Discipleship and evangelization are big words that people sometimes think they can’t understand, much less do.
But as we learned in last month’s story in the Bishop’s Bulletin, “In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the people of God have become missionary disciples … all the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization.” Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel.
And even when we don’t recognize it or know what it is called, missionary discipleship is happening across eastern South Dakota. We might even be doing it ourselves.
Those who use the language and consider themselves missionary disciples come to that realization in ways unique to the person. What they share in common is a strong experience of God’s love and the call from God to share what they have experienced – much as the Gospels tell us of the relationship of Jesus and his disciples.
Before we explore that more deeply, how, beyond this story, might you learn more about being a missionary disciple?
Over the past few years the Discipleship and Evangelization offices of the Diocese of Sioux Falls have sponsored Discipleship Day as a way to deepen understanding and awaken new opportunities. The next such gathering, titled “To Do Your will is My Delight” is September 21-22 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center (see page 11 for a schedule and registration information).
“My desire for this day is that it will help participants begin to see how they can live out missionary discipleship in easy, informal ways throughout their daily lives,” said Dr. Chris Burgwald, director of adult discipleship and evangelization.
“While some might well be called to participate formally in parish catechetical programs, RCIA and so on, we are all called to walk with those that the Lord places in our path, according to the gifts that He has given to us and to our own specific circumstances.
“This informal form of accompaniment is far simpler than many Catholics realize, and it begins by recognizing that what God asks of us — His will for us — is not some heavy burden that we need to take up, but is the means both to our holiness and our true happiness, that is, our fulfillment. When we come to know that, then doing His will truly is our delight,” he said.
Maybe this is you – the annual signup sheet/stewardship form comes around in the fall for all the parish ministries. You want to be involved, but nothing on the list seems to fit you.
“What we have discovered from many that are attending Discipleship Day is that they have a deep desire to give more of themselves to God through the Church and oftentimes specifically in their parish,” said Eric Gallagher, director of youth discipleship and evangelization.
“…This desire to help is often tied with a more pastoral view of the parish – ‘I observe great need and I desire to help, but everything in front of me doesn’t seem to be what I’m looking for.’ …Our Discipleship Day theme is intended to help draw out what these deeper desires are of our participants and assist them in discerning God’s will within them,” he said.
Relationships are Key
Every aspect of missionary discipleship has to do with relationships – with Jesus, with others, even within ourselves. And since we are all in relationships of some type, it means missionary discipleship is for you – and everyone else too.
The stories of those immersed in discipleship bear this out. Many can name the moment of their call to missionary discipleship or the steps they witnessed as it happened to others. This was their starting point – not where they are today – but where they began and perhaps where you, too, can begin
“My journey to missionary discipleship began with a conversion in my own heart my sophomore year of high school,” said Emily Leedom, now director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Respect Life for the Diocese of Sioux Falls.
“Before the Blessed Sacrament, He transformed my heart of stone and brought healing and a joy so profound that I simply could not deny the Source. I remember that night saying to Jesus, ‘You have just given me the greatest gift I could have ever asked for. What can I give you in return?’ His answer was simple, quiet and drenched in love. ‘I want your life.’
“I have often thought of that moment since and the words of St. Peter echo in my heart, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go?’ Where else could I go but to the fount of life. It began to overflow from me and I was filled with a desire to bring those that I love to that fount. Though I struggle and fall, He chooses me anyway. So I continue to show up,” Leedom said.
Kathy Engeman teaches religion at St. Mary High School in Dell Rapids. She also helps as she can with religious education efforts through her parish, St. Michael, Sioux Falls.
“I recently was asked to teach a small group 9th grade RE class for students that for varied reasons had declined to participate in youth discipleship but still desired confirmation,” she said.
It was a small group of kids from three Sioux Falls area high schools. Midway through the year, one student asked to bring a friend to class, and afterward the friend wanted to talk a bit. He was struggling with the recent death of a close friend, a sibling’s serious illness and some other issues.
“We talked, we prayed, we left – ten minutes, tops. I continued to remember him in my prayers because this kid was so lost and sad. He came to a couple more classes and during Lent volunteered to participate in the parish Living Stations, during which time he asked our youth ministry coordinator what he had to do to join the church because he felt like that he was being drawn. He was invited to ‘come and see’ and subsequently felt a desire to be part of our community. Of course the ending is unwritten, but I can leave that up to God,” Engeman said.
“Anyone who listens to the Word of God can and must speak and transmit it to others, to those who have never heard it, or who have forgotten it and buried under the thorny troubles and deceptions of the world (see Matthew 13:22). We must ask ourselves: Have not we Christians become perhaps too silent? Do we not perhaps lack the courage to speak out and witness as did those who witnessed the healing of the deaf-mute in the Decapolis? Our world needs this witness; above all, it is waiting for the common testimony of Christians.”
