My daughter recently came back from the theatreexcited about the blockbuster movie she had justseen. For her, “The Lord of the Rings” had lived

up to its marquee billing as a major attraction.“I just love stories like that,” she said, “you know,

where there is one person with extraordinary gifts andpowers who is the answer to the situation surroundingeveryone else around...”

She then went on to name all the recent movies shehad seen where the central character was the leader,friend and savior of all the rest. “There is always some-thing about those people, you know. It just makes youwant to get into that movie and be with them.”

Isn’t that what attraction is all about? You findsomeone so compelling that you want to follow wherever they are?

ULTIMATELY ATTRACTIVEWhat if there was an attractive person with extraor-

dinary gifts and powers who really could save you inyour life right now, in the circumstances with which youstruggle? What if this person brought the fulfillment ofall the authentic desires of your heart, restoring you toyour truest self? Not only that but what if this personloved you with a care and attention that transcendedeven the mortal bonds of this earth?

What would you do if you encountered this persontoday and saw the fulfillment of everything you hopedto be in his eyes? Would you stop what you weredoing, and follow him right out the door in a bit of astupor --- just like in the movies? Would you answer

Following the Ultimate AttractionB Y M A R Y B E T H N E W K U M E T

A Catechetical Tool for Parish Life Follow Issue

Life With Jesus

Life On SundayFollowing Jesus to His Banquet

Life At HomeFollowing Christ in YourFamily

Life At HomeWalking on Water Now

Life In The ParishFollowing His Wonderful Works

Life In The WorldBeing His Way in the World

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Mary, the firstSteward of Christ

2 Life After Sunday

his call, pledge your life to remainin his company and never lookback?

I don’t know how youanswered but for me and othersthroughout the centuries, theanswer has been a passionate yes.Sound, practical, reasonable peo-ple have suddenly dropped theirnets, given up their attachmentsand walked away from their goodfortunes --- not out of obligation --- but to follow this one who isthe response to every humanlonging.

A RADICAL CLAIMThe Catholic Church makes the

radical claim that Jesus Christ hasbeen personally encountered justlike this during earthly life --- andcan be encountered by each one ofus today, too. I know because inthe past decade, this stunningevent has happened to me. I didnot expect it nor, quite frankly,believe it could happen until aftermy death! With complete surprise,I suddenly encountered the Personof Jesus Christ and set off in hiscompany deeper into the life of theChurch.

Let me be clear. I have not justencountered the values of Christ,the historical actions of Christ orthe morality of Christ. I haveencountered him in such a waythat I recognize his presence ineveryday life down to the core ofmy being. The more time I spendwith him in the Word and beforethe Blessed Sacrament, the morecertain I am of this truth. In fact,Christ’s presence is as real to me asthe people and things around methat I can see, hear and touch withall my natural senses.

My decision to follow JesusChrist in the Church is the decision to follow the ultimateattraction of human existence. Ifollow not out of duty or enslave-ment, but out of love and a desirefor a deeper intimacy with thisPerson who is leading the way.Through sheer grace, I followknowing I am not in charge of theplan, the path or the destination.

“In order to follow someone,we have to abandon our own posi-tion, ourselves,” says Msgr. LuigiGiussani. “The profound meaningof this renunciation --- the renun-ciation of ‘self ’ as a criterion --- wasdestined to emerge later in thesouls of those who followed him.”

FOLLOWING HIS FOLLOWERSIn the heart of the Catholic

Church, I have encountered JesusChrist in Person through his faith-ful followers --- those attractiveChristians who fully receive hispresence on Sunday and then livehis divine love in their families,parishes and communitiesthroughout the rest of the week.

I have watched how these followers allow Christ to shapetheir vocations and then joyfullyfollow this path everyday withhim. I have seen how they pas-sionately love him in each other,with a preference for the poor inspirit or resources. I have seen thewonder and awe with which theyapproach the great mysteries ofsex, birth, suffering and death. Ican’t imagine living any otherway. In fact, no movie scenariocan come close to the adventure,miracle, romance and splendor offollowing an authentic Christianlife.

Given my personal experience, Ican see why St. Therese of Lisieuxonce wrote: “I’d have plungedthrough flames to follow Jesus.”Sound like the scene from a block-buster movie? It’s even more excit-ing than that: It’s real human life --- fully alive.

Jesus Christ is the ultimateattraction. Are you ready to follow? ❖

PresidentJohn M. Capobianco

Vice PresidentMary Beth Newkumet

Executive AssistantJessica K. Love

Theological Advisor Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete

Life After Sunday is a catechetical tool for parish lifecreated by Lumen CatecheticalConsultants, Inc., a 501(C)3 not-for-profit educational consultingfirm that helps Catholic organiza-tions communicate a life withChrist lived fully through hisChurch. @ Copyright 2004. Maynot be reproduced without per-mission granted.

