4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When I think of the phrase, "Come follow Me" said by Jesus, I think it means to have strong faith, to apologize, to forgive, to make wise decisions, and to care for those in need.
The phrase, "Come follow me" said by Jesus means to follow His example, have strong faith, and go to church every Sunday and/or Saturday, including Holy Days. For me personally, even when I want to stay in bed, I wake up and go to church; I always feel better afterwards. Another example is when I help my Mom and Dad, I always feel good later. One time I worked at a food pantry near my cousin's hometown during Thanksgiving Day. I served food to lose less fortunate than me. I often serve as an Altar Server at Mass a lot. I'm nice to my sisters. I care for animals and people. I treat others the way I want to be treated. I'm nice to everybody. I box up clothing, food, and toys, and I send them to the poor, or victims of terrible weather events (like Tsunamis). I pick litter to help keep Jesus' Earth clean.
I believe that people should follow Jesus' ways and be taught loving behavior as early as pre-school age. I see my five-year-old sister and my seven-year-old sister going around the house spreading Jesus' love. They do this by drawing pictures and writing "I love Jesus" and "I love God" all over artwork.
So as you can see, you can never be too young to spread Jesus' loving ways and to come follow Him!
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me" means to always believe in him and trust in him. You have to open your heart, mind, and spirit to receive God's message. You have to be nice, kind, and loving towards others.
One way I do this is by going to Mass to learn about the way Jesus treated others. By his example, I do these things toward others to show that I care: giving hugs, praying for others that need our prayers, saying kind things to others, and teaching my family about things I have learned about Jesus and Saints.
"Come follow me" also means to live as he did. A way I think of "come follow me" is the way a teacher leads a class. Jesus was a teacher. He taught people about God, and He leads the people.
We have to follow Jesus as he leads us through our lives. I love to hear parables that Jesus told his followers. For example, the parable about how the younger son took his inheritance from his father and left. He spent the money foolishly, and came back and asked his father forgiveness. We go to Reconciliation and ask God for forgiveness for our sins. Then, we try not to the bad things, but act on the good and right things, just as Jesus wants us to do.
5th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
The words "come follow me" means Jesus wants us to give up what we have and follow and trust him to take care of us. The words mean that Jesus wants us to know that he is all we need. Jesus is trying to say that we don't need all our fancy things; we don't need our expensive jewelry just him.
It's like when Jesus told the fisherman to come and follow him, they did. They left all their stuff and followed Jesus. They didn't know who he was, but they trusted him with all their heart. The only thing they knew was that he was the Son of God. It's also like when Jesus told his disciples to come follow him, they did, and they also left all their stuff and followed Jesus.
When Jesus said "come follow me" he meant come and live a holy life with him. Jesus meant you don't need anything else but to trust in him.
I think the words "come follow me" means that Jesus wants us to go to him when it's time. He doesn't want us to be scared. He just wants us to know that he is all we need, and we need to be able to trust him.
5th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Religion
What I think Jesus meant by "Come Follow Me" is "come follow me in my teachings," as in being holy. Do not lie, and do not follow the path of evil. In the story of Adam and Eve, they didn't listen to God when he told them not to eat the fruit. Eve gave it to Adam, and he ate it, even though he remembered what God said. God punished Adam and Eve by banishing them from the Garden of Eden. So do not follow the path of sinners, because you might not make it to heaven. Jesus is telling you that if you are good in life follow him to heaven. That means follow the ten commandments. Following them is a good way to follow what Jesus said "Come Follow Me." I also think it means "live like he did." Don't rob, just be your good self. God wants us to go to heaven. God watches you all your life, if you do something bad and go to confession and tell your priest about your sins and confess. He will do the sign of the cross and you be forgiven that is what he meant by these words.
6th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me," he meant listen to me, act like me, and live like me for God. This is what he meant and this is how you can do it.
When you go to mass or even any christian church you are following Jesus by hearing the readings and the Gospel. You follow Christ when you listen to others. And most important you follow Jesus when you listen your heart for him.
When you care for others you are acting like Christ and following him. When you have little money and still give money in donations. While you're a kid you can act like Christ. A kid might clean his room without being told is one way to act like Jesus. But the most important way to follow Christ is to take care of the world and it's people.
You can follow Jesus by living for him. A priest goes to a seminary to learn how to live for Christ. Yet there are some things that we can do to live for Christ. Like sharing and following the ten Commandments. Other ways to follow Jesus are by listening and acting for him. But the most important and best way to follow Jesus is by praising God.
6th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Come Follow Me…
To me, "Come follow me" means several different things. If you think about it, Jesus meant that he wanted us to be like him. He wanted us to spread the word of God like him, to be kind and forgiving like him, and to regret our sins. He also wanted people to direct their lives to serving others like him.
Jesus did not want this just for his sake, he wanted us to follow him so that we may share in the joy of God's love and kingdom. We should feel so bless to be cared for and loved that much. I know that I feel those blessings every day when I am at school with friends and teacher, and at home with my family.
I believe that when Jesus said "Come follow me" he was also calling on those people who have been living in sin to him and his father, so that they may not be condemned into the darkness. He was calling them back into the light, so they may not live in sin forever.
I hope that you have enjoyed my point of view on "come follow me" and take it to heart. God bless!
8th Grade at Notre Dame Elementary
The words "come follow me" that Jesus said, mean that all of his followers in the whole world should do what he said and did. Also they should do good things. His disciples followed not only his commandments, but also his actions. Also, he wants this same commitment from each of us individually and the church as a whole. We can all work together to please and follow Jesus.
