GRADE 8 CHRISTIAN LIFE EDUCATION

JESUS the RABBI (Discipleship) and JESUS AS MESSIAH (PASCHAL MYSTERY)

Jesus as a friend.

welcomes all/everyone, regardless of ones background; a friend who is forgiving (Mk. 3:13-19 &Mt. 9:913); He is a friend who teaches us, who comforts us, a friend who is gentle and humble (Mt. 11:28-30);
He is a friend who looks at everyone equally, no favoritism; a friend who is ready to give up everything for
his friends; a friend who takes the initiative, he is the one who offers the friendship (Jn. 15:13-17)

What is discipleship?

Discipleship in the context of Jesus is actually an offer of a deeper relationship a call to friendship. This
is also a call to attain a greater goal union with God. It is a call to holiness. Jesus offers His friendship
in order to lead us to holiness. He is our exemplar, our model of holiness.

Discipleship is a gift and a call. It is a gift because it is Jesus who calls (who offers His friendship freely). It
is a call because a free and loving response is expected from us who are called. The call to discipleship is
a call to a personal, committed relationship with Christ and to a sharing in His work and mission. A call to
solidarity and service.

Characteristics of Christian Discipleship

1. It is Jesus who calls the disciple. (John 15:16-17).
Christian discipleship is always an invitation, an opportunity, or a calling. It is a gift.
2. Christian discipleship is a call to a lifelong and personal relationship (Jn. 15:14-15).
Christs invitation to enter into a friendship with Him requires a response that is personal. The disciple enters into
a loving relationship that is for life. To sustain the relationship, prayer is a necessity.
3. Christian discipleship involves conversion or a radical change of heart and mind ( metanoia) (Mk. 1:15;
Mt. 5:20).
The relationship that Jesus offers is one that inspires change for the better. This involves turning away from sinful
habits and attitudes and adopting a new lifestyle that promotes the values of the Kingdom.
4. Christian discipleship entails a mission (Mk. 10:43-45).
Jesus, the Master came to serve and not to be served, setting an example for His disciples to follow. A disciple
offers everything, including his talents and everything that hes capable of to better serve others as a sign of his
devotion to the Master.

Conditions for Christian Discipleship

1. Christian discipleship requires a free, immediate and unconditional response. (Lk. 9:59-62)
Christian discipleship is an empowering call, where the disciple is able to make an immediate response not based
on fear but of faith.
2. Christian discipleship demands selflessness and focus on Jesus and the mission (Lk. 9:59-62)

It takes faith, commitment and single-hearted devotion to the Master to become a true disciple. Worldly concerns
become less of a priority.
3. Christian discipleship calls for commitment and readiness to suffer. (Lk. 9:23)
Discipleship entails suffering because to persevere to the end is a sign of commitment.
4. Christian discipleship demands that God is always the priority; detachment from worldly concerns is
necessary. (Mt. 10:37)
Discipleship requires that the Kingdom of God is the most important concern. The disciple is called to detach
himself from anything and anyone that may stop him from doing and accomplishing his mission of promoting the
values of Jesus.

Mary is considered to be a model disciple. We see in her life how she lived out concretely the conditions
and characteristics of Christian discipleship.

Jesus voice continuously rings today; He is commissioning each one of us to go and be one of His
disciples. He is counting on us so that His saving love will be known throughout the entire world.
The apostles 2000 years ago do no longer exist, it is now our duty to continue the work they have begun,
and this challenge includes people of all nations young and old, regardless of races and cultures.

TRANSFIGURATION
1.
2.
3.
4.

Christs Transfiguration aims at strengthening the apostles faith in anticipation of his Passion.
Transfiguration gives us not only a foretaste of the Kingdom of God but also gives us hope as we journey in
faith. That, at the end, we too will share in the glory of Jesus.
Suffering is part of human existence from birth until death, and every human person suffers in a variety of
ways: physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. It is an inescapable feature of human existence.
The suffering of Christ redeems suffering itself and opens up the possibility that the sufferer can share in the
redemptive work of Christ (SD 19). The suffering of Christ leads to his glory; so, too, does the suffering of
Christians. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you
falsely on my account" (Matt. 5:1011).

LAST SUPPER (WASHING OF THE FEET and INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST

1. Jesus reminds us that only through an attitude of genuine humility can we render authentic loving service to
others.
2. God wants, not only to teach us, instruct us, or inspire us, but to become one with us.
3. Jesus calls us to continue His mission of revealing the perfect love of God in this world. He calls us to total
self-giving. He does not want us to keep anything for ourselves. Rather, he wants our love to be as full, as
radical, and as complete as his own.
JESUS PASSION NARRATIVES
1 Jesus is like us in every way except sin.
5. Jesus truly sympathizes with our every pain because He himself has been tried and tested in the same way.
6. Jesus faced his suffering courageously.
7. Man relates to others, to one another, in the same way in which God relates to man through love. Mankind
comes together in times of suffering but, ultimately, what brings people together, even more than mutual
suffering, is sacrificial love. Love conquers the greatest divides of hatred, racism, greed, lust, sexism, etc., but
it doesnt stop there love conquers sin and love destroys death. That is how Christ defeated Satan, not
merely with the blood of sacrifice, but with the blood, sweat, and tears of love.
JESUS DEATH
1. Jesus Seven Last Words:
a. Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. - Luke 23:34
b. Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. - Luke 23:43
c. Woman, behold your son. Behold, your mother. - John 19:26-27
d. Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? - Mark 15:34
e. I thirst. - John 19:28
f. It is finished. - John 19:30
g. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. - Luke 23:46
4. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds we have been healed. - 1 Peter 2:24. We are all called to take up our cross and follow him.
For Christ also suffered for us, leaving an example so that we should follow in his steps. Embracing the cross
is embracing God's will wholeheartedly even if it may entail suffering and death. As Jesus Himself said,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24.

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No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you
spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no
good to others, you do nothing great.
When we fast from this indifference, we can begin to feast on love. If you want to change your body, perhaps
alcohol and candy is the way to go. But if you want to change your heart, a harder fast is needed. This narrow
road is gritty, but it isnt sterile. It will make room in ourselves to experience a love that can make us whole
and set us free.

JESUS RESURRECTION
1 Jesus has truly risen. He was glorified and was raised by God to new life in accordance with the Scriptures.
No evil or sin, not even death, can stop Gods loving power.
10. There is no Resurrection without Death.
11. The Resurrection confirmed everything that Jesus had done and taught in his public ministry. He was able to
fulfil all the prophecies of the Old Testament. He saved the world from evil, death, and sin.
12. His Resurrection allowed us to have life once again - a life free from slavery and sin.
13. The life-costing love of Jesus calls and empowers us to follow in His loving service of others - to die from our
false selves, to give life and to bring joy to the world. Jesus Christ, through His Paschal Pattern, transforms
our experience of following God, of loving, of doing what is good and right. All these entail sacrifices. All these
require a certain "death". We may need to let go of our ambitions, of our selfish desires, of our bad habits.
But, upon this dying, new life surely will be given for it is through his obedience to his Father's will was Jesus
raised and glorified on the Third day.