Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School

In last week’s column we had begun to describe what being a disciple in 2017 might look like here at Our Lady of Lourdes. We observed that a disciple in the year 2017 as a person who

• can acknowledge that they need and desire a relationship with God in Jesus,
• finds support and nourishment for their life in the Word of God (Scripture) and in the sacramental life of God’s people,
• is committed to deepening their personal relationship with Jesus, and
• comes to share their joy and their passion for Jesus with others.

I believe that it is important for us to remember that our choices in how we live our lives and our faith are our responses to an invitation that God has first given to us. Pope Francis himself acknowledges this in his writing on discipleship and evangelization, and he notes for us that if we want to know how we’re doing as disciples, then we just need to look at the fruit of our lives. Our response to God’s initiative in our lives isn’t ever going to be something static, but rather it requires getting involved and making a difference.

There are many opportunities for involvement here in the parish, but there are also many ways in which we can be engaged in fruitful efforts apart from the parish. Making a difference in the lives of others also means that my own life becomes shaped and re-shaped. Often that may happen in the context of parish activities, but also at work, or through involvement in civic organizations such as Kiwanis, or Rotary, for example. Getting involved in neighborhood watch, in local efforts to beautify our neighborhoods, all of these different ways of putting flesh on our faith are important and can be very significant. The witness of our lives takes on a character that enriches others and ourselves. It is a reflection of the song of St. Francis: we receive when we give of ourselves, and our self-gift, our willingness to make a sacrifice often is a witness of hope, light and joy for people around us.

Discipleship in the gospels requires first that people show up to respond to Jesus. Only those who actually respond to Jesus, who dare to get involved, make a difference. And only those who choose to make a difference have their own lives transformed. Today’s gospel, recounting the encounter between Jesus and the Woman at the Well is a wonderful narrative of Jesus engaging someone with the transformation of life slowly unfolding as the narrative progresses. It is a good reminder for us that growing in discipleship takes its own time and that there is no quick fix, or program, that allows us to become disciples overnight.

The gospel narrative also hints at another reality we often experience as we grow through different stages of our own faith journey and towards becoming a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship of Jesus requires a maturity of faith that can’t be taken for granted, and which is required in order to give an informed “yes” to the invitation of Jesus. There’s a real sense in which discipleship is “for big boys and girls”.

The gospel also shows us that once we embrace discipleship for ourselves, that is not its end. An integral element of the life of every disciple of Jesus is its “missionary” character. By this I mean that all discipleship is essentially other-centered, other-focused. It is outward-oriented. This is why at the end of every mass we are “sent” - Ite missa est, was the old Latin phrase, meaning “Go! It’s mission time!” Just as the woman at the well shares her good news with the villagers, we too are to be about sharing our passion, our joy in the Lord, with others.