Today’s readings are about leadership. They look back in establishing Jesus in the line of David thereby fulfilling the promise of God to Israel and they also look forward in anointing whoever may follow Jesus in the future.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus models a style of leadership that is an inversion of the common understanding of leadership in his own time. Jesus, as Lord, washes the feet of the disciples and foretells his fate of being betrayed by one of his own. Jesus models a humble, servant leadership.

This reflection will be published around the day of the installation of Pope Leo XIV as the 267^th successor of Peter. Jesus asks us to accept Pope Leo as the one sent by him. ‘Whoever receives (the) one whom I send, receives me.’

To teach, to sanctify, to govern. To be prophet, priest and king. By our baptism we are all anointed to labour in the same mission. The office, however, is most distinctly exercised and personified in the Pope – the servant of the servants of God, the vicar of Christ and heir of Peter. Pope Leo XIV has demonstrated his missionary heart through his years of service as a missionary priest. He appears a humble man. We pray he will lead his flock in the path of Jesus offering salvific hope to the poor, the lost, the marginalised. As baptised Christians, we are co-responsible for the mission of the Church and called to join with Christ and with Pope Leo in the same service as missionary disciples.

By Clara Geoghegan