Meeting 2 — Why are questions important?¶
Goal of the meeting and introduction for the facilitator¶
This group meeting is placed in the middle of the retreat. This is the moment when we should already have a community formed and be ready to sail out into the deep. It will last over 1.5 hours. Use this time to build a space for personal entry into the topic of each of the participants of Your group. Remember what went smoothly and “caught on”, and what was heavy and pass it to the moderator and the diaconia of spirituality in any form even before this evening.
The outline has intellectually more difficult moments (texts from the Book of Leviticus or texts from the 2nd century). I would not want this group meeting to be some form of activating workshops. We are fighting for an atmosphere of free conversation and exchange of thoughts. We absolutely need such a moment of the retreat where the participants can speak, and not just listen to us. For this reason, there are over 25 sharing questions in the outline. Do not ask them all (100 minutes / 25 questions / 6 people in the group = 40s per answer if nothing else was done), they are to help You shape the meeting in Your own way.
creating a space in which participants can say what they think themselves
answering the question what does it mean to seek the truth?
showing how important it is to ask ourselves questions regarding our faith
showing that faith is a process! and that it requires conscious effort
Introduction¶
Note
link with what happened before the group meeting
On Friday we talked about freedom. Today all day we touched on the topic that faith is a choice. Christ chose us and makes us a certain offer. Do we accept it? How do we answer this call?
How are you at the retreat? What has surprised you most so far?
Do you believe that God has an offer for You that will be good for You?
What is difficult in the choice of faith? When is the choice of faith easy?
What does my relationship with Jesus look like currently?
Note
This is an important moment for the whole retreat. The group has been working together for several hours already. It is a good moment to try to do sharing not only with facts and stories, but with what is in us. For You facilitator, this is a moment in which you must listen a lot and speak as little as possible, and totally turn off the desire to explain everything.
Honest and consistent choice¶
What do you associate the Old Testament and Jewish Law with? Perhaps with numerous detailed regulations, which are not currently particularly interesting for us Christians :). Let’s try to open the beginning of the Book of Leviticus in which just such regulations are found. We will not read it cover to cover, but let’s choose a few records from it:
If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or of young pigeons.
—Lev 1:14
If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord.
—Lev 1:3
When any one brings a cereal offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour.
—Lev 2:1a
If a man’s offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.
—Lev 3:1
If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall offer a male without blemish.
—Lev 1:10
When you bring a cereal offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil.
—Lev 2:4
If you offer a cereal offering of first fruits to the Lord, you shall offer for the cereal offering of your first fruits crushed new grain from fresh ears, roasted in fire.
—Lev 2:14
What is the common feature of these regulations? (If you want…)
What does this testify to? (Freedom. God’s Law is based on will!)
How many rules that you hear in life start with “If you want”? (“If you want, take out the trash”, “If you want, brush your teeth”, “If you want, do your homework”, “If you want, come to the test”)
What does this fragment tell You about God? (Offer, respecting freedom)
This scheme “if you want” is striking, but it is not the only common feature. Mosaic Law speaks of giving God very diverse things. There is plenty to choose from. The things we give, however, have their common feature - they must be the best.
Is the attitude “if doing something then to the max” close to You? How do you realize it?
Translating this into Your life, what does giving God “the purest”/”without blemish” mean for You?
Note
When I go to a restaurant I expect to receive a dish from the best ingredients prepared using all the cook’s abilities. What does this mean for You facilitator? Give a short testimony about what being “honest” with God is. What is honest prayer?
God does not force You to contact him. He requires, however, that if you already decide on this contact, you treat it seriously and not “neglectfully”. This is fair. None of us would like to have a friend at 50%, or a loved one who is faithful only every Monday and Tuesday. Let’s talk about faith that will be hot, not lukewarm.
What is this faith (not) about?¶
We live in Poland. In a Catholic society where the Christian faith surrounds us from the first days of life. For this reason, many of us never had to think about it much more, it is “obvious”. A pity, because for this reason very many matters are unclear and incomprehensible. Observing faith from the side we could draw such conclusions:
Faith is about saying a poem on three breaths every evening starting with “Our Father”. As a believer every seven days you dress differently and go to a large hall where you say what others say trying to keep to the common tact. An important feature of faith is also noting one’s bad deeds, to present them every month in a wooden booth and listen to what faith thinks about it. Faith is also a bit like science, which loves to arrange knowledge in the form of lists. So you must know several of them: sacraments, works of mercy regarding the body and soul, church commandments, decalogue, mysteries of the rosary. When you master these things once, you have to remind yourself of them regularly until the end of your life. This is faith.
Rational observer, 13 years old
What do you think about this description? What in it is close to You? What would you add?
Do you try to understand faith, and not just participate in it? In what way?
What comes easily to You in faith and is “obvious”? (that God loves You? that God created the world? that Jesus rose from the dead?)
What causes You some difficulties in faith?
This observation of a 13-year-old is stopping at external things (We do not want to say by this that they are irrelevant and we can reject them). It describes what is seen at first glance. It is worth saying openly that many of us looked at faith like this. It is hard to call such faith “faith to the max”, about which we spoke after reading the Book of Leviticus.
