Meeting 3 - “Ready for the Coming”¶
Meeting Goal + Introduction for the Animator¶
After Saturday prayer, the desire to remain with Christ while joyfully awaiting his coming matures in us. We know that in many aspects of life we need conversion. During this meeting we want to talk about the fact that conversion is not only a turning point in our life, but a process that, consciously conducted, will prepare us for the coming of the Kingdom. We talked about the fact that “going blind” is a process and therefore it is treacherous. Regaining spiritual sight in everyday life also requires time - this is good news! We have infinitely many opportunities for this every day.
Let the thought intertwine through this meeting that we can live similarly as before, but more consciously, that this is exactly what metanoia is - a transformation of thinking taking place gradually, directing our motivation towards the Kingdom: the one that is already among us and the one whose arrival we await.
- Meeting Goals:
Looking at our life as a way and conversion as a process.
Discussing Advent in the Church and the upcoming Advent in a personal context.
Introducing the perspective of Christ as King and His Kingdom, considering changes of perspective in faith.
Prayer and Introduction¶
A short summary by the animator on what happened in the previous days of the retreat.
What points of the program were most important for me?
How did I experience Saturday prayer?
What of the things that have happened so far at the retreat will I remember most? Why?
About the Way¶
We want to look at our life as a way: not necessarily as a straight line/timeline. In our life, many stages are cyclical: day, week, semester, year. Repetitiveness can be disastrous, but it also gives many chances to seek good and increasingly perfect choices.
How do I look at my life? Linearity or cyclicity? Maybe both? Why?
In what moments do I feel most that a lot depends on my choice?
To what goals am I heading? What am I waiting for?
In what moments do I wonder if I am “going” in the right direction on my way?
Does it happen to me to turn back? When?
What do returns give me?
Retrospective: returns give us an opportunity to look from a distance at important events in our life, sometimes they can create an opportunity to make a more accurate choice.
Let’s read:
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
—Matt 7:13-16
Why is the good way narrow?
What “fruits” in my life help me make sure that I am on the right path?
Let’s read:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
—Matt 7:24-25
What is the “rock” in my life?
What we build our life around, as a consequence of our (conscious and subconscious) choices, are our values, beliefs and motivations. Fundamental values shape our choices. If in everyday, small matters we practice awareness so that our motivation is close to the most important things, we can trust that in important life decisions it will be easier for us to choose well.
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much,”
—Luke 16:10
But! We need awareness for this. On the way we will encounter distractions after all:
“The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction. (…) To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to go back to our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified. Therein lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve.”
—Catechism of the Catholic Church 2729
Distractions in prayer can be compared to life “distractions”. We can analyze them in the way proposed by the Church and deal with them similarly: Distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, gives us an opportunity to reflect on why my thoughts/choices are directing this way now? Such a situation is a wonderful opportunity to give these matters to Jesus, to find balance in trust in Him, to humble and trustful giving of what is important to me.
What is balance in trusting God for me?
What distractions have I managed to overcome in my life? How did I do it?
Metanoia as a Way¶
In this part of the meeting we focus on our understanding of “conversion”. We want to realize that every day we have a chance to convert anew and thus get closer to the Kingdom.
Metanoia, Greek “μετανοια”, metanoia, ‘transformation (meta) of the mind (nous)’, Latin equivalent conversio – change of mind, spiritual or intellectual transformation.
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
—Matt 4:17
Repent, not have repented! (Note: In Polish “Nawracajcie się” is imperfective/continuous, implying “keep repenting” or “be repenting”).
Note
Dear Animator, in this place it is worth drawing participants’ attention to the imperfective aspect of this verb :)
What does Jesus call for?
How can I convert if I am already a believer?
The Greek word “metanoeite”, which appears in the calls of John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostles, assumes a profound change in thinking and feelings, therefore a fundamental transformation, and not a superficial turn. It is not merely an “embellishment” or a change of lifestyle in the sense of pious rituals and traditions. John the Baptist points out to the Pharisees that baptism is not just about immersion in the river and that belonging to the Chosen People alone is not enough.
Metanoia is therefore a transformation of the mind, never-ending work on our fundamental motivation, which every day in a way not always conscious will shape our “small” and “large” life choices.
Conversion is a “transcendence”, but not a complete crossing out of what was important so far. It should not be reduced merely to turning away from sin and evil, but raised higher, towards doing greater good.
