Chapter 9:Chapter 9:Friends and Disciples Friends and Disciples

of Jesusof Jesus©Ave Maria Press

The Heart of a The Heart of a True FriendTrue FriendBecause we have

human friends, we know

generally what friendship is.

Since God calls us his friends, we should explore this concept more deeply.

Real friendship means self-Real friendship means self-sacrificing love and generosity.sacrificing love and generosity.

Because he suffered and died for us, Jesus Christ is the very model of

true friendship.

What It What It Means to be Means to be a Disciple of a Disciple of

JesusJesusThe Holy Spirit gives us the courage,

wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to accept Jesus, his way of life,

and his mission.

FOLLOWCHRIST

The word “disciple” means The word “disciple” means “learner” or “pupil.” A “learner” or “pupil.” A discipledisciple is is one who grasps and intellectually one who grasps and intellectually analyzes the teaching of another.analyzes the teaching of another.

Jesus is called “rabbi” or

“teacher” in many New Testament

passages. The first step to

discipleship is to learn

everything we can from Jesus

as our teacher.

The second step to discipleship is The second step to discipleship is making a commitment to follow making a commitment to follow

Jesus.Jesus. This step is not an easy one. It means changing the way we live to walk in the steps of Christ. The Gospel of Mark tells of a rich young man, who was attracted to Jesus’ message, but found it difficult to leave his life behind to go and follow him.

By telling the rich young man that he By telling the rich young man that he needed to sell his possessions and needed to sell his possessions and

give to the poor, Jesus was not give to the poor, Jesus was not condemning wealth—but he was condemning wealth—but he was pointing out that wealth can be a pointing out that wealth can be a

burden on our journey to God.burden on our journey to God.

In order to help us on our journey to God, the Church gives us rules that

help us to become moral people. These are called the Precepts of the

Church. One of these precepts is that we help provide for the needs of the Church and its outreach to the poor.

Another thing to note is that Jesus Another thing to note is that Jesus did not tell all his disciples that they did not tell all his disciples that they

should give up their wealth. He should give up their wealth. He knows what each person needs, and knows what each person needs, and points us in the direction that will points us in the direction that will

best serve us on our journey to God.best serve us on our journey to God.

What Jesus understood about the people he taught is that many of them saw wealth as tricking them into thinking that they were not in

need of anything. They had developed a false sense of security,

and thought that their salvation rested on their possessions.

When the rich young When the rich young man went away sad, it man went away sad, it

proved that Jesus’ proved that Jesus’ suspicion about him suspicion about him

was correct.was correct.

Something to consider is that Jesus was testing the commitment of the

rich young man by asking something of him that he knew would be difficult to give. A lesson for all of us is that we must not place anything above

the love of God and following his will.

The third step to discipleship is The third step to discipleship is spreading the message of Jesus.spreading the message of Jesus.

Like a house built on a foundation of rock, the message of Jesus is solid and true. It is this message that Jesus asks his disciples to pass on to others. For over two thousand years, the Church has passed on the teachings of Christ

along with his call to evangelize others.

Growing in Growing in Friendship Friendship with Jesuswith Jesus

Knowing Jesus leads to loving Jesus.

Jesus shared his heart with his Jesus shared his heart with his friends. He was not just a teacher friends. He was not just a teacher who remained detached from his who remained detached from his

disciples, but a friend who gave of disciples, but a friend who gave of himself and became close to his himself and became close to his

followers.followers.The Gospel of John,

especially, tells of the close friendships Jesus

formed with his disciples. To his friends, Jesus was

loyal, affectionate, understanding, and

dependable. Not just the Twelve Apostles, but also people like Martha, Mary,

and Lazarus—at whose death Jesus wept.

And after mourning for his friend, Jesus showed his great

love for Lazarus by raising him back to

life.

Even though his own suffering was Even though his own suffering was imminent, at the Last Supper Jesus imminent, at the Last Supper Jesus comforted his Apostles saying, “Do comforted his Apostles saying, “Do

not let your hearts be troubled.”not let your hearts be troubled.”

