Commitment
Texts
"You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
"We are followers of Christ, his disciples. Tracing his footsteps in our times – to utter his word to others. To love with his love. To live with his life. This is why we must move forward. To cease following him is to betray our very identity." (PCP II 34)
"We are followers of Christ, his disciples. Tracing his footsteps in our times – to utter his word to others. To love with his love. To live with his life. This is why we must move forward. To cease following him is to betray our very identity." (PCP II 34)
Opening/Context1. Young people today prefer to think of commitment as something that does not require any SACRIFICE (we all struggle with commitment but subconsciously we all know what it is). No SACRIFICE really means no COMMITMENT
2. We are confused as to whom or to what to commit to. 3. In this session we will realize that Jesus is the perfect example of Commitment: a real man who gave up everything for love till the end. We can't be this perfect but we have a model to follow. 4. The problem of committing oneself to Christ is not so much in making but in keeping it. 5. It is easy to say to Christ “Yes, Lord, I will follow You.” The more challenging task is how to actually “follow Christ” in our everyday lives – to believe in Jesus, follow him in our moral thoughts, attitudes and acts, and worship him as our Lord and Savior. 6. This is what constitutes Christian Commitment. To live out daily our commitment to Christ in thinking, doing, and praying, draws on many skills, especially discernment. 7. Discernment is what’s needed to live as a disciple of Christ in concrete actions here and now, and in the future. Discernment is needed most when we have to make serious decisions regarding our future career, but without falling into the trap of “careerism,” that is, reducing our whole life to attaining a successful career in secular terms. 8. In this session the students will understand that Jesus Christ is the model of this commitment, who is both the servant of the Father and of men. It is not easy to have a preferential option for the poor as a lifelong commitment unless we have a role model to inspire and motivate us. Exposition/Discussion1. Commitment is an involvement or an act where man has given himself to another person or to some human activity or project.
2. Not every human act is a “committed” act. 3. Commitment demands concrete involvement or expression. It goes beyond mere “talk” and ideas 4. Commitment involves a response to a Transcendental call. It goes beyond satisfaction of personal needs 5. Commitment goes beyond practical demands of a situation. 6. Commitment goes beyond satisfaction of obligations or fulfillment of duty. 7. Risk of commitment involves loss of self. 8. True Commitment requires self-forgetfulness. Man “loses” himself in the object of his dedication. 9. Unconditional character to any commitment: DEDICATION NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS 10. Commitment entails rising above time. 11. Commitment is a Religious Act as shown in its Source (from beyond the person and the human sphere) Inspiration (beyond human power) and Goal (beyond the human world) 12. The religious character of commitment is manifested in its basic context of DEPENDENCE to the Transcendent Power |
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Integration
Doctrine:
Ours is not a blind faith but an informed thinking faith. When we love a person, we want to know more about him or her. When we truly love Christ and have felt his love for us, we thirst to know him ever more deeply. Whoever believes in Jesus, the Son of God, will also strive to know and accept the truths that he continues to teach through his Church. Every disciples of Jesus must have an “informed” faith (PCP II 65)
How do we gain such informed faith? Our faith needs to be grounded firmly on the Sacred Scriptures and the living Tradition of the Church that transmits to us the teachings of Jesus. Our active participation in our Theology classes, attentive listening to the Word of God in the Mass, reading the Bible, living the written Word of God, reading articles and books on our Catholic faith – all these will help us develop “a real sensitivity to , and love for, the Word of God in Scripture and a personal appreciation for the teachings of the Church”(NCDP 79)
Like St. Peter, we say to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:68-69)
Morals:
The truths of our faith ground our moral living according to the way of Jesus, the authentic “good life” to which we are called. Fullness of life here on earth means that in all the innumerable actions, events and problems of daily life, we strive to walk with Jesus “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6; CFC 674). Our Christian discipleship is a commitment to Jesus Christ to follow him and his way to the fullness of Christian life. Following Christ involves witnessing to the “good life,” serving and caring for the needy, doing deeds of justice and love . From our Christian Commitment flows our discernment and choice of our future engagement.
