POPE FRANCIS CREDO (From the book, Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads by Chris Lowney) I will commit to know myself deeply I believe I am gifted, talented and fundamentally good. I do not have to earn or prove my dignity or worthiness; it is my birthright. Yet I am deeply flawed, as often tripped up by my own dysfunctions and missteps as by the many obstacles the world throws in my way. I accept myself, but that does not make me complacent with my flaws or lack of competencies, which I am committed to address. I am called to a unique role in this world, that is, to lead: to point out a way and influence others, first by the power of my own example, and then by whatever other opportunities and authority come to me whether I am parent, teacher, chief executive, or pope. I can’t lead anyone else if I am unable to lead myself, and won’t form myself for leadership simply by mastering job skills. Rather, I must commit to a set of convictions and habits that will equip me to lead myself and others. am called to lead. If a non spiritual person, I understand calling as the fruit of my specific circumstances – that is, no one else enjoys my specific gifts, the specific circumstances of my life at this very moment, or the opportunities that present themselves to me over time. If I am a religious person, I understand calling in a further, transcendent way: every religious tradition articulates a vision for humanity and a mission for its believers; that mission is my primary calling in the world. I will transcend myself to serve others I need to get over myself. Yes, I need to be grounded in a strong sense of my identity and aware of my strengths and weaknesses; otherwise, I cannot be effective. But then I need to transcend myself to serve some purpose greater than self, in whatever way I understand that concept, whether it’s the common good, God’s kingdom, giving more love than I receive along my earthly journey, or more simply, leaving the world better than I found it. This dedication to serve both my one-time commitment ( my willingness to stand in front of the mirror and say why I’m here on earth) and my everyday struggle to keep the ego in check and eyes focused on greater purpose. The struggle is worth is worth waging because we are saddled with too many self-serving leaders in civic, religious, political, and business life. Their horizon never extends beyond protecting their election prospects, party, power, status, paycheck, or their institution’s reputation. By my own example, joined to that of countless others, I will do my part to change the face and character of leadership. Our challenges our great, and we need great-minded leaders to surmount them. I will immerse myself in a complex world I believe I am no better than anyone else, and I am somehow connected to every one else. I will keep my own feet dirty, making sure my team – my family, classmates, subordinates, or coworkers – knows I am one with them. I will walk with the world with my eyes and heart open to the joys, sufferings, and everyday struggles that unfold around me, and by doing so, strive always for am ever-deeper sense of solidarity. I commit to remain ‘in touch,’ even though it is ever-harder to do so in a massively scaled, globalized, complex world where technology increasingly “disintermediates” us from the reality on the ground. I know that my actions and decisions have real impact in the world, and will accept accountability for my decisions; I won’t be one of those who protect themselves when things go wrong by saying, “I didn’t know,” in cases where I should have known. I will not be one of those who look reality only through the distorting or antiseptic filters of financial reports, handlers, ideology, television, or a constant social media stream. I will step back for daily reflection Though I will fully immerse myself in the world, I know I cannot afford to be fully “of” the world, drifting on a tide of social media stimulation, texts, and phone calls. Rather, I will set aside sacred space every day to remind myself of my higher purpose, values and beliefs; to reflect on the day; and, importantly, to be grateful for all that I have. I understand that there is more to me and to life than what can be touched, counted, or measured – as Einstein put it, “not everything that counts can be counted.” If I am a religious person, I will pray. Whether religious or not, I will strive to be a contemplative in action who remains ever mindful of what I am doing and why I’m doing it, someone who remains balanced, recollected and focused. I will live fully in the present and revere my tradition I don’t know if I’ll be here tomorrow, but I know I have this moment right now. I will not waste it. The one leadership opportunity I can be certain of having is the opportunity presented by today: with the person sitting in front of me right now, in the problem I’ve been asked to resolve, with the child I will put to bed tonight, through my attitude in the face of adversity. I will live in the spirit of always seizing the opportunity under my control instead of fruitlessly rehashing what is past and cannot be changed. That does not mean that the past is irrelevant. I am not a solitary atom, nor the first person to have walked this planet, nor the only arbiter of what is good, true, or just. Rather, I am part of a religious or spiritual tradition, a community and a nation. Many of my most important beliefs and values were bequeathed to me by my tradition and will not only honor them but pass them along as they were passed to me. I have a history, and some of my strengths and values were forged in the crucible of my life experience, often enough through challenge, difficulty, and even great grief. With Kierkegaard I increasingly appreciate the mystery that “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” I will help to create the future Yes, I live in the present and reverence tradition. But in a rapidly changing world, I accept that my call to leadership entails a call to help create the future – my own future and that of my family, of course, but also that of my community and planet. I will look forward to this journey with hope and optimism and do my part to create a future worthy of my beliefs and values. I will strive to be free: not rootless, but free from whatever fears, uncertainties, addictions, obsessions, or derailing baggage might deter me from choices that lead to what is good, beautiful, just, and true. The concluding paragraph of Fr. Bergoglio’s short credo began with these words: “I look forward to the surprise of each day…” That’s no empty platitude, because, as the pope continues, the surprises of each day include “sin” and even “treachery,” not just “love.” None of that deters the new leader, because he or she is steeled and energized by faith and hope. As Cardinal Bergoglio once put it, “My hope in God is in the journey, and in the quest, in allowing myself to search.” May we feel similarly with our own journeys. Lowney, Chris. Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads. Jesuit Communications, 2014, pp. 149 – 152.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 23:02:19 +0000
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