A Leader after God's own Heart

Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 16th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, 24th July, 2020
Texts: Jer. 3:14-17; Ps. Jer. 31:10-13; Matt. 13:18-23
It is implicit in today's first reading that we deserve the kind of leaders we have; our leaders are reflection of us. If we are good we will have good leaders, so also if we are corrupt we will have corrupt leaders. God asks us to return to him that he will bring us to gether and give us leaders after his own heart. It is written thus: "Return, O faithless children, says the Lord; for I am your master, I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding". Many of us who are complaining of corrupt leaders now collected money to vote them in. Until we return to the right path, we will hardly have good leaders. God bid us to return to him so that he can give us leaders after his own heart.
The leaders after God's own heart shall feed us with knowledge and understanding. Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the prophecy in the first reading, and for us a model of leader after God's own heart. The gospel shows Jesus Christ feeding the people with knowledge and understanding, by explaining the parable to them. Good leaders are to teach their people by words and deeds.   Bad leaders do not want their people to be liberated from ignorance so as to be able to keep them in perpetual servitude.
A leader after God's own heart seeks and does the will of God. It is a kind of leaders through whom we experience the love and care of God. He may not be a perfect man but he fears God and has great devotion to him. David is a good example of such a leader. God said of him thus: "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will perform my entire will" (Acts 13:22; 1Sam. 13:14). Such a leader desires and executes justice and mercy for his people; he is courageous, pious and contrite of heart; he loves God and the people. He is aware of his weakness and ready to make amends. He seeks to please God, even when his life is at risk. He is a kind of leaders who has given his heart to God, for where one's heart is, there one's treasure is. Such a heart must be circumcised (Deut. 10:16). A circumcised heart is a heart that is open to God for instructions and obedience.
Jesus Christ is the perfect model and fulfilment of the prophecy; he is the one who fulfils the will of God perfectly.

God our Father, touch us and transform us and give us leaders after your own heart. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke