Disciples Of Christ Essay

Disciples of Christ A disciple is someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ. We are all disciples, as we believe in Jesus, and wish to follow his ways and teachings. The original disciples were Jesus’ apostles, who were sought out by Jesus himself to follow him. The apostles were: Simon (also called Peter), Andrew (his brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’ brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the publican), James (son of Alphaeus), Lebbaeus (whose surname was Thaddeus), Simon (the Canaanite) and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Jesus.

When we as Catholics want to follow Jesus, we are

This is when we are cleansed of sin, and “reborn” as it were, into God’s family. This is when we become a disciple. After this, we can be confirmed, which is when we can really start our mission. When you are confirmed, you are basically rejecting sin and Satan, and letting God in, and showing that you want to be a Christian and you want to be a disciple and you want to follow God.

Once you have got to this stage, you are a “lay person”. A lay person is someone who is a follower of Jesus and a member of the Church, but is not a monk or nun, or has not entered priesthood. There are several lay associations in the world. Some are :

Opus Dei: This helps people live out their call, as it is a personal prelature of the Church, and it helps ordinary lay people seek holiness in and through their everyday activities.

The Knights of St Columbus: This is a men’s fraternal society

It is like an itinerary for Christian life.

You can progress from being a member of the laity to becoming a monk or a nun, these are either part of Apostolic orders, or Contemplative orders.

In a Contemplative order, you have a 24 hour rote of perpetual prayer and no contact with the outside world (although you are allowed out for the death of relatives and on election day). You are fulfilling a calling from God, and get a sense of community. You also exit the hustle and bustle of modern life. In a Contemplative order, you are allowed to speak for one hour a day, and wear plain uniforms.

In an Apostolic order, you take the standard vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and you are more involved with the outside world. The dress code is more liberal and comfortable, and these orders are very active in their roles for the Church. Some visit schools, and some teach in schools.

Priesthood is something that can only be entered by men. This is when they will train to become a priest. Before a man can become a priest, he is made a deacon, however, if you are married, the furthest into priesthood you can go is to be a deacon. Soon you are then ordained