What it means to the disciples is that they should leave everything and follow him to heaven. Jesus wanted them to know that he is everything they need. Jesus is trying to say that we don't need all of our fancy things; all we need is God. Therefore, he came to them, and they left their boats, jobs, families, and fish to follow Him. They didn't even know who He was, but they trusted that He would take care of them, so they followed Him. Matthew 2:18-22 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers; Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two brothers, James and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. The last thing He told them is to spread the word of God to all people. So they did that for the rest of their lives and told people that would listen.
What it means to me is I should give things away that are not useful in praising God and follow him. For instance, if Xbox is keeping me from prayer and church, that is a sin, and I should give it away. Also I should spread the word of God by having a Bible class and reading the Bible aloud. I should also give things to the poor and unfortunate ones, so I can follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Last, I could help ill people get better and also teach them to follow God.
What the word of God means to everyone is God wants everyone to follow him. People should live a holy life by praying and going to church on Sundays, so they can also follow God. Next, everyone could spread the word of God by going to Bible class and reading the Bible at night. People should be a witness of the good things God has done for them and in each persons individual lives.
God wants his disciples to follow Him, but He also wants everyone else in the world to also. He doesn't want us to be scared. He just wants to know that He is all we need, and we need to be able to trust Him. The world would be heaven on earth if everyone in the world followed Jesus and spread the word of God.
8th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Come Follow Me
Jesus Christ gave us a guideline for life in just three simple words: come follow me. He is always waiting for us, arms wide open, to turn to Him and follow HIm. In this world that changes everyday, it can be more difficult than just walking His path. You will run into obstacles, and it will be hard at times. It takes courage, patience, and strong faith in God to be a true follower of Jesus, but He will give you everything that you need to make it.
Jesus gives us opportunities to follow Him every day. Following Him can mean anything from speaking out about what you believe in to helping a child tie his or her shoes. Following Jesus will take a lot of effort sometimes, that is where the "come" part comes into play. It may be easier said than done at times, but it will be worth it in the end. Along with eventually getting to be with Jesus in Heaven, you will also gain the respect of others, make some new friends, and live life to its fullest by following Jesus, which is exactly what He wants for us.
Following someone doesn't mean exactly walking where they walked; it's much more than that. For example, you can follow material things that you have or want in this world. Jesus teaches us that following Him in life will get us a much better reward than beating the last level on our video game will. You can follow whatever you believe in.
I also think Jesus meant that you should follow His example in actions and words and strive to become more like Him. It's kind of like follow the leader. Doing exactly what the leader does will make you win the game. You can do a good deed knowing you won't get praise from others or fight for peace in the world. Helping poor, sick, and homeless people in all things that Christ did and we can also do to follow right along in His footsteps. Speaking the gospel and telling of Jesus can also make us a follower of Him. Even just showing kindness to others is following Him. Kindness can be a compliment, helping someone with their homework, or even just giving someone a sincere smile. Be kind to everyone, no matter what they look like, how they dress, or how they talk, they are all equal in God's eyes and they should be equal in our eyes too. Being kind can also bring other people to become followers of Christ by our good example.
Jesus meant it when He said, "Come follow me." He didn't say, "Come follow me whe you feel like it" or "Come follow me, but only on Tuesdays." It's an all-the-time thing. Follow Him every day, and in every way possible. Think of what He would do in the situation you are in and do it. He also didn't say, "Come follow me, but only the ones who have blue eyes." He loves us all and wants us to follow Him, regardless of who we are or where we came from. He wants us all to be with Him in Heaven one day and every day is calling to us, "Come follow me." Will you accept the invitation?
12th Grade Notre Dame High School
How Will You Respond?
Jesus said, "Come follow me." Literally, these three words are simple to understand. These words say that Jesus wants us to go behind Him. However, to find the real meaning, one must go below the surface of literal meaning.
"Come follow me." These words hold an unparalleled amount of meaning when looked at and analyzed through the screen of spirituality. In saying this phrase, Jesus implied that He is our example. He is the model of perfection that we must imitate to get to Heaven. The ideas and direction that three simple words hold are remarkable!
These words were not meant for those who do not sin, or for those who love God infallibly, or even just for Catholics. These three words are meant for EVERYONE. Jesus wants everyone to go behind Him and imitate His example. He speaks to the single mother who sells herself to support her children, to the teenage boy who hurts his body to compensate for his emptiness; He speaks to the girl who was baptized but spends the weekends drinking. He even speaks to me, a Hindu.
Sometimes, we find it difficult to follow Jesus. The burden becomes too heavy; other things move to importance in our lives; time takes a toll; events happen that lead us to stop believing. Everyone makes mistakes, and no matter how long it takes, Jesus patiently waits for us. God patiently forgives us. The Father and Son allow us to take as much time as we need until we realize that in following Jesus, our burden lifts. In following Him, God takes precedence in our lives, and suddenly we are filled with light and love. Things become easier; they fall into place. Goals and dreams are attainable. Life becomes what we always imagined it to be and we can be truly, deeply happy!
In a society where spirituality is often looked down upon, it is important for everyone, especially the youth to stay true to themselves and their faith. Jesus calls upon the youth to shine with His love and follow His example. He charged us with the important mission to bring God's message to others and inspire more people to follow Him. However, inspiration for such a spiritual journey and task as this one can only come from one source - faith and belief in Jesus and God. In following the example of Jesus, we acquire the passion and pure love that is necessary to inspire others.
