Following Jesus - Mature Discipleship

 - January 22, 2015

 

In the Gospel today, we see Jesus calling the fishermen Simon, Andrew, James and John: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people!” We are at the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, and we meet these new followers of Jesus in the early enthusiasm of discipleship, accepting his invitation to a life-changing journey of relationship and formation. But do they really understand what they are getting themselves into? Will their faith be strong enough to withstand the dangers, challenges, and disappointments that life – even life with Jesus – inevitably brings? How will it grow into mature discipleship?

In his 1999 best-seller The Holy Longing, Canadian Oblate and spiritual guide Fr. Ronald Rolheiser outlined what he describes as “the essentials”: the basic requirements for building a Christian life in the contemporary world. Jesus calls those who would be his disciples to build on solid foundations: personal integrity, private prayer, involvement in a concrete church community, commitment to charity and social justice, and finally, a capacity for forgiveness and “mellowness of heart.” These are the essential, non-negotiable building-blocks of Christian spirituality.

In his 2014 follow-up book, Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity, Fr. Rolheiser takes us one step further, inviting us to reflect on what constitutes spiritual maturity, and what helps us to reach that place. How can we, as followers of Jesus, live in a more integrated and generative way – not just for ourselves, but for others? In response, he proposes “Ten Commandments for Mature Discipleship”, cited by Deacon Richard in his homily two weeks ago:

  1. Live in gratitude: thank your Creator by enjoying your life!
  2. Be willing to carry life's many complexities with empathy.
  3. Transform jealousy, anger, bitterness and hatred by filtering them, rather than giving them back in kind.
  4. Let suffering soften your heart, and not harden your soul.
  5. Forgive: those who hurt you, your own sins, the unfairness of life, and god – for not rescuing you.
  6. Bless more abundantly and generously, curse less!
  7. Live in radical sobriety, honesty, and transparency.
  8. Pray daily, both affectively and liturgically.
  9. Be wide and generous in your embrace.
  10. Stand where you are meant to be standing ... and depend on God for the rest.

Have a good week everyone! Keep checking the parish website for the full text of the homilies and for news of upcoming parish events.