“The road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious and many take it” (Mt. 7:13). Jesus exhorts his listeners to “enter by the narrow gate” since this alone leads to life. The Lord also said that the road that leads to perdition is the one chosen by many – non-choice, indecision, non-commitment. The malady of indecision has such a strong hold on modern people now. The popularity of “live-in” couples who refuse to commit themselves to each other is a proof of this. Martin Buber has written eloquently about the evil of indecision and non-commitment. He said that reality at any moment is capable of being unreality if the person allows the chaos of possibilities to overwhelm him, imposing its “form of indefiniteness upon the definiteness of the moment.” It is only through decision that “chaos is subdued and shaped into cosmos.” In the words of another writer, “In commitment, we dash to pieces the hopes of a thousand potential selves.” The problem of committing oneself to Christ is not so much in making but in keeping it.
For every true disciple of Christ, service has become the sign and test of his love of the Father and of men. People will know we are Christ’s disciples if we love one another. Love is known by laying down life for others. To lay down our life does not necessarily mean losing our life all at once for others, but “losing” what we have, what we are, little by little perhaps, in the service of others – a kind of “un-bloody death”.
The Christian must serve if he is really a follower of Christ who said: “Then if I, your Lord and master, have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example: you are to do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15). ”If you love me you will obey my commands.” (John 14:15)
Christ has made SERVICE TO OUR BROTHERS a SIGN OF LOVE and a CONDITION FOR BELONGING TO HIS KINGDOM.
Our choices define and shape us. This is what Harvey Cox means when he said that “Not to decide is to decide.” The rich young man turned away sad when Christ asked him to choose between eternal life and his possessions (Mt. 19:16-26). Christ did not run after and say, “Let’s go fifty-fifty.” It is always all or nothing for Christ. And with infinite sadness, no doubt, Christ let go of an outstanding young man whom he loved very much but who chose not to commit himself to Christ. There are also many today who, coming face to face with the challenge of Christ, say, “Of course, I want to go with you, Lord, but I did not realize that it would involve my material possessions, my friends, my ambitions, my career, my time and money. No, Lord, everything but that!” However, Christ never lowers the cost of following him.
Two elements are necessary for a Christian Commitment: Commitment as the irrevocable binding promise to follow Christ and the readiness to serve his fellowmen concretely in the works of salvation. Thus the sign of being committed to Jesus is being at the service of all.
Worship:
Our prayer, sacramental life, and a discerning heart guide us to the particular way of life or profession where we can best serve others and reach the fullness of our Christian dignity.
Without service, all else in Christian life – prayer, the Eucharist, the sacraments – are mere show or escape. By substituting the account of the washing of the feet for the institution of the Eucharist – which the other three evangelists have – John, it seems, shows the necessary LINK BETWEEN THE EUCHARIST AND SERVICE.
Without Service and Commitment, the Eucharist becomes an empty ritual. The new life into which Christ passed at his “hour”, which we share through Baptism and celebrate anew in every Eucharist, must find visible expression in our service of others. On this depends our happiness now and in the next life. The gospels tell us that at the end of our life we are judged on the service we have given to others – “Whatsoever you did to the least of my brothers, you did it to me … now enter the Kingdom of my Father.”
Our prayer, sacramental life, and a discerning heart guide us to the particular way of life or career where we can best serve others and reach the fullness of our Christian dignity and commitment.
- It is Christ who calls each of us to full participation in the life of the Church and full commitment to her mission by virtue of the sacrament of our Baptism and Confirmation (PCP II 408)
- Commitment to service is the hallmark of the Christian. Christ’s being at the service of the Father and of men is portrayed by John most graphically and dramatically in his narrative of the washing of the feet at the Last Supper. (Ask one of the students in the class to read slowly John 13:13-17 while the rest listen in silence). Reflecting continually on this, John was able to write later: “It is by this that we know what love is; that Christ laid down his life for us. And we in our turn are bound to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (1 John 3:16)
Ours is not a blind faith but an informed thinking faith. When we love a person, we want to know more about him or her. When we truly love Christ and have felt his love for us, we thirst to know him ever more deeply. Whoever believes in Jesus, the Son of God, will also strive to know and accept the truths that he continues to teach through his Church. Every disciples of Jesus must have an “informed” faith (PCP II 65)
How do we gain such informed faith? Our faith needs to be grounded firmly on the Sacred Scriptures and the living Tradition of the Church that transmits to us the teachings of Jesus. Our active participation in our Theology classes, attentive listening to the Word of God in the Mass, reading the Bible, living the written Word of God, reading articles and books on our Catholic faith – all these will help us develop “a real sensitivity to , and love for, the Word of God in Scripture and a personal appreciation for the teachings of the Church”(NCDP 79)
Like St. Peter, we say to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:68-69)
Morals:
The truths of our faith ground our moral living according to the way of Jesus, the authentic “good life” to which we are called. Fullness of life here on earth means that in all the innumerable actions, events and problems of daily life, we strive to walk with Jesus “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6; CFC 674). Our Christian discipleship is a commitment to Jesus Christ to follow him and his way to the fullness of Christian life. Following Christ involves witnessing to the “good life,” serving and caring for the needy, doing deeds of justice and love . From our Christian Commitment flows our discernment and choice of our future engagement.