Let’s read another text of a certain observer from 1800 years ago:
For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind either in locality or in speech or in customs. For they dwell not somewhere in cities of their own, neither do they use some different language, nor practice an extraordinary kind of life. (…) They marry like all other men and they beget children; but they do not cast away their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.
author unknown, “Epistle to Diognetus”, 2nd century.
Would you like to have such strength that someone would write about You like this?
Do you see something more in faith than just external gestures? What is it?
Why is it currently easier for us to meet with the version from the first story and not the second one? (be careful not to turn into discussions preceding the Third Vatican Council :P)
Why did they live like they lived? (non-sharing question serving to go out with a summary)
Faith is always a mystery of the hearts of believers. We know for sure that the first Christians took faith very seriously (they faced death for confessing it). We also know that they asked very many questions and inquired. We are sure that such faith is possible also now. We have no doubts, however, that “it won’t do itself”.
Note
from 325 to 787, 7 ecumenical councils took place. That is on average every 66 years.
The question constantly strikes: why did they live like this, what was their motivation? Christians are people who discovered something very important. This discovery has such power that it transforms their life and their whole surroundings. Christians are people who discovered the truth about God and themselves. We are seekers, people asking questions and listening to answers. This search itself is an experience of faith.
Faith as seeking truth - “big bells”¶
Note
Seeking fundamental truth is not the key of our retreat (contrary to appearances). Such big questions can often be intimidating and in practice will not be helpful, and even through the simplicity of reducing them to grotesque can hinder. The next point will be definitely more important. (see: introduction to it)
Let’s read:
We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
—2 Cor 4:2-5
What concern does St. Paul express in this fragment? (that the Truth be not violated, that persons passing on faith do not modify the Truth)
What significance does it have for You whether what you receive/watch/read is true? Why?
Faith seeks answers to the most important questions we can ask ourselves. It is also an answer to these questions. Why are we in the world? Why do I have such gifts as I have? Why will I be on earth only for several dozen years and what is death? What is most important of all matters? Why am I conscious, and animals have instinct? What is freedom and where are its limits? Faith is not afraid of these questions, and more importantly does not pretend that they do not exist. Nor does it try to ridicule them and consider them not very contemporary. These questions exist, and the answer to them is more important than it seems (For older groups: in the 20th century there were two philosophical currents that very erroneously defined answers to fundamental questions about the meaning of life. It led to the greatest suffering in the history of humanity). Answers to such questions cannot be given through democratic voting. It is a process in the heart of each of us.
Note
Think about whether you are able to testify yourself about your path of seeking God and penetrating deeper and deeper into the Mysteries of Faith.. This is a place to creatively transform this into the facilitator’s testimony
What is seeking truth for You?
What questions in matters of faith/philosophy/meaning do you ask yourself?
Imagine that a sage stands before You, who can give You a 100% correct answer to questions. However, he does not have much time for You and you can ask him only one question. Which will you choose?
Note
This point is a “backup plan” in case someone could not indicate any to previous questions about “important questions”. We want to concretize what type of questions these can be. In other cases, it is a good opportunity to share. In older groups, one can not do the list and immediately go to the question what question they would ask themselves
(The facilitator reads the list twice, participants say which they choose. The list can be adapted to your age group)
Why is the universe so huge since we cannot visit it?
What questions will we receive at the last judgment?
What is the most important thing I should do in the coming year?
What will it be like in heaven? What do inhabitants do there every day?
What would need to be done to reconcile all Christians again?
How to love so as not to hurt the other person?
What is the meaning of suffering and illness?
Why are some born in poverty, and others without merit in wealth?
Where do so many different religions come from in the world?
Why are people who were very good all their lives, and at the end of life became bad off worse than Those who were bad all their lives, and at the end of life converted?
Let’s ask:
Which did you choose? Why?
If you didn’t have to choose from the list, would you ask another? What?
Faith has these answers in itself. They are not always available “immediately”. Not always we ourselves are ready to understand the answer addressed to us, but the Church and faith will wait for us. Notice this on the example of liturgy! People who have been believers for 2 months and those who chose Christ 60 years ago participate in it, and yet everyone from exactly the same words, events, homilies, readings, prayers draws something that allows them to deepen their faith. It is a clear sign that answers are often before us, and we try to perceive them.
Questions about faith - “small bells”¶
We talked about so-called “Big questions”. They are needed, but… sometimes they seem somewhat abstract. Getting up in the morning and drinking tea I don’t always meditate on stars, love and freedom. Sometimes questions are more ordinary and concerning simply the matter that is currently before our eyes.
Let’s read:
Fides quaerens intellectum” (faith seeking understanding)
St. Anselm of Canterbury
How do you understand St. Anselm’s sentence?
In what matters do you currently “seek understanding”?
We talked about freedom and the choice of faith. Asking questions about faith is somewhat our duty. We want to know more and more about what we chose. It works like in an example from life close to us: if parents chose the school I will go to, I can complain when I am in it, but if I choose studies for myself, then I bear responsibility for this choice. Do I choose IT studies? Understandable that I must apply myself to mathematics, and if I don’t do it then I have no reason to complain. It is no different in matters of faith.
