Mature discipleship, according to Rolheiser, invites us to bless others by acknowledging the greatness and goodness in the other. Prayer, like any conversation, is about taking and making the time to build greater understanding and stronger relationship. It can be public (liturgical, official prayer of the church) or it can be private (one-to-one conversation with God), but prayer always draws us to deeper intimacy with God. We need hard-working prayer that keeps us rooted and grounded and in relationship with God. That is, our prayer needs more than pious words and happy, kind thoughts. For this, Rolheiser notes, we need prayer. Consider the Gospel story of the rich young man, or how Mary ponders her Visitation and other events. The point is, we are called to move from goodness to greatness. Rolheiser shares many Gospel stories that call us to mature discipleship, where we remain faithful when we would rather run away are generous and compassionate when we feel more like being self-serving and self-centered let our light shine on the good and the bad when we would rather discriminate and practice humility when our inner self is crying out for revenge, acknowledgment or understanding.
It is here we are invited to look at our adult lives (mature discipleship) and reflect on three things: 1) How well we are doing in following Christ, 2) The price of mature discipleship, and 3) What aids and guides we have to assist us on the journey. This brings us to part 2 (chapters 3-8) which is the heart and center of the book. Rolheiser reviews Essential Discipleship, which was the focus of his book “The Holy Longing.” With luck we get safely through this stage of growth and come to some degree of maturity in all its phases. Discipleship, according to Rolheiser, has three stages which parallel our human growth: Birth to adulthood (Essential Discipleship), our adult years (Mature Discipleship), and our senior/dying years (Radical Discipleship). Chapters 3-8 are the payoff for this read.Ĭhapter 1 compares human growth and maturation to the fermentation of a fine wine, which takes time and patience. Stick with it through part one of the book (chapters 1 and 2) in which Rolheiser sets the stage for the rest of the book.
It is a follow-up to his “The Holy Longing,” and the predecessor to a yet-to-be-written book on Radical Discipleship. Though not a “hot-off-the-press” book, “Sacred Fire” by Ronald Rolheiser is well worth reading.
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