While obstacles may hinder our steps and slow our pace, Jesus stands on the horizon as a vision of light for as long as it may take until we realize what we need to do. He waits, unwearyingly beckoning us to pick up our crosses and go behind Him in a journey that may be full of tribulations and rocks. Jesus never said that the voyage would be without troubles, but He did say that He would remain with us always, and carry us when our feet tire and exhaustion envelopes our bodies. So, when Jesus calls, "Come follow me," how will you respond? Will you jump to your feet and rush to stand behind Him? He will wait until you do.
12th Grade Notre Dame High School
"Come Follow Me"
“As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.” – Matthew 4:18-20
I wonder Simon and Andrew were planning on doing the rest of the day when Jesus called them. I’m sure they had their whole day planned out, but someone came and changed their plans. I can relate to that. Like Simon and Andrew, I had my own ideas about what I wanted to do with my life. That all changed, however, the day Christ called me to do otherwise.
It was the summer before my eighth grade year, and I found myself attending Catholic Youth Summer Camp in northern Ohio. I remember it well: days full of fun activities, nights filled with incredible prayer. I had never experienced anything like it. Prior to camp, prayer had always been a bit on the boring side. At Catholic Youth Summer Camp, prayer was actually exciting.
One day at camp, a seminarian came and gave us a talk. He explained that a seminarian was a man studying to become a priest. The reason he was a seminarian was because he felt God calling him to do it.
“I would go to Eucharistic adoration, and every time I was there, I could just feel God pulling me towards the priesthood,” he said. At first he would resist this pull: “God said, ‘I want you to be a priest,’ but I would reply, ‘No thanks, God, I want to be an engineer.’”
In the end, he gave in to the pull and became a seminarian.
For some reason, his talk really stood out to me. I couldn’t keep it off my mind. Later that week we had Eucharistic adoration. I remember kneeling there in front of the Eucharist, felling really close to God. It was as if he were a real person, closer to me than anyone else I knew.
And then I felt it. I was being called to the priesthood. It was at once the most exciting and the most frightening feeling I’d ever had before. On the one hand, all the plans I had for myself just went down the drain. On the other hand, I knew I would always find fulfillment if I chose to follow God’s plan.
Believe me, it wasn’t easy, but I actually said “yes” to following that part of God’s plan for me. He told me to follow him, and I decided I had nothing to loose. I knew that if I didn’t, I’d be left asking “What if?” for the rest of my life.
Jesus doesn’t call everyone the same way, but he does call everyone. He asks us to give him everything we have so he can make something even better out of it. I don’t know what Simon had in mind for his fishing career, but I bet he didn’t think he’d end up fishing for men as the first pope. God has a way of taking all our human failures and making them into something divine.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Essay by Students
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When I think of the phrase, "Come follow Me" said by Jesus, I think it means to have strong faith, to apologize, to forgive, to make wise decisions, and to care for those in need.
The phrase, "Come follow me" said by Jesus means to follow His example, have strong faith, and go to church every Sunday and/or Saturday, including Holy Days. For me personally, even when I want to stay in bed, I wake up and go to church; I always feel better afterwards. Another example is when I help my Mom and Dad, I always feel good later. One time I worked at a food pantry near my cousin's hometown during Thanksgiving Day. I served food to lose less fortunate than me. I often serve as an Altar Server at Mass a lot. I'm nice to my sisters. I care for animals and people. I treat others the way I want to be treated. I'm nice to everybody. I box up clothing, food, and toys, and I send them to the poor, or victims of terrible weather events (like Tsunamis). I pick litter to help keep Jesus' Earth clean.
I believe that people should follow Jesus' ways and be taught loving behavior as early as pre-school age. I see my five-year-old sister and my seven-year-old sister going around the house spreading Jesus' love. They do this by drawing pictures and writing "I love Jesus" and "I love God" all over artwork.
So as you can see, you can never be too young to spread Jesus' loving ways and to come follow Him!
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me" means to always believe in him and trust in him. You have to open your heart, mind, and spirit to receive God's message. You have to be nice, kind, and loving towards others.
One way I do this is by going to Mass to learn about the way Jesus treated others. By his example, I do these things toward others to show that I care: giving hugs, praying for others that need our prayers, saying kind things to others, and teaching my family about things I have learned about Jesus and Saints.
"Come follow me" also means to live as he did. A way I think of "come follow me" is the way a teacher leads a class. Jesus was a teacher. He taught people about God, and He leads the people.
We have to follow Jesus as he leads us through our lives. I love to hear parables that Jesus told his followers. For example, the parable about how the younger son took his inheritance from his father and left. He spent the money foolishly, and came back and asked his father forgiveness. We go to Reconciliation and ask God for forgiveness for our sins. Then, we try not to the bad things, but act on the good and right things, just as Jesus wants us to do.
Essay by Students
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When I think of the phrase, "Come follow Me" said by Jesus, I think it means to have strong faith, to apologize, to forgive, to make wise decisions, and to care for those in need.
