Issue link: http://archden.uberflip.com/i/1312720
4 perfect state of man as man, that is, to the state of virtue." 1 The Church's mission is evangelization, the spread- ing of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. This mission comes f rom the Great Commission that Jesus imparts to his disciples before he as- cends into heaven, as recorded at the end of Mat- thew's Gospel: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Matt 28:18-20 With his last words, Jesus asks his Church to make disciples by preaching the Gospel in its fullness, celebrating the sacraments he instituted, and teaching others how to live the Christian life. He in- vites them to continue the work that he began, by calling his disciples by name, spending time with them in f riendship, and teaching them. To be a disciple entails living as a committed fol- lower of Jesus Christ. Jesus invited his disciples to "come and see" (Jn 1:39). It begins by accepting the Gospel message and coming to faith, a grace that flows fully f rom Baptism. To live the reality of disci- pleship, however, the graces of Baptism need to be accepted in a personal way. It is coming to know and believe in Jesus' love and mercy for us. It is coming to know and believe in Jesus' love and mer- cy for us, having confidence in his love and mercy, and imitating his life. Discipleship's goal is to reach heaven, to live in eternal happiness with God, by liv- 1 In IV Sent., d. 26, q. 1, a. 1, c.