When Jesus walked on earth, he invited people to follow him, to walk with him, in order to share and to continue his mission. We are told in Mk. 3:14-15, that the Twelve who were chosen by him were called to be his companions, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, with power to drive out devils. Today, Jesus continues to extend the same invitation to us. 

To accept his invitation, requires us  foremostly,  to get to know him by being his companions, by walking with him, and listening to him. We do this through personal prayer, meditation of the scriptures, and the celebration of the sacraments, as well as deepening our awareness of his presence in creation, in events and in people whom we meet. Faith vision is a necessary requisite to recognize Jesus in his various and often unexpected disguises. 

St. Teresa of Avila frequently reminds us in her writings that to grow in intimacy with the Lord calls for us to cultivate self-knowledge and humility. Self-knowledge creates in us a deeper awareness of our need for grace and repentance. Humility enables us to acknowledge this need and to beseech God for the necessary graces for conversion, and for transformation into more authentic images of Jesus. 

As we personally experience the Lord, we deepen our love for him. This love is translated into love and service for humility, into commitment to proclaiming and witnessing Christ not only through word, but even more so in our lifestyle and values, attitudes and behaviour, and in our relationship with one another. As Jesus reminds us: "It is by love for one another that everyone will recognize you as my disciples" (Jn. 13:35). 

To walk with Jesus then, is to know him intimately as a friend, a brother and personal Saviour, and in this knowing we grow to truly love him with a love that is to be lived in authentic Christian living. In this process we come to proclaim him to the world as Lord and Saviour, a mission entrusted to us by virtue of our being called to be his disciples.