Pope Benedict XVI,
Homily, January 25, 2007 from the book The Joy of Knowing Christ
Jane Barz, long a diocesan leader of the Charismatic movement describes an experience more than 20 years ago as she lead a conference.
“It was to be a healing conference and I was very excited about the conference and the healing I knew God would bring that weekend. As I prepared for the event I prayed, ‘Lord, help me to love your people as you do,’” she said.
“As I stood at the microphone to welcome those attending the conference, I looked out and for a split second was granted a glimmer of understanding of God’s immense love being poured out upon all those present. It was a moment in time I have never forgotten. In that moment, I began to understand in a deeper way how very much God loved me and wanted me to help others experience His love too. The scripture from 1John 4:19 ‘we love because he first loved us’ became alive in my heart and has continued to this day to be a driving force for me. This was my call to missionary discipleship,” Barz said.
Burgwald recalls a moment when he was in college. “Like many young adults, I had abandoned the practice of our faith out of sheer laziness and apathy, and the Lord allowed me to experience the consequences of that apathy: a life that was without purpose and direction, in which I was — although I wouldn’t have been able to describe it so at the time — wandering aimlessly.
“Through a ‘chance’ encounter (there’s really no such thing… everything happens on purpose, for some reason, according to God’s mysterious plan), my faith was rekindled and deepened, leading initially to a deep thirst and passion to know the Truth and then to share that Truth with others. And both the thirst and the passion have only deepened in the twenty-plus years since that initial spark,” said Burgwald.
Brianna Mueller directs youth discipleship and ministry for grades 7-12 at the Mitchell parishes and she describes becoming a missionary disciple as taking time and requires looking at the fundamental life questions so many of us ask.
“Why did God make me? Why am I here? What is my purpose? It’s something we all ask. This is the question that plagues so many, especially our young people who are suffocated by a world of overstimulation and dissociation,” she said.
“It wasn’t until I encountered the person of Christ that I was able to answer that question from the heart and not just my head. Being a disciple of Christ has changed my motives. The more I spent time with Jesus, in prayer and Eucharist, the more I could answer that question from the heart,” Mueller said.
Mike Wagner, a member of St. Michael, Sioux Falls is among those who are diving deeper into their faith through the Equip program led by Burgwald.
“Before my conversion to Catholicism 10 years ago I was restless and searching. I would find temporary peace in a hobby, job or relationship but that wasn’t lasting peace,” Wagner said.
“Becoming Catholic has made me feel like I’m finally home, and while doing missionary disciple work I have come to an overwhelming peace. Everyone is, or at least knows someone searching for this peace.
“It’s the peace that comes from being home, spending time with your Father, working on an important project,” he said.
Barb Rezac describes becoming a missionary disciple as “a long, narrowing path.” The lifelong Catholic, currently serving as vice president for Advancement at Mount Marty College, Yankton, now has 28 years of Catholic work and ministry as a teacher, principal and development director, and beyond that has always been a parish volunteer too.
“I say ‘a narrowing path’ because in spite of all these activities, it wasn’t until my daughter became ill at the age of 5 that I realized that I really didn’t have God as the first priority in my life,” she said.
“At that moment I realized that EVERYTHING in this life is fleeting and that if I wanted to have any bit of stability from my faith life that I needed to know and love God more than I even love my children. I began studying like I have never studied before, praying and reading the Bible.
“I decided at that point that teaching my children their faith was the most important gift I could give them. While activities/sports/music are good, they would not ever take precedence over Mass, retreats or other faith based activities. I’m grateful for this early lesson I received and I have no regrets in raising my daughters with their faith as a first priority. All the fun, all the relationships, all the activities are just a bonus,” Rezac said.
Missionary Discipleship is All Around Us
Once the fire of discipleship is ignited, it seems easier to see moments and ways that it is happening all around us.
“The call to make disciples reaches across all ages and this includes the smallest among us. One opportunity to foster discipleship in the lives of children is through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS),” said Leedom.
“Participants learn that CGS is not simply a program, but rather, a relationship. Observing CGS for the first time, I watched as an adult catechist sat with a 4-year-old boy carefully and deliberately demonstrating how one reverently folds an altar cloth. The boy then spent thirty minutes unfolding the cloth, smoothing it across the altar, refolding it and repeating. This was his prayer. The reverence he demonstrated to the altar echoed that of the catechists. He was falling more deeply in love with Christ and His Church – growing in desire to do God’s will – before my very eyes,” she said.
JoLynn Weber had the pleasure of watching it happen as a church minister and mom. She is the director of religious education for K-8 and DFYM youth minister at St. Leo, Tyndall. She describes the return of her son Alec after attending Discipleship Camp as a senior in high school.
“After returning home from that weekend experience he knew what his mission was, and he wasn’t afraid to share it with the people around him,” she said.
“He was ‘on fire’ to share the Good News of God’s love for him. He continues to lead a life that is fed through prayer, sacramental living, study, service, fellowship, accountability, and evangelization. His life was changed after his reversion, and today God continues to be his first priority in his life.
