The journey of discipleship
A reading from the gospel according to Mark
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Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, |
But you, who do you say I am?’ This would have to be one of the most powerful questions of the gospels. It echoes down the centuries and is just as relevant today as it ever was. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Our answer to that question is perhaps the most revealing statement of our faith.
Perhaps you’ve never tried to actually answer the question yourself. It is a confronting question, ‘Who do you say I am?’ It’s confronting because, as Christian people, we believe that our actions are a reflection of our beliefs and values. It’s confronting because whatever we say in answer to that question has implications for the way we live, ‘Who do you say I am?’ You see, the question is in the present tense, not the past. It doesn’t ask, ‘Who do you say I was?’’ It asks, ‘Who do you say I AM?’ The very question asks us to recognise that Jesus was not just some guy who lived 2,000 years ago but rather someone who continues to be a presence in our lives today. And he stands before each and every one of us today and asks that same, demanding, confronting, purposeful question: ‘Who do YOU say I am?’ Greg Sunter (Printed with permission) |
SPEAK LORD |
A call to discipleship is an invitation to allow the Spirit full reign within my life; to allow my soul to flourish. We discern the call in solitude and community. In experiencing another calling me to life by their witness, their encouragement, their confidence in me, I am encouraged to be and do the same for others.
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TAKING EACH OTHER |
Bless these feet.
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Bless this heart. |
Thoughts and suggestions: This is the initial reflection in the section on discipleship. It begins with the question Jesus asks of us daily: Who do you say I am? It is a question that we grow into through our daily living. A sacred space with a bowl of water and a branch of a tree could draw us into connecting discipleship to our baptismal commitment. Through baptism we are welcomed into the Christian community with the responsibility both to grow in wisdom and to participate in nurturing the life of the community. One way of linking baptism to today would be to ask the group to read quietly the Psalm of Discipleship and ask them to discern what most contributes to my work as disciple at this point in time: hands, feet, heart, spirit. Then invite one person to read the psalm pausing after each stanza to allow those who have focused on hands to stand and be blessed with the water... continue this way for each stanza. |