There are times when following Jesus is wonderful. Take a few minutes to think of one of those times. Where were you? What was going on? What was your experience? When you are ready, share it with a partner.
Watch the 15:02 video or listen to the audio file.
Now think of a time when following Jesus was tough, but in the end you got through it well. Where were you? What was going on? How did you get through it well? After five minutes, please share again with your partner.
What makes it hard for you to follow Jesus at this stage in your life? What will pull you through? Bring to mind a challenge that you are facing and the personal and divine resources that you hope and trust will lead you to overcome.
Now let’s meet Alice Mathews in her book A Woman Jesus Can Teach. I will read the short preface, the first three paragraphs of chapter 1, and a list of statements about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus from the Gospel According to Luke and the Gospel According to John. Here’s the list.
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)
“Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14.27)
“Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33)
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” (John 8:31)
“Everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
“Bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
The rest of the twelve chapters tell stories of New Testament women. We’ll look at the one on Mary, the mother of Jesus. Dr. Alice Mathews empathetically describes the struggles that Mary went through as Jesus’ mother, and tells of her journey to become a disciple. Here is one of the very difficult moments for Mary. People were saying that Jesus was out of his mind. And then he heard that the crowds were thronging around him so much that he could not even eat. Mary and her sons and daughters went out to restrain him, to bring him back home. Jesus in a home speaking with some of his disciples.
Mark 3: Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:21, 31-35
Let’s be sisters and brothers of Jesus. Is that not the way we would like to live more and more day by day? Now please bring to mind again a difficulty that you face now, perhaps the challenge that you thought of a few minutes ago. What would it mean to respond as one of Jesus faith sisters and brothers?
With that question, I leave you today.
