July 13 – Saturday – Carry the Teacher in your Heart – Wilson SVD
Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 6: 1-8; Matthew 10: 24-33
Student and Disciple: Today’s gospel is the continuation of Jesus’ instruction to his disciples. Jesus tells them, ‘that the disciple is not superior to his teacher.’ The goal of the teacher is to share with the students all he/she knows, to take them to the depth of learning and launch them into the ocean of life with all the acquired skills. The joy of the teacher is to see the students grow leaps and bounds, achieve, discover and invent beyond imagination. Studentship is a part-time and time-bound activity. The evangelist Matthew does not use the word student, but he carefully chooses to use the word ‘μαθητὴς – mathadeis, which means disciple. A disciple is different from a student. Discipleship is a life-long commitment. The teacher does not teach the disciple but imparts/transfers the knowledge to the disciple. A disciple acquires the skills from the teacher with an intention of continuing the mission of the teacher.
Disciple carries the teacher in the heart: The disciple is the continuation of the teacher and so he is to carry the teacher in the heart, consequently, the disciple is not greater than the teacher. The teacher is his priority. He does not replace the teacher, but the disciple is teacher in action. The disciple is to make the teacher continuously alive through his words and deeds. He carries the teacher in his heart and constantly manifests him. In this process, whatever happened to Jesus will happen to the disciples as well. As Jesus had to carry the cross, so also the disciple must carry a cross. Jesus calls us not only to share his glory but also to share his warfare and suffering.
The Father is in control: Whatever happens, God, the Father is in control. Hence, to suffer for Jesus is a privilege to share in the works of Jesus; to sacrifice one’s comfort is to share in the sacrifices of Jesus. When life gets tough, let us remind ourselves that we are treading on the path where Jesus trod.
Our Takeaway
1. A Disciple is different from a student. Studentship is a part-time and time-bound activity. Discipleship is a life-long commitment. For every Christian, following Jesus is a life-long commitment.
2. The disciple is the continuation of the teacher, and so he is to carry the teacher in his heart. Consequently, the disciple is not greater than the teacher. The teacher is his priority.
3. Discipleship/Christian life is a blessed privilege to share in the glory and suffering of Jesus, our eternal teacher.
Wilson SVD
Divine Word Missionary
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