Leading by example

Homily – Saturday, Week Nine in Ordinary Time IIReadings: 2 Timothy 4:1–8; Mark 12:38–44
Theme: Leading by example

When we were children, we looked up to our parents as carriers of “truth.” As we grew, we extended that trust to our teachers, political leaders, and religious leaders, expecting them to guide us, to teach what is right, and to model integrity in society.

However, as we mature, we sometimes come to the painful realization that not all who are in positions of authority consistently teach or live the truth. Some do so out of ignorance, others for personal gain, some unintentionally, and others, sadly, with the intent to mislead or manipulate. In some cases, it may even come from frustration, jealousy, or personal wounds that spill over into how they influence others.

For example, we sometimes hear conflicting voices about basic matters of life and discipline, some praising rest as essential for health, others condemning it as a path to poverty. In religious and social spaces, we occasionally see distortions where material wealth is subtly or openly placed above God Himself. In some contexts, financial demands are imposed in ways that seem to overshadow service and mutual support within the Church.

Even in history, we admire the courage of martyrs, yet today we sometimes see fear and compromise where bold witness is expected. Moral teachings given to the young are at times contradicted by the examples they observe in society, especially through media and public messaging that normalizes what was once clearly rejected. Even within Christian communities, questionable “advice” sometimes circulates, presenting human opinion as scientific truth, even when it lacks sound foundation.

It is against this backdrop that St. Paul’s words to Timothy become especially urgent:“Preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths” (II Timothy 4:3–4).
No wonder Jesus, in the Gospel, takes the opportunity in the synagogue to highlight the value of the widow’s mite. At that time, those who were meant to be teachers of truth, the scribes, had drifted from it, embracing flamboyant lifestyles and, in some cases, even oppressing widows instead of defending them.

Today, I encourage all of us who find ourselves in positions of leadership, in any capacity, to remain committed to teaching what is right and true-for the good of the next generation. May the Holy Spirit grant us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to faithfully live and proclaim the truth, through Christ our Lord. Amen.