The Invitation: “Come to Me”1

A densely charged passage in Mark gives us the whole structure of authentic discipleship in a
nutshell: “Jesus went up into the hills and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to
him. And he created twelve, in order that they might be with him and to be sent out to preach and
have authority to cast out demons” (Mk. 3:14-15). Here we see at once the five elements that
make up the reality of discipleship: (1) our solitude with Jesus, (2) his freedom in choosing and
calling, (3) our response to the call, (4) the shared life of companionship with Jesus and the other
disciples, and (5) the mission to teach and heal. It is noteworthy that, of these five elements, only
the fifth involves any visible activity in the world; the other four are interior work and represent
the substantial center of the disciple’s experience, with the visible apostolate as fruit.
There is little doubt, then, that the disciple will spend the greater part of his time and
effort, not “doing God’s work”, but simply in yielding to the work God wants to do in him. No
one can be a disciple without first being a contemplative. The heart of Jesus’ intention in
choosing his followers is that they might be with him: above all, Jesus wants to share his life with
us, and this too—the longing to be with Jesus—should be the gravitational pull to which all our
desires should hasten. The [original] Greek… is normally translated quite weakly. It does not say
that Jesus merely “appointed” twelve apostles, but that he has actually made those men into such.
He transformed very ordinary and unpromising persons into active vessels of divine grace, a feat
that only God himself can actually accomplish through a work that merits the name of re-
creation. And the final goal of this transformation is first and foremost that the apostles “might
be with him”, a strong purpose clause revealing the deepest mind and Heart of Jesus in the work
of redemption. Now, this primordial purpose of the apostle’s vocation to “be with Jesus” must by
no means be construed in the sentimental sense of warm companionship and safe conduit to
salvation. Rather, we must give the verb “to be” here its full ontological weight by understanding
the divinely appointed goal to be nothing less than deification: If the apostles are called to be
with Jesus, it is because they are called to become what Jesus already is—the perfect theandric2
unity of the divine and human natures. Ultimately, we are called to live the very life of God in
and through our union of shared existence with the only-begotten Son.
Whatever Jesus may then want to draw out of our companionship with him for the life of
the world, that will be his own work and decision as well. We have only to listen to the call, to
respond by going where Jesus is, and to take up our habitual abode by his side. No one can be
sent by Jesus to heal the world who has not first been called out of the world by Jesus to his side
in solitude. The going up into the hills represents the movement from this world to the Father,
who alone is Jesus’ own “native land”. “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me,
may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for me
before the foundation of the world” (Jn. 17:24).
If the disciples will eventually be able to bear credible witness to Jesus, this is only
because of their intimate association with him apart from the world, in the shared solitude of
daily companionship. In this the disciples share, amazingly, in the role of the Holy Spirit himself,
and for the same reason: “The Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness

1
Leiva-Merikakis, Erasmo, “The Invitation: Come to Me”, The Way of the Disciple San Francisco: Ignatius Press
2003 Print, 36-38.
2
“Theandric”= the adjectival form of theos-aner, meaning God-man, Christ, hence “unity of the divine and human
natures.” We are called to be in perfect conformity with Christ, in whom human and divine nature are in perfect
harmony.
to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning” (Jn.
15:27).

Questions for Discussion:

- What was your impression of the five elements of discipleship? Are there any that you
feel you encountered for the first time?
- Which of the first four elements, the contemplative & interior moments, has the most
significance for you?
- How is it you seek simply to be with Christ?
- Have you ever noticed yourself trying to do God’s work before understanding what work
He is trying to accomplish in you?
- In what ways do you feel “called out of the world”? Do you have a sense of the mission
God is preparing you for? Are there others with whom you feel you share a mission?