Our Call - Part 1

We cannot contain the call that we have received from our Lord. Jesus calls us to be his disciples by picking up the cross and following him. There are many parts to our call as disciples. From the gospel reading on September 25, Luke 8:19-21, Jesus was proclaiming the Good News and his mother and brothers showed up. Someone got word to Jesus that they were there and he said in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." The commentator for these readings in the Loose-Leaf Lectionary asks the following question, "What does a real disciple look like?" "Luke responds to this perceptive question by proposing Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the model disciple" (2782). The commentator also lists other passages in Luke's Gospel where Mary is what a real disciple looks like: Luke 1:45, 11:27, 11:28. Since Luke is also attributed as writing the Acts of the Apostles, the commentator includes Acts 1:14. Mary is a tremendous example for us because she truly gave herself to the will of God from the very beginning. The angel told Mary that she had found favor with God and would be the mother of His only Son. From that time on, Mary lived her call to discipleship to the fullest. Like Mary and the other disciples, we need to hear the word of God and put it into practice. That is an important part of our call, to practice what we preach. Of course, when it comes to proclaiming the Good News, we do so not just with words, but with our very lives. Being a disciple means to be an example to others so we cannot hide our discipleship like a light under a bushel basket. We need to set the light on a stand for all to see. Do not be afraid to answer the call to discipleship and live it to the fullest. We have many beautiful examples throughout the centuries beginning with Mary, the first disciple. Just think, God gives us that divine assistance to guide and help us in our journey. May God bless us as we listen to His voice and follow His call and will in our lives!!!