“Planting those seeds in our youth by encouraging them to a bigger faith experience through retreats, discipleship camps, and youth conferences can foster a conversion if their hearts are open to receive God’s Love. In this story, Alec’s eyes were opened, and he received God’s never-ending love and mercy,” Weber said.
“While programs are vitally important, our work has confirmed, over and over, that people are everything. Everything begins to change when a culture of missionary disciples is established …when a plan to foster missionary disciples is implemented in your parish, apostolate or family, lives are changed, churches come alive and poverty in all its forms begins to be addressed.”
Making Missionary Disciples, Curtis Martin (founder of FOCUS).
Teresa Kemmer is a spiritual director and retreat director. She describes what happens in her work with people.
“As they begin to listen to His promptings, they open their hearts, minds and souls as they see God the Father gazing at them as a beloved son or daughter. My role is to help them hear how the Holy Spirit, their true director, is guiding them and how to live the Gospel walking with Jesus Christ at their side,” she said.
“‘Did you hear the angels singing?’ was a response from one of the high school students as we left the church following Eucharistic Adoration and praise and worship at a Going Deeper retreat. This youth had experienced a moment of heaven on earth and was touched by the power of the Holy Spirit. As missionary disciples we allow the Holy Spirit to work freely through us to bring others in union with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” Kemmer said.
Might you stay away from situations where you could be a missionary disciple to others? Are you fearful you just don’t have enough knowledge or the needed answers?
“When working with our faith formation small group leaders we discuss the importance of relationship and how the kids need to feel they can trust the adult before moving through the process of discipleship. I encourage them not to be afraid of letting the students take the lead in discussion because this will lead to questions that are on their hearts,” said Mueller.
“This is terrifying for many adults because they feel like a bad example if they don’t have the answer. A lot of my energy is towards building the confidence of the adult leaders. One of the best examples they can set is to admit they don’t know the answer, convey that they want to know the answer, and go searching for it with the young people. Teenagers see right through a facade. They know when adults are faking something or don’t mean what they say. They crave authenticity.
“So, I want our adults to understand that the teenagers in their groups just want an adult that truly cares about them, will walk with them, and help point them in the right direction. On a basic level isn’t that what Jesus did? He let people know he loved them, met them where they were at, and pointed them in the direction that would bring them peace and happiness,” said Mueller
And your ability to be a disciple is not limited to church related matters. Paula Linke is deeply involved at her parish, St. Wilfrid, Woonsocket, but also in a wide range of community works.
She’s not sharing her long list of activities to impress, but “I tell you all this to help you understand that I feel there are opportunities to minister to kids and adults in the community within and outside the church – to disciple and serve others.
“My first “aha” moment came many years ago in the midst of teaching high school students, during a time when I was ready to walk away because I didn’t think I was making a difference,” she said.
“Through three individual and unrelated letters sent to me, I realized that I was making a difference, that I needed to trust in God and in the way he was using me,” she said.
Barz’ focus on God first loving her has allowed her ministry to reach hundreds of people. Many people bring hurts and don’t understand why bad things happen in life.
“While we cannot explain why God does what he does, we can help them ‘know who he is’, a loving and kind God who rejoices with us in our joy and weeps with us in our sorrow,” she said.
“As they grow in their knowledge and understanding of ‘who’ God is they are filled with the Holy Spirit and can overcome the pressures and trials of life. They become more Christ like. They become a disciple of Jesus, even when they do not know they are. It becomes their nature,” said Barz.
Kemmer’s experience is similar.
“As a disciple, we become instruments of love and peace,” she said.
“We call out to the Holy Spirit opening the door to our hearts in order live in the Spirit as members of the Body of Christ. He calls us to unity and to mission. As we surrender to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and strive to do the will of God, we are lead on a journey beyond our dreams.
“As a missionary disciple I am a wife, mother, friend and neighbor and have had the opportunity to work as a spiritual director for individuals in high school through elderly; lead parish and Broom Tree retreats; assist at the diocesan Going Deeper retreats and the Equip Program; lead bible studies, and much more. The joy is in following Christ and leading others closer to Him,” she said.
Weber offers a nice summary that probably describes most Catholics and missionary disciples.
“My deepest desire is to be a ‘faithful disciple of Christ’ and to someday be with Him in heaven. Sharing the love of Christ to others is my life-long mission. Growing up a cradle Catholic I have experienced the love of Christ through the sacraments and through the witnesses that have gone before me. I’m truly grateful for their examples,” she said.
“It’s not until a person makes their relationship with Christ personal and authentic that they then can be ‘Christ to another person’ and live out God’s calling for them. My faith life is a life-long journey and it’s the choices I make each day to love or not to love that builds my character.
“Surrendering myself to God and trusting Him is a constant struggle. It takes humility and obedience to become a disciple of Christ, and with a humble and contrite heart I pray for God’s will to be done,” Weber said.
