S4-Day 9: Servant Leadership over Herodian Traits

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel”. 

Mathew 2:6 

The story of the birth of Jesus, the visit of the wise men to the Messiah, the escape of infant Jesus to Egypt and his return from Egypt depicted in the Gospel of Matthew Ch 2:1-20 are marred by an unwelcomed dirty episode of the order of the then King Herod to kill all the children below two years in and around Bethlehem (Mat.2:16). As we light the second candle in the advent we remember this dirty episode that engulfed the good-news of the arrival of the Saviour conveyed by the Shepherds. 

As always and as we must focus our attention to the good, instilled by the work on the cross of our servant leader Jesus, foretold according to the scriptures; sometimes, as we an earthly community also must look at the evil that surrounds us. Even our saviour as a child had to be a part of the gruesome reality of the cruel order of the ruler as that of Herod, totally juxtaposed to that of his own reign of Justice, Peace, Equality, Harmony and Love. So, the dirty king Herod steals the narrative of an unfolding of a very beautiful story, compelling us to look at him though we are generally unwilling. 

Reasonably reliable historical sources provide us with additional information about the dirty king Herod, who out of his over possessiveness of his wife had given orders to even kill her when he had no hopes of returning to her, in his own fear of the roman ruler Octavian for his siding with the earlier defeated Marc Antony. He could not bear the thought of another man with her. Eventually he becomes polygamous and later for the fear of being dethroned in his lust for power even kills his three sons. 

This story tells us how these things must have come about to be developed as part of his innate sinful nature when in deceit he wanted to call back the Magi to find the place of birth of Jesus the king of the Jews in his own presence. Jealousy, covetousness and suspicion had over taken him completely. 

Was this expected of him - a King, a Ruler and a Leader? Certainly not. And yet we find the same ‘Herodian Traits’ even today in a democratic set up of our polity, and sadly even in the Church. Avenging the people, plotting the dismissal, debarring, ex-communicating, ceasing the scope for further opportunity, growth of the humble dissenters, giving the innocents up to media trials, impinging the processes of justice systems, incarceration, and even killing have become normal ways of elected autocratic system being set in place of effective and just democratic principles and values. 

The voice of the innocents be they ordinary citizens, farmers, women, migrants, whistle blowers, and/or unemployed youth or women who show their commitment in pure love of their own choice of partner, deliberately goes unheard just as that of the cry of the innocent children killed in Bethlehem. 

This situation of hopelessness that comes out of the innate nature of sinfulness is altered with a ray of hope in the new alternative servant leadership of the new born King, whose face is manifest in every afflicted person and groaning created order. A true shepherd who gives his own life for his sheep, who embodies supreme love, who calls leaders, people and nations to be in service of each other is the one for us to follow and emulate. Let us find the fulfilment of our joy in that leader, intriguing the leaders with ‘Herodian Traits’ both in our churches and in our society. 

Prayer

God of Love and Life we thank you for providing us the gift of a servant leader in the midst of tyranny. Amen. 

Author: Rev. Dn. Prashant S Bhonsle

About the Author: Rev. Dn. Prashant, currently teaches at the Bishop’s College, Kolkata in the department of History and Mission.