The phrase, "Come follow me" said by Jesus means to follow His example, have strong faith, and go to church every Sunday and/or Saturday, including Holy Days. For me personally, even when I want to stay in bed, I wake up and go to church; I always feel better afterwards. Another example is when I help my Mom and Dad, I always feel good later. One time I worked at a food pantry near my cousin's hometown during Thanksgiving Day. I served food to lose less fortunate than me. I often serve as an Altar Server at Mass a lot. I'm nice to my sisters. I care for animals and people. I treat others the way I want to be treated. I'm nice to everybody. I box up clothing, food, and toys, and I send them to the poor, or victims of terrible weather events (like Tsunamis). I pick litter to help keep Jesus' Earth clean.
I believe that people should follow Jesus' ways and be taught loving behavior as early as pre-school age. I see my five-year-old sister and my seven-year-old sister going around the house spreading Jesus' love. They do this by drawing pictures and writing "I love Jesus" and "I love God" all over artwork.
So as you can see, you can never be too young to spread Jesus' loving ways and to come follow Him!
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me" means to always believe in him and trust in him. You have to open your heart, mind, and spirit to receive God's message. You have to be nice, kind, and loving towards others.
One way I do this is by going to Mass to learn about the way Jesus treated others. By his example, I do these things toward others to show that I care: giving hugs, praying for others that need our prayers, saying kind things to others, and teaching my family about things I have learned about Jesus and Saints.
"Come follow me" also means to live as he did. A way I think of "come follow me" is the way a teacher leads a class. Jesus was a teacher. He taught people about God, and He leads the people.
We have to follow Jesus as he leads us through our lives. I love to hear parables that Jesus told his followers. For example, the parable about how the younger son took his inheritance from his father and left. He spent the money foolishly, and came back and asked his father forgiveness. We go to Reconciliation and ask God for forgiveness for our sins. Then, we try not to the bad things, but act on the good and right things, just as Jesus wants us to do.
5th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
The words "come follow me" means Jesus wants us to give up what we have and follow and trust him to take care of us. The words mean that Jesus wants us to know that he is all we need. Jesus is trying to say that we don't need all our fancy things; we don't need our expensive jewelry just him.
It's like when Jesus told the fisherman to come and follow him, they did. They left all their stuff and followed Jesus. They didn't know who he was, but they trusted him with all their heart. The only thing they knew was that he was the Son of God. It's also like when Jesus told his disciples to come follow him, they did, and they also left all their stuff and followed Jesus.
When Jesus said "come follow me" he meant come and live a holy life with him. Jesus meant you don't need anything else but to trust in him.
I think the words "come follow me" means that Jesus wants us to go to him when it's time. He doesn't want us to be scared. He just wants us to know that he is all we need, and we need to be able to trust him.
5th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Religion
What I think Jesus meant by "Come Follow Me" is "come follow me in my teachings," as in being holy. Do not lie, and do not follow the path of evil. In the story of Adam and Eve, they didn't listen to God when he told them not to eat the fruit. Eve gave it to Adam, and he ate it, even though he remembered what God said. God punished Adam and Eve by banishing them from the Garden of Eden. So do not follow the path of sinners, because you might not make it to heaven. Jesus is telling you that if you are good in life follow him to heaven. That means follow the ten commandments. Following them is a good way to follow what Jesus said "Come Follow Me." I also think it means "live like he did." Don't rob, just be your good self. God wants us to go to heaven. God watches you all your life, if you do something bad and go to confession and tell your priest about your sins and confess. He will do the sign of the cross and you be forgiven that is what he meant by these words.
6th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me," he meant listen to me, act like me, and live like me for God. This is what he meant and this is how you can do it.
When you go to mass or even any christian church you are following Jesus by hearing the readings and the Gospel. You follow Christ when you listen to others. And most important you follow Jesus when you listen your heart for him.
When you care for others you are acting like Christ and following him. When you have little money and still give money in donations. While you're a kid you can act like Christ. A kid might clean his room without being told is one way to act like Jesus. But the most important way to follow Christ is to take care of the world and it's people.
You can follow Jesus by living for him. A priest goes to a seminary to learn how to live for Christ. Yet there are some things that we can do to live for Christ. Like sharing and following the ten Commandments. Other ways to follow Jesus are by listening and acting for him. But the most important and best way to follow Jesus is by praising God.
6th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Come Follow Me…
To me, "Come follow me" means several different things. If you think about it, Jesus meant that he wanted us to be like him. He wanted us to spread the word of God like him, to be kind and forgiving like him, and to regret our sins. He also wanted people to direct their lives to serving others like him.
Jesus did not want this just for his sake, he wanted us to follow him so that we may share in the joy of God's love and kingdom. We should feel so bless to be cared for and loved that much. I know that I feel those blessings every day when I am at school with friends and teacher, and at home with my family.
I believe that when Jesus said "Come follow me" he was also calling on those people who have been living in sin to him and his father, so that they may not be condemned into the darkness. He was calling them back into the light, so they may not live in sin forever.
I hope that you have enjoyed my point of view on "come follow me" and take it to heart. God bless!
8th Grade at Notre Dame Elementary
The words "come follow me" that Jesus said, mean that all of his followers in the whole world should do what he said and did. Also they should do good things. His disciples followed not only his commandments, but also his actions. Also, he wants this same commitment from each of us individually and the church as a whole. We can all work together to please and follow Jesus.
What it means to the disciples is that they should leave everything and follow him to heaven. Jesus wanted them to know that he is everything they need. Jesus is trying to say that we don't need all of our fancy things; all we need is God. Therefore, he came to them, and they left their boats, jobs, families, and fish to follow Him. They didn't even know who He was, but they trusted that He would take care of them, so they followed Him. Matthew 2:18-22 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers; Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two brothers, James and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. The last thing He told them is to spread the word of God to all people. So they did that for the rest of their lives and told people that would listen.
