Disciples and Lifetime Friends
By Mark Roberti
Stewardship Director, Heartland Parishes of
A friend just came in my office. She was telling me about Disciples in Mission and how excited she and her family are about participating. One of her friends -- who is also involved and was involved in the RENEW program years ago -- told her that he had made lifetime friends through RENEW.
“Lifetime friends,” I thought to myself. We all have a number of lifetime friends, but how many of those friends can we talk with about the most important things in life? How many friends do we have with which we are comfortable sharing from the depths of our faith and our very soul?
Sharing our Christian walk with our brothers and sisters in the Catholic faith is very important. Our faith is integral to who we are. In witnessing our faith we strengthen each other in faith. Me sharing my faith with others helps strengthen my faith too.
I remember many years ago, at a job interview, I was asked to describe myself in five words. It was a surprise question, but I answered it pretty well given where I was at the time. Yet, 20 years later, I would answer it completely differently.
The first word I would use to describe myself now is “Catholic.” It permeates my whole being…and I keep trying to become more and more Catholic. If I were trying to key anyone in as to who I am, I believe “Catholic” would be the best single word to describe me. Whatever their stereotype is for a Catholic, they could plug me right in there. They could sum me up.
Maybe, I’d fit the mold they have in mind. Maybe, they would be surprised and see Catholics in a different light. I don’t know. I don’t know what perceptions, or misperceptions, they have formed. What I do know, is that I sincerely want them to know what I believe “Catholic” is. Because, for me, “Catholic” is where I have come from and -- more importantly -- the direction in which I am going. The moral principles I try to follow, my spirituality, and the way I try to live are most profoundly impacted by my Catholicism.
When I think about it, most of my best friends are Catholics. Not all of them, mind you, but most of them. Honestly, some of my best non-Catholic friends are better Catholics than many Catholics. Although they don’t completely espouse our beliefs, the way they live their lives are much closer to being Catholic (in my estimation) than many Catholics. They put their Christ first in their lives.
Yet, even with these wonderful friends, I can’t truly be “soul mates” with them, as much as I would like to be. Because there are some things, the Eucharist and the sacraments being the most important, that put us in a whole different spiritual spectrum.
I just can’t understand how they can read the same Scriptures and not see the Eucharist as the true Passover, the spiritual manna, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus, the spiritual food that nourishes us on our walk to eternity.
In my Disciples in Mission group, I can do just that. I can speak from my heart. I can let my faith just pour out, without worrying about offending anybody. In fact, as I let my heart pour out, maybe I will be helping nourish or strengthen someone else’s faith.
Faith sharing…that’s what Disciples in Mission is about. Nobody has to be a Bible scholar to participate. We simply have to reflect upon the Scriptures and tell each other what touched us about the Sunday readings for that week. We just share with each other about how we try apply our faith to our lives.
I never participated in RENEW. To be honest, ten years ago I had never even heard of it. They didn’t do it in the parish in which we belonged. But I am doing Disciples in Mission. From my perspective, a few more life long friends is a very good thing.
Here in the Heartland Parishes, I have said over and over that stewardship and evangelization fit hand in glove. They are two sides of the same coin. The coin is discipleship. Evangelization results in stewards…and stewards evangelize.
I’m looking forward to getting to know some new people, some Disciples in Mission, who may well become lifelong friends. What about you? There is still time to join us!