In the cycle of metanoia, therefore, I do not cut myself off drastically from everything that seems unnecessary to me at a given moment, but I continue the cycle of mind transformation gradually narrowing down so as to “orbit” closer and closer to the center, that is the Kingdom.
What opportunities for conversion do I see on my way (both in the near future and in the broader perspective of my life)?
Let’s read:
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
—Mark 1:14-18
Christ calls to greater good:
Apostles: fishermen performing their work well, he made “fishers of men”.
Zechariah and Elizabeth: serving in the temple, keeping the law - called John the Baptist to life
Mary: conceived and living without any sin in perfect cooperation with God’s grace - called to be the Mother of the Son of God.
Possibilities of greater good are infinite!
In what does Christ call me to “greater good” today?
Advent as Waiting for the King’s Return¶
General introduction about Advent and summary of participants’ knowledge. The animator tells the history of Advent in their own words or uses prepared information as a form of activation. Beforehand, print the text, cut it into several parts and distribute to participants. Each person can read or tell in their own words the information found on the received card.
- Meaning of the word “Advent”:
Advent is a translation of the Greek words: epifaneia and parusia. This term in Rome meant the official arrival of a state dignitary and taking office. However, in religious language it meant the annual arrival of a deity to the temple. In Christianity, the term “adventus” became a synonym for the coming of Christ in the sense of his Incarnation (epifaneia), as well as the second coming in glory (parusia). In the 5th century, to designate the time of preparation for the Lord’s birth, we also meet the term: “ante natale Domini” or “adventus Domini”.
- History of Advent:
We meet the first traces of celebrating Advent in the 4th century in the Gallic and Spanish liturgy. In a work attributed to Hilary of Poitiers we find a mention of fasting before Christmas. This is the oldest testimony about a special time of preparation for honoring the mystery of the Incarnation. The Synod of Saragossa (389) demanded that the faithful attend church from December 17 until the feast of Epiphany. In Gaul, Bishop Perpetuus of Tours introduced the obligation of fasting on three days of the week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) during the six weeks from St. Martin’s Day (November 11) to the Lord’s Birth. In Rome, the period of preparation for Christmas was introduced only in the second half of the 6th century. Under the influence of the liturgy of the East, Saturdays were not fasted, so Advent began on December 1 or even November 11 to obtain the number of 40 days of fasting (following the example of Lent). In the 8th and 9th centuries, the preparation period fell on October 30 or even September 24 or 14. Since the time of Gregory the Great (590-604), Advent in Rome included 4 weeks. It was a time of direct, liturgical preparation for celebrating the commemoration of Christ’s coming.
- History of Advent:
At the beginning of the 9th century, Advent also acquires an eschatological character - it becomes a time of preparation for the final coming of Christ at the end of time. Liturgical texts of Advent show figures of the Old and New Testaments, through whose life and activity God announced and prepared the world for the coming of Christ. Advent is a time of joyful waiting for the meeting with Jesus. Waiting for the coming of Jesus is a source of joy. Although this preparation consists of waiting and penance, hence the violet color of liturgical vestments, penance is associated with joy. Advent reminds us that our whole life is waiting.
- History of Advent:
In the Polish Church, Advent is enriched with a service called “roraty”. Roraty is a votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated daily before dawn. They constitute a call for Christians to vigilance in waiting for the coming of the Savior and readiness for the Last Judgment. The name “roraty” comes from the first words of the song accompanying the beginning of the Mass in the period of Advent “Rorate coeli desuper…” (Drop down ye heavens from above). According to historical accounts, roraty date back to the 12th century. This custom was probably brought to Poland by bl. Kinga of Hungary, wife of the Prince of Krakow Bolesław the Chaste. Kinga, as historical sources state, tried to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary with her life. Such a monument to Kinga’s devotion to the Mother of God was the introduction in the Wawel church, and then in the Starosądecki convent (which she founded) of the custom of celebrating roraty.
- Symbols of Advent:
Associated with celebrating the Roraty Mass is the custom of lighting an additional candle, the so-called “roratka”. This candle, often decorated with a blue ribbon, reminds us of the figure of Mary, who is an example for us of readiness for the coming of the Messiah. In older times, as historical sources state, before the beginning of the Holy Mass, a custom was practiced that the king approached the altar carrying a decorated candle and placed it on the highest candlestick in the middle of the altar. Representatives of all states brought similar candles to the altar. Approaching the altar and placing candles, they uttered the words “I am ready for God’s judgment”. Previously, however, they cleansed their consciences and hearts. Today, the symbol of our readiness for the coming of Jesus are four candles lit in subsequent weeks of Advent. The Roraty candle is lit after opening the temple and welcomes those entering with light. The custom of bringing lanterns with you is also practiced. Relatively young, because known in Poland only for over 160 years, is the custom of hanging an Advent wreath in the church during Advent. Four candles are placed on the wreath (symbol of 4 Advent Sundays). Light, greenery and the circle have their meaning (light, hope, life, God). The whole wreath is a symbol of the community waiting in love for the coming of the Lord. On Christmas Eve, 4 burning candles mean the coming of Jesus, who is the light of the world.
