C.H.R.I.S.T. Discipleship Path

T is for TITHE

A disciple gives back a portion of the financial blessings God has entrusted to them.

To tithe is to contribute a portion of one’s income—traditionally 10%—to support God’s Church on earth. To tithe properly as a true disciple of Christ, we must first understand Jesus’ teachings on money.

Did you know that 15% of Jesus’ words in the New Testament are about money? Clearly, He wanted His disciples (including us) to understand the importance of money and how to use it to serve God.

Once we understand what Jesus teaches us about money, we can begin to use our own money in ways that honor and serve God. But this is not always easy task to do in our world today. We need to grow in our Trust in God, and we need help to understand and apply Jesus’ teachings to our daily lives.

This week’s Scripture readings give us guidance on this topic:

Our second reading gives an example of this trust through St. Paul, who followed God’s plan even unto death, trusting that God would always be with him and give him strength.
Our Alleluia reminds us that God trusts us to share His message of love with the world. In trusting us, He also calls us to trust Him—in all things, including our money.
Our Gospel teaches us that tithing with the wrong heart is no better than not tithing at all. This is a strong reminder that God cares not just about what we give, but how and why we give. Our attitude towards giving seems to be more important than the gift itself.

The key is to learn Jesus’ way of tithing—with humility and trust in God.

A Disciple Knows Jesus...By TITHING With Trust In God

We are all disciples—followers of Jesus, always learning from Him.

And we grow as disciples when we tithe in accordance with Jesus’ teachings about money. Money is often a challenging topic for Catholics. We may cringe when it’s brought up at church—it can make us feel uncomfortable or even guilty. It’s something we might prefer not to think about. But if Jesus spent 15% of His earthly words discussing money, then we need to pay attention!

In this week’s Gospel, we hear about the Pharisee and the tax collector. In Jesus’ time, Pharisees were respected religious leaders—many of them devout—while tax collectors were often seen as dishonest, known for collecting more than what was owed and keeping the extra for themselves. Yet in this parable, Jesus shows us that He prefers the humble and repentant heart of the tax collector over the prideful attitude of the Pharisee.

We are called to trust that God will provide for us. And we must prayerfully discern how He wants us to use the gifts He gives us—especially our money. This reflection will help us to grow in trust, in generosity, and in relationship with God, becoming ever more faithful disciples.

Questions for Consideration and Dialog

Take some time to reflect on this week’s message and discuss with your group:

What is your reaction to the idea that Jesus spoke frequently about money and gave us clear direction on how to use it?
What strikes you most about the parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee?
The Tax Collector had the gift of humility. What does True Humility mean to you?
How do you strive to live the virtue of humility?
What are some examples of humility you’ve seen in others? Who in your life represents the virtue of humility to you?

Guidance from the Bible

The Bible is always a powerful source of spiritual nourishment and a guide for our lives. Here are some passages that speak to the importance of sharing our faith story for you to ponder.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce;” Proverbs 3:9

“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Mark 12:43-44

“In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’.” Luke 20:35

Action You Can Take

Here are ideas for you as you seek to know Jesus by Sharing:

PRAY

Pray over your budget

Ask God: How can I use this budget to glorify You?
Reflect: Where do you already see God glorified in the way you spend your money?
Consider: Where can you grow in financial responsibility?

ACT

Sign up for Electronic Giving

To joyfully support your Catholic community in Walnut Creek

INSPIRE

Send a thank you note

To someone who has financially sacrificed for you (e.g., parent, sibling, friend, teacher, coach).
Reflect on acts of generosity: Has someone taken you to lunch? Bought you flowers?
Remember: Gifts come in many forms.
Be intentional: Send a note of gratitude.

Week 5 - October 19-25

S is for SHARE

A disciple shares their faith with others through witness, evangelization, and love.

The S for Share is all about sharing our faith story. This involves telling others about our relationship with God, our personal experiences, how God and our faith in Him has shaped our lives. This is very important because such sharing can be the spark that ignites someone else’s journey with Jesus … by inspiring, encouraging and even guiding them.

