True Discipleship

My definition of brave is doing what is right even though you are afraid. Doing what is right even though you are faced with violence, fear and death.
My definition of disciple or discipleship is sacrificing all that I have, all that I am, to respond to and follow Jesus. To do His will.
Mark 10:17-22 Tells the story of a rich young man who runs to Jesus, fall to his knees, and ask Jesus "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Verse 19 Jesus says "You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother" "Teacher," the rich young man says in verse 20, "all these commandments, I have kept since I was a boy." verse 21 Jesus looks at the him and loved him then says, "one thing you lack, go sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come, follow me." In verse 22 we read, "at this the mans face fell. He went a way sad, because he had great wealth."
He was sad because he would not give up his career, money or his life in order to follow Jesus. A woman, named Jean Donovan, did just that.
One of my favorite movies, "Choices of the Heart," tells the story of how, in 1977, A woman named Jean Donovan left behind a good job, a nice home, her money, her family, and her friends and first moved to New York to learn how to become a lay missionary, then in 1979 she flew to Guatemala, where she lived for 3 months, learning to speak Spanish.
In August of 1979 she moved to Labertad, El Salvador. There she partnered with Sister Dorothy Kazel, who had been living there for 8 years. She was also friends with Sister Ita Ford and Sister Maura Clark.
A brutal Civil War had broken out in El Salvador. During this war the government often targeted those working with the poor but, Jean felt her calling was in that war torn country.
During the next several months she helped the people in Santa Cruz. She also worked with the Lay Preachers, arranging the Bible readings.
She fell in love with the poor people of El Salvador and they fell in love with her. She shared her faith in God with them. She followed Jesus wholeheartedly. She followed Jesus bravely, even in the face of violence and fear. All around Labertad, mutilated bodies began to show up every day. The government death squads practiced a reign of terror over the people.
Jean Donovan also worked with Archbishop Oscar Romero. In early 1980 the violence had gotten so bad that the people fled their homes. The Archbishop opened the doors of his seminary in San Salvador, to people who needed a place to stay.
Hundreds of homeless people stayed in the seminary. His life was threatened many times because of the help he was giving the people. On Monday, March 24, 1980, while performing Mass in the Convent of the Good Shepard the Archbishop was shot and killed by an assassin standing by the door. Over one hundred thousand people attended his funeral. They crowded the plaza outside the Cathedral. During the funeral, as bishops from around the world stood outside, bombs and gunfire exploded from the top of the National Palace. They opened fire on the crowd. Thirty people were either killed or stomped to death. Many more were injured.
In May of 1980, Jean wrote a friend telling him the the violence was growing, that people were being killed daily where she was. There were 3 men from her area that were taken out, tortured, and hacked to death.
On June 6th, 1980,Two of Jeans close friends, Armando Avelae, and Carlos Hernandez, walked Jean home down main street in La Libertad, after seeing a movie together. As Jean was about to go into her house she heard the gun fire. She ran back to the street to find her friends had been shot and killed. Their deaths devastated Jean. They were also a message from the death squad to the missionaries----get out or your next.
In September, 1980, Jean decided to take a six week vacation. She first went to Miami to visit her family, then to England to visit a friend, then to Ireland for the wedding of another friend, then to New York, Cleveland and back to Miami.
All of her family and friends tried to convince her not to go back to El Salvador but to no avail. Jean confessed she was very afraid of dying but she had to help the people in El Salvador, help the refugees, knowing there was a strong possibility she would be killed. But she confronted her fears and apprehensions and through prayer, decided to go back and serve the poor. She felt at peace with her decision. She placed her trust in God and her calling. Her mother once said of Jean "She had somehow reconciled herself to what was happening and what she was to do, and had made peace with whatever frightening thoughts she had.
On Friday, October 17, 1980 Jean flew back to El Salvador and began working with the refugees again. Her friends noticed a change in her. "She had achieved a degree of peace that we all struggle for," one of her friends commented.
On December 2, 1980, She drove to the airport, with Sister Kazel, to pick up Sister Ford and Sister Clark. They were flying in from Managua. As they were driving back to Labertad, soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, stopped them at a toll booth. They got into the mini-van and drove to a dirt road where they were sexually abused then killed. Their bodies were found 2 days later in a shallow grave.
Why am I telling this long story? I am hoping it touches someones heart. I am hoping that people will read this and understand that life is short and what you do with your life can make a difference. We live in our comfortable homes, sit on our comfortable furniture and turn on the T.V. to watch one of a thousand shows. Sometimes we turn on the news and hear about the war in another country, about the genocide that is going on in Darfur, Africa. And when we get "uncomfortable" watching this we either turn to a different station or turn the T.V. off. Jean Donovan, and others like her, believed they could make a difference in the lives of people who were hurting, poor, and afraid. They went out and helped the wounded, gave food to the poor, and gave comfort to those who were afraid.
I am not saying that everyone has to become a missionary or go out into these war torn countries and "save" everyone. But why can't we help the hurting, feed the poor, and give comfort to those that are afraid, right here in our own communities?
Help one another, be more friendly to others. When you're in the store smile at some one and say "hi." Or as you are walking into the store and you see an elderly person unloading their cart of groceries, stop and ask them if you could help. Take their cart back to the store for them. Go to church, learn more about God and His love for you. Show others Jesus lives in you. Be a blessing to others, just as Jean Donovan, Sister Kazel, Sister Ford, and Sister Clark were to the people of El Salvador.
Matthew 5:10, Jesus said. "How blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
My life here is short, just a blink of an eye, but I want to do all I can to help God and bring His children back to him. Yes I know I will be and have been made fun of because of my beliefs in God, but I stand strong because God's got my back. He loves you and waits for you. Go to him, talk to him, tell him of your struggles. He longs to hear from you.
God bless