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A
Realistic Disciple
Fr. George Smiga
5-6 April 2003
John
12: 20-33
About
twelve years ago four pizza parlors opened within the same
month on the same block in New York city. It soon became apparent
that there would not be enough business on that block to support
all four. Therefore, the competition for survival began. One
owner in an attempt to gain business posted a large sign,
"We serve the best pizza in the city." Another was
quick to follow suite claiming, "We offer the best pizza
in the country." Another rose to the challenge and began
to advertise, "The best pizza in the world is served
here!" The fourth owner was an enterprising woman who
finally posted her sign. It read, "We serve the best
pizza on the block." The realism of her claim won her
many customers, and that shop is still serving pizza today.
How can we apply a similar realism to our role of being a
Christian? What claims can we honestly make as followers of
Jesus? I thought of these questions earlier this week as we
celebrated our Lenten communal penance service. I have been
hearing confessions now for over 25 years. It is clear from
my own spiritual life and the lives of others, that from year
to year the sins remain the same. Those who were impatient
last year are impatient this year. Those who were judgmental
and unkind last year are judgmental and unkind this year.
Once this pattern is identified, it is only logical to ask,
"How good are we as Christians? Can we make honest claims
to be followers of Christ?"
The answer to these questions depends upon how we choose to
define success as disciples. Pablo Casals was arguably the
finest cellist in history. He lived a long life. At the age
of 93 he would still practice on his cello from five to six
hours a day. When one of his friends asked him, "Pablo,
why at your age do you still practice so much?" He answered
simply, "Because I believe I am making progress."
Being a disciple of Jesus does not mean that we have achieved
perfection. It means we are making progress. And the progress
we make need not be earth-shattering. It can occur in small
steps. This is what is so encouraging in Jesus' words in today's
gospel. We know that Jesus sacrificed and died that we could
live. We also know that we are called to follow his example
and sacrifice and die to self through good works and avoiding
sin. However, when Jesus places this challenge before us,
he does so with a very consoling image. He says," Unless
the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains
a single grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much
fruit." When Jesus wants to tell us that we must sacrifice
and change, he uses the image of a very small thing: a single
grain of wheat. By this image he tells us that our sacrifice
need not be huge, that our dying can be limited, that our
growth can occur in little steps.
To be a disciple we do not have to reach a state where we
can claim that we never lose our patience. We only need to
be more patient than we were last year. To follow Jesus we
do not have to achieve a generosity and simplicity to rival
St. Francis. We only need to be more generous than we used
to be. In following Christ's example we do not need to possess
a perfect love which never judges another or speaks and unkind
word. We only need to have a love which is growing rather
than shrinking, expanding rather than turning inward.
Realistically, a disciple is one who is making progress. And
it would be wise to set our goals accordingly. So do not say,
"I will never lose my temper again." Just try to
be patient with your spouse, with your children, with your
parents for one day, for a half a day, for a few hours. That
would be a step in the right direction. Do not say, "I
will never judge another person or close my mind to a new
idea." Just single out one occasion in which you truly
try to listen, in which you take in the truth that another
is trying to offer you. That would be genuine growth. Do not
say, "I will be totally selfless and only think of others."
Just find one person in need or trouble and put yourself out
so the he or she might know that someone cares. That would
be a single grain of wheat falling to the ground and bearing
fruit.
Being a disciple does not mean we have achieved perfection.
It means that we are making progress. You do not have to be
the best parent in the world. You only need to be a better
parent in your own home. You do not have to be the most generous
person in the United States. You only need to be someone more
inclined to show interest in the elderly neighbor who requires
your help. You do not need to be the holiest person here at
St. Noel. You only need to take a step closer to becoming
the person God calls you to be.
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