This is not always easy to do; it can be scary to begin. Our readings this week give us courage: our Responsorial reminds us that our help is from the Lord; the second reading tells us that God’s Word gives us wisdom and equips us for every good work; and the Alleluia fittingly promises us that Scripture is effective in helping us discern the thoughts of our hearts.

The readings also give us guidance: the Gospel reminds us to begin as we must begin all things, by praying without becoming weary; the second reading tells us to be persistent – even when it is inconvenient!

And the final words of the Gospel help us understand why it is important to share our faith story: so that the Son of Man will find faith on earth when He comes. It is up to us to spread that faith, His Good News!

A Disciple Knows Jesus...By SHARING Our Faith Stories with Others

We are all disciples, followers of Jesus, always learning from Him.
And a disciple knows Jesus when SHARING one’s faith story with others.

If we are going to share our faith story with others, we have to know our faith story! That means we need to take the time to reflect on the key moments in our lives: when we first truly encountered God, the blessings He has given us, the challenges He has helped us overcome, the lessons He has taught us. When we take the time in retreat to consider these things, we recognize Jesus’ presence in our lives more clearly and get to know Him better in the process.

Telling our faith stories helps us to recognize God’s purpose for us … and to recognize and treasure the lessons we’ve learned along the way. And when we share our stories with others in community, we are investing ourselves in others … putting ourselves on a strong path to holiness!

Questions for Consideration and Dialog

As you prepare yourself to share your faith story, consider these questions and share your answers with your small group. That sharing will help you break the ice for sharing your faith story with others who may not yet know Christ the way that you do.

Has someone shared their faith story with you and how did it impact you?
When did you first truly encounter God?
What blessings have you received from God?
What challenges has He helped you to overcome and what lessons has God taught you?
How has your relationship with God changed over time … and what has brought about those changes?

Guidance from the Bible

The Bible is always a powerful source of spiritual nourishment and a guide for our lives. Here are some passages that speak to the importance of sharing our faith story for you to ponder.

1 Peter 3:15 - “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” READ MORE

Action You Can Take

Here are ideas for you as you seek to know Jesus by Sharing:

PRAY

Try to “pray always without becoming weary,” seeking His help in understanding your story and asking Him to guide you to others that need to hear your faith story. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you courage as you proceed.
As we prepare to honor All Souls Day, let us bring photos to the Altars of Remembrance, we not only pray for them, but also give thanks for the ways God has worked through them to touch our lives. We are invited to remember those who have gone before us—our loved ones who shaped our faith and journeyed with us in life. Their stories are part of our faith story.

ACT

Try writing your story down:
- Jot down the answers to the questions above, reflecting observations and enhancements that came from sharing them with your small group.
- Identify any trends or themes you see from the exercise above. (e.g., Perhaps God has moved you from doubt to faith; or you’ve learned to forgive or be forgiven; or you’ve found the strength to trust God and step out in faith; or you’ve let go of trying to control things in your life; or you’ve developed a humility that has brought you peace; or you’ve started accepting rather than judging others … it could be many things.)
- Put your story together. In Acts 22, Paul gives us a simple format to use when telling our faith stories. It is “before-God-after”: what was happening in your life before a God event; the God event affected you (could be in the form of a person, a Bible passage, an epiphany during prayer, or something else); how, afterward, you are different as a result.

INSPIRE

Share your faith story when God gives you the chance … and listen carefully to another person’s response. God may be talking to both of you!

Week 4 - October 12-18

How Will You INVEST Yourself in Service?

I is for INVEST

A disciple invests in their parish through active participation in ministries and services.

By Invest, we are talking about investing our very selves in the service of others.

This week’s readings remind us that God gives us great gifts, but we are not always grateful: nine of the ten lepers that were healed didn’t even thank Jesus for His miracle!

If we are to be grateful to God, how do we express that? By serving others!

Jesus told us that, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me." Joshua suggests we choose whom we will serve. St. Peter advises us to “be fervent” in serving. St. Paul instructs us to use our freedom to serve others; and he tells us the rewards: “whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord”!

What better way is there to show God our appreciation than to serve His children as His Son Jesus did?

A Disciple Knows Jesus...By INVESTing Oneself in Service of Others

We are all disciples, followers of Jesus, always learning from Him.
And a disciple knows Jesus when INVESTING oneself in the service of others.