Lumen CatecheticalConsultants, Inc.P.O. Box 1761Silver Spring, MD 209151-800-473-7980 or 301-593-1066Fax: 301-593-1689www.lifeaftersunday.com

Life After Sunday

continued from page 1

Did you ever wonder why theChurch includes a PenitentialRite at the beginning of Mass?

The obvious answer that comes tomind is that we need to be purifiedof our venial sins beforewe offer worship to God.What goes along withthis action of calling tomind our sins is a callingto mind of the fact thatwe are sinners. Webecome consciouslyaware of our need forredemption and of thecrosses of our own sinsthat we carry with us.

HE MEETS US AS SINNERSIn chapter two of St.

Mark’s Gospel, Jesus healsthe paralytic. Moreimportantly, though, Jesusforgives his sins. Thescribes scold Jesus forthis: “Who but God canforgive sins?” (v. 7). Then,to prove his authority toforgive sins Jesus healsthe paralytic.

St. Mark, havingestablished Jesus’authority over sins nowhas Jesus call sinners. “As hepassed by, he saw Levi, the son ofAlphaeus, sitting at this custompost. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’

And he got up and followed him.”(v. 14). As we soon find out, fol-lowing Jesus means being withJesus and having Jesus with us.Jesus then goes to Levi’s house to

eat. Again, the scribes scoldhim: “Why does he eatwith tax collectors and sin-ners?” (v. 16). Jesusanswers: “I did not come tocall the righteous, but sin-ners.” (vv. 16, 17).

Jesus comes to meet us assinners. In fact, sin is the meet-ing point between God andman. Jesus on the Cross is Godconfronting and taking

on our sins. Jesus first meets usas sinners and then merits for-giveness of those sins in his suf-fering and death.

THE MEAL AND THE CROSSThe Mass is where we

meet Jesus in his sacrifice onthe Cross. The Mass makespresent again, sacramentally,the sacrifice of Jesus on theCross. The only way tocome to the Cross is as sin-ners. Only a sinner willhave the proper response toJesus’ sacrifice: love, humil-

ity, and thanksgiving. Recall thetwo thieves crucified with Jesus.One arrogantly demanded thatJesus “save [himself] and us.” (Lk

23:39). The other thief humblyunderstood that he deserved hispunishment. The good thief ’s greatinsight --- clearly a gift of grace ---was that Jesus did not deservedeath on the Cross; that Jesus’ suf-fering and death were completelyself-sacrificial. He realized that thissacrifice would open the gates toHeaven. So he says to Jesus:“Remember me when you comeinto your Kingdom.” (Lk 23:42).

Jesus’ call to Levi “Follow me”brought Levi (a sinner) and Jesustogether at a meal. Later, in chap-ter eight of St. Mark’s Gospel,Jesus says that “Whoever wishes tocome after me must deny himself,take up his cross, and follow me.”(v. 34). The meal and the Crosscome together at Mass. We followJesus to his banquet and to Hissacrifice on the Cross. We poorsinners eat the Body of our Lord, abanquet of the sacrificial lambeaten by sinners. ❖

3Follow Issue

Following Jesus to His BanquetB Y F R . T H O M A S L a H O O D

“There are certain provoca-

tions that, because of their

radical nature, man cannot

eliminate or censure once he has

perceived them, if he is to act as

a man. Man is forced to answer

yes or no. The mere fact that he

has heard the news that one man

declared: ‘I am God,’ means that

he cannot be indifferent to it. He

must arrive at his own conviction

as to whether the news is true or

false.”

- Msgr. Luigi Giussani

4 Life After Sunday

Young people often followadults they consider the mostattractive. When I was growing

up, I was blessed to have manygood people to follow within my family, but mypaternal grandparentshad an especially bigimpact on me.

I spent a lot oftime with them inthe decade aftertheir 50th wed-ding anniversaryand I was alwaysstruck by their con-tinuing delight ineach other. Not only didthey seem to thrive in eachother’s company, but they had aheart-to-heart intimacy that madethem seem very young and alive.My grandmother called my grand-father her “boyfriend” until theday he died when they were intheir mid-90s --- and she alwayssaid it with a glimmer in her eye.As a teenager, I thought that wasawesome.

