Before Discussion Articles/ Videos/ Notes
Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell
“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work”
St. John Henry Newman
Living as intentional disciples of Jesus (full article featured by Today’s Catholic, of Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend)
This is the third part of the talk given by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades on Feb. 7 at St. Louis Besancon Parish.
* The full article is linked in the title above. However, the quotes from the article are pulled out and organized for you below if you don’t have time to read the full article.
Prayer
- Daily prayer is essential for our growth in the Christian life and in holiness, in being a Catholic every day of the week.
- St. Teresa of Avila: that the water is for the flowers. The graces we receive in prayer help us to grow in the virtues.
- If our prayer is not bearing good fruit, it is not authentic. That’s the only way we can judge the authenticity of our prayer is, are we growing in the virtues.
- We can’t judge the goodness or effectiveness of our prayer by how we feel when or after we pray. It can only be judged by the fruits.
- Prayer must be real. Our hearts must be open to divine grace and cooperate with that grace.
Integration
- Growth in Christian life and holiness doesn’t take place apart from or aside from our vocation.
- It is impossible for a married person and parent to be growing in holiness but not growing as a good husband and father or wife and mother.
- A wife and mother can ask herself, how can I be more like the Blessed Mother today? A husband and father can ask himself, how can I be more like St. Joseph today? We must not compartmentalize faith and family.
- Parents have the duty to provide for their children’s spiritual, psychological, physical, intellectual, and moral growth.
- To live as an authentic Christian is to live as an intentional disciple of Christ in our personal life and vocation, in our family and in our work. How do we do this?
- God has given each of us natural gifts that we should develop and use to their fullest potential. He gives us supernatural gifts, graces to help us, including the gift of faith.
- We are called to live an integrated life. That’s the life of true discipleship! … It’s real Christianity. It’s a constant process of conversion.
- Living as intentional disciples challenges us every day in our relationships, in our decisions and in our work.
- To be an intentional disciple of Jesus Christ means living life with a purpose. That purpose, as the Catechism says, is “to know, to love, and to serve God in this life and to be happy with Him forever in the next.”
Courage & Humility
- As intentional disciples, we recognize that we are sinners in need of forgiveness. We know that we need to go to confession regularly in order to grow in holiness and to receive the grace to resist temptations.
- …It takes courage to be Catholic today. The vocation of the Catholic laity is to bring the truth of the Gospel into the world.
- “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). We should ponder this question and ask if we are doing our part.
- St. John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord is an example for us since we are called to prepare the way for Christ’s second coming.
Work
- Work is also part of our lives that should not be compartmentalized from faith. The Church teaches that work honors the gifts of our Creator and the talents received from Him.
- Our work should be a prayer. When we pray the Morning Offering, we offer all our work that day to God.
- But we have to do our work with purpose — to serve God, to provide for our families, and to serve others. Then it truly becomes a means of sanctification for us.
- Every job is an opportunity for growth in holiness.
Summary
- Discipleship is not a part-time job; it’s a full-time life of faith.
- It’s living life with meaning and purpose.
- It’s living life as an adventure of faith with Jesus Christ as our leader, our shepherd, and our Savior and with the Holy Spirit as our advocate, counselor and guide.
- It is a life focused on giving glory to God and on salvation, our own and the salvation of others.
Farm to Jesus 