What it means to me is I should give things away that are not useful in praising God and follow him. For instance, if Xbox is keeping me from prayer and church, that is a sin, and I should give it away. Also I should spread the word of God by having a Bible class and reading the Bible aloud. I should also give things to the poor and unfortunate ones, so I can follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Last, I could help ill people get better and also teach them to follow God.
What the word of God means to everyone is God wants everyone to follow him. People should live a holy life by praying and going to church on Sundays, so they can also follow God. Next, everyone could spread the word of God by going to Bible class and reading the Bible at night. People should be a witness of the good things God has done for them and in each persons individual lives.
God wants his disciples to follow Him, but He also wants everyone else in the world to also. He doesn't want us to be scared. He just wants to know that He is all we need, and we need to be able to trust Him. The world would be heaven on earth if everyone in the world followed Jesus and spread the word of God.
8th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Come Follow Me
Jesus Christ gave us a guideline for life in just three simple words: come follow me. He is always waiting for us, arms wide open, to turn to Him and follow HIm. In this world that changes everyday, it can be more difficult than just walking His path. You will run into obstacles, and it will be hard at times. It takes courage, patience, and strong faith in God to be a true follower of Jesus, but He will give you everything that you need to make it.
Jesus gives us opportunities to follow Him every day. Following Him can mean anything from speaking out about what you believe in to helping a child tie his or her shoes. Following Jesus will take a lot of effort sometimes, that is where the "come" part comes into play. It may be easier said than done at times, but it will be worth it in the end. Along with eventually getting to be with Jesus in Heaven, you will also gain the respect of others, make some new friends, and live life to its fullest by following Jesus, which is exactly what He wants for us.
Following someone doesn't mean exactly walking where they walked; it's much more than that. For example, you can follow material things that you have or want in this world. Jesus teaches us that following Him in life will get us a much better reward than beating the last level on our video game will. You can follow whatever you believe in.
I also think Jesus meant that you should follow His example in actions and words and strive to become more like Him. It's kind of like follow the leader. Doing exactly what the leader does will make you win the game. You can do a good deed knowing you won't get praise from others or fight for peace in the world. Helping poor, sick, and homeless people in all things that Christ did and we can also do to follow right along in His footsteps. Speaking the gospel and telling of Jesus can also make us a follower of Him. Even just showing kindness to others is following Him. Kindness can be a compliment, helping someone with their homework, or even just giving someone a sincere smile. Be kind to everyone, no matter what they look like, how they dress, or how they talk, they are all equal in God's eyes and they should be equal in our eyes too. Being kind can also bring other people to become followers of Christ by our good example.
Jesus meant it when He said, "Come follow me." He didn't say, "Come follow me whe you feel like it" or "Come follow me, but only on Tuesdays." It's an all-the-time thing. Follow Him every day, and in every way possible. Think of what He would do in the situation you are in and do it. He also didn't say, "Come follow me, but only the ones who have blue eyes." He loves us all and wants us to follow Him, regardless of who we are or where we came from. He wants us all to be with Him in Heaven one day and every day is calling to us, "Come follow me." Will you accept the invitation?
12th Grade Notre Dame High School
How Will You Respond?
Jesus said, "Come follow me." Literally, these three words are simple to understand. These words say that Jesus wants us to go behind Him. However, to find the real meaning, one must go below the surface of literal meaning.
"Come follow me." These words hold an unparalleled amount of meaning when looked at and analyzed through the screen of spirituality. In saying this phrase, Jesus implied that He is our example. He is the model of perfection that we must imitate to get to Heaven. The ideas and direction that three simple words hold are remarkable!
These words were not meant for those who do not sin, or for those who love God infallibly, or even just for Catholics. These three words are meant for EVERYONE. Jesus wants everyone to go behind Him and imitate His example. He speaks to the single mother who sells herself to support her children, to the teenage boy who hurts his body to compensate for his emptiness; He speaks to the girl who was baptized but spends the weekends drinking. He even speaks to me, a Hindu.
Sometimes, we find it difficult to follow Jesus. The burden becomes too heavy; other things move to importance in our lives; time takes a toll; events happen that lead us to stop believing. Everyone makes mistakes, and no matter how long it takes, Jesus patiently waits for us. God patiently forgives us. The Father and Son allow us to take as much time as we need until we realize that in following Jesus, our burden lifts. In following Him, God takes precedence in our lives, and suddenly we are filled with light and love. Things become easier; they fall into place. Goals and dreams are attainable. Life becomes what we always imagined it to be and we can be truly, deeply happy!
In a society where spirituality is often looked down upon, it is important for everyone, especially the youth to stay true to themselves and their faith. Jesus calls upon the youth to shine with His love and follow His example. He charged us with the important mission to bring God's message to others and inspire more people to follow Him. However, inspiration for such a spiritual journey and task as this one can only come from one source - faith and belief in Jesus and God. In following the example of Jesus, we acquire the passion and pure love that is necessary to inspire others.
While obstacles may hinder our steps and slow our pace, Jesus stands on the horizon as a vision of light for as long as it may take until we realize what we need to do. He waits, unwearyingly beckoning us to pick up our crosses and go behind Him in a journey that may be full of tribulations and rocks. Jesus never said that the voyage would be without troubles, but He did say that He would remain with us always, and carry us when our feet tire and exhaustion envelopes our bodies. So, when Jesus calls, "Come follow me," how will you respond? Will you jump to your feet and rush to stand behind Him? He will wait until you do.