Showing true friendship, Jesus forgave Peter for denying him and Thomas for doubting his

Resurrection.

Before he died on the cross,

Jesus entrusted the care of his own mother to his close friend

and apostle, John.

Jesus also extended his friendship to Jesus also extended his friendship to those who were rejected and hated by those who were rejected and hated by most other people. He was willing to most other people. He was willing to take the risk of associating with the take the risk of associating with the

despised in order to be a good friend.despised in order to be a good friend.

The Gospels mention many instances in which Jesus

draws criticism for socializing

with tax collectors,

prostitutes, and other sinners.

The Greeks identified different kinds The Greeks identified different kinds of love, and friendship is one of of love, and friendship is one of

these. The Greek word for these. The Greek word for friendship is friendship is philiaphilia. It is brotherly . It is brotherly

love, or the affection between love, or the affection between friends. Jesus, of course, showed friends. Jesus, of course, showed

philiaphilia to his friends. to his friends.The Greeks distinguished other types of love as being different from philia.

Storge is the word they used to describe the love among family members.

Eros describes sexual love and attraction.

Agape describes self-sacrificing love—the kind of love that Jesus shows to

everyone.

Any healthy friendship is marked Any healthy friendship is marked by various qualities. It is by various qualities. It is

important for friends to keep important for friends to keep confidences, confidences,

be loyal, understanding, be loyal, understanding, dependable, and patient.dependable, and patient.

Four other critical friendship traits are:Availability

It is important to make time for your friends, and also to be able

to emotionally and verbally connect with them.

GenerosityFriends give and receive time, affection, and gifts from each

other. True friendships are reciprocal; they are a two-way

street.

Common InterestsHaving things in common is a basis for sharing, but it is also important for friends to allow

each other freedom to develop their own interests as well.

OpennessFriends should be themselves with each other. They accept each other without having to “play games.” Friends share ideas and feelings honestly.

We can apply some of these insights about We can apply some of these insights about human friendships to our friendship with human friendships to our friendship with

Jesus. He, of course, is always available to Jesus. He, of course, is always available to us, and shows us limitless generosity. He us, and shows us limitless generosity. He shares in our desire to be with God, and shares in our desire to be with God, and

openly offers us his true self. openly offers us his true self.

We need to make sure we do our part on the

two-way street of our friendship with Jesus.

Do we take time for him in prayer?

Do we receive him in the Eucharist?Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” What are some

other aspects of how we should respond to the command of Jesus?

Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” What are some

other aspects of how we should respond to the command of Jesus?

Believe in Jesus. “ I am the Resurrection and the

life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and

everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

Invite Jesus into your life.“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter

his house and dine with him, and he with me.”

Love God and others.“You shall love the Lord, your

God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind … You shall love your neighbor

as yourself.”

Make Jesus your best friend.“Whoever loves father or mother

more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not

worthy of me.”

Love deeply.“Love one another. As I have loved

you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you

have love for one another.”

Serve one another.“If I therefore, the master and

teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s

feet.”

Forgive one another.Peter asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you not

seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Witness Jesus to others without fear.“I tell you, everyone who

acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before

the angels of God.”

Committed Committed Disciples Help Disciples Help to Spread the to Spread the

GospelGospelIn the first steps

toward discipleship, we

give our minds and hearts to Jesus.

Later, we must put our faith into

action.

In Jesus’ Great Commission at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, he told the Apostles, “Go therefore, and make disciples ofall nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you.”

The Apostles took Jesus’ commission The Apostles took Jesus’ commission to them very seriously. They began to them very seriously. They began to spread the Good News of Jesus to spread the Good News of Jesus

Christ to all the world.Christ to all the world.

They focused on the basic teachings Jesus had handed on to them; and urged others to: ►repent of their sins, ►believe in Jesus Christ, ►forgive others, ►love God and others, ►serve other people, and►proclaim the Good News.

