Community Word: True disciples possess the heart and character of Christ.

Order: “…Come after me…be my disciple.” (Lk 14:27b)

Reflection:
A disciple is a follower or a learner who adheres to the teachings of the teacher. Jesus, as our good Teacher, calls us to be His disciple, to learn from Him and to live like Him. As our community word for September states: True disciples possess the heart and character of Christ. God’s awakening grace enables us to conform our hearts, mind and spirit to the words and ways of Jesus.

Though being a disciple of Christ entails a lot of sacrifices, the word from the Lord is very uplifting and inspiring – ‘Your recompense is My Kingdom when you surrender your life to me and take up your crosses daily.’ While our supreme reward is being with God in heaven, we enjoy our benefits even here on earth as promised to us in Psalm 90:17, “…the gracious care of the Lord (be) is ours…” A couple who has been serving community for about 25 years now testifies to this. When they retired from employment, their three daughters were still studying. Although they are of average means, it was by God’s generous provision that all of them finished schooling and are now gainfully employed. But, their greatest blessing is enjoying the love, peace and tightly-knit family relationship as they serve the Lord full time in community.

The following themes enlighten us on ways to possess the heart and character of Christ so that we may follow Him as His faithful disciples:

For the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the theme reads – We possess the heart and character of Christ when we conduct ourselves with humility. Humility is the foundation of all other virtues. Jesus demonstrated His love for us because He was humble. Though God, He was born in a poor manger, and though a King, He gave Himself to die on the cross for our sins. He came not to be served but to serve (Mt 20:28) and washed the feet of His disciples to set an example (Jn 13:1-17). Humility is also possessing the spirit of deference and submission. Jesus was totally obedient to the will of the Father and to His mother, Mary, and foster father, Joseph. In community, deference or submission to leadership may be difficult as members may not see the character of Jesus in them. Thus, leaders should lead the way in being role models like Christ. Being humble of heart brings a promise from the Lord: “Humble yourself the more…and you will find favor with God,” (Sir. 3:18).

The theme for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time is – We possess the heart and character of Christ when we bear our cross, like Mary. For any one serving the Lord, our faith may waver when passing through hardships and difficulties. The usual reaction is, ‘why is this happening to me; I have been serving the Lord faithfully for years!’ Let us be inspired by Mary in our life’s journey. One of her most endearing strengths was her ability to persevere. She went through many trials in her life, but she never lost sight of the Lord. She placed her complete trust in God to overcome obstacles and setbacks. What a victory we can achieve, if in imitation of Mother Mary, we use the sorrows and hurts of life to keep us close to our Lord, rather than letting them drive us away from Him. And as expressed in the promise, life is not all sorrow for “…the gracious care of the Lord (be) is ours…”(Ps 90:17).

For the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the theme is – We possess the heart and character of Christ when we are merciful, compassionate and forgiving. As disciples of Christ, we may be earnest and devout in our evangelization work; but sometimes we may be confused about certain norms and we may have our own biases. For example, a member experienced some issues in the community because of perceived gender preference. Eventually, he entered the seminary and is now in his senior year of priesthood formation.In handling borderline situations, it is best that our approach be guided by Christ’s attitude of being merciful, compassionate and forgiving. He did not condemn the adulterous woman, He invited a tax collector to be His disciple, and He did not turn away the lepers. Rather than judgment or rejection, we need to be more accepting of a brethren, which could lead to saving soul and transformation of life. Jesus gave us this wisdom why: “…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents…”(Lk 15:7).

We possess the heart and character of Christ when we are trustworthy stewards of God’s resources, is the theme for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus cuts to the heart of stewardship in Matthew 6:21,“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” His point is clear that we should use our resources and possessions to promote the Kingdom of God here on earth. Jesus lays down the challenge in verse 24: either choose life in pursuit of wealth on earth or choose life invested in pursuit of heavenly wealth, for you cannot serve both God and mammon (money). At the same time, the Lord is asking us to share our resources with others. Although He promises to pour blessings upon us in return, many will find it difficult to follow. Would you rather keep your hard earned money for necessities or, dispense part of it for tithes or charity. What God is asking from us is a test of faith and gives us this promise: “He raises up the lowly from the dust…to seat them with princes…” (Ps 113:7).

And lastly, for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the theme is – We possess the heart and character of Christ when we reach out and share our blessings with the poor. Uplifting the poor and marginalized is the core of God’s nature. In Psalm 112: 9, it says: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” In Luke 14:12-14, Jesus demonstrates what our attitude should be for the poor and needy and gives us His specific command to reach out and provide for them. Faith is good but if it is not accompanied with action, it is dead (cf. Ja 2:17). When we do what is right for the needy, we earn this promise: “Blessed is he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free,” (Ps 146:7). On judgment day, God will not ask us to account for our achievements. Rather, He will ask us what we have done to the least of His people. How good it will be to finally hear these words: “Come you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world,”(Mt. 25:34).

Prayer:
God, our Father, You redeemed us and made us Your children in Christ. Through Jesus, You saved us from death and gave us Your Divine life of grace. By becoming more like Jesus on earth, may we come to share His eternal glory. Grant us the peace of Your kingdom which this world cannot give. By Your loving care, protect the good You have given us. Open our eyes to the wonders of Your Love that we may serve You with a willing heart. Amen.