I don’t ever remember themgiving me verbal instructions onhow to live a good Catholic life.Instead, they showed me. Both ofmy grandparents were devoted tothe Blessed Mother. Their well-used rosary beads were alwayswithin sight. And since they wereliving the fulfillment of my desirefor enduring happiness in thevocation to marriage, I followedthem. I began to walk more care-fully in their path. Not only did Itry to treat other people the waythey treated each other, but I alsobegan to pursue a close relation-

ship with Mary that continues tothis day.

FOLLOWINGWITH A GLIMMER

“The Christian family is thefirst community called toannounce the Gospel to thehuman person during growth andto bring him or her, through aprogressive education and catechesis, to full human andChristian maturity,” observes PopeJohn Paul II (FC, 2).

Children learn to follow Christ,his Mother and the saints firstwithin their families. While astrong formal religious educationis essential, the family’s way of lifeis often the most convincing signthat Christ’s divine life and lovecan be beautifully encounteredhere and now. When a family liveswith a vibrant adherence to theChurch’s life, it becomes a greatlight to surrounding children andadults. It becomes a “domestic

Church” filled with the splendorof the living God. When familymembers go their own waydetached from the universalChurch, however, the radiance of

Christ’s life and love can becomedim in that couple, and

therefore more difficultfor young family mem-

bers and others toexperience and discern.

“God leads menthrough men and

employs the one tolead the other to him,”

wrote 20th century mysticAdrienne von Speyr.

Just one family member canbegin to walk down the path withChrist that the rest can follow --- toward a heart-to-heartintimacy and an unmistakablenever-ending glimmer. ❖

--- MBN

Some families have members

who refuse to follow a life with

Christ in the Church. How can

you help bring them along? First,

recognize and love Christ as a

gift to you! This recognition

ensures that his approach to

others through you will not be a

speech or an imposition, but

rather a witness to the beauty

and joy that he has brought into

your life. Second, watch him work

and continue to follow him with

passion!

Getting There… Bringing Others Along

Following Christ in Your Family

The popular Christian poem“Footprints in the Sand”expresses the awareness in a

dream, at the end of life, that Jesusis the one who carries us duringour most difficult and troublingtimes. While this is a beautifulrealization, I have always reactedwith a palpable pain to this poem.I suppose, one can be grateful thatJesus will give us a clear insight atthe end of our life --- of when hecarried us by himself and when hesimply walked side by side with us--- I, however, want the joy of hiscompanionship here and now insuch a way that I know where hewants me to go so I can follow. Iwant to experience his calm nowduring my most difficult chal-lenges. I want to know his peacewhen I confront any suffering. Iwant to allow his wisdom and loveto shape my life. I definitely don’twant to be at the end and lookback at the most difficult times ofmy life and feel like he was notthere. I wouldn’t expect that of anyfriend, much less him.

I have found that the reality offollowing Jesus everyday in my lifeis a much more personally satisfy-ing experience than this poemexpresses. Far from disappearingduring times of challenge and suf-fering, Christ, in and through hisChurch, has always been there forme especially during difficulttimes. The key to this companion-ship is spending time with him byreading scripture often. When Ibegan to let scripture shape mylife, Christ began to shape my

heart and generosity. By simplyspending time with the Mass read-ings of the day --- first in a dailymissal, now through the publica-tion Magnificat --- and looking forhis movement throughout the restof the day, he has led me to a verydifferent experience of daily life. “A[generous] soul is never dismayed,either by the difficulties of theroad that it has to traverse, or bythe greatness of the work it iscalled upon to perform, or by thelength of time that it must give toit, or finally, by the delay in theprogress of the work undertaken,”observes St. Francis de Sales. WhenI follow Christ in this way, itbecomes abundantly clear when hecarries me.

GET OUT OF THE BOATThe real challenge of following

Christ this way occurs when,becoming more and more confi-dent in his companionship, onebegins to see all the things that arepossible through his love. Then,like Peter standing in the boat, yousee something astonishing that isclearly impossible for you and yetyou ask him “Lord, if it is you,command me to come to you onthe water” (Mt. 14:28). I have feltthis way many times when I knowI could not accomplish what Ithought Christ wanted of me.Watching his action, asking himfor guidance and listening for himto say “Come” is the key to follow-ing him with confidence.“Following Christ (faith) thus gen-erates a characteristic existential

attitude by which man walksupright and untiring towards adestination not yet reachedalthough sure (hope),” says Msgr.Luigi Giussani. “It is an attitudewhich is always struggling with thevoid of risk because the remote-ness of the destination alwaystempts us to fall into uncertainty.This is overcome at a point beyondour own criteria --- in abandon-ment and adherence to JesusChrist (charity). It is this that gen-erates a new experience of peace,the fundamental experience of lifeon its pathway.”

