The General Directory For Catechesis, published by the Vatican, is the Church’s guidebook for all those engaged in catechesis. One section contains the Church’s call to adapt our catechetical language with young people.

One of the difficulties to be addressed and resolved is the question of “language” (mentality, sensibility, tastes, style, vocabulary) between young people and the Church (catechesis, catechists). A necessary “adaptation of catechesis to young people” is urged, in order to translate into their terms “the message of Jesus with patience and wisdom and without betrayal.” (GDC #185)

Teaching For Discipleship takes seriously the art and the potential that comes with the call “to translate” well and to do it “without betrayal.” This is why one of the core principles of T4D is “Watch your language.”

Words are important and impactful, and so are the images and metaphors you use to teach. Images and metaphors can help students make concrete connections to abstract or difficult to grasp concepts. When it comes to teaching about the relationship between Discipleship and the Lord’s Day, what fresh images and metaphors might help us make the “necessary adaptation” called for in the GDC? 

How about some of these?

The path of discipleship… complete with an occasional uphill climb…detours… a map…a compass…“lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”… emergency road service …beautiful sights… surprises…putting on new shoes once in a while...traveling partners…odd strangers…carrying the right stuff in your backpack…mud and rain…and roads less traveled.

This concept of journey can be evocative and can help you “translate” the Lord’s Day and keeping the Sabbath along the lines of a rest stop…where you can pick up food for the journey…with others who are making the same trip.

Keeping the Lord’s Day gives you shelter…reminds you of the direction in which you are heading...allows you to stop by the house…where you can remember who you are…and whose you are.

If you need to jump start a conversation at any time, feel free to toss this out there:

“If discipleship is like trying to take a certain path through life, then keeping the Lord’s Day is like ____________________.”