Meeting 3 - I Am *Christianoi* ****************************** .. tags:: content|mission|Mission, content|responsibility|Responsibility, content|decisions|Decisions, method|text-work|Text work, method|image-work|Image work, method|group-work|Group work, method|sharing-questions|Sharing questions, type|evangelistic|Evangelistic Goals ===== 1. We are today in the "act" part of our Evangelical Revision of Life. The meeting **must end with concrete resolutions or decisions**. Otherwise, our effort will not bear fruit. 2. Participants **must see that the community of the Church is real** and within reach. They must see a concrete reality of realizing their path of a Son of Thunder. 3. Breaking through to proclaim the Gospel - **each of the participants attempts a testimony to the group**. For people for whom this is the first time in their lives, this will be the main experiential aspect of the meeting. Notes for the Animator ====================== Let's not make this meeting a typical summary, there will be time for that later. This meeting is a kind of checkpoint for the entire retreat. Part of this content may be said during the Sunday conference, do not worry about it. The outline is extensive, you will not run out of content, and the conference will make it easier for you to internalize the material by participants. Prayer ====== Let the prayer be an answer to the words from the Tent of Meeting (John 17:6-19). Jesus prayed for us to his Father, asked for great things for us. We kind of heard this prayer and stand before Jesus thanking him for what he said. Introduction to the Meeting =========================== The choice we made yesterday (accepting the path of the 10 commandments together with the commandment of love) at the evening prayer is pregnant with consequences. Ten simple words that God passed on to us centuries ago and a few of our words of answer begin a new chapter of life. Gideon's Army ============= .. note:: ~10 minutes Yesterday at the meeting we read a fragment of the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. There are three verses in it (32-34) which sound like this: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. -- Heb 11:32-34 Looking at their description by the author of the letter, one could easily call them Sons of Thunder. Gideon is listed first. Who is he? Gideon came from the tribe of Manasseh, was an Israelite judge and military leader. The Old Testament describes his figure in the Book of Judges. Let's read: Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. The Lord said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' shall not go." So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, "Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink." And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, "With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the other people go every man to his home." So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. -- Judg 7:1-8 * How many warriors did Gideon's army count at the beginning? (22 thousand + 10 thousand = 32 thousand) * How many warriors remained at the end? (300 warriors) We do not have to treat these numbers literally. Less than 1% remained of the entire army, which is "very very few". * How do 300 soldiers feel, who are to go and conquer a numerous enemy? What thoughts do they have in their heads? * Where did the courage come from in them? Army (As If) in Lethargy ======================== .. note:: ~10 minutes So we have before us an image of a few among many who went through trials, have courage and move to battle. These are people convinced that they can win. God wants people to fight who are courageous, who trust him and who know that they will win by God's power. One of the most influential theologians of the 20th century said such words: The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all. -- Karl Rahner SJ * How do you understand these words? Do you agree with them? * What does the future of Christianity depend on? * Are you a mystic? We are afraid of such terms! Doesn't the word mystic seem to us reserved for a few "chosen ones from the Lord's Vineyard"? Who is a mystic? A man who, through faith, directly meets God already in earthly life. St. John of the Cross defines mystical experience as follows (skip in younger groups): When God himself directly visits the soul (...) then the Divine majesty resides substantially in the soul... These communications, which God himself causes, are completely divine and supernatural. These are like substantial touches in the divine union of the soul and God. * How many mystics are among us? How many Sons of Thunder are among us? * What analogies do you see to the story with Gideon's army? Christianity is huge (like 32 thousand) but most warriors only help to obtain an impressive "number", because in reality they are afraid to go to war and at the first question a huge part leaves (22 thousand). These people, however, are not crossed out, lost. They are as if in lethargy. They wear armor, belong to the commander, but there is no enthusiasm in them, there is no fire in them. When the possibility of further "persistence without action" appears, they use it. Would you like your life on the front line to depend on the help of people so motivated? That is why God lets them go, it is not their time yet. Yet! .. warning:: Animator: Tell about how you woke up and from a man who practiced religion became a soldier of the Lord (2 Tim 2:3). This is the place for your testimony. We got used to the fact that the Church is, that religious life "spins". The vision that something that has existed for 2000 years could change is beyond our imagination. Karl