# Discipleship: the best life possible
*2019-11-17*

> Bill Young reflects on the radical commitment of discipleship, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and the beauty of humble souls.

## The Call to Discipleship

I've had the blessing of attending and speaking at discipleship retreats given by St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Pompano Beach, Florida. In fact, it was after my first experience as a participant that I came up with the idea for the Prayer N Lunch podcast. 

Reading from the book 'One Bread, One Body,' we look at Luke 14:26, where the Lord says, 'If anyone comes to me without turning his back on his father, mother, wife, and children, brothers, and sisters, indeed his very self, he cannot follow me.' This is a profound and radical commitment. To be a disciple of Jesus is a relationship in a class by itself; in comparison to our love for Him, all other loves seem like hatred. Our relationship with Jesus must be supreme, more important than our own lives. We gladly carry our daily crosses because one day as a disciple of Jesus is better than a thousand days anywhere else.

## The Real Presence and Dr. Scott Hahn

I recently listened to a webcast with Dr. Scott Hahn. For those who don't know his story, he was a Presbyterian minister in the 1980s. As a theologian, he began studying the biblical roots of the Eucharist, specifically the Passover. He realized that in the Jewish Passover, the sacrifice was the actual body and blood of the lamb. When Jesus identified Himself as the Lamb of God at the Last Supper, Dr. Hahn realized that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in the host and the wine we receive every Sunday.

This realization led to his conversion to Catholicism. It is a difficult concept for some—how a wafer and wine can change—but we should remember God's first miracle: changing water into wine. If He can do that, He can certainly make Himself available to us in the Eucharist. It is heartbreaking that some Catholics still struggle to believe in the Real Presence, but it is the factual truth that draws so many home to the Church.

## Mercy, Justice, and the Humble Soul

In reflecting on 'Just Mercy to All,' we consider the tension between mercy for the sinner and justice for the victim. There is a story of a teacher whose laptop and personal documents were stolen, causing immense stress and loss. While it is hard to comprehend a thief being saved by mercy without making restitution, we believe that Jesus, as the perfect judge, provides both mercy to sinners and justice to victims. He restores all damages for the victims of all time, often giving back far more than what was lost.

This ties into the Divine Mercy meditations regarding the 'little souls'—the meek and humble. These souls, especially children, most closely resemble the heart of Jesus. They are like a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God, and the Father takes delight in their fragrance. We are called to be short-hearted and trust in the Lord's timing and justice.

## Prayer and the Luminous Mysteries

We conclude with the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. We begin with the Baptism of Jesus, remembering the voice from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,' and we pray for an openness to the Holy Spirit. We then move to the Wedding at Cana, where Mary tells the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' Through this mystery, we pray to go to Jesus through Mary, trusting in His power to transform our lives just as He transformed the water into wine.

*True discipleship requires a radical commitment where our love for Jesus becomes the supreme priority of our lives.*