Serving others is one of the most powerful ways to grow spiritually, whether simply lending a hand to someone in need or joining a ministry that blesses our community, service is more than a good deed — it is a powerful form of worship that draws us closer to God. This is because, when we invest ourselves in serving others, we begin to change and transform into the person God wants us to be. The act of serving others requires that we depend on God and trust in His goodness, which leads us to more and more conversations with God…more time in prayer to strengthen our ability to serve. Each step we take -- small and simple or large and sophisticated – lead us closer to God.

Questions for Consideration and Dialog

How would you describe “investing” yourself?
How do the lessons from this week’s readings surprise you? Challenge you?
What joys do you experience or give when you invest yourself?
In what ways can you invest yourself more fully in the service of others?

Action You Can Take

The Bible is always a powerful source of spiritual nourishment and a guide for our lives. Here are some passages that speak to the importance of investing yourself in service of others for you to ponder.

Romans 12:10 - "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

1 Peter 4:10-11 - "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." READ MORE

¿Cómo INVERTIRÁS en el servicio?

Week 3 - October 5-12

R is for RETREAT

A disciple deepens their relationship with God by setting aside intentional time for reflection and renewal.

In the fast-paced world we live in, the idea of taking time to retreat seems nearly impossible … and, somehow, even lazy (by contemporary standards!) But do you know that God truly wants us to retreat?

Let’s first consider what retreat means. The “R” in CHRIST is packed full of meaning for us. You see, there are actually 5 more “R’s” to retreat: rest, relax, reflect, and renew which lead to relationship. READ MORE

A Disciple Knows Jesus...Through RETREAT

We are all disciples, followers of Jesus, always learning from Him.
And a disciple knows Jesus through time spent in Retreat.

Jesus, Himself, established a new day of rest and worship as part of His New Covenant. He wants us to “be still” and to “know that He is God”. He wants us to take the time to reflect on and delight in His Word. Especially when times are tough, He wants us to come to Him and He will give us the rest we need! And when we do, He will reward us with peace, tranquility and clarity. He will refresh and restore us, then transform us and make us strong, firm and steadfast. We can then know Him better and have confidence in His good, pleasing and perfect will for each of us.

Questions for Consideration and Dialog

How would you describe “retreat”?
How do the lessons from this week’s readings surprise you? Challenge you?
What joys do you experience or give to others from taking retreats?
What changes must you make to give yourself time to retreat?
What must you embrace or abandon to practice retreating more regularly?

Action You Can Take

The Bible is always a powerful source of spiritual nourishment and a guide for our lives. Here are some passages that speak to the importance of retreat for you to ponder.

“Be still, and know that I am God” – Psalm 46:10

“But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His Word day and night.” – Psalms 1:2. READ MORE

Week 2 - September 28-October 4

H is for HOLINESS

A disciple grows through prayer, the sacraments, and healing.

Being holy seems like such a lofty goal. But holiness is really about how we live our lives, each and every day. Defined simply, holiness means setting ourselves apart, separating ourselves from sin and the forces of evil in order to grow ever closer to God.

And the best teacher for living our lives is Jesus, Himself. Studying the way He lived His life and the Way He instructed us to live our own lives, we can grow in holiness. READ MORE

A Disciple Knows Jesus...Through HOLINESS

We are all disciples, followers of Jesus, always learning from Him. And a disciple knows Jesus through Holiness.

Holiness is vital for us as disciples because it helps us to foster a deeper relationship with Jesus: when we take the time to study Jesus and the way He lived His life, we begin the path to holiness; and when we follow the model He gave us for living our own lives, we draw ourselves closer to Him, becoming ever more like Him. READ MORE

Questions for Consideration and Dialog

How would you describe “holiness”?
Who exemplifies holiness for you and what about them inspires you?
How do the lessons on holiness from this week’s readings surprise you? Challenge you?
What joys do you experience or give when you practice holiness?
What behaviors do you need to embrace or abandon to become more holy?

Action You Can Take

The Bible is a goldmine of ways to be holy! Here are some golden nuggets to consider:

Remember that God created us to be holy. St. Paul reminds us, “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight;” Hebrews 12:14 and “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3. READ MORE

Week 1 - September 21-27