The Reluctance of Leadership: A Fable on Kingship

Wednesday 20 August 2025

Today is Wednesday the 20th of August, the feast of Saint Bernard, in the 20th week of Ordinary Time. The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing: Le Seigneur est Roi: “The Lord is King, with majesty enrobed; the Lord has robed himself with might; he has girded himself with power.” As I listen, can I imagine God like this, as King of the world? And the people around me, the whole world around me, as God’s kingdom? Today’s reading is from the Book of Judges. Judges 9:6-15 Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, ‘Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. The trees once went out to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, “Reign over us.” The olive tree answered them, “Shall I stop producing my rich oil by which gods and mortals are honoured, and go to sway over the trees?” Then the trees said to the fig tree, “You come and reign over us.” But the fig tree answered them, “Shall I stop producing my sweetness and my delicious fruit, and go to sway over the trees?” Then the trees said to the vine, “You come and reign over us.” But the vine said to them, “Shall I stop producing my wine that cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the trees?” So all the trees said to the bramble, “You come and reign over us.” And the bramble said to the trees, “If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.” Today’s reading is a fable about kingship. If you knew nothing else about what God’s people felt at this time about having a king, what might this tell you? Consider, in this context, the political leaders of your own state or nation. What is best about them? What do you think of as their major weaknesses? The response of the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine, to the invitation to become king of the trees, is simple. It can be summed up as “We’ve got better things to do with our time.” How far do you see this as a valid answer to a call to a leadership role? As the passage is read again, see what you make of the bramble’s response to the invitation of the other trees. Judges 9:6-15 Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, ‘Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. The trees once went out to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, “Reign over us.” The olive tree answered them, “Shall I stop producing my rich oil by which gods and mortals are honoured, and go to sway over the trees?” Then the trees said to the fig tree, “You come and reign over us.” But the fig tree answered them, “Shall I stop producing my sweetness and my delicious fruit, and go to sway over the trees?” Then the trees said to the vine, “You come and reign over us.” But the vine said to them, “Shall I stop producing my wine that cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the trees?” So all the trees said to the bramble, “You come and reign over us.” And the bramble said to the trees, “If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.” You might like, in these final moments of prayer, to pray for politicians and others in positions of leadership... Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen