Bishop Earl Boyea today launched a new initiative challenging both the clergy and lay Catholics of the Diocese of Lansing to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ across 2022.
“Each week, I will e-mail you a specific challenge focusing on a particular habit of authentic Christian discipleship,” explained Bishop Boyea in a video message to his diocese, December 17.
“Inspired and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, it will then be for each of us to live-out that habit over the subsequent seven days.”
The new initiative is entitled Disciples Together on the Way. Bishop Boyea says he intends to issue his discipleship challenge in a weekly video message delivered via e-mail or text. Each message will reveal his new discipleship challenge as well as his rationale in choosing it.
“In the Holy Gospels, Our Blessed Lord identifies himself as ‘the way’,” said Bishop Boyea explaining his choice of title.
“Meanwhile, the early Christians often referred to their new life as disciples of Jesus Christ as ‘the Way’. We too are his chosen.”
Bishop Boyea’s new initiative follows on from his Year of the Bible which concluded this Advent. It witnessed over 12,000 subscribers, mainly across the Diocese of Lansing, receive a chapter of Sacred Scripture, plus a commentary, each morning over the course of 365 days. Bishop Boyea hopes that many of those subscribers will also join his Disciples Together on the Way challenge.
“This life is a journey. It’s a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage from God and to God. We are each pilgrims on that narrow path,” said Bishop Boyea.
“It’s not an easy journey. We all know that. However, if we co-operate with God’s grace we can make it and, even better, we can make it together.”
* To subscribe to Bishop Boyea’s Disciples Together on the Way challenge, text ONTHEWAY to 84576 or register here.