PART I:
Foundation of Everything

Getting the Most Out of Catholicism

Uncompromising Worldview

We have glimpsed the abundant life that Jesus offers us through the Catholic Church. This life is not merely a set of rules and obligations but also a source of joy and fulfillment. It is a foundation rooted in sacrificial love that gives life profound meaning and deep satisfaction.

Most of us have observed this joyful life in others—the mother of eight who homeschools her children and still finds time to lead the prayer chain and participate in a small church community with her husband and oldest daughter. The husband of that same mother stands firm in Christ and His church at every opportune moment, instilling conviction and confidence in his children. This joyful couple isn’t just following a holy to-do list; instead, Christ works through them as they give of themselves to others.

However, we also recognize that many Catholics—despite practicing their faith—miss out, fully or partially, on this more abundant life. Some among us, including clergy and religious, have lost sight of the heart of the Gospel. Some openly contradict the faith in favor of the syncretism discussed in the last chapter. Truly, this gift of love and life—this gift of the Holy Spirit—is surely restricted by their worldly attachments and priorities. Even when they try to do the good works of Christ, they struggle and burn out because Christ is not working through them. Jesus plainly states that without Him, we can do nothing. “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).

We must wholeheartedly embrace Christ and His church, just as Christ Himself taught—without compromise. If we don’t, we’re not truly following Christ or giving Catholicism an honest chance. Instead, we’re merely creating a facade to conceal the modern worldview we still cling to. The Lord Himself says that if we are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, He will spit us out of His mouth (Rev 3:16). He also tells us that we cannot serve two masters. We will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. It’s simply impossible to hold both the worldview of Jesus Christ and that of modern society. The more people try, the worse they fail.

Trying to embrace a modern worldview while remaining Catholic is always disastrous. This infidelity to Jesus’ worldview has brought scandals and growing divisions. It has sapped believers’ vitality and prompted the exodus of people from the Church. And we can hardly blame them. If, at the end of the day, we offer the same worldview they find everywhere else, what’s the point of practicing the faith? What is the purpose of the Church?

Indeed, understanding the Church’s primary purpose helps clarify everything we are discussing. So, what is the primary purpose of the Church?

The Primary Purpose

The Church serves many purposes, takes on various roles, and bears numerous responsibilities and missions. However, there is one primary purpose that defines her above all others—one directly commissioned by the Lord Himself. This purpose shapes, purifies, and empowers the Church.

Catholic Social Teaching is essential, but even this is not the Church’s primary purpose. All those acts of charity, as necessary and valuable as they are, are not her primary purpose.

Is the primary purpose of the Church to encourage people to attend Mass and receive the sacraments? We are definitely moving in that direction, but even the sacraments are not the primary purpose.

The sacraments are at the heart of what the Church does—fundamental to the identity of the Church as the Body of Christ. However, they are not an end in themselves. Instead, they serve as sources of grace and community that support and strengthen the primary purpose.

So, what is the Church’s primary purpose?

Jesus Himself instructed us to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). Many of us have lost sight of the heart of the Gospel—personal conversion and discipleship in Christ. When faith becomes institutional or ideological rather than relational, the fire fades.

The Roman Catholic Church exists to make disciples. Everything good she does depends on forming living, growing disciples! This isn’t about “growing” in the sense of producing many, but about “growing” as in developing passionate, knowledgeable, loving followers of Christ. Without this, nothing else works. Without this, we face decay and death—a kind of living death. This is evident in many places. And even our growing disciples often seem unprepared to fight against it.

The Great Commission of Jesus is to make disciples of all nations. The Lord sends out His disciples—on fire with the Gospel—to ignite that same fire in others—that life-changing fire. We need to ignite our disciples, prepare them to ignite others, and then send them out to do the same.

Since Vatican II, the Church has promoted a “New Evangelization” to reach those already baptized—to “re-evangelize” them. Many Catholics need a fresh encounter with Christ; they need to become living, growing disciples of Jesus.

Then we’ll have more priests who dedicate long hours to leading faithful retreats and small groups. More deacons who overflow with joy when speaking of the Eucharist or the Rosary.

Of course, it’s not so much what these folks are doing as how they do it. It’s that fiery, joyful enthusiasm given by the Holy Spirit that makes them so attractive and contagious.

