What does it mean to be devoted to the Most Holy Name of Jesus? Or one could ask, what does it mean to be a disciple?
There is an important distinction to be made between a disciple and a student. A student studies with his Master to learn all that the Master knows. His desire to gain knowledge is his driving force. A disciple, goes beyond learning from his Master, and desires to imitate his Master’s life and way of living. A student sits at his Master’s feet until he is ready to take his knowledge and walk on his own. A disciple quite literally walks in his Master’s footsteps.
God the Son, who is equal to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, chose not to grasp that equality, but to humble himself to become one of us. He chose obedience so that we could have the gift of life with him.
Think about that for a second, God, Creator and Lord, chose to have all the trials and tribulations of human life and not only that, he took human form knowing that it would require absolute obedience, obedience even unto death.
Let’s face it, we have a hard time maintaining obedience with just the speed limit. We have a lot to learn.
Today is the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. Living out the Most Holy Name of Jesus isn’t about a far off heaven. It isn’t about following a prescribed list of rules. It is a description for living in the Kingdom of God in the here and now. It is how we are to walk in our Master’s footsteps. It isn’t going to be easy and St. Paul gives a pretty straightforward picture of how we are to live. We will find our joy when we are of one mind and heart.
This doesn’t mean that we are robotrons all programmed to think the same exact thing. It means that we have the humility to put others first. Jesus died and rose for all people. No one has a monopoly on his precious name. Everything that exists, was created and exists through God. When we walk in humility that gives us the freedom to be obedient, in all the little things and the big things. When we walk in humility, we walk in Jesus’s footsteps. Then we are truly disciples.
¿Qué significa ser devoto del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús? O uno podría preguntar, ¿qué significa ser discípulo?
Hay que hacer una distinción importante entre un discípulo y un estudiante. Un estudiante estudia con su Maestro para aprender todo lo que el Maestro sabe. Su deseo de adquirir conocimiento es su fuerza motriz. Un discípulo va más allá de aprender de su maestro y desea imitar la vida y la forma de vivir de su maestro. Un estudiante se sienta a los pies de su Maestro hasta que esté listo para tomar su conocimiento y caminar por sí mismo. Un discípulo literalmente sigue los pasos de su Maestro.
Dios Hijo, que es igual a Dios Padre y a Dios Espíritu Santo, eligió no aferrarse a esa igualdad, sino humillarse para hacerse uno de nosotros. Escogió la obediencia para que pudiéramos tener el don de la vida con él.
Piensa en eso por un segundo, Dios, Creador y Señor, escogió tener todas las pruebas y tribulaciones de la vida humana y no solo eso, tomó forma humana sabiendo que requería obediencia absoluta, obediencia hasta la muerte.
Seamos realistas, tenemos dificultades para mantener la obediencia con solo seguir el límite de velocidad. Tenemos mucho que aprender.
Hoy es el Memorial del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús. Vivir el Santísimo Nombre de Jesús no se trata de un cielo lejano. No se trata de seguir una lista prescrita de reglas. Es una descripción para vivir en el Reino de Dios aquí y ahora. Así es como debemos caminar en los pasos de nuestro Maestro. No va a ser fácil y San Pablo da una imagen bastante sencilla de cómo debemos vivir. Encontraremos nuestro gozo cuando seamos uno en mente y corazón.
Esto no significa que todos somos robots programados para pensar exactamente lo mismo. Significa que tenemos la humildad de poner a los demás primero. Jesús murió y resucitó por todas las personas. Nadie tiene el monopolio de su precioso nombre. Todo lo que existe, fue creado y existe a través de Dios. Cuando caminamos en humildad eso nos da la libertad de ser obedientes, en todas las cosas pequeñas y en las cosas grandes. Cuando caminamos en humildad, caminamos en los pasos de Jesús. Entonces somos verdaderamente discípulos.
Sheryl is happy to be the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever and Lucy, our not-so-little rescue puppy.
Feature Image Credit: Jehyun Sung, unsplash.com/photos/6U5AEmQIajg
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