“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth” (Ps. 86:11).
Over the past several years, as I have come to know Christ more and more, this line from Scripture has kept coming back to me in various circumstances. It has resonated with me as a prayer that expresses my desire to become a better disciple of Christ every day. What does it mean to be his disciple? First of all, it means recognizing that I don’t know the way on my own and I don’t have all the answers, though I deeply desire to learn; furthermore, it means that I have found the one who does know the way—the one who, I believe, is himself “the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). Thus, being a disciple of Christ requires a great deal of both humility and hope. Often, I can get frustrated that, after all these years of learning from Jesus and following him, I’m still not perfect. Yet with the Lord’s gift of hope, this realization does not need to be a discouraging one. Being his disciple also means that I’m not static, fixed in whatever my present circumstances are; rather, he is constantly leading me onward, “into the deep,” (Lk 5:4) showing me how to let him live in me more fully each day. As we strive to grow in our identity as his disciples each day through prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and works of mercy, let us ask our Lord especially for the virtues of humility and hope, that we may persevere in following him always, even to the eternal life that he promises us.
About the Author: Seminarian William Buckley
William Buckley is presently serving a pastoral year at Our Lady of Nazareth, Roanoke.