12th Grade Notre Dame High School
"Come Follow Me"
“As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.” – Matthew 4:18-20
I wonder Simon and Andrew were planning on doing the rest of the day when Jesus called them. I’m sure they had their whole day planned out, but someone came and changed their plans. I can relate to that. Like Simon and Andrew, I had my own ideas about what I wanted to do with my life. That all changed, however, the day Christ called me to do otherwise.
It was the summer before my eighth grade year, and I found myself attending Catholic Youth Summer Camp in northern Ohio. I remember it well: days full of fun activities, nights filled with incredible prayer. I had never experienced anything like it. Prior to camp, prayer had always been a bit on the boring side. At Catholic Youth Summer Camp, prayer was actually exciting.
One day at camp, a seminarian came and gave us a talk. He explained that a seminarian was a man studying to become a priest. The reason he was a seminarian was because he felt God calling him to do it.
“I would go to Eucharistic adoration, and every time I was there, I could just feel God pulling me towards the priesthood,” he said. At first he would resist this pull: “God said, ‘I want you to be a priest,’ but I would reply, ‘No thanks, God, I want to be an engineer.’”
In the end, he gave in to the pull and became a seminarian.
For some reason, his talk really stood out to me. I couldn’t keep it off my mind. Later that week we had Eucharistic adoration. I remember kneeling there in front of the Eucharist, felling really close to God. It was as if he were a real person, closer to me than anyone else I knew.
And then I felt it. I was being called to the priesthood. It was at once the most exciting and the most frightening feeling I’d ever had before. On the one hand, all the plans I had for myself just went down the drain. On the other hand, I knew I would always find fulfillment if I chose to follow God’s plan.
Believe me, it wasn’t easy, but I actually said “yes” to following that part of God’s plan for me. He told me to follow him, and I decided I had nothing to loose. I knew that if I didn’t, I’d be left asking “What if?” for the rest of my life.
Jesus doesn’t call everyone the same way, but he does call everyone. He asks us to give him everything we have so he can make something even better out of it. I don’t know what Simon had in mind for his fishing career, but I bet he didn’t think he’d end up fishing for men as the first pope. God has a way of taking all our human failures and making them into something divine.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Essays written by students from Notre Dame Elementary & High School
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When I think of the phrase, "Come follow Me" said by Jesus, I think it means to have strong faith, to apologize, to forgive, to make wise decisions, and to care for those in need.
The phrase, "Come follow me" said by Jesus means to follow His example, have strong faith, and go to church every Sunday and/or Saturday, including Holy Days. For me personally, even when I want to stay in bed, I wake up and go to church; I always feel better afterwards. Another example is when I help my Mom and Dad, I always feel good later. One time I worked at a food pantry near my cousin's hometown during Thanksgiving Day. I served food to lose less fortunate than me. I often serve as an Altar Server at Mass a lot. I'm nice to my sisters. I care for animals and people. I treat others the way I want to be treated. I'm nice to everybody. I box up clothing, food, and toys, and I send them to the poor, or victims of terrible weather events (like Tsunamis). I pick litter to help keep Jesus' Earth clean.
I believe that people should follow Jesus' ways and be taught loving behavior as early as pre-school age. I see my five-year-old sister and my seven-year-old sister going around the house spreading Jesus' love. They do this by drawing pictures and writing "I love Jesus" and "I love God" all over artwork.
So as you can see, you can never be too young to spread Jesus' loving ways and to come follow Him!
4th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come Follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me" means to always believe in him and trust in him. You have to open your heart, mind, and spirit to receive God's message. You have to be nice, kind, and loving towards others.
One way I do this is by going to Mass to learn about the way Jesus treated others. By his example, I do these things toward others to show that I care: giving hugs, praying for others that need our prayers, saying kind things to others, and teaching my family about things I have learned about Jesus and Saints.
"Come follow me" also means to live as he did. A way I think of "come follow me" is the way a teacher leads a class. Jesus was a teacher. He taught people about God, and He leads the people.
We have to follow Jesus as he leads us through our lives. I love to hear parables that Jesus told his followers. For example, the parable about how the younger son took his inheritance from his father and left. He spent the money foolishly, and came back and asked his father forgiveness. We go to Reconciliation and ask God for forgiveness for our sins. Then, we try not to the bad things, but act on the good and right things, just as Jesus wants us to do.
5th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
The words "come follow me" means Jesus wants us to give up what we have and follow and trust him to take care of us. The words mean that Jesus wants us to know that he is all we need. Jesus is trying to say that we don't need all our fancy things; we don't need our expensive jewelry just him.
It's like when Jesus told the fisherman to come and follow him, they did. They left all their stuff and followed Jesus. They didn't know who he was, but they trusted him with all their heart. The only thing they knew was that he was the Son of God. It's also like when Jesus told his disciples to come follow him, they did, and they also left all their stuff and followed Jesus.
When Jesus said "come follow me" he meant come and live a holy life with him. Jesus meant you don't need anything else but to trust in him.
I think the words "come follow me" means that Jesus wants us to go to him when it's time. He doesn't want us to be scared. He just wants us to know that he is all we need, and we need to be able to trust him.
