishop refuse, and some priests even decline to become a pastor.
This Sunday’s scripture readings might be seen as supporting such a refusal to accept a role of leadership.
In our First Reading (Jeremiah 23:1-6), the leaders of God’s people are criticized for being unworthy shepherds. “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.”
Certainly, we are aware that some bishops and pastors have been unworthy shepherds. They have abused or failed to protect the members of their flock, not taken proper care of the treasure entrusted to them or been sources of division and scandal. Such failures might make any man hesitate to step into a role where he might be tainted by what others have done in the past.
Then in our Gospel (Mark 6:30-34), we read how the demands that the people made on Jesus and his apostles never stopped. It was difficult for them to even have an opportunity to eat. When they tried to get some rest, the people came looking for them.
The same is true today. The expectations people have for their priests remain the same, but the number of the ordained continues to decrease: the “sheep” keep coming to a diminishing number of “shepherds.”
At a time when people are increasingly hesitant to give of their time and talent and are reluctant to become leaders, whether in the secular or religious world, we need to encourage, support, and pray for those who do step forward to serve. We also might frequently show them our gratitude and less frequently express our criticism.
We need to realize that there is only one leader, only one Good Shepherd who never disappoints and who is there when we call. As we pray in this Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
© 2024 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski