Submitted by Lucas S., 2L Guest Blogger
Last spring, the Christian Legal Society started a daily devotional meeting for law students and faculty called Daily Discipleship. The meetings take place at noon in Room 326. Attendance is usually between ten and twenty students and the meetings revolve around three elements of the Christian walk – Bible reading, discipleship and prayer.
A view into the Chapel of St. Thomas More
Bible Reading
Each day, the group reads from the same daily readings which are said at mass. The Catholic daily readings follow a pattern which flows from the Christian calendar – revolving around events such as Easter and Christmas. This provides a structure for the year and culminates in celebrations of the key events which are central to the Christian faith from the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In participating in the same readings which are said at mass, Daily Discipleship is seeking unity of spirit and faith with their Catholic brethren. Catholics and Protestants share the same Lord and Savior; and, although men have caused divisions in the Church, Christ is not divided. Protestants disagree with many of the traditions of the Catholic church, but communal Bible readings is not one of them. It is a wonderful tradition which fosters unity in the body of Christ, and one of the goals of Daily Discipleship is to foster unity.
Discipleship
Christian brotherhood has been compared to a hardwood floor, where each board is linked with and supports two others. This concept of discipleship and support can be traced back both to the early church and to Old Testament times. For example, when David was hiding from King Saul in caves and deserts, he had a small group of soldiers which were so unified in spirit, that each would have died for any one of their comrades.
Daily Discipleship is beginning the year with testimonies from students and faculty. In Christian circles, a testimony is a personal story of redemption, complete with a retelling of their physical and spiritual history. Testimonies are a great tool for developing personal relationship among the group and making connections.
Prayer
Five or ten minutes at the end of each meeting are reserved for prayer. Prayer is the way Christians communicate with God, and it is the main way we submit our spirits to His will. The prayer goals of the meetings are to pray for the spiritual state of the St. Thomas campus, the city, the state, and the nation. However, the time is usually spent praying for the individuals needs of people in the group.
The Opportunity
The environment at St. Thomas School of Law is probably the last opportunity most law students will have to be a part of a large community of believers on a daily basis. Students who are serious about their faith would be wise to take advantage of the opportunity to meet daily with other Christians because once a student leaves St. Thomas, it’s unlikely they’ll have the same opportunity again.