5th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Religion
What I think Jesus meant by "Come Follow Me" is "come follow me in my teachings," as in being holy. Do not lie, and do not follow the path of evil. In the story of Adam and Eve, they didn't listen to God when he told them not to eat the fruit. Eve gave it to Adam, and he ate it, even though he remembered what God said. God punished Adam and Eve by banishing them from the Garden of Eden. So do not follow the path of sinners, because you might not make it to heaven. Jesus is telling you that if you are good in life follow him to heaven. That means follow the ten commandments. Following them is a good way to follow what Jesus said "Come Follow Me." I also think it means "live like he did." Don't rob, just be your good self. God wants us to go to heaven. God watches you all your life, if you do something bad and go to confession and tell your priest about your sins and confess. He will do the sign of the cross and you be forgiven that is what he meant by these words.
6th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
"Come follow Me"
When Jesus said "come follow me," he meant listen to me, act like me, and live like me for God. This is what he meant and this is how you can do it.
When you go to mass or even any christian church you are following Jesus by hearing the readings and the Gospel. You follow Christ when you listen to others. And most important you follow Jesus when you listen your heart for him.
When you care for others you are acting like Christ and following him. When you have little money and still give money in donations. While you're a kid you can act like Christ. A kid might clean his room without being told is one way to act like Jesus. But the most important way to follow Christ is to take care of the world and it's people.
You can follow Jesus by living for him. A priest goes to a seminary to learn how to live for Christ. Yet there are some things that we can do to live for Christ. Like sharing and following the ten Commandments. Other ways to follow Jesus are by listening and acting for him. But the most important and best way to follow Jesus is by praising God.
6th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Come Follow Me…
To me, "Come follow me" means several different things. If you think about it, Jesus meant that he wanted us to be like him. He wanted us to spread the word of God like him, to be kind and forgiving like him, and to regret our sins. He also wanted people to direct their lives to serving others like him.
Jesus did not want this just for his sake, he wanted us to follow him so that we may share in the joy of God's love and kingdom. We should feel so bless to be cared for and loved that much. I know that I feel those blessings every day when I am at school with friends and teacher, and at home with my family.
I believe that when Jesus said "Come follow me" he was also calling on those people who have been living in sin to him and his father, so that they may not be condemned into the darkness. He was calling them back into the light, so they may not live in sin forever.
I hope that you have enjoyed my point of view on "come follow me" and take it to heart. God bless!
8th Grade at Notre Dame Elementary
The words "come follow me" that Jesus said, mean that all of his followers in the whole world should do what he said and did. Also they should do good things. His disciples followed not only his commandments, but also his actions. Also, he wants this same commitment from each of us individually and the church as a whole. We can all work together to please and follow Jesus.
What it means to the disciples is that they should leave everything and follow him to heaven. Jesus wanted them to know that he is everything they need. Jesus is trying to say that we don't need all of our fancy things; all we need is God. Therefore, he came to them, and they left their boats, jobs, families, and fish to follow Him. They didn't even know who He was, but they trusted that He would take care of them, so they followed Him. Matthew 2:18-22 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers; Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two brothers, James and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. The last thing He told them is to spread the word of God to all people. So they did that for the rest of their lives and told people that would listen.
What it means to me is I should give things away that are not useful in praising God and follow him. For instance, if Xbox is keeping me from prayer and church, that is a sin, and I should give it away. Also I should spread the word of God by having a Bible class and reading the Bible aloud. I should also give things to the poor and unfortunate ones, so I can follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Last, I could help ill people get better and also teach them to follow God.
What the word of God means to everyone is God wants everyone to follow him. People should live a holy life by praying and going to church on Sundays, so they can also follow God. Next, everyone could spread the word of God by going to Bible class and reading the Bible at night. People should be a witness of the good things God has done for them and in each persons individual lives.
God wants his disciples to follow Him, but He also wants everyone else in the world to also. He doesn't want us to be scared. He just wants to know that He is all we need, and we need to be able to trust Him. The world would be heaven on earth if everyone in the world followed Jesus and spread the word of God.
8th Grade Notre Dame Elementary
Come Follow Me
Jesus Christ gave us a guideline for life in just three simple words: come follow me. He is always waiting for us, arms wide open, to turn to Him and follow HIm. In this world that changes everyday, it can be more difficult than just walking His path. You will run into obstacles, and it will be hard at times. It takes courage, patience, and strong faith in God to be a true follower of Jesus, but He will give you everything that you need to make it.
Jesus gives us opportunities to follow Him every day. Following Him can mean anything from speaking out about what you believe in to helping a child tie his or her shoes. Following Jesus will take a lot of effort sometimes, that is where the "come" part comes into play. It may be easier said than done at times, but it will be worth it in the end. Along with eventually getting to be with Jesus in Heaven, you will also gain the respect of others, make some new friends, and live life to its fullest by following Jesus, which is exactly what He wants for us.
Following someone doesn't mean exactly walking where they walked; it's much more than that. For example, you can follow material things that you have or want in this world. Jesus teaches us that following Him in life will get us a much better reward than beating the last level on our video game will. You can follow whatever you believe in.
