the supremacy of discipleship
"Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." —Matthew 8:19, our transl.
Discipleship is very dear to the heart of Jesus. Jesus' plan is to call us to follow and imitate Him. Before Jesus ascended, He commanded us to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). When Jesus speaks of discipleship, He intentionally exaggerates to emphasize that His disciples must immediately and totally abandon their wills to Him. Jesus states that His disciples should not even expect the shelter of a hole in the ground or a nest in a tree (Mt 8:20). He says that we should "let the dead bury their dead" (Mt 8:22) so as to be immediately available to follow Him, the Master of the disciples. Jesus exaggerates and emphasizes further that His disciples must hate their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, sisters, and selves to follow Him (Lk 14:26).
Being Jesus' disciples is the meaning of life and the greatest of all relationships. Nothing takes precedence over being Jesus' disciples. Our discipleship-relationship with Jesus is supreme and in a class by itself. Be and make disciples for Jesus.
Prayer: Jesus, I will deny myself, take up my cross each day, and be Your disciple (Lk 9:23).
Promise: "While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the Lord remained standing before Abraham." —Gn 18:22
Praise: St. Irenaeus wrote several works against heresy, and finally suffered martyrdom for love of Jesus.
Reference: (Presentation Ministries offers Discipleship Retreats. For more information, call our Discipleship Center at 937-587-5464.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, November 28, 1998
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 1, 1998