From half-disciple to Disciple: St. Mathew Day
St. Luke 18:18-32
v22 Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me. In this passage, we see Jesus counselling the rich young ruler, who approached him for advice to gain eternal life, the ultimate reward hoped for by the Jews. The rich ruler was highly convinced of the fact that there was no reason he could be denied the ultimate reward of spirituality. He was blinded by his self-justified religious consciousness. Having appropriated all religious requirements and maintained all ethical and moral living standards, he assured himself to be most upright and qualified for higher spiritual rewards. But Jesus breaks his distorted sense of religiosity and reminds him that he is just halfway there and there is much more to go and be. But, with all his credentials, qualities and merits, we see that he was eventually just a “half disciple”.
To be a disciple of Christ, one has to go beyond religious regulations. Religious requirements, though highly significant in life, are not an end in themselves. Discipleship is more about meaning and fruitful spirituality than routine and mechanical religiosity. Every Sacrament invites us for a sacramental living. If we do not appropriate that living, we are just at the halfway mark.
Secondly, morality is not just refraining from doing wrong. Christian morality is more about doing what is right. Jesus clarifies to the rich ruler that there has to be a reform of his moral senses and sensibilities. One cannot climb the ladder of spirituality by being blind to the pains of the people around. In an age of exclusion and exploitation, Christian morality demands us not to be passive observers but to actively engage with the pathos of the people. It also demands us to detach from the clutches of power, possession, and popularity, and to develop alternate ways of living according to the Kingdom values.
Today, as the Church meditates on the life of the Apostle St. Matthew, who left his place, position, and possessions on his journey to discipleship, let us detach ourselves from the clutches of prejudice, self-justifications, biased moral senses, and self-indulgences, to be creative and genuine disciples of Jesus. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Discipleship is not the claims you make, but it is what you are. From half disciple to Disciple: Revise your spirituality and Reform your moral sensibility.
PRAYER
Help us, O Lord, to become disciples with meaningful spirituality, appropriate moral sensibility, and joyous wilfulness to bear the cross. Amen.
Ashish Cherian Varghese
BD Student, Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church | 