The Living, Growing Disciple

A living, growing disciple deeply understands that his life is a Journey to God—that this is his primary purpose and nothing else should compete with it. He recognizes that this journey will completely transform him and grant him a share in Christ’s Divine Sonship. With all his heart, he knows that “the Son of God became a son of man so the sons of men might become sons of God” (St. Athanasius, c. 297-d).

The living, growing disciple understands that his life no longer belongs to him; it now belongs to the Lord. He follows his Lord, carrying his own cross of sacrifice and self-denial. He chooses the path set by Christ rather than his own, climbing the Mountain of God to pursue a closer relationship with God.

I remember the domino that truly launched my own journey. I recall genuinely opening myself up to Jesus and catching the fire. I remember an Air Force buddy—a former born-again Protestant—who told me it wouldn’t last, that I’d burn out. But when you’re on fire—really on fire—it doesn’t just burn out. I challenged him to contact me in twenty years and see if it still burned brightly. Forty years later, it only burns brighter. I worked hard to achieve early retirement so I could dedicate myself full-time to writing and helping ignite the fire in others. I’m no saint, but I am a living, growing disciple. And nothing is more important to me than loving and serving Christ.

 Becoming a living, growing disciple above all else helps put things into perspective. Christ rearranges our priorities.  

The Growing Disciple • James 1:19-25; CCC 1694

• Has developed a heart for God that motivates their attitudes and actions.
• Is willing to make any sacrifices to grow, even change their schedule.
• Observable changes in attitudes and actions can be seen.
• Is committed to chastity, sobriety, and excellence in their state of life.
• Consistent in continually growing in the basic habits of the Christian life, including but not limited to:
  • Seeks interior growth through daily prayer with Scripture and spiritual reading (John 1:1-18; Ephesians 6:18)
  • Grows in sanctification through the reception of the sacraments (Acts 2:42)
  • Builds character through the virtues and the Beatitudes
    (Mt 5:1-16)
  • Accepts suffering and uses it to unite them to Christ
    (Col 1:24)
  • Practices the spiritual and corporal works of mercy
    (Mt 25:31-46)
  • Is open to the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:7; 12-13)

(Adapted by FOCUS, see footnote in Chapter 10.)

The Cost of Discipleship

True discipleship is neither a free, quick, nor easy journey. Not even close. In fact, it is a costly, lengthy, and challenging path—a lifelong uphill climb. Disregard the nonsense prosperity gospel. Jesus promised His followers not comfort but a cross: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). We can’t follow Christ without bringing our cross with us. It’s the price of admission!

The cross isn’t just pain—it’s love poured out. When we carry our cross with Christ, we discover that the deepest suffering can become the most profound joy, because it joins us to His redeeming love. That’s why saints smile through trials—they’ve learned that nothing offered to Jesus is ever lost.

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well” (Theodore Roosevelt).

True discipleship requires sacrifice. In fact, every genuine love involves sacrifice. What healthy marriage or close friendship doesn’t require sacrifice? And how wonderfully rewarding these relationships are because of it! Of course, the ultimate relationship available to a person will demand sacrifice—and more than any other. But that’s only because you have the chance to gain more from this relationship than from any other. You will become who you were meant to be—a child of God. You will find complete fulfillment.

You may give a lot of yourself to your spouse or best friend, sometimes more than you’re comfortable with. However, this act of self-giving is small compared to what Jesus asks of you. Jesus desires everything—your heart, mind, and soul—your entire being and life! This includes learning more about Jesus and spending more time with Him. Yes, it also involves freeing ourselves from unhealthy attachments and much more. The half-hearted giving of Cafeteria Catholics or syncretic Catholics simply won’t suffice! They barely offer to Christ what they give to their pet goldfish.

You receive in the measure you give of yourself. In the measure you die to yourself, to your selfishness, pride, and will. This is true in a holy marriage, and it’s even more true in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Sacrificial love brings joy. True discipleship brings real freedom and deepest joy—a sharing in Christ’s resurrection.

And, of course, a deep relationship with Christ will enrich all your other relationships, from your spouse and best friend to strangers and even enemies. Catholicism, above all, is about loving God above all else and loving our neighbor as ourselves. It’s about loving Christ in His church and every member of His church.

We see this in the nun who clearly loves her vocation and yet lovingly expresses what God intends for the vocation of marriage. And in the frugal bachelor who freely gives both treasure and talent, caring for many spiritual children. They aren’t simply obeying rules or driven by a nagging conscience, but rather they are genuinely giving of themselves in the ways Jesus is calling and empowering them to do so.