Warning
The first part of this point in the outline is only an introduction. It is not worth talking too much about it, because below is an exercise which is the essence of this part of the meeting.
The Upcoming Advent
What meaning does Advent have in my life? Do I need it at all? For what?
What meaning does it have for the Church?
How have I experienced it so far?
How does this time differ for me from the time of Lent? What similarities do I see?
What in this time is most helpful for me in preparing for Christmas? (e.g. resolutions; roraty; retreats; calendars (not necessarily the chocolate ones :p there are several cool proposals for preparing such a calendar e.g. with tasks or intentions for each day); other helpful things listed by participants)
What do I expect from this specific Advent?
Paradox? At the same time I wait for God, but I persist in His presence - what is this about?
How is my readiness for the Lord’s coming expressed?
What God am I waiting for? Am I ready to be surprised by a different perspective of God? (Jews attentively looked for the Messiah - a politician who was ultimately and irrevocably supposed to free them from conflicts with other nations. Many of them hoped that Jesus would liberate them from the sovereignty of the Roman Empire.)
Note
The Palestinian Jewish community for many centuries was subject, along with the whole country, to the power of the Persian Empire, then Alexander the Great, the Egyptian Ptolemies and finally the Syrian Seleucids – until the Maccabean Revolt in 167 BC, as a result of which an independent Jewish kingdom was created. Throughout the second half of the first millennium BC, the national-religious consciousness of Jews developed based on the religion of Judaism, which was codified in this period. The main religious center of Jews has been Jerusalem since then, where the Temple of Jerusalem stood. After a hundred years, Jewish kings submitted to the Romans as vassals. In the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, after two subsequent Jewish uprisings, the Romans decimated the Jewish population and liquidated the independent kingdom.
About Changes of Perspectives in Faith
We said a moment ago that sometimes God appears in our life in a different perspective than expected. The Jews expected a leader, and the Son of Man came to them - a giver of love and a completely different revolution. Sometimes a change of perspective in looking at the person of God does not result from our erroneous assumptions, but from general changes taking place in our lives. We are constantly maturing, constantly stabilizing our own value system, over the years we cease to identify with certain ideas; we shape our own mental health, through confrontation with things difficult for us (sometimes with the support of a therapist) - and such things have a huge impact on us. It should not be surprising then that sometimes, changes in looking at our faith as well as at God Himself are a natural consequence of changes in our life.
We would like to look at these changes at this moment. In the attachments there are tables (which need to be cut beforehand) with various terms for God. Some fields are left empty so that the participant can write their own term, which the authors of the outline did not foresee. From the cut rectangles everyone arranges their timeline - changes of perspectives in looking at the person of God. Volunteers present their line, answering the questions below.
Father |
Friend |
King |
Missionary |
|---|---|---|---|
Guardian |
Acquaintance| Judge |
Savior |
|
………… |
………… |
…………… |
………… |
Why did such changes occur in my life?
What caused them?
What was their consequence?
What periods in my life did specific terms for God correspond to?
What does it say about my relationship with God?
Are these changes necessary for my faith? Why?
Waiting for the King - introductory questions for the next part
What can be helpful for us to better understand the person of God as King?
Who is this King? How does His reign differ from earthly reign? Why, speaking about God, do we use the perspective of King and Kingdom at all?
Kingdom of God¶
What does the Kingdom of the King look like? We want to answer this question by comparing two fragments from the Scripture concerning the Kingdom of God.
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
—Luke 12:22-38
This is the main fragment of our retreat. Its very division in the Scripture establishes for us a certain way of reading this fragment. Three parts are visible in it.
Worldly cares:
What cares are mentioned in the fragment?
What can we consider as “worldly cares” in the modern world? (If we talked about this at the Friday meeting, we can just briefly recall them)
Durable goods:
What are “moneybags that do not grow old” and “treasure that does not fail in the heavens”?
