The most significant choice of leaders in the history of the Church was made by Jesus when he chose the Twelve Apostles. St. Luke tells us that, to prepare for that momentous decision, Jesus “departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God” (6:12).
Making wise decisions is no doubt crucial to leadership, and Jesus’ example of prayer before such decisions is an important model for Catholic leaders today. Yet good decision-making is not what drew followers to Jesus. Divine love was the bond, the cement that united Jesus’ followers to him. The divine love that belongs to Jesus by nature belongs to us, too, as adopted children of God.
Jesus prayed more than anything else he did — the Gospels tell us of more than 30 instances of him praying — and we must also pray if we are to have God’s love in our hearts. Through our prayer, we must become a living monstrance that shines the light of Christ’s love into the world. If Christ’s love shines in everything we do as Christian leaders, we cannot fail to draw followers to our Lord.
*****
JOSEPH MCINERNEY is vice president of leadership and ethics education for the Knights of Columbus.








