Servant Leadership

By Sr. Walter Maher, CCVI
Vice President of Mission and Ministry

When you think about being a leader, being "on top," being where the buck stops," what goes through your mind? What if I told you that being a true leader is not about having power over others, benefiting personally (financially or otherwise), or getting recognition? What if I told you that true leadership is about self-sacrifice and selfless service to all, even those who are difficult and disagreeable? Would you still do it?

There are many books and media resources that talk about servant leadership. From the 7 principles to the 4 C's of servant leadership, everyone seems to have an idea as to what servant leadership is all about. The most striking example of servant leadership in action, however, is described in chapter thirteen of the Gospel of John (vv. 1-20).

According to the text, the Incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, knowing that "His hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, loved his own in the world, and He loved them to the end."

During the Passover supper, "fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power ... He rose from supper and took off his outer garments; took a towel and tied it around his waist; poured water into a basin; and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist."

When He had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, He said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet." And Jesus continued, "I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

Fast-forward to the year 1869. St. Madeleine Chollet, Sr. St. Pierre Cinquin, and Sr. Agnes Buisson) arrived in San Antonio in March, at the invitation of Bishop Claude Dubuis, to take care of the sick and infirm who sought relief at their hands. And like Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God did, the Sisters rolled up their habits' sleeves and went to work.

Now, let us pause here for a moment and consider what both actions truly mean.

At face value, Jesus' washing of the disciples' dirty and dusty feet was a demeaning and condescending action. However, at a deeper level, Jesus' action was a lesson about loving the unlovely and unloving. Keep in mind that Jesus washes the feet of all of his disciples, including those of the one who denied him and those of the one who betrayed him.

The first Sisters of Charity who came to San Antonio arrived with the same attitude and willingness in mind, heart and action. In other words, they fully embraced the caring of the sick and infirm in all its dimensions, regardless of the person needing their loving care. A brief passage would suffice to describe what that looked like:

The Sisters helped doctors bandage wounds, amputate damaged limbs, and administer calomel, quinine, opium, ipecac, and other drugs to combat fever and relieve pain. Bloodletting was a common form of treatment, especially for those afflicted with the fevers associated with infectious diseases. People who rejected bloodletting or who could not afford a doctor utilized various home remedies, including green gourd tea as an emetic and willow-bark pills as a cathartic. Runoff from outhouses and animal shelters contaminated drinking water, contributing to the raft of infectious diseases that killed half of all kids before they were ten years old. Broken bones, falls, and cuts were all prone to being fatal in a time before modern surgery. And death in childbirth or from a postpartum infection was common. Women typically became pregnant about every two years, and they risked their lives each time.

Servant leadership is all about washing feet, bandaging wounds (physical or otherwise), healing the body, mind and soul, and sitting with people who are literally or figuratively hurt or dying. Servant leadership is another word for sacrificial love. Servant leadership is about being another Christ in the world, especially for and with those who seem less deserving of our love.

Last month, we said goodbye to some of our long-standing members of the University of the Incarnate Word community in the context of the Eucharist. We acknowledged their servant leadership, and in doing so, we recommitted to embrace and exercise servant leadership in all our deeds. Why do we do so? Because, as true members of the University of the Incarnate Word, we find our ultimate reason for being only in service and love.

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