Rahner says very sharply "it will not exist at all". We are at some turning point. These symbolic "three hundred people" are needed whom God will be able to use. Three hundred "God's madmen", believing people, ready people are needed. They are enough - Gideon's story ends with victory after which the nation wanted to proclaim him king. .. note:: The author of the outline can be accused of exclusivism here. He is aware of this threat, he also knows that the same allegations fall towards many initiatives of involved Catholics. The fact that we are looking for hot/involved/dedicated people, i.e. in some sense chosen, does not in any way exclude the universal call to this group. Enough of the Same (Pious) Theory ================================= .. note:: ~25 minutes Let's read: who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. -- 2 Cor 3:6 * Why does the letter kill? What does it mean? * Have you experienced in your life that rules/theories killed something? * How do you understand the phrase "the spirit gives life"? There is such a risk in each of us that we will become fascinated with "knowing" so much that just this will be enough for us to recognize that we understood. This kills! It kills the desire to experience the world, it kills enthusiasm. Our life is full of theories. We know a lot, but we have applied little of it in life. We have the internet and the possibility of contact, but we have fewer and fewer conversations. We have more and more educated people, but this does not translate into the quality of our life. We have practically eliminated illiteracy, but we reach for texts of dubious value more often, etc. Let's perform such an exercise (everyone individually). Let's write down on a piece of paper a list of things we know about our religion. Not more than 15. E.g. 1. We have four Gospels 2. There are no divorces in the Church 3. God is omniscient 4. There are holidays, memorials and solemnities 5. Large solemnities have an octave after them 6. In Lent we do not sing Alleluia 7. ... If time allows, we can share our lists. Then let's ask: * Was it hard or easy for you to create such a list? Why? * Do you think that people "from the world" would have a problem with creating such a list? Let's create a second list now. A list of matters of faith in which we met God (mysticism!) personally, were very important to us and about which we could testify to others. It is necessary to note that this list will not be read. * Was it hard or easy for you to create such a list? Why? * What does this testify to? .. note:: Of course, maybe there will be participants for whom creating both lists will not be a major problem. Thank God for such! Then the accent should be changed to: what was easier to create? Let's read the poem Laputa by Jacek Kaczmarski: | It is stupid to live among wise people | Who understood the world to the end | And do not have to bother about anything, | Not know what they did not know. | | Knowing the Principle and Mechanism | Listening to the Music of Spheres | They float eternally above us | Like above a moving card of zeros. | | You have to hit them on the ears | So that they listen to the living fate - | You have to hit them on the lips | So that they can emit their own voice. | | But the awakening lasts briefly | Before they return to the omniscient sleep, | And on our heads, from their palaces, stones | Fall in broad daylight. | | They do not know anymore, although they know everything | How ordinary rolls are baked, | How to protect the spring so it doesn't dry up, | How to patch the roof so it doesn't leak. | | No one will ever wake them up again, | Laughter with a curse press on the lips... | It is stupid to live among wise people | With their beautiful Flying Island. -- Laputa, Jacek Kaczmarski * Do you have a feeling that there is too much theory in your life? What do you do about it? * "They do not know anymore, although they know everything how ordinary rolls are baked, how to protect the spring so it doesn't dry up" - what is this place in your life where you would like to "return to practice" and stop being a theoretician? It is stupid to live among wise people, it would be even worse to become those who understood everything to the end, but nothing results from it. maybe this is the moment to say to yourself: "I don't want to just know anymore, I want to act!"? This does not mean that we should forget (it would be even bad!) about everything we have learned. There is an ancient Christian sign, which well reflects the ideas of such "radical opposition" to the world in which light/knowledge are detached from life. Surely many of you know it or have seen it sometime: .. image:: foska.* :align: center .. note:: The animator draws the sign on a piece of paper for the participants It consists of two Greek inscriptions: ΦΩΣ - light and ΖΩΗ - life * How do you interpret this sign? * What challenges does it bring? I Am *Christianoi* ================== .. note:: ~20 minutes We want to be Christ's. We go on retreats, go to meetings, pray, talk to priests, even read a pious book! It is not that we do not try. Why then is it as it is? Why was it a problem for me yesterday at prayer when I had to sign the 10 commandments, which I have known since I was little? Let's read: When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. -- John 13:12-15 * How does the teacher-student relationship, which we know from our life, differ from the one described in this fragment? The relationship described here is better reflected by the words disciple-master. The master does not preach sermons, the master gives an example. Jesus does not present a theory on how to wash feet (evidently he decided