SUNNY DAYS OF OCTOBER

RAINY DAYS OF OCTOBER

FEAST OF APOSTLES SIMON AND JUDE   OCTOBER 28, 2015

Our two short readings today lead us to a consideration of what it means to be disciples of the Lord Jesus.   Our first reading clearly addresses the nature of discipleship:

“You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones.”  (Ephesians)

When we think of St. Ignatius we know that his discovery of himself during his conversion is precisely a discovery that his sojourning, his pilgrimage, so to speak, leads him step by step to become a citizen in the company of Jesus and his disciples.

Ignatius and the early Jesuits who sought God in all things and practiced contemplation in action came to imagine themselves as following in the footsteps of the first disciples in their preaching of the gospel.    As disciples they knew themselves called to preaching and teaching God’s love and mercy in the public square.  They found their call to be the same as the one that Jesus addressed to his disciples.

Those who wish to adopt a model of discipleship no matter their state in life can learn from the characteristics of the Ignatian follower of Jesus.  The Ignatian path to finding our place among the friends of Jesus must be a road conscious of the four traits outlined in Chris Lowney’s book about Ignatian leadership titled “Heroic Leadership.”

1.      Know thyself.   A directive known to any humanist but particularly important for one who is ready to offer his or her services to the work of God.   And the key to a start in this is the instruction given to Peter who when confessing his sinfulness, hears Jesus say “Do not be Afraid.”

2.    Develop your talent.  You have a knack for catching fish…Jesus will make you a fisher of people.   You have a knack for managing resources.  Jesus needs someone like the apostle Matthew to help plan for the future.

3.    Reach out in love to everyone.   As the Pope tells us in so many words like these: “you Jesuits are to go out and find God, the God who is in everyone but especially the God who is so often hidden.”  So Jesus led his disciples to the pagan region of the Decapolis and to the lost souls.

4.    Finally Jesus always asks for ambition from the disciples:  “Go out and preach and come back and tell me how you are doing.   And remember that prayer will unleash powers of healing and mercy.”  At the end when all seems lost, Jesus instructs them:   “Even if you think your efforts have been futile, I will meet you in Galilee.  There I will send the Spirit to lead you.”