The next step on the road to discipleship involves voluntary self-emptying, caring for those with nothing to give back
Anyone who has read through the Gospels notices that scribes and Pharisees are groups who often enter into dialogue with Jesus. Sometimes, it is very clear that someone in the group is trying to trip Him up or make a fool of Him. They often try to discredit or get Him to say something that would get Him in trouble. In the Gospel for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, we have a scribe whose faith is acknowledged by Jesus as “not far from the kingdom of God.” Jesus doesn’t say that the scribe has arrived yet, but his knowledge and affirmation of God’s law and primacy show Jesus that he is both knowledgeable and wise (Mark 12:28-34).
When Jesus is asked which is the most important commandment, the scribe begins to recite the Shema prayer. He would’ve been so familiar with this prayer that he could recite it by heart. The scribe fills in the second part of that prayer and shows Jesus that he, too, is knowledgeable and wise in the prayers and faith of the Jewish tradition.
If Jesus were to speak to us today and heard us recite the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and several Church teachings, He would affirm our knowledge and wisdom but also tell us we have not yet arrived at the kingdom of God. Why would Jesus insinuate that we have some way to go?
Even faithful people can get into a rut. We form patterns and habits of spiritual practice — ways of praying, worshiping, serving and learning. As we grow in faith and act out our faith in the world, complacency can lead us to believe that we have arrived and understand precisely what God has called us to do. So we do the same thing repeatedly.
I invite you to use your imagination. Imagine Jesus is having a conversation with you, and between the two of you, you’re able to come up with the doctrine of the Church, the teachings of Scripture and the most important ways that Jesus taught us how to live. Now imagine Him saying to each of us, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
Most of us would simply appreciate a pat on the head and hearing, “Good job.” But we know that is not the invitation of discipleship. The invitation of discipleship is to keep growing — regardless of what might make us think we are finished learning and growing.
If you look at all the lives of the saints and focus on Jesus’ life, God always asks of us one more step in our road of discipleship until we have breathed our last breath. We have never arrived at the kingdom of God until we have actually arrived.
What is the next step?
We know it probably involves voluntary self-emptying, caring for the needs of those who have nothing to give back, and something that looks like the cross on which Jesus died. We know it will be uncomfortable but life-giving. We know there will be growing pains, but it also includes growing into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Until we have given our all and breathed our last, we are not far from the kingdom of God.
Father Donald Wester is retired and serves as lecturer of homiletics at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.
