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Are we believers in Christ or Disciples of Christ?
Gandhi, a strict Hindu, also believed in Jesus as God, as one of the many Gods according to his Hindu belief. He was inspired not from his Hindu religion to take up non-violence but only from the "Sermon on the Mount" of Jesus.
What makes us Christians different from Gandhi and believers of other religions?
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, wants us to become his disciples in order to be like him. He lays before us a difficult but not an impossible challenge to be his disciples. How? It is through loving him whole-heartedly, carrying our daily crosses willfully, and renouncing all our earthly possessions. (Lk 14:25-33)
"The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him." (Lk 16:14)
To remain as a believer in Christ, one doesn't have to do all those three things. But, to be a Disciple of Christ, one has to abide by the conditions of Jesus.
Therefore, the believer in Christ and the Disciple of Christ are not the same. Faith in Christ is the basis for both believers and Disciples of Christ. The observance of the commandments of God, namely, the love of God and love of neighbor are essential for both of them. But the believer goes beyond the faith and observance of God's commandments.
The Disciple of Christ, literally, becomes Christ. The Disciple of Christ becomes the reincarnation of Christ through self-emptying.
Is it not ridiculous to offer a child her favorite candy but suggest to her not to eat it, or, worse still, throw it into the Juniata River?
Is it not ridiculous to take a diehard Penn State fan to the game but advise him to close his eyes and ears at the game?
Is it not ridiculous to advise a handsome young man and a pretty young woman not to marry, knowing full well that they had decided to marry each other after several years of growth in their perfect love for each other?
God has created this beautiful world with all its wonders and riches. It sounds ridiculous to hear from Jesus to renounce this world to become his disciples.
But, Jesus meant what he had said.
Even the apostles of Jesus and those great crowds who were traveling with Jesus were surprised to hear the "cost of his discipleship."
Remember! All the apostles of Jesus, except John, were martyrs for their faith.
Most of the early Christian martyrs were disciples, not mere believers.
Our Blessed Virgin Mary was the only perfect disciple of Jesus who journeyed along his life from his birth through death. Throughout her earthly life, she either suffered for Christ or suffered with Christ.
St. Gregory the Great (died 604) became a Mayor/Prefect of Rome at the age of thirty. It was a very high civil service in Rome. He was a very fervent Christian. After five years of service, he resigned and used all his wealth to found six monasteries. Then he became a monk and later became the pope. As a pope, he did again what he had done as a layman. He emptied papal treasury to ransom prisoners. "To renounce what one has is a minor thing; but to renounce what one is, that is asking a lot."
Be careful of those preachers who dilute the message of Jesus to help Christians feel comfortable with their Christian faith. They prevent the growth of the Christian believer from becoming a Disciple of Christ.
A smooth and undisturbed Christian life is not a good sign of Christ's discipleship. A disciple of Christ is generally misunderstood, opposed, rejected, persecuted and put to death.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, "Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life."
"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you." ((Jn 15:18,19)
Here is an interesting story which I want to believe really happened. "Back when communism reigned in Russia, stories from the underground Church would surface from time to time. On Sunday, one particular group of believers would gather for worship. They would arrive throughout the day so as to not arouse suspicion by KGB informants. By dark, they were all inside, windows closed, doors locked. They began by singing a hymn quietly, when suddenly the door was pushed open and in walked two soldiers with automatic weapons, demanding that they all line up against the wall. One shouted, "If you wish to renounce your commitment to Jesus Christ, leave now!" Two or three left quickly. After a few more seconds, two more left. Finally, a couple more slipped out into the anonymity of the night. After a few moments of complete silence the soldiers closed and locked the door. They said, "Keep your hands up--but in praise to God. We too are Christians, and we have learned to not trust anyone who is not willing to die for their faith.""
The Christian population, today, is about 1/5 of the world's total population. But, there are a very few disciples of Christ among them. There are many Christians in Juniata and Mifflin counties. Are we Christ's disciples among them?
Jesus wants disciples. Jesus wants all his believers to become disciples. Jesus said, "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations." (Mt 28:19)
Let us become the Disciples of Christ. And, let us help our friends and neighbors also to become the Disciples of Christ.
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Fr. Jayaseelan Amalanathan is from Chennai, South India, now working as the Parochial Vicar for the parishes of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Lewistown and St. Jude church, Mifflintown. Continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ for 30 years, he spent his ministry in India toward the uplift of the most deprived and marginalized people and was awarded in the year 2015, the title of 'Doctor of Divinity' (Honoris Causa) by the Academy of Ecumenical Indian Theology and Church Administration.