Fr Anthony Gittens CSSp spoke to a gathering of Marists in Melbourne on 6th February, 2014. In his warm and scholarly way he explained the nature of Christian discipleship as follows:
1. Our mission comes from God 2. Our discipleship involves encounter, table fellowship, foot washing and boundary crossing. 3. True dialogue changes both parties. Its outcome cannot be known in advance. 4. Table fellowship involves participants being at the same level. 5. Boundary crossing invites us out of our cocoon to the edges, this being where our ministry commences.
Tony made reference to the discipleship shown by the anonymous woman annointing Jesus' head. 'While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head' (Mark 14:3).
In response to my question about how to nurture the development of Brothers and Lay Marists as a community he suggested the book "The Home We Build Together: Recreating Society" by Jonathan Sacks.
Tony left us with a lot to appreciate and much to ponder.
John McMahon