that it is not so important?), and then does not do a test in which he evaluates the progress of his apostles. It is not such a school as we know. In the School of Christ's Disciples, one looks at what the master does, and then tries to imitate him. Life is born from life! * Which matters that you "spied on the Master" did you implement in life? * What in faith is so closest to you that you knew it with your mind and heart? * What would washing others' feet be in your life situation? However, we are not only to wash each other's feet. Our task is broader. Let's read: And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." -- Mk 16:15-20 * When was the last time you told someone about Jesus? * What embarrasses me in proclaiming the Gospel? Proclaiming the Gospel is not only a task, it is a grace. Washing feet is imitating the master. Proclaiming the Gospel is becoming (for some time) a teacher for others. .. warning:: Animator: Tell about what it is like to be an animator and lead others to Jesus. Tell about whether you needed KODA more or an open heart and courage? For some animators, such words will be a hint: "Called by the word of Jesus. Chosen from among the world as witnesses, we accept the task and grace to make disciples of all nations. In this community we are the Church, **Disciple of the Lord and the way for disciples**. Like a branch in the Vine, to be a mature tree and sowing." This Is My Time =============== .. note:: ~25 minutes Let's make a list now (minimum five) of things that prevent me from becoming a Son of Thunder, a witness of the Gospel. Each participant creates a list on a new page in the notebook. Let's read: But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -- 2 Cor 12:9 I expect that no participant created a list such that there was no room on the paper. Let the participants now rewrite this verse of the Holy Scripture under their list along with the signature and date. * How do you look at your piece of paper in the notebook, do you believe it? * Does this fragment suggest that weaknesses will be removed? Why? Weaknesses will not disappear magically. They don't have to. Let's read such a poem: | This is my time. On my measure and scale. | My time. I will not have another. | It is good not to hold a grudge against one's times. | It is good to live in accordance with the idea of the Most High. | He probably is not mistaken in the allocation of coordinates | and the most appropriate era | | How good that we are. | Just now. | We were not here yesterday, we will not be here tomorrow. | We are today. | This and that is here to be done. -- Fr. Jerzy Szymik * How do you understand this poem? * Tell us what your time looks like? What is it like? Is it sad or happy? Is it loud or quiet? Colorful or monotonous? * Why are we to focus on "now"? .. warning:: key moment of the group meeting Think now for a moment what God has done most important for You personally in the last hours, and maybe days, and maybe a month. (animator gives time to participants) Can you explain the dogma of the Trinity to someone? can you point out all Old Testament types? Will you explain the Prologue of the Gospel according to Saint John to someone? You don't have to. What you thought about a moment ago is enough. This is Your story, which no one can undermine, no one can question. This is Your experience. What will convince people more - a story about a theory of which they already have a lot themselves or a story of a witness? Let's read: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us. -- 1 John 1:1-3a Each of us is called to witness. We would like to take a step from theory to action now, which we have been talking about since the beginning of this meeting. Each of us (starting with the animator) will tell a testimony about God's action in their life, not colored, not invented in the sweat of the brow through 5h of preparations - as it is now. No need to combine! Let each of the animators discern how to do it best. In older groups maybe it is worth giving it a more official character, to also break through - e.g. in a standing position. It is worth asking the group if everything is clear, if anything, answer all questions and doubts. The Gospel says that when we testify about Jesus, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us to help us. Let us pray now for each other. .. note:: Testimony of the animator, and then participants. * Have you ever challenged testimony in such a way? * How do you feel? Crown of Victory ================ .. note:: ~10 minutes Let's read: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. -- Phil 3:7-12 This is the Christian attitude. If Christ is the savior, there are no more dilemmas as to our conduct - everything must be considered a loss which does not lead us to him. .. note:: consciously closed questions, sharing in the next point is more important * Are you won by Jesus Christ? * Do you "press on to obtain perfection"? Let the last fragment read at this meeting be the promise of reward. Let's read: Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. -- Rev 2:10 * How do you understand the term "crown of life"? * Who needs your testimony the most? Conclusion and Application ========================== .. note:: ~10 minutes * How to transfer what we experienced at this retreat into life? * What can I do in the nearest day to be able to call myself a Son of Thunder? * What can I do in the nearest week to be able to call myself a Son of Thunder? * What can I do in the nearest month to be able to call myself a Son of Thunder? * **What will I do about it?** Let the prayer at the end of the meeting be worship of God, for everything he has done in this group.