We are beginning another program year at the Cathedral. The parish calendar is filled with opportunities to worship, to learn, to build relationships, and to serve. As the level of parish activity begins to increase, let’s take a moment to reflect on the purpose of it all.
To state things briefly, we are disciples of Jesus Christ. All that we do here is about discipleship.
Disciples follow. As Christians, we follow a person: the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. We do not follow a set of principles, a philosophy of life, or a moral code. This is not to say that following Jesus will not result in principles and morals. On the contrary, our lives as faithful disciples will embody clear moral, theological, and philosophical principles because we follow the person Jesus Christ first and foremost.
We put our trust in Jesus Christ and give him our lives to transform and guide. He is the only Son of God who died for our sins and rose again that we might inherit through him eternal life. Who he is credentials him as our chief teacher.
As I repeatedly proclaim from the pulpit, God loves us unconditionally. But let me be clear about what this means so that we can be clear about what it means to be a disciple. We humans are children of the Fall. To put it a slightly different way, the story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden teaches us that we no longer operate precisely according to design. Our hearts do not automatically desire what God desires for us. So, God’s love for us is neither a seal of approval on however we happen to find ourselves nor a benign affection toward us no matter what. Instead, God’s love is an active power that will restore us to the fullness of life that he envisioned for us before the beginning of time. Disciples actively seek to submit themselves to this powerful love.
So what does the life of discipleship look like?
Disciples gather together to worship at least weekly, receiving the Sacrament of the Body and the Blood and listening for Christ’s guiding word in Holy Scripture. This year we will also have Daily Morning and Evening Prayer in addition to the weekday Eucharists we celebrate.
Disciples pray each day in personal time with our Savior. We read the Bible prayerfully and reflectively.
Jesus also modeled acts of mercy for his disciples. Feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, aiding the poor, visiting the sick, and visiting those in prison draw us closer to Jesus himself.
What we believe is important. The Creeds (the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed) outline for us the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Doctrine of the Person of Christ. These creedal statements are derived from the Christian community’s long, careful reflection on what Holy Scripture teaches. Holding fast to our core beliefs will transform how we approach our daily lives.
Disciples tithe. Returning the first fruits of our labor (the first 10 percent) acknowledges God as the source of all good things. This is not charitable giving. It is faithful response. Even if we are not yet at the tithe, we should give proportionally (give a percentage) and work toward the biblical standard intentionally.
Finally, disciples share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are called to be fishers of people, to draw others into the loving embrace of God’s only Son.
Discipleship is not one dimension of an otherwise busy life. It is our core identity. Who we follow defines who we are in every context of our lives: at church, at home, at the office, at school, and in social gatherings. At Baptism, the celebrant says, “You are marked as Christ’s own forever.” Disciples hear that to mean this: live as if you have followed Christ into wherever you find yourself and do as he would do.
