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Discipleship and Holiness: Living out God's Call

Learn about discipleship and holiness through ongoing conversion and a relationship with the Lord. Discover how to conform to Christ and discern your vocation. This text explores the importance of love, the Ten Commandments, and the process of conversion and spiritual growth.

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Discipleship and Holiness: Living out God's Call

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  1. CHAPTER 8

  2. Chapter 8 Discipleship and Holiness through Ongoing Conversion

  3. Relationship with the Lord Conforming to Christ

  4. Discernment Vocation A word that means “call.” God calls all persons to be holy and to be disciples of Jesus Christ. You begin to answer this call by conversion and receiving the sacraments of initiation, and you live it out by bringing God’s love to others, sharing the Gospel, and seeking the Kingdom of God in everything you do. Lay vocations are callings to serve God in the world, and priestly and religious vocations are callings to serve God in the Church. Each person is given a unique vocation by which he or she receives a share in Christ’s mission of salvation, given to him by the Father. A decision-making process that attends to the implications and consequences of an action or choice by prayerfully and meditatively separating out what is truly good from what only appears to be good but is in fact a lie and a temptation. Conforming to Christ

  5. Love: the Greatest Commandment “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. is is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Mt 22:37–40) VI VII The Ten Commandments I. II. III. IV. V. Conforming to Christ

  6. How Can Discipleship Equal Love? • By converting your heart and life and forming a good conscience • By worshipping and loving God as Jesus taught • By living a sacramental life and a life of prayer • By putting Jesus’ oral and spiritual teaching into practice • By serving the poor and marginalized • By taking part in the mission of evangelization • By fulfilling your responsibility for stewardship Conforming to Christ

  7. Become like Christ • Love God • Love your friends • Love your enemies • Take care of those in need Conforming to Christ

  8. CONVERSION: A radical reorientation away from sin, evil, and selfishness and toward God and service to others. This change of heart is a central element of Christ’s preaching, of the Church’s ministry of evangelization, and of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Conversion and Spiritual Growth

  9. How to Form a Good Conscience • Read Sacred Scripture and follow Sacred Tradition of the Church. • Pray or consult a spiritual mentor. How Do You Recognize a Poorly Formed Conscience? • It listens to attitudes such as sexism and racism • It uses emotional or physical violence to solve problems • It pursues financial success at all cost Conversion and Spiritual Growth

  10. Rationalizing Reasoning • Rationalizing: using lesser values to talk yourself into thinking an action is right even though your conscience tells you it is wrong . • Reasoning: Human reason is the God-given power by which you can know God and the natural law written on your heart. Conversion and Spiritual Growth

  11. Natural Law is the light of understanding that God put in you so that you can discover what I good and what is evil. Well-Formed Conscience Free will is the capacity to choose among alternatives. It is an important partner to human reason. Human reason is the God-given power by which you can know God and the natural law written on your heart. Conversion and Spiritual Growth

  12. Journal Reflection Write a prayer of discernment asking God to help you to form a good conscience.

  13. Theological VirtuesFaith, Hope, and Charity • A firm, stable, and habitual disposition of your intellect and will that regulates your actions, directs your passions, and guides your conduct according to reason and faith. Called to Virtue and Holiness

  14. Pray: You can ask the Lord to make your faith stronger. Read Scripture: Reading, studying, and praying with the Bible brings you closer to God and his Word. Celebrate the sacraments: The sacraments themselves celebrate the mysteries of your faith. Study your faith: Deepening your understanding is a lifelong process. Learn more about creeds of faith. Draw on the faith of friends: Choose friends who share your commitment to God and the Church. Put your faith into action: Keep your faith alive by being Christ for others. Faith Called to Virtue and Holiness

  15. Hope • Hope keeps you from discouragement. • Hope sustains you when you feel abandoned. • Hope opens your heart to expect happiness in eternal life. • Hope preserves you from selfishness. • Hope leads you to the happiness that flows from love. Called to Virtue and Holiness

  16. Charity • Obedience. Jesus’ will was perfectly attuned to his Father’s. Love means obeying Jesus’ commands. • Reverence. Love involves respecting and valuing the absolute goodness of God and the goodness of other people made in his image and likeness. • Sacrifice. Love requires commitment: walking the extra mile and never giving up on God, other people, or oneself. Spiritual disciplines like fasting, prayer, and sharing with the poor increase love in your heart. Called to Virtue and Holiness

  17. 7. Pray and participate in the sacraments 7Steps to Holiness 6. Love God, and love your neighbor 5. Remain aware of the Father’s presence 4. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you 3. Accept sacrifice 2. Make time and space for interior reflection and self-examination 1. Follow Jesus, your model Called to Virtue and Holiness

  18. “Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words.” • Actions • Smile a lot to share your Christian joy • Love for the sake of others • Keep Sundays holy • Read Catholic literature • Walk with people in their suffering • Send cards to the sick and bereaved • Visit someone who is lonely • Buy religious items as gifts for birthday/holiday • Volunteer at a soup kitchen • Words • Say “thank you” • Mention your faith in public • Be bold enough to say “this is my faith” • Say less and think before you speak—does it glorify God? • Say grace before meals—make the sign of the cross wherever you are • Respectfully challenge an atheist • Tell God and others you love them The Call to Evangelization and Stewardship

  19. Keys to Effective Evangelization Humility • Recognizing who God is in relation to ourselves • Relying on God • Recognizing our own human flaws and being willing to expose them to others Hospitality • Inviting others to share our own frail human condition • Establishing contact with non-believers especially those close in our world (relatives, friends, associates) and those open to our voice Trust in God • Depending on God and his love for us • Praying to God • Remaining confident in God as Giver and ourselves as recipients of his gifts The Call to Evangelization and Stewardship

  20. Stewardship Share your treasure. Share your talents. Share your time. Share your tradition. The Call to Evangelization and Stewardship

  21. References Effective Evangelization • http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otc.cfm?id=1035 Ways to Evangelize • http://salinadiocese.org/new-evangelization/1955-99-effective-ways-to-evangelize-as-a-catholic

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