Discipleship is the path to true apostleship

Intermountain Catholic

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A life-sized statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus is displayed prominently in the ballroom of the Yarrow Hotel in Park City for the Immaculate Mary Eucharistic Divine Mercy Family Conference Aug. 31-Sept. 2. The conference drew many Catholics with a special devotion to Mary.

PARK CITY – "The only path to true apostleship is discipleship is through mercy," Bishop John C. Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City told more than 300 people gathered at Park City’s Yarrow Hotel Aug. 31 in a reflection before the opening Mass for the Park City Immaculate Mary Eucharistic Divine Mercy Family Conference. "Mary is our guide on this journey. She is the first of the disciples who allowed the Word to take root in her heart."

Beneath a life-size statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and an image of the Divine Mercy, participants had prayed the rosary preceded by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together.

The Aug. 31-Sept 2 conference theme was "Love One Another as I Have Loved You," and its schedule included talks by Missionary of Charity Father Patrick Torres, Father Antoine Thomas of the Brothers of St. John, Father Tim Alkire of St. Boniface Parish, Lafayette, Ind., and healing Father Glenn Fonatana. Annie Karto and Matthew Baute provided music throughout the conference.

The bishop said his own transition from the Archdiocese of San Francisco to the Diocese of Salt Lake City was made easier by the writings of Father Louis J. Camelli.

"His writings on discipleship in Mary’s life; in essence, Mary’s and the priesthood emphasize Mary’s fiat – her yes to become the mother of Jesus... Her fiat, her ‘let it be done to me according to your will’ showed her, vulnerable in the presence of God, acting in an assertive way.

"Our discipleship, with Mary as our model, quarrels with the world view," Bishop Wester said. "The world wants answers. Our faith and our discipleship don’t demand answers."

He shared his own story of having teeth pulled in preparation for braces at the age of eight. After insisting the dentist show him the syringe and needleful of novacaine, he bolted from the dentist’s chair and ran from the office. His mother retrieved him, returning him to the dentist, and the teeth were pulled.

"We want to know ahead of time what is in store for us," the bishop said. "Mary teaches us complete trust in God’s will. Her fiat was her complete gift of self. She teaches us that although she was vulnerable, she was not passive. She teaches us to make a conscious decision to allow God to act in our persons."

The words of Mary’s yes to God are found in her "Magnificat," Bishop Wester said. "Mary exuded God’s praises and leads others to Christ. She proclaims, ‘God always.’ This has been her role as Jesus’ first disciple, and Mary does this par excellence. She leads others to the same hymn of praise, beginning with her cousin, Elizabeth.

"St. Francis was one who followed in the model of Mary’s discipleship. You remember his famous remark: ‘Preach the word of God at all times; when necessary, use words…"

Bishop Wester again contrasted the ways of Mary with the ways of the world in which people are always seeking credit for what they do and are easily prompted to sue one another when they feel wronged. Media, advertising, movies and television all contribute to a mentality of looking good, getting ahead, and racing each other to the top.

"Compare that with Mary’s words at the wedding feast at Cana," he said. "All she told them was, ‘do whatever he tells you,’ It is what she tells us, and again her words quarrels with the world."

Following Mary’s advice, Bishop Wester said his ministry in Utah "is mainly to proclaim the Word of God… what is important for me and us as disciples is to proclaim God at all times."

Mary’s examples for us are found in six actions, the bishop said:

•Ephiphania: Giving birth to her only son "Mary was the first tabernacle and her yes allowed Christ to take on our flesh."

•Contemplatio: Prayer ("Mary shows us how to act in the face of God’s purpose, to contemplate.")

•Transformio: "Mary acts as an ‘accomplice’ in Christ’s miracle of transformation and cooperates again with Christ in his miracles as she did at Cana. She was present to people as we are to be present with one another."

•Juxta Crucem: Suffering much in her life, from the presentation of Jesus in the temple to his being lost in the temple, to people attacking him in his public life, to the cross, Mary suffered with Jesus.

•Medio Ecclesiae: Mary in the midst of the Church ("Mary was in relationship with everyone in the early church through her son and she teaches us that discipleship is a communal affair."

•Gratias agamus Domine Deo Nostro: In giving thanks ("Mary is always in a posture of gratitude. She teaches us that all is God’s doing. She took nothing to herself, but instead thanked God.")

Above all, Mary leads us to her son as Our Lady of Mercy, mirroring Jesus’ attitude, Bishop Wester concluded. "We receive God’s mercy because Christ was vulnerable, he proclaimed the Word, he was present to the Church and the world, he prayed for forgiveness for us, he transformed us, he suffered for us, he was one with us, and he thanked God the Father for his mercy and love.

"We are called to do the same as instruments of God’s mercy."