Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76Plough Quarterly • Winter 2015 23 Jesus Christ through the help of Massoud, a simple Christian farmer from a village near Mosul. Massoud, with whom Joseph shared a barracks room during his military service, lived his Christian discipleship quietly but visibly: humble, patient, and, despite the verbal abuse he suffered from his roommate, always chari- table and peaceful, even though he was almost twenty years Joseph’s senior. This attitude ulti- mately led to friendship, and eventually to Joseph’s conversion. The trigger was indeed pulled on Joseph, but he miraculously survived the hail of bullets. He was left for dead at the side of the desert road and somehow made it to a hospital where he was treated for his wounds. He eventually made it to Europe and today lives with his wife and children in France. This true story, told by Joseph Fadelle himself in The Price to Pay (Ignatius Press, 2012) shows that even today Christian discipleship may mean risking – or losing – one’s life for Christ. In areas of Iraq and Syria controlled by the Islamic State, Chris- tians are literally losing their heads because of their faithfulness to Christ. They are expe- riencing what Jesus warned us of: “An hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God” (John 16:2). What does this harrowing story have to do with teaching discipleship to our children? Why would the suffering of Christians in faraway lands be important for parents and educators in countries where we do not (yet) find our- selves in such a dramatic situation? My wife and I have told the story of Joseph and Massoud to our children, and we also share with them news about persecuted Christians around the world, because we want them to know the reality of what it means to be a Christian in today’s world. These stories teach a number of vital lessons. Friendship The first lesson is friendship. Joseph Fadelle found Christ through his military colleague Massoud, who understood and followed the only route to a life lived in truth: divine friend- ship and human friendship. Discipleship is first and foremost a personal relationship with Christ; this intimate friendship must become the foundation of our life. Through Christ, we will be led to friendship with our neighbor, at whose door Christ knocks too. Jesus tells us: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:13–14). Massoud was willing to risk his life to guide Joseph patiently to the gospel. Friendship with Jesus allows us to see people through his eyes and discover the longing and goodness of the soul of our neighbor. This is what happened to Massoud when he shared the gospel with Joseph in the Iraqi military barracks. In the most unlikely of places and cir- cumstances, he was able to reach the heart of a man who showed every sign of hostility and prejudice toward him as a Christian. Faithfulness The second lesson is faithfulness. Massoud was faithful to the clear and recurring exhortation to discipleship in the Gospels: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19–20). This exhortation is directed at every Christian, no matter when or where. Massoud Dr. Christiaan W. J. M. Alting von Geusau is president and rector of the International Theological Institute in Vienna and founder and chairman of the Schola Thomas Morus in Baden bei Wien. His most recent book is Catholic Education in the West: Roots, Realities and Revival (Acton Press, 2013). He is married with five children. www.iti.ac.at