Have you read a good book lately? If you haven’t, the Gospel writer Luke, divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit, outdid himself in Chapter 10. It begins when the Lord appoints 72 men to go on a journey. They could not bring food, money or personal belongings – just the clothes on their backs and the sandals on their feet.
These missionaries had a purpose: They were to kindle a fire in the hearts of anyone who would listen, announce that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and call people to repentance. Verse 17 states, “The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.’” True discipleship requires faith and works. They trusted the Lord and went on the journey, no questions asked. Their tremendous faith produced an active work for the glory of God.
In verse 25, a scholar of the law tries to test Jesus: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” When was the last time you asked yourself that question? When was the last time a pastor asked his flock that question? Verse 26 tells us, “Jesus said to him, ‘What is written in the law? How do you read it?’” The scribe answered in verse 27: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
The Jewish scholar knew book, chapter and verse. He referenced Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18. In verse 28 Jesus then graded the man’s scriptural references: “He replied to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.’ But the scribe read between the lines and, I think, got snarky: “But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” To me, he is saying: I love God, but my neighbor – not so much.
Jesus responds to the scribe’s conundrum with the famous parable about the Good Samaritan, illustrating that loving one’s neighbor means treating them with heartfelt mercy and kindness.
It is commendable to believe and memorize the word of God, but James 2:14-17 tells us that faith is not enough: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? Also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” A healthy, practicing faith continues to produce charitable works because it is alive and growing.
Reading and understanding scripture, practicing one’s faith through charitable works – to these we must add making time for prayer and contemplation.
Just as Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, setting aside the cares of the world unlike her sister Martha, we must sit at the feet of Jesus and recharge our “spiritual battery.” Do you attend adult faith formation, home Bible studies or prayer groups? Do you take time for daily personal study and prayer? Perhaps you read religious books, receive online resources delivered to your inbox or iPhone each morning, watch Catholic television, or listen to spiritual CDs?
Discipleship requires us to prioritize our lives. Follow these three scriptural lessons – putting God first in your life – as you start off your new year.
Bobby Speers is an author who lives in Hickory.