With this faith, hope and charity, one is never alone in any of life’s trials. One can gopeacefully wherever Christ commands, especially when itmeans “walking on water” andknowing that it is only possiblebecause he is carrying you. ❖

5Follow Issue

Walking on Water NowB Y J O H N M . C A P O B I A N C O

“‘There are many mansionsin the House of my

Heavenly Father.” (Jn 14:2)Jesus said that, and that’s whyI follow the way He is tracingout for me. I try not to worryabout myself at all anymore. I leave it to Him to do in mysoul whatever He wants.”

--- St. Therese of Lisieux(Letter to Maurice Belliere)

6 Life After Sunday

Among my favorite Gospel narratives are those in whichJesus is actively engaged in his

public ministry: preaching, heal-ing, praying, inspiring. The evan-gelists recount how Jesus was oftenoverrun with people. St. Markeven claims, “it was impossible forJesus to enter a town openly. Heremained outside in desertedplaces, and people kept coming tohim from everywhere” (1:45).

Such notoriety is more preva-lent among teen idols and sportsheroes than itinerant preachersthese days, but it’s easy to imaginethe scene. The intrigue that sur-rounded Jesus dominated people’sinterests and made a personalencounter with him a priority.They were captivated by his teach-ing and awed by his miracles.Nothing they had experiencedcould compare with Jesus’ messageand wonderful works. Yet not allunderstood the true implicationsof his ministry.

ENCOUNTERING HIM IN AN ENTIRELYNEW MANNER

The Gospel of Luke tells us thatsome sought to follow Jesus, but ina superficial way (cf. Luke 9:57-62).The passage also illustrates howsome whom Jesus invited to followhim as disciples could not detachthemselves from their customs andyearnings to properly do so. Jesusobviously listens not only to wordsof our mouths but also to the aspi-rations of our hearts. He knowsour dispositions better than we doourselves.

In the fulfill-ment of hisPaschal Mysteryhowever, Jesusbestowed newgrace and insightupon the Church and the faithfulthrough the workings of the HolySpirit. Having loosed them fromthe bonds of sin, his disciples rec-ognized him in an entirely newmanner: “in the breaking of thebread” (Luke 24:35). It is in thissame way that Catholics todayidentify Jesus, in their parishEucharistic celebrations.

Just as in the Acts of theApostles where the Christian com-munity was united in heart andmind, actively concerned for theneeds of others (cf. 4:32-35), sotoo can we follow the loving exam-ple of Jesus today, guided by theHoly Spirit. We gather in ourparishes each week to draw lifefrom the Eucharist, to nourishourselves in Word and inSacrament, and to unite ourselveswith others in faith. In this wayJesus becomes proximate to us,first in the Real Presence of hisBody and Blood on the altar, andsecondly in the presence of hisMystical Body, the Church.

TO LEARN AND OFFERI don’t imagine that our parish

communities always exhibit thisperfect Christian harmony. I servedin many capacities at the parish level--- council president, catechist, chiefusher, diocesan synod representa-tive, school advisory board member,

etc. --- and haveencounteredconcord as wellas discordamong fellowparishioners.

What prevailed however, as it alwaysshould, was an outlook that we allhave something to learn, as well assomething to offer. That is, we wereall still incomplete Christians whoneeded to grow in faith and to helpothers do likewise.

As the disciples who sought tolearn “Rabbi, where are you stay-ing?” we can heed Jesus’ reply to“Come, and you will see” (John1:38-39). Jesus remains ever withus to teach, heal, and inspire. Hecalls us to unite around his table,setting aside individual preferencesfor his divine will.

Moreover, it is in the parishcommunity that we are to makeJesus more widely known, throughour public witness and steward-ship. Our attendance at Mass andparticipation in the sacramentsobtains sanctifying grace andencourages others in their practiceof faith. Our support of the parishand to the needy in the communityfulfills our mission of discipleship,of living and spreading the Gospel.

Jesus is still beckoning us, andhis Church is providing the path-way on which we are to proceed.As we reflect on discipleship, let usconsider how we meet Christ inour parish, how we respondtogether to his invitation to followhim, and attract others to followhis wonderful works in us. ❖

Following His Wonderful WorksB Y P E T E R S O N S K I

7Follow Issue

When I made my decision togo to a secular university ofabout 12,000 students, I

knew I would be in for a barrage ofdifferent morals, religions, and cul-tures. Sure, most people knew Jesus,but he was the foreign exchangestudent on the fifth floor and noone really followed him. As a fresh-man, I hung out with all kinds ofpeople and there were many times Icould have been knocked off mypath towards the Lord. Luckily, Iwas blessed with parents whoinstilled a steadfast faith in me anda good core group of friends whoalways led me in the directiontowards Jesus Christ.