“The road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious and many take it” (Mt. 7:13). Jesus exhorts his listeners to “enter by the narrow gate” since this alone leads to life. The Lord also said that the road that leads to perdition is the one chosen by many – non-choice, indecision, non-commitment. The malady of indecision has such a strong hold on modern people now. The popularity of “live-in” couples who refuse to commit themselves to each other is a proof of this. Martin Buber has written eloquently about the evil of indecision and non-commitment. He said that reality at any moment is capable of being unreality if the person allows the chaos of possibilities to overwhelm him, imposing its “form of indefiniteness upon the definiteness of the moment.” It is only through decision that “chaos is subdued and shaped into cosmos.” In the words of another writer, “In commitment, we dash to pieces the hopes of a thousand potential selves.” The problem of committing oneself to Christ is not so much in making but in keeping it.
For every true disciple of Christ, service has become the sign and test of his love of the Father and of men. People will know we are Christ’s disciples if we love one another. Love is known by laying down life for others. To lay down our life does not necessarily mean losing our life all at once for others, but “losing” what we have, what we are, little by little perhaps, in the service of others – a kind of “un-bloody death”.
The Christian must serve if he is really a follower of Christ who said: “Then if I, your Lord and master, have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example: you are to do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15). ”If you love me you will obey my commands.” (John 14:15)
Christ has made SERVICE TO OUR BROTHERS a SIGN OF LOVE and a CONDITION FOR BELONGING TO HIS KINGDOM.
Our choices define and shape us. This is what Harvey Cox means when he said that “Not to decide is to decide.” The rich young man turned away sad when Christ asked him to choose between eternal life and his possessions (Mt. 19:16-26). Christ did not run after and say, “Let’s go fifty-fifty.” It is always all or nothing for Christ. And with infinite sadness, no doubt, Christ let go of an outstanding young man whom he loved very much but who chose not to commit himself to Christ. There are also many today who, coming face to face with the challenge of Christ, say, “Of course, I want to go with you, Lord, but I did not realize that it would involve my material possessions, my friends, my ambitions, my career, my time and money. No, Lord, everything but that!” However, Christ never lowers the cost of following him.
Two elements are necessary for a Christian Commitment: Commitment as the irrevocable binding promise to follow Christ and the readiness to serve his fellowmen concretely in the works of salvation. Thus the sign of being committed to Jesus is being at the service of all.
Worship:
Our prayer, sacramental life, and a discerning heart guide us to the particular way of life or profession where we can best serve others and reach the fullness of our Christian dignity.
Without service, all else in Christian life – prayer, the Eucharist, the sacraments – are mere show or escape. By substituting the account of the washing of the feet for the institution of the Eucharist – which the other three evangelists have – John, it seems, shows the necessary LINK BETWEEN THE EUCHARIST AND SERVICE.
Without Service and Commitment, the Eucharist becomes an empty ritual. The new life into which Christ passed at his “hour”, which we share through Baptism and celebrate anew in every Eucharist, must find visible expression in our service of others. On this depends our happiness now and in the next life. The gospels tell us that at the end of our life we are judged on the service we have given to others – “Whatsoever you did to the least of my brothers, you did it to me … now enter the Kingdom of my Father.”
Our prayer, sacramental life, and a discerning heart guide us to the particular way of life or career where we can best serve others and reach the fullness of our Christian dignity and commitment.