Readiness for the Lord’s coming. This part connects everything we said about waiting and remaining in readiness for the Lord’s coming in the context of Advent):
How can we characterize the Kingdom regarding this fragment?
“Seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you” - in what way are we to seek?
Can we say that the presented fragment constitutes a synthesis of the entire retreat? Why? In what way?
The Kingdom of God is a new way of thinking. A different perspective and a different logic. Reaching the Kingdom is possible through change - Metanoia. This new perspective will not be some new alternative world, we will be in the same world, only this change will result primarily in re-evaluation. Let’s complete what we said about the Kingdom with another look from the next fragment.
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
—Luke 17:20-25
What does the Kingdom look like in terms of this fragment? (Very imprecise, such “on a hunch” and it seems that in the real world it is also like that, but is that bad?)
What can the words “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’” mean?
“For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” - that is where?
I assume (maybe wrongly), that it was difficult for us to answer clearly and precisely the question of what the Kingdom really is. Some of us may have completely different ideas about this subject. In our world, there are (and were) various explanations of the Kingdom. We can even take a look at them.
In ancient Israel, the Kingdom of God was understood as the absolute rule of God over his people. The period when the twelve tribes of Israel under the leadership of Moses and Joshua wandered in the desert and conquered the land of Canaan was understood as a period of higher social order and the rule of the Lord – an ideal age, golden.
The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven - a concept concerning the renewal of the world by the announced Messiah in the theology of Judaism and Christianity, including Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Pentecostalism, which recognize its realization in Jesus Christ and his Church.
In Judaism, the Kingdom of God is the world that is to come as the kingdom of God himself, also called the “Kingdom of the Almighty”. Jews believe that their duty, mission is already now “perfecting the world through the Kingdom of the Almighty” (“L’takken olam b’malkut Shaddai”). Speaking in this sense about the Kingdom assumes that all actions of Jews consisting in repairing, perfecting the world (e.g. ethical conduct towards each other) take place in reference to God’s power over the world and His help.
It means reigning, ruling, God’s power in the world he created, and especially in the microcosm - in the small world, that is in man. Thanks to this rule, God realized the ideal of a just King; this rule consisted in caring for the poor, weak and needy. This rule of God revealed itself in a special way in Jesus Christ as a living, dynamic and saving reality. In the person of Jesus, in His words and deeds, God’s rule was revealed along with all saving powers. The early Christian writer Origen called Jesus the Kingdom of God.
The final revelation of God at the end of time has not yet occurred. Christians therefore live, using theological nomenclature, in eschatological tension between “already” and “not yet” of the fullness of God’s kingdom.
- What the Scripture says about the Kingdom of God:
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field”.
“It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.”
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.”
The ideal summary of the topic of the Kingdom let be the words of Jesus:
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
—John 18:36-37
In Jesus’ understanding, ruling is serving. Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, because in it, it is not the subjects who fight for their king, but it is the king who fights and sacrifices himself for them. He serves them. Such is God’s understanding of reigning, different from the generally accepted one. God never wanted to be a ruler in the human sense of the word. He didn’t even want the Israelites to have a king. It was their invention, not His will. He knew that we as humans have a distorted image of power and abuse it too often.
The Scripture itself does not explain the concept of the Kingdom of God to us in a concrete way, leaving us with a certain dose of mystery. And maybe this mystery is the point. Never, in our earthly life, will we be given full knowledge of the mystery of the Kingdom, because it has not yet fully revealed itself. Part of the mystery will remain in it, which is an integral element of our faith. But this does not mean that we cannot strive for it and participate in its realization on earth. Each of us, at least to some extent, can intuitively discern the direction of the way to the Kingdom. It is worth investing in this way.
Summary and Application¶
I think a good summary will be simply sharing what our hearts opened to during this retreat. Let’s share a short testimony.
Application
For those who do not have an Advent resolution - choose one that activates me. Instead of wondering what I want to get rid of, what I can limit, I will ask myself what I can do so that my faith, my life, relationships with other people gain more good.
For those who have already made some resolutions: According to the definition given by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Church is the seed and beginning of this kingdom. Its keys are entrusted to Peter” (CCC 567; cf. Mt 16:19)
But! The Church is not just an institution, a building, a people. The Church - is me. And every week I declare that I believe in this Church of mine. But what does it mean for me? Have I ever wondered about these words? As part of the application, we propose to consider a fragment of the Credo. Word for word. You can write in a notebook and add a question: How can the Kingdom be realized in the Church?
Ending with Prayer¶
Thanksgiving prayer asking for further fruits of this retreat.