Jesus Is Not Our Model

This morning I was reading from a transcript of a talk by Br. Philip Neri, O.P. and the following few sentences spoke to my heart. They called me to go deeper with the Lord and I thought I would share these words and my thoughts so they may inspire you to go a little deeper as well.

“Following Christ is not merely an imitation. It is not merely an external model. It is not as if we were painters and we had, thus, a model before our eyes and we were at work reproducing it.

It is something more than that. It is not a model. It is a mold.

We need to be ourselves, in our own souls, conformed. We have to receive the form, the shape of Jesus Christ in our own souls. Not just following Him externally, but following Him internally. We need to be shaped and molded in conformity to Jesus” Br. Philip Neri, O.P.

Jesus is not our model. He is our mold.

We often hear that we must follow Christ, but actually, we are called to more. We are called to become Christ. We need to work hard to make ourselves humble and pliable so that we can be molded into the shape of Jesus and become Jesus in our world.

Imitations are just that. Imitations. There is a difference between an imitation Rolex and a real Rolex watch. There is a difference between an imitation Coach handbag and a real Coach handbag. Likewise, there is a difference in the Christian imitating Christ and one who has allowed themselves to become Christ.

I think the way to become Christ is humility. Christ humbled Himself by taking on our very nature. (Philippians 2: 6-8) Therefore, pray for humility. Make yourself pliable by praying and listening to God’s will. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was, and pour your whole being, body and spirit, into the mold. Pour yourself into the mold that God showed us in His Son and become Christ in your little place in the world.