Literally, one who learns. In ancient times, disciples followed and imitated a teacher, sharing in the master's way of life. In the New Testament, the term implies a broader definition than those described as "apostles" or "the Twelve."
Disciples have to expect to suffer the same fate as their master.
—Pheme Perkins, Reading the New Testament
Authentic Christian discipleship is marked by a sense of wonder.
—Pope Benedict XVI
God did not tell us to follow Him because He needed our help, but because he knew that loving him would make us whole.
—Saint Iraneus
To be a disciple of Jesus today involves the same investment his original followers made. Imitating Jesus means embracing his way of healing, liberating, and forgiving. Disciples are called to be witness of Christ to the world and to live out the gospel daily. As Dorothy Day put it: “Everything a baptized person does every day should be directly or indirectly related to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.”
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “From the beginning, the first disciples burned with the desire to proclaim Christ: ‘We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.’ And they invite people of every era to enter into the joy of their communion with Christ” (423).
Apostle | The Twelve | Evangelization | The Way
A disciple is a student, from the Latin discipulus. In ancient times disciples lived with their teachers, listening to their words and imitating their actions. The intention was for a progression between the roles of student and instructor with disciples eventually becoming rabbis or prophets themselves. It was irregular for Jesus to make permanent disciples of his followers. "You have only one teacher and father in heaven," he told them. Another distinguishing feature of Jesus' school is that he chose his disciples, not the other way around.
The most intriguing part of Jesus' call to discipleship is that it took place in ordinary contexts, such as a fisherman's workday, not in a religious setting like a synagogue. Discipleship then deepened "along the way" with Jesus.
—Alice Camille, from Questions Catholics Ask
Like Saint Francis of Assisi, founder of his order, 13th-century Franciscan Saint Bonaventure saw in all creation vestiges of God and believed that through created things God speaks: “Every creature is a divine word because it proclaims God.” In the search for knowledge, he encouraged humility: “If you desire to know, ask for grace, not instruction.” And “in your deeds and words look upon Jesus as your model.”
Isaiah 1:10-17; Matthew 10:34-11:1 (389)
:"When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns."
Remember that you are a unique reflection of Christ, Bonaventure advises: "A ray of light entering through a stained-glass window is colored in different ways according to the different colors of the various parts, so the divine rays shine forth in every creature in different ways and in different properties."
Al igual que San Francisco de Asís, fundador de su orden, San Buenaventura franciscano del siglo XIII, vio en toda la creación vestigios de Dios y creyó que a través de las cosas creadas Dios habla: “Cada criatura es palabra divina porque proclama a Dios”. En la búsqueda del conocimiento, alentó la humildad: “Si deseas saber, pide gracia, no instrucción”. Y “en tus obras y palabras mira a Jesús como tu modelo”.
Isaías 1:10-17; Mateo 10:34-11:1 (389)
:"Cuando acabó de dar instrucciones a sus doce discípulos, Jesús partió de ahí para enseñar y predicar en otras ciudades."
Buenaventura aconseja: "Un rayo de luz que entra a través de una vidriera se colorea de diferentes maneras según los diferentes colores de las distintas partes, así los rayos divinos brillan en cada criatura de diferentes maneras y con diferentes propiedades."