A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 28:16-20: The eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain where Jesus told them to go. They worshiped with him and he said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
In today's Gospel we learn that even though Jesus will soon go back to heaven (the Ascension), it is only the beginning! Jesus is telling his disciples that they, the students, are now going to be the teachers, going to teach others all over the world about Him, and baptizing them in the Trinity. Remember we learned about the Trinity or the 3 persons of God - Father, Son, and Holy Sprit - last week and we name these 3 persons in the Sign of the Cross prayer.(Make the Sign of the Cross). The disciples will spread God's love and find more people to follow Jesus!
We are some of the disciples that Jesus told the original disciples to make - the original disciples told others about Jesus and they told other people and they told other people...and on and on. We know and love Jesus because others have taught us about him. As a disciple, Jesus is calling us to love him and teach others about him too! Jesus tells the disciples that he will always be with them - just like he is always with us!
1) What did Jesus tell the disciples to do? (make disciples all over the world and baptize them)
2) Jesus told his disciples to baptize the disciples in what we call the Trinity. Who are the 3 persons in 1 God of the Trinity? (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) and what prayer do we say that calls all of them by name? (The Sign of the Cross)
3) How can you be a disciple and teach others about Jesus?