I also think Jesus meant that you should follow His example in actions and words and strive to become more like Him. It's kind of like follow the leader. Doing exactly what the leader does will make you win the game. You can do a good deed knowing you won't get praise from others or fight for peace in the world. Helping poor, sick, and homeless people in all things that Christ did and we can also do to follow right along in His footsteps. Speaking the gospel and telling of Jesus can also make us a follower of Him. Even just showing kindness to others is following Him. Kindness can be a compliment, helping someone with their homework, or even just giving someone a sincere smile. Be kind to everyone, no matter what they look like, how they dress, or how they talk, they are all equal in God's eyes and they should be equal in our eyes too. Being kind can also bring other people to become followers of Christ by our good example.
Jesus meant it when He said, "Come follow me." He didn't say, "Come follow me whe you feel like it" or "Come follow me, but only on Tuesdays." It's an all-the-time thing. Follow Him every day, and in every way possible. Think of what He would do in the situation you are in and do it. He also didn't say, "Come follow me, but only the ones who have blue eyes." He loves us all and wants us to follow Him, regardless of who we are or where we came from. He wants us all to be with Him in Heaven one day and every day is calling to us, "Come follow me." Will you accept the invitation?
12th Grade Notre Dame High School
How Will You Respond?
Jesus said, "Come follow me." Literally, these three words are simple to understand. These words say that Jesus wants us to go behind Him. However, to find the real meaning, one must go below the surface of literal meaning.
"Come follow me." These words hold an unparalleled amount of meaning when looked at and analyzed through the screen of spirituality. In saying this phrase, Jesus implied that He is our example. He is the model of perfection that we must imitate to get to Heaven. The ideas and direction that three simple words hold are remarkable!
These words were not meant for those who do not sin, or for those who love God infallibly, or even just for Catholics. These three words are meant for EVERYONE. Jesus wants everyone to go behind Him and imitate His example. He speaks to the single mother who sells herself to support her children, to the teenage boy who hurts his body to compensate for his emptiness; He speaks to the girl who was baptized but spends the weekends drinking. He even speaks to me, a Hindu.
Sometimes, we find it difficult to follow Jesus. The burden becomes too heavy; other things move to importance in our lives; time takes a toll; events happen that lead us to stop believing. Everyone makes mistakes, and no matter how long it takes, Jesus patiently waits for us. God patiently forgives us. The Father and Son allow us to take as much time as we need until we realize that in following Jesus, our burden lifts. In following Him, God takes precedence in our lives, and suddenly we are filled with light and love. Things become easier; they fall into place. Goals and dreams are attainable. Life becomes what we always imagined it to be and we can be truly, deeply happy!
In a society where spirituality is often looked down upon, it is important for everyone, especially the youth to stay true to themselves and their faith. Jesus calls upon the youth to shine with His love and follow His example. He charged us with the important mission to bring God's message to others and inspire more people to follow Him. However, inspiration for such a spiritual journey and task as this one can only come from one source - faith and belief in Jesus and God. In following the example of Jesus, we acquire the passion and pure love that is necessary to inspire others.
While obstacles may hinder our steps and slow our pace, Jesus stands on the horizon as a vision of light for as long as it may take until we realize what we need to do. He waits, unwearyingly beckoning us to pick up our crosses and go behind Him in a journey that may be full of tribulations and rocks. Jesus never said that the voyage would be without troubles, but He did say that He would remain with us always, and carry us when our feet tire and exhaustion envelopes our bodies. So, when Jesus calls, "Come follow me," how will you respond? Will you jump to your feet and rush to stand behind Him? He will wait until you do.
12th Grade Notre Dame High School
"Come Follow Me"
“As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.” – Matthew 4:18-20
I wonder Simon and Andrew were planning on doing the rest of the day when Jesus called them. I’m sure they had their whole day planned out, but someone came and changed their plans. I can relate to that. Like Simon and Andrew, I had my own ideas about what I wanted to do with my life. That all changed, however, the day Christ called me to do otherwise.
It was the summer before my eighth grade year, and I found myself attending Catholic Youth Summer Camp in northern Ohio. I remember it well: days full of fun activities, nights filled with incredible prayer. I had never experienced anything like it. Prior to camp, prayer had always been a bit on the boring side. At Catholic Youth Summer Camp, prayer was actually exciting.
One day at camp, a seminarian came and gave us a talk. He explained that a seminarian was a man studying to become a priest. The reason he was a seminarian was because he felt God calling him to do it.
“I would go to Eucharistic adoration, and every time I was there, I could just feel God pulling me towards the priesthood,” he said. At first he would resist this pull: “God said, ‘I want you to be a priest,’ but I would reply, ‘No thanks, God, I want to be an engineer.’”
In the end, he gave in to the pull and became a seminarian.
For some reason, his talk really stood out to me. I couldn’t keep it off my mind. Later that week we had Eucharistic adoration. I remember kneeling there in front of the Eucharist, felling really close to God. It was as if he were a real person, closer to me than anyone else I knew.
And then I felt it. I was being called to the priesthood. It was at once the most exciting and the most frightening feeling I’d ever had before. On the one hand, all the plans I had for myself just went down the drain. On the other hand, I knew I would always find fulfillment if I chose to follow God’s plan.
Believe me, it wasn’t easy, but I actually said “yes” to following that part of God’s plan for me. He told me to follow him, and I decided I had nothing to loose. I knew that if I didn’t, I’d be left asking “What if?” for the rest of my life.
Jesus doesn’t call everyone the same way, but he does call everyone. He asks us to give him everything we have so he can make something even better out of it. I don’t know what Simon had in mind for his fishing career, but I bet he didn’t think he’d end up fishing for men as the first pope. God has a way of taking all our human failures and making them into something divine.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
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