The Community of Disciples

Jesus did not call us to follow Him alone. He established a church, a living community of disciples, who “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42). Disciples participate in the Mass as a community, engage in fellowship within the community, and receive ongoing formation from it.

Discipleship is the deepest expression of community. It involves becoming a child of God, which means belonging to the family of God. Belonging is essential, and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ is how we show our love for Christ. Indeed, “if anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 Jn 4:20).

However, it’s not only for God and the community that we must belong; we also need the community personally. Our walk is not a private, individualistic spirituality. The “me and Jesus” approach does not work. We need the accountability and support that naturally come from the community. Christ and His family must remain consistently present in our lives to prevent the world and our selfish tendencies from having a greater influence on us.

This is why small church communities are indispensable. They’re where faith stops being abstract and becomes relational. They’re where we practice love, accountability, and prayer—the soil where discipleship grows strong.

But even strong communities are not enough if the fire doesn’t spread. Discipleship is never just about belonging—it’s about igniting the fire of faith in everyone we encounter. Many small church communities and other small groups excel at spreading the fire. Many report that their faith came alive as they applied it to their lives in their groups. But, of course, someone had to be on fire to start with!

Catching Fire

Discipleship is an encounter with Jesus Christ. It is a growing, intimate relationship with Jesus; it involves following Him wherever He leads. More than anything, it is a fire to be caught—a divine fire of love ignited in our hearts. While it’s true that anyone of goodwill who genuinely seeks God will find Him, it’s also true that disciples are not made in isolation. Again, the fire is caught, and those who start it are always disciples already burning with the same divine fire!

Yes, we need to catch fire! Or stoke the flame already burning within us.

Catching fire isn’t as easy as it used to be. We no longer live in a society that constantly infuses us with the Christian worldview. We have fewer religious nuns and brothers inspiring the laity and nurturing disciples through lay orders. Additionally, we have fewer healthy families capable of passing on the Catholic worldview to their children—let alone igniting the fire. Attending weekend Mass and catechism classes has proven to be entirely inadequate. And even attendance at Catholic schools and involvement with youth groups have proven to have no effect on retaining Catholics—much less igniting the flame. A faithful, on-fire pastor definitely makes a difference, but even this rarity is not enough. Small doses of the Catholic worldview from a distance are terribly inadequate. We need intentional disciples, faithful small groups, and passionate mentors. We need ongoing, personal interactions with living, growing disciples who support each other and help ignite the flame in the rest of us.

Catholicism must shine brightly as a beacon of hope and love. This won’t happen through better programs, polished homilies, or new parish committees. It will happen when ordinary Catholics catch fire, burn brightly, and pass that flame along. This purifying fire of renewal will heal families, revive parishes, and renew cultures.

The fire must spread—but it starts with us. Each of us must decide, will I remain as I am, or will I allow the Holy Spirit to set me ablaze?

Lord, set our hearts ablaze with Your love. Let Your Church burn again with the fire of the Holy Spirit—one disciple, one family, one community at a time. AMEN.

To Getting the Most Out of Discipleship →

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Questions to Contemplate

1. Uncompromising Worldview – Why is it impossible to hold both the worldview of Jesus Christ and that of modern society at the same time? What happens when we more fully embrace the worldview of Jesus? Where in your own life do you feel tempted to compromise between Christ’s worldview and modern culture, and how do you respond?
2. The Primary Purpose – Why is it essential for the Church to focus on forming living, growing disciples? What changes might occur if we once again prioritize this as our primary purpose? What experiences have most helped you grow as a disciple? 
3. The Living, Growing Disciple – How does a living, growing disciple view their life differently from others? Which aspects of the description of a living, growing disciple stood out to you? Why? What do you feel called to do to grow as a disciple?
4. The Cost of Discipleship – What is the cost of discipleship? Why does Christ ask so much? How will growing as a disciple impact your life? How have you viewed your own discipleship over the years?
5. The Community of Disciples – How is discipleship the “deepest expression of community”? What do we receive from our parish community? In what ways has your faith community blessed and enriched your life? In what ways has it disappointed and frustrated you? (Please take care to answer prudently and charitably.)
6. Catching Fire – How is discipleship a fire to be caught? Why are the fire starters always disciples already ablaze with the very same divine fire? Who first helped “ignite the fire” of faith in you, and how are you passing that fire on to others?