SEQUELA CHRISTI

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, 1655 by Johannes Vermeer 

   After having a five-day retreat, it is good to cherish its fruits and graces especially in relation to discipleship. Following Christ, in essence, is sitting at the feet of the Master. The word disciple comes from the Latin discipulus, meaning "learner" or "pupil." This reveals something essential: discipleship begins not with action, but with listening. A disciple does not presume mastery but humbly enters into the posture of a student, one who is willing to be taught. To be a disciple is to recognize that we do not yet fully know the way and must allow ourselves to be guided. In a world that constantly urges us to be independent and self-sufficient, this act of humility is countercultural which struck us to form a disposition that brings us to God's original plan for us. Discipleship is not first about perfection, as though one must already be flawless to follow Christ. Instead, it is about wholeness, allowing Christ to gather all the broken and fragmented parts of our lives into unity. True perfection is not an absence of weakness, but the presence of integrity, a life centered in God.

    The Gospel scene of the Transfiguration illustrates this truth vividly. On the mountain, Peter, James, and John, the close friends of Jesus, witnessed the glory of Christ shining before them, and Peter exclaimed, “It is good for us to be here”. This desire to remain in the presence of God is the heart of prayer. To “be here” with Christ is to recognize that the deepest joy of the human heart is to dwell in His presence. Yet, this moment of glory did not last. The disciples had to go down the mountain and continue their journey with Jesus toward the cross. This teaches us something profound: moments of prayerful encounter are not permanent, but they are real, and they sustain us for the journey ahead. Thus, it is worth asking ourselves: When was the last time we truly felt at home in prayer? When was the last time we were so captivated by God’s love that time seemed to stop? Such moments, however fleeting, are treasures. They remind us that prayer is not simply a duty to be fulfilled but a place of encounter where we can rest, even for a moment, in God’s embrace. As the saying goes, “Walang sandaling mananatili kaya sinusulit ang bawat sandali” no moment lasts forever, so every moment must be cherished. Thomas Merton said something profound about prayer, "Prayer is finding the place in you where you are here and now being created by God." This is the perfect realization for you to live in the present moment wherein God is continuously writing the story of your life.

The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1669 by Rembrandt

1. Belonging

    The first dimension of discipleship is belonging. To belong is to know that we are not alone, that we have a home in Christ and a family in the Church. This belonging is not conditional on our worthiness but rooted in God’s mercy. Belonging means allowing ourselves to be forgiven and embraced by God even when we feel unworthy. To forgive, after all, is to set a prisoner free and to discover that the prisoner was yourself. Mercy is the womb of God, in which we are continually reborn and renewed.

    The parable of the Prodigal Son beautifully captures this truth. The younger son, broken and ashamed, expects rejection, yet the father runs to meet him, embraces him, and restores his dignity. This “being spoiled by mercy” is an experience of undeserved love. At the same time, the elder son reminds us that we can remain in the Father’s house and still not feel at home. Resentment and unforgiveness create inner wounds that rob us of joy, even when we are surrounded by God’s blessings. The parable teaches us that belonging is not about earning love but receiving it freely. Healing begins when we stop trying to prove our worth and instead allow God to tell us who we are: "You are my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased."

    To deepen our sense of belonging, we can reflect on the acronym TAHANAN: Tiwala (trust in God’s promises), Alaala (remembering God’s faithfulness), Hapag (sharing in the Eucharistic table), Ampon (knowing we are adopted into God’s family), Ngiti (resting in His joy), Awa (receiving His mercy), and Nais (aligning our desires with His will). This image of tahanan, reminds us that God is not a distant judge but a loving Father who makes room for each us.

    Belonging always moves outward into mission. As Pope Francis reminds us, “God never tires of forgiving us, it is we who tire of seeking His mercy.” Once we experience this mercy, we are called to extend it to others. Forgiveness is not forgetting, it is remembering with grace. It is choosing not to let the past chain us but to allow God’s love to transform it. When we forgive, we give up the right to hurt back, and in doing so, we gain freedom.

    In practical terms, we can think of the “Four Gives and Four Gets” of belonging: When we give our time, we get clarity of purpose. When we give kindness, we get inner peace. When we give effort, we get real growth. And when we give faith, we get hope that anchors. In God’s family, giving and receiving are intertwined, and belonging becomes a way of life.

