FOLLOW JESUS FROM THE FAMILY
Is it possible to come together and make a decision to follow Jesus in my family? It’s not easy. It’s a decision that must be prepared for and come to fruition slowly and respecting all involved, since it deals with a personal decision of each person. The believing parents are the main ones responsible to create an appropriate climate.
From the beginning it needs to be clear that to follow Jesus isn’t copying a model that reproduces the features of a past Master in a way that’s passive, infantile and without any creativity. It’s a much more passionate adventure. The Gospels never speak of imitating Jesus, but of following him. Jesus isn’t a mirror, but a path. The Risen Jesus is alive in our midst, in the center of our family. Even more so, his Spirit is within each one of us, sustaining, encouraging, and inspiring our lives. We need to listen to his call to follow him today in a creative manner, trusting always in his force.
«To follow Jesus» is a metaphor taken from the custom of the Master having to walk a few steps ahead of his disciples. That’s why we’re reminded that the following of Jesus calls for «taking steps»: making an initial decision, getting going, letting ourselves be guided by the Gospel, getting up when we fall down, getting back on track when we’ve gotten lost… To push forward the following of Jesus realistically, I believe that we need to recover the reading of the Gospel in the family, first among the parents, and later, if possible, with the children.
The Gospels aren’t books dictated to lay out Jesus’ doctrine. They aren’t catechisms. What we first learn in the Gospels is Jesus’ style of life: his way of being in the world, his way of making life more human, his way of thinking, of feeling, of loving, of suffering.
The Gospels were written to raise up new disciples and followers. They’re stories that invite us to change, to follow Jesus closely, to identify ourselves with his cause, to work together with him by opening up paths to God’s reign. That’s why they should be read, meditated on, and shared by hearing his call to enter into a process of change and conversion.
Let’s not think of anything very complicated. It’s about reading the stories slowly, pausing at Jesus’ person, looking closely at what he says and does. Then, all together, we can help each other to ask a few questions: what truth is Jesus teaching or reminding us of by his actions? What does he call us to? How does he encourage and strengthen us with his words?
A family truly begins to follow Jesus when they start introducing the Gospel truth into the home. We mustn’t be afraid of naming things. We need to dare to discern what’s Gospel truth and what’s against the Gospel in our family’s customs, in our living together, in our gestures, in our way of living. Not to blame one another, but to encourage us to live like Jesus.
José Antonio Pagola, Dejar entrar en casa a Jesús
PPC, Madrid 2018, 88-91
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
