Brief Background:

Saint Agatha was a young Christian woman from Sicily who lived during the 3rd century and is honored for her strong faith and courage. Born into a wealthy family, she chose to dedicate her life to Christ and refused both to renounce her Christian beliefs and to marry a Roman official who desired her. Because of her faithfulness, she was arrested, tortured, and eventually martyred around 251 AD. Saint Agatha is recognized as the patron saint of breast cancer patients, nurses, victims of sexual assault, bell makers, and those seeking protection from fires and volcanic eruptions. Her life continues to inspire the faithful through her witness of purity, strength, and unwavering trust in God.

REFLECTION:

Throughout this week, our Scripture readings have centered on leadership—what it means to lead, how leaders influence others, and the legacy leaders leave behind. Today, we hear the farewell words of King David to his son King Solomon. As David prepares to die, he offers final guidance that sounds less like political instruction and more like the heartfelt wisdom of a father speaking from experience.

David essentially tells Solomon: Be strong. Follow the Lord. Stay faithful to God’s commandments. Beneath those words is something deeper—almost as if David is saying, “Learn from my life. Do not make the mistakes I made when I turned away from God or failed to follow His commands.” David knew both faithfulness and failure. He was a great king, but he was also human. His final words are not about protecting his reputation; they are about helping the next generation lead better.

That honesty makes David’s farewell powerful. True leadership is not pretending we are perfect. True leadership is recognizing that our choices affect those who come after us.

One of the things that I have kept in mind since becoming a priest is that I am not going to be here forever. At some point, I will be moved, reassigned, or called to serve somewhere else. The reality is that priests come and go, but the Church community remains. The parishioners stay. The students remain. The families continue building the life of the parish and school long after any one leader moves on.

Because of that, I often ask myself an important question: How do I lead in a way that empowers others to take ownership of their parish, their school, and their faith? One thing I often remind people is this: Come to Church for Jesus, not for the priest. Priests are called to serve, guide, and shepherd, but our role is always to lead people toward Christ, not toward ourselves. When our faith is rooted in a person alone, it can easily be shaken when that person moves on. But when our faith is rooted in Jesus, it remains strong and steady.

Leadership in the Church is never meant to be centered on one person. It is meant to form disciples who become leaders themselves. A strong parish or school is not built when people depend on one leader to do everything. A strong parish or school is built when people recognize that they are part of the mission—that they have gifts, responsibilities, and a calling to serve.

David’s message to Solomon reminds us that leadership is about preparing others to continue the mission faithfully. Solomon would not simply inherit a throne; he would inherit a responsibility to lead God’s people closer to the Lord.

The same is true for all of us. Leadership is not limited to priests, teachers, administrators, or parents. Every one of us leads in some way. Parents lead their children. Older students lead younger ones. Parishioners lead through ministry, service, and example. Even quiet faithfulness—showing up, serving, praying, and encouraging others—becomes leadership that shapes a community.

Good leaders do not just think about today. They think about what will remain after they are gone. They invest in people. They teach by example. They admit mistakes. Most importantly, they point others toward God as the true source of wisdom and strength.

David’s farewell reminds us that leadership rooted in God creates a legacy that lasts far beyond any position or title. When we lead others toward faithfulness, service, and love, we help build a community that continues to grow long after our own chapter is finished.

And maybe that is the kind of leadership God is calling each of us to live—not leadership that draws attention to ourselves, but leadership that strengthens others to carry the mission forward.