““Love God above all things, and love Love God above all things, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” your neighbor as you love yourself.”

To help us practice the To help us practice the selfless love for our selfless love for our neighbor that Jesus neighbor that Jesus

demands, the Church demands, the Church offers us the offers us the works of works of

mercymercy..

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

Admonish the sinner.

Instruct the ignorant.

Counsel the doubtful.

Comfort the sorrowful.

Bears wrongs patiently.Forgive all injuries.

Pray for the living and the dead.

The Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the hungry.Give drink to the thirsty.

Clothe the naked.Shelter the homeless.

Visit the sick.Visit the

imprisoned.Bury the dead.

These are charitable acts that remind us how to come to

the spiritual and material

aid of our neighbors in

need.

In his parable of the goats and In his parable of the goats and sheep, Jesus reminds us that we will sheep, Jesus reminds us that we will be judged based on our response to be judged based on our response to his command to love our neighbor. his command to love our neighbor.

What we did (or did not do), especially for our “least brothers and sisters” will be the basis for whether we will inherit

the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus cautioned his disciples to Jesus cautioned his disciples to understand that following him understand that following him

will be no easy matter. It takes will be no easy matter. It takes discipline and courage. discipline and courage.

When Jesus told them to “enter

through the narrow gate,” he was talking about how doing what is

easy has little benefit, but meeting the

challenges that come before one of his disciples

will lead to eternal life.

St. Paul: St. Paul: Apostle Apostle

and Dedicated and Dedicated DiscipleDisciple

St. Paul is one of the greatest teachers and

missionaries of the Christian faith. He

is also a worthy model of Christian discipleship for us

to emulate.

St. Paul’s original name was Saul. He St. Paul’s original name was Saul. He was a zealous Jew from Tarsus, and was a zealous Jew from Tarsus, and earned his living as a tent maker. earned his living as a tent maker.

Before his conversion to Christianity, Saul

joined in the persecution against early Christians. He participated in the stoning of the first

martyr, St. Stephen; and took a

commission from the Sanhedrin to arrest Christians and bring

them to Jerusalem for trial.

Saul was on his way to Damascus to Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute and arrest Christians when persecute and arrest Christians when Christ appeared to him in a blinding Christ appeared to him in a blinding

vision. vision.

In the vision, Jesus asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” By his

persecution of Christ’s body, the Church, Saul was persecuting Christ himself.

Immediately after this life changing Immediately after this life changing experience, Saul became a disciple of experience, Saul became a disciple of

Jesus, and prepared to spread the Gospel. Jesus, and prepared to spread the Gospel.

Saul was baptized by Ananias, and

resolved to embark on missionary journeys in the

Roman Empire to take the message of

Christ to the Gentiles. He

chose to go by the Latin form

of his name: Paul.

As a Roman citizen, Paul could travel As a Roman citizen, Paul could travel throughout the empire. He wrote letters, throughout the empire. He wrote letters,

or epistles to communicate with the or epistles to communicate with the people to whom he had brought the Good people to whom he had brought the Good

News. Many of the letters in the New News. Many of the letters in the New Testament were written or influenced by Testament were written or influenced by

St. Paul. St. Paul. St. Paul’s letters address problems that

the various congregations were

having, including theological questions about Jesus and how

to deal with heresies. St. Paul also shared advice about how to be a good disciple of

the Lord.

St. Paul was one of the greatest thinkers St. Paul was one of the greatest thinkers and theologians in Christian history. and theologians in Christian history. Because he was so instrumental in Because he was so instrumental in

spreading the faith to the Roman world, spreading the faith to the Roman world, he is called the “Apostle to the Gentiles.”he is called the “Apostle to the Gentiles.”

After a courageous career of traveling

throughout the Roman Empire and standing as a champion of the Gospel, St. Paul was finally martyred by beheading in Rome

during one of Nero’s persecutions in AD 64

or 67.