The Road to Emmaus, 1877 by Robert Zund

2. Believing

  The second dimension of discipleship is believing. Belief is more than intellectual agreement, it is a deep, personal trust in Christ. Faith is an encounter, a relationship, a friendship in which we learn to see everything anew. Believing transforms our vision of life. With faith, even the ordinary becomes charged with meaning because we see it through the eyes of Christ.

    Doubt, however, is not the enemy of faith but often its companion. The story of Thomas reveals this paradox. While the other disciples saw the risen Lord, Thomas struggled to believe. Yet when Jesus invited him to touch His wounds, Thomas’ faith reached its climax in the confession, “My Lord and my God.” His disbelief, far from being a weakness, became an opportunity for a deeper encounter. Faith matures in vulnerability, when our wounds are brought into dialogue with the wounds of Christ. Believing, then, is not simply accepting truths but entrusting our lives to a Person who meets us in our doubts and weaknesses.

   The Emmaus story offers another path of believing. The two disciples, disheartened, walked away in sadness, but Christ drew near. He walked with them, explained the Scriptures, and was finally recognized in the breaking of the bread. This pattern of walking, listening, burning hearts, and recognition is the rhythm of Christian faith. Even when we feel abandoned, Christ is already accompanying us. When we allow Scripture and Eucharist to feed us, faith becomes a flame that sustains us in every trial.

    Faith, however, is not static. It must be nurtured and anchored, especially when tested by intellectual doubts, personal failures, Church scandals, and human weakness. Three anchors help us: Listen, pray with Scripture so that God’s Word interprets our life; Leap, act in faith, for faith that does not move into action withers; Live, express faith in love, for as St. Paul writes, “faith works through love”. True believing integrates reason and lived experience. It is both thought and action, heart and hands.

Pentecost, 1732 by Jean Restout

3. Becoming

    The final dimension of discipleship is becoming. Belonging roots us in God’s mercy, believing deepens our trust in Christ, but becoming is the transformation that makes us new creations. To become is to embody God’s yes not just to say “yes” with words, but to live it with our very being. Becoming is not a distant goal but a present grace. Every moment, God is shaping us into the people we are called to be.

    This transformation is like a pilgrimage. First, we pass through the desert of silence, learning to listen to God. Then we cross the wilderness of prayer, discovering that communion with God sustains us. Finally, we climb the mountain of encounter, where we experience the joy of God’s presence. But the journey of becoming is not about starting from zero every time we fail rather, it is about claiming the growth that God has already begun in us. Pentecost is the great symbol of this stage. After belonging to Christ and believing in His resurrection, the disciples were transformed into bold witnesses, filled with fire, and sent out to become the Body of Christ in the world.

    We can describe this process of becoming in four stages. First, Connection to Communion: Jesus says, “Remain in me as I remain in you”. Communion is not merely being near God but sharing in His very life. Second, Surrender into Shaping: surrender is not losing ourselves but allowing God to engrave His image upon us. We are not erased, we are inscribed with grace. Third, Mindfulness into Identity: discipleship is not about asking, “What will I achieve?” but “Who am I becoming?” Our identity is not the fruit of performance but of presence. When we stand before God fully present, we discover that we are already named, claimed, and sent. Fourth, Living in Hope into Witness: hope is the fire that fuels mission. Not every departure means absence, sometimes, leaving creates a deeper presence. Hope steadies us so that we can bear witness even in the face of trials.

    This retreat brought so much joy to my heart, knowing that God initiates this discipleship in us because, after all, it is He who loved us first, it is He who follows us first in the crosses and joys of our life, even before we had known Him and so it moves us to follow in His footsteps. Discipleship is a journey that integrates belonging, believing, and becoming. To belong is to find a home in God’s mercy. To believe is to entrust ourselves to Christ and let Him open our eyes. To become is to be transformed by grace into living witnesses of God’s love. Following Christ means sitting at His feet, listening to His voice, and allowing every moment to draw us deeper into His presence. Though the journey is demanding, it is also filled with joy, for the One who calls us is faithful, and He walks with us every step of the way.