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| Ministry Title |
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Spirituality through the Liturgical Seasons |
| Article Title |
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(2) Discipleship begins at home |
| Publish Date |
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04-Dec-2016 |
| Author |
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The Steering Committee of the HKSKH Church Policy Paper - The Working Group for Discipleship Training |
On November 30, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Andrew the Apostle. We know, from John 1:40-42, that not only did Andrew, having heard what John the Baptist had said, follow Jesus; the first thing Andrew did was finding his brother Simon and bringing him to Jesus. It is because of Andrew's invitation that Simon became Cephas (Peter) -- the Rock, the first leader of the early Christian Church.
Every believer is a disciple of Christ, endowed with the life-calling to bear witness to Christ. Being disciples demands our absolute devotion to follow our Lord, that no matter the circumstances or the times, we respond to the call of our Lord with our lives. Andrew the Apostle, an exemplar for us all, began his discipleship at home, by bringing his elder brother Peter to Jesus.
Many believers find "home" to be the toughest place to witness Christ. Home is where we grew up. Home is where time -- the years of living together -- had cemented views family members hold on one another. Home is where family members are subjected to harsher treatment than they would receive when they are outside of it. Family members are familiar with our failures and have seen us at our worst -- this makes our attempts at persuasion unpersuasive. However, the home provides the best place for us to live out our faith in the most authentic way. Witnessing Christ in the home is the touchstone of our ability to live out our faith. It presents us with challenges as it serves to be a mirror that reflects the true and full spectrum of our spirituality.
Meditation:
- Include every family member, their bodily needs and their souls in your prayer. What do you hope that the Lord bless your family?
- Reflect on your influence in the home: are you naturally emitting the pleasing aroma of Christ or are you the source of friction and tension? Why? If there are fractures in familial relations, are you willing to take a step forward in making amends and sow the seeds of reconciliation during the season of Advent? What will you do?
- The Church is also the home for all believers. How can we make this ‘home’ bear stronger the beams of God's love, and in doing so growing our capacity in welcoming and celebrating the homecoming of lost brothers and sisters?