Leaders must emulate Christ’s model of service – Bishop Agyenta

Most Reverend Alfred Agyenta, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, has called on Ghanaian leaders to emulate Jesus Christ’s model of dedication and selfless service to serve the country well and receive the blessings of God.

He said Jesus Christ while on earth, though Son of God, humbled Himself to serving and teaching His disciples and the people and Ghanaian leaders and the world at large needed to emulate Him, to create a well-meaning society.
The Bishop made the call in a homily during the celebration of the Feast of Holy Thursday, popularly known as the Lord’s Last Supper.

The Feast of the Holy Thursday, a day before Good Friday, is celebrated by the Catholic Church annually to mark the last day Jesus Christ spent with His disciples before His arrest, passion, and crucifixion on the cross.
The day is also celebrated to mark the day Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist.

Backing his appeal with scripture, Most Rev Agyenta explained that during the Lord’s Supper Jesus Christ humbled Himself and washed the feet of His Disciples and admonished them to replicate same to one another.

He said on several occasions Jesus Christ noted that He came not to be served but to serve and that all leaders needed to serve their subordinates and not the other way round.

Bishop Agyenta said many Ghanaian leaders expected to be served and often took advantage of the culture of respect that the subjects accorded them.

“In Ghana, it is our culture to respect our leaders, whether appointed or elected, but sometimes the leaders think it is their right that the people should respect and adore them,” he said.

He, therefore, called on political and civil leaders as well as traditional and religious leaders to offer services to their people.

“In Ghana, our institutions by their nature depict service. For instance, the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Police Service, Immigration Service, and Prison Service, among others. So if you are there, you are to offer service to the people and do not expect anything in return.
“But what do we see in our society, the leaders expect the people to bow before them and render services to them, we need to learn from Jesus Christ’s example,” he added.

The Bishop admonished people to desist from discouraging others who offer themselves to serve as it would boost the confidence of people who were willing to serve.