by Will Reaves, Director of Faith Formation and Intergenerational Catechesis
Discipleship is a word that doesn’t really have an analogue in our current culture. We might talk about scholars being disciples of some prior figure in their field, but this just means that their teaching is in line with-and further develops the teaching-of their predecessor.
In the Biblical context, to be a disciple was more than just accepting and promoting a teaching. It involved a whole way of being. To be a disciple was to live with the master, follow him where he went, and take him as an example in every aspect of life.
Saint Paul explained this idea of discipleship when he told his readers to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). We aren’t disciples of Jesus just by believing what he said, but by living the way he did.
Even this imitation, however, doesn’t capture the fullness of discipleship. I can admire the life of George Washington, study his political utterances and generalship, and even try to embody the virtues he demonstrated in his life. But however much I imitate Washington, I can’t be his disciple, because I don’t have a personal relationship with him. The foundation of any master/ disciple relationship is the personal connection between them. Without Washington himself there to guide me and to invest in me, I can’t have that type of relationship with him.
Thanks be to God, our relationship with Jesus is not so limited. As we’ll discuss over the next couple months, there are many ways to grow our relationship with Jesus. But the best news is that Jesus wants to be in relationship with us.
Let us always be responsive to that invitation.
Challenge: What does it mean to you that the God of all Creation is personally interested in you? Does that excite you in the same way that a call from a favorite celebrity would?