National Bible Week: Daily Reading - A Gift to Me
About this article
This article is a sample from the Saint Mary's Press Book Take Ten: Daily Bible Reflections for Teens. Please feel free to use these reflections with you young people.A Gift to Me
He called the crowd with his disciples,
and said to them, If any want to
become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and
follow me.
(Mark 8:34)
Throughout this Gospel, Mark shows us three qualities of discipleship. First, it is a gift to be called by God. Jesus called the first disciples, and he calls us. Discipleship is also a privilege, and a privilege is not to be taken for granted. This privilege needs to be fed and grown, and not kept in the box of what we thought about our faith as a child. Finally, Mark shows us that discipleship is all about following Jesus. How simple. How challenging. What things are you doing to keep your faith growing and maturing? How will you follow Jesus this week?
Thank you, Lord, for the gift and the privilege of being a disciple of Christ. Open my eyes to the unique way you are calling me to live out this gift.
>To go deeper: Read Total Commitment near Mark 8:34 in The Catholic Youth Bible.
You can purchase this resource here: Take Ten
The scriptural quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition (NRSV). Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Acknowledgments
Copyright © 2009 Saint Mary's Press. Permission is granted for this article to be freely used for classroom or campus ministry purposes; however, it may not be republished in any form without the explicit permission of Saint Mary's Press. For more resources to support your ministry, call 800-533-8095 or visit our Web site at www.smp.org.Published October 1, 2004.