As a sophomore, it was time toget moreinvolved,so I took aleader-ship

position as a Resident Assistant inmy residence hall. During my twoyears as a Resident Assistant, Iexperienced the impact a Catholiccan have on a group of peoplewho wondered what that string ofbeads was (rosary), or who thatveiled woman in the picture onmy desk was (Mary), or why I was

all dressed up on a Sunday morn-ing before everyone else had got-ten out of bed.

A WAY OF FAITHFUL ATTENTIONA Resident Assistant, or RA,

is like a big brother to a floor ofresidents, responsible for them anda resource for anything they need.I watched over the 40 residents onmy floor and the other 250 resi-dents were divided between threeother RAs. A large part of a RA’sjob is listening and problem solv-ing. I listened to the problems ofresidents not only on my floor, butthroughout the entire building aswell. On many occasions, I wouldhave to inform the other RAs whatwas happening on their floors.During my RA career, I wasinvolved with every ambulance

visit to my building (I have tonsof stories to prove it) and haveheard everything from, “she’s

using my shampoo” to“take this knife away

from me so I don’tkill myself.”

Many of theseresidents couldhave easily goneto their own RAs,but I had some-

thing those other RAs did not.Doing my best to follow God in myeveryday life, I had the peace andpresence of the Lord all around me.The residents felt this and wereattracted to it, even if they did notrealize it. God was reaching out tothem through me and all I wasdoing was being myself.

I may have not converted any-one to Catholicism during mytime as a RA, but the residents ofmy building did experience Jesus’presence by the way He cared forme. One day when they need itmost, I hope they will rememberthat feeling of faithful attentionand call upon the Lord for helpand He will find a way to leadthem to Paradise. All of us canhelp others experience the Lordjust by doing our best to followHim in our everyday lives. You willnever know what kind of animpact you made on someoneuntil you get to heaven and thatperson thanks you for helping himor her get there. ❖

Being His Way in the WorldB Y J O S E P H S C H U B E R T H

“The Lord goes before those

who belong to him. For he

knows the way. He knows it

because he is himself the way.

And because he is the way, he

shows the way. He leads those

who belong to him on his way.

His way is the way from the

Father to the Father and, thus,

the way of love. On this way,

there exists nothing other than

love for those who follow him:

a love that he gives as he leads

them and expects as he leads

them, a love that those who

belong to him receive as they

follow him and return as they

follow him. The act of following is

itself love.”

- Adrienne von Speyr

Following the Source of Your Love

Think of the Apostle Andrew after he met Christ. Andrewleaves everything to follow him. He even leaves his wife. Butdoes he really leave her? As he goes after that which is the

source of their love, he follows Jesus to preserve his love for thiswoman, because he recognizes in him that from which thatlove came. Andrew’s following must have profoundly deepenedthe way he loved his wife.

That’s what it means that Christ is the ideal, the center, thepurpose. By following, there is no interest in you that is notreshaped, guided, taken over by this attraction for Christ. Andit becomes the way you see, judge, love, do everything. Christhas to do with what touches you, what makes you you, withevery conceivable dimension. It’s a totalizing thing. He’s theideal of life, the decisive constitutive factor of what you callyour life. He is the reason you can say “I.” If Christ has re-defined that “I” for you, then his presence will be felt every-where that your presence is felt. ❖

--- Msgr. Lorenzo AlbaceteU.S. Ecclesiastical Advisor for Communion and Liberation,

an international movement in the Church

Discussion Questions

Do you believe that Jesus Christ can be encountered with certainty during your earthly life? (p. 1 and 2)■ Describe the Christians that you find most attractive.■ Who are the compelling people you are following?

How do we follow Christ on Sunday? (p. 3)■ Read the story of the call of Levi (Mk 2:13-17).■ Have you had an experience of the presence of God in the

midst of sin?

Is the presence of Christ’s life and love evident in your family? (p. 4)■ Who were the family members you followed while you

were growing up? ■ How does “God lead men to men” in a practical way in

family life?

How do you follow Christ’s living Presence in your parish? (p. 6)■ Describe some things about your parish community that

have attracted you and encouraged you to stay?■ How does your local parish “provide the pathway on

which we are to proceed”?

How can you become Christ’s “Way” out in the world? (p. 7)■ Describe an experience where the Lord was working

through you.■ Where do you get the courage and strength to keep

following even in large secular settings?

FROM THE MYSTICAL MONSIGNOR Ponder in Your Heart

Lumen Catechetical Consultants,Inc.P.O.Box 1761Silver Spring,MD 20915

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