Catholic Discipleship
The laity are in a tough spot these days. Our society still has a patina of Christianity, but has largely rejected the person of Jesus Christ. Sadly, many Catholics helped to build that society, often relegating their Faith to the private sphere instead of building up the earthly city to be model of the heavenly one.
Everyone loves a list, so for what it’s worth, here’s my thoughts on what the laity can/must do as disciples of Christ in the world today…
1. Attend Mass every Sunday & holy day of obligation religiously. Go, regardless of how wonderful or painful the situation on the ground at your local parish may be. Pay attention to the readings, Psalms, prayers, & the actions on the altar. Tremble & rejoice in the presence of God. Take liturgy seriously, even if it seems sometimes that no one else does. “Without me you can do nothing.” Absolutely critical.
2. Pray everyday. Meditate on the Gospels, say the Rosary, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, make a holy hour, whatever. You have to stay connected to the God who is your spiritual strength & your light in the darkness or you will get lost.
3. Read the Bible. This is the story of the people of God, the story of salvation. It’s your story. Become familiar with the people & events in both old & new testaments. It will strengthen you spiritually & make you smarter to boot. The Bible is the basis for virtually the entire corpus of Western literature, so you will learn to pick up on biblical (or sometimes anti-biblical) references, symbolism, & themes.
4. Know your Faith – Learn your Catechism. Catholics are pathetic in knowledge of their own Faith. If one doesn’t know it, how will they live it? The Catholic Faith is “something” handed on from the Apostles in its entirety & taught by the Church under guidance of the Holy Spirit. You very much need to know what that “something” is. It is not up for a vote, it’s not a fuzzy collection of platitudes, it’s not a social program, & it will never be in fashion with the world or the worldly. It is a God’s definitive revelation to his people of who He is, who we are, where we came from, where we are going, & what we should do personally & corporately in the mean time. It is glorious.
5. Repent. I believe it was the London Times that held an essay contest
about 100 years ago on the topic, “What’s wrong with the world.” One
respondent’s 2-word entry is noteworthy: “I am.” (see no.8) It is a
hard but valuable lesson that we ourselves are a source of evil in this
world. It’s tempting to cast disparaging glances on others from our
pedestals; but the truth is, each of us is part of the problem.
However, even these days, it’s not uncommon to find a little closet or
small room in a Catholic church that’s open for business for at least a
few minutes a week. It’s inconvenient & it’s embarrassing &
it’s painful to own up to your sins, but it has to be done. Now is the
time of mercy. Get in the box. You’ll be astounded by the outpouring
of grace.
6. Enlist! – Realize you are at war. For 40 years now, there’s been a near-maniacal emphasis on caring & sharing & holding hands. The Romans didn’t make helmets & shields out of felt; & I don’t recommend holding hands with demons. They are real, they are way smarter than you, & they are hell-bent to destroy you & your loved ones in order to keep you away from God for eternity. Your attitude, preparation, & choices should reflect this reality. Go forth knowing that God has already won this war; just make sure you’re enlisted in his service, equipped with every weapon at your disposal.
7. Try, but expect to fail. At least by earthly standards. Having to
endure difficult circumstance & our own bad choices is part of being
human, but don’t get discouraged (see no. 6). Accept failure with
grace & use it an opportunity to learn & grow stronger. We may
find one day that our earthly failures are glorious triumphs.
8. Turn off the Stupid Box & read. Read every classic author you can get your hands on from Homer to Chesterton (certainly a classic). These authors were gifted with insight into the human condition & shared it in great stories. Why would you pass that up? Even great writers with lousy philosophies & bad writers with good ones have something to teach. Never stop reading.
9. Be patient. We work for Jesus Christ, not for our egos. We will have to be patient with others who may not share our same viewpoint, & with ourselves that we may never see our projects bear fruit. But that’s OK. Patience is a stance of humility (a requirement for any spiritual growth) & trust in God.
10. Become friends with the friends of God. The saints embody pretty much every other point – especially the Blessed Mother. Many were clergy, but many were not. They all helped to spread the kingdom of God in their own time, place, & way according to their unique circumstances. They are all totally different, but are also all a unique reflection of Jesus. Though a good starts, don’t stop at “saint of the day” blurbs; go read their own writings. You will find that you have many companions on this journey with whom you can identify & on whom you can lean.
11. Make room for the Spirit. Inspirations & opportunities to do God’s work abound, & it is the Spirit working through us that enables us to respond, keeping us receptive to the moment. I believe it is God the Spirit that also helps us to keep the most important things in view – the infinitely precious gift of life, the overwhelming power of love, the joy of walking ever-closer to God.
12. Jesus Christ must be the center of everything we do, or it is all for nothing.
Mark Galbaugh is a catechist at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Lenoir City, TN. He is currently seeking a degree in theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. You can find his blog, Happy Entanglements, here.
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