19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Matthew 28: 19-20
“Teaching.” When I was a teacher, I had a poster on my wall that I carried to Africa with me, “Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” Jesus in his farewell to his followers tells them to “go and make disciples of all nations.” He makes it clear that this involves baptism, a cleansing of the soul by God giving a new start in life and it involves teaching—learning the guidelines for a fulfilling life. Observation is a slow tedious way to learn a new language, a new game, a new culture but having a friend who explains, who walks with you, who does not criticize, speeds up the learning process. Teaching implies also that the student in learning will sometimes make mistakes and will not always be perfect. The student does not have the expertise of the teacher and has not mastered the skills and knowledge. I fear we often think that a profession of faith should be followed by a life that immediately changes and is perfect. But in-fact making disciples involves teaching and it is a process.
Teaching is relational, takes time, and involves growth. Perhaps reflecting on where you want to be growing in your faith right now would be a good exercise. Perhaps identifying someone who might become a friend to teach you is worth pondering. Find a book on a spiritual discipline you are interested in improving. Go to a retreat center where you could be involved with a spiritual director? Find an older saint to share with. As a grandparent, I try to pray for specific character traits I would like to see growing in my grandchildren. We are never too old or too young to be impacting lives of another. Who are you wanting to teach and who are you learning from today?
On the Way to Wonder 