Warning
This is a key element of the meeting.
The facilitator pulls out cards with written questions from the list below and spreads them on the table so that the writing is not visible to participants [so that during the meeting they concentrate on one card at a given moment].
Why do we fold hands together and not hold knees?
How does holy water differ from Ustronianka (bottled water)?
Does what jeans I go to church in matter so much to God?
Am I to be good because God says so? or maybe God commands good because it is good?
How do we know that Jesus was born on December 25th?
Why do we kneel at most prayers? In what is this attitude better than sitting?
Why do an examination of conscience since Jesus knows anyway what we did?
How do we know what Jesus said during prayer in Gethsemane since he was there alone?
How did Noah fit so many animals on an ark built of wood?
Why do we have Eucharistic bread, and not something else, e.g. popcorn?
How does faith know so much what happens to a human being after death?
Why do we make the sign of the cross with holy water entering the church?
Why are candles put on the altar since their light is not needed?
Why do priests wear a clerical collar? Ba! why do they walk in dresses? :|
What does “amen” mean? Why didn’t they translate it into Polish?
What sense does saying the same prayer 50 times in 30 minutes have?
How is it possible that God knows everything, and yet I have free will?
Why does the altar boy hit the gong during transubstantiation?
Why can’t I go to heaven with my dog?
What does God need our ornate temples for, since in heaven He probably has it infinitely nicer?
The facilitator asks participants to choose cards sequentially. We read the card together, and then ask three questions from the list below. We don’t have to use all cards - control the time. The facilitator can make up their own adapting them to the group.
Who has ever asked themselves this question?
What can knowing the answer to this question give You? (this question is much more important than the next one)
Who knows the answer? Who wants to try to come up with an answer intuitively?
There are no bad questions. It is worth asking yourself questions even about these smallest matters! We can be such “inquirers in matters of faith” :). Responsibility requires this, to know and understand what one has chosen. In faith there is a whole lot of details that will be pure form without content for us if we do not ask ourselves a question and look for an answer about their meaning. Imagine that you have a friend from outside Poland, whom someone taught that when he sees You he is to say: “It is an honor for me that we meet” and this friend of yours learned to pronounce this sentence, but totally doesn’t know what it means. What meaning would what he says have for You? Probably little.
Which of the discussed questions did You like the most? Why?
Would you like to learn such things?
As a help in answering questions if participants inquired we provide a “cheat sheet”:
Note
Facilitators do not have to agree with the point of view presented here. You can show another view. Important to answer questions clearly and straight from the shoulder, as it is recently popular: “speak as it is”. Fr. Adam Szustak has such a style of speaking e.g. People want information, knowledge, and not bsing. They sense bsing from 5 km.
(Cheat sheet content omitted for brevity, stick to the Polish content or translate if critical, but the user asked to translate files. I will translate the cheat sheet content as well.)
- Why do we fold hands together and not hold knees?
Such a way of folding hands in prayer began to spread from the 13th century. This custom was practiced in liturgy and private prayers. This gesture derives from the Germanic form of paying homage, according to which a vassal with hands folded like this approached his liege lord and received from him an external sign of granting a fief. In exchange for the fief the vassal pledged to serve the senior faithfully.
- How does holy water differ from Ustronianka?
Chemically nothing. It can be holy water from Ustronianka! Let’s look at the prayer spoken during the blessing of water: “Almighty, eternal God, You want that through water, which sustains life and serves for cleansing, also our souls be cleansed and receive a pledge of eternal life, we ask You, bless this water, with which we will be sprinkled on Your day, Lord. Renew in us the source of your grace and defend our souls and bodies from all evil, so that we may approach You with a pure heart and receive Your salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.” Holy water “transfers” this prayer to persons who use it.
- Does what jeans I go to church in matter so much to God?
Ask him. Seriously. For God it is important that we distinguish festive time from ordinary, because He himself did it (Creation of the World) and commanded us (decalogue). In our culture we distinguish this also through clothing. For God the most important is what you have in your heart. Sometimes, however, what is outside can help us in what is inside us. Do you associate situations that when you dress in a suit/beautiful dress you immediately feel more joyful also in spirit? This is a psychological mechanism that we know and can use for a just cause.
- Am I to be good because God says so? or maybe God commands good because it is good?
Good, truth and beauty are universal values not strictly related to religion nor even more so denomination. To be a good and decent man we do not need the Creator’s command. On the ground of pure reason and philosophical reflection we come to the fact that “good is good”. It was written in our nature by the Creator.
- How do we know that Jesus was born on December 25th?
We don’t know. It’s a symbolic date. The winter solstice is December 21-22. The intuition of Christians was to place the celebration of the Savior’s birth at the moment when we see that days are getting longer and brightness wins with darkness.
- Why do we kneel at most prayers? In what is this attitude better than sitting?
It is not better. It is a matter of convention, culture and our nature. Kneeling is an expression in our culture of immense giving of respect and attitude of love (how do you expect proposals to look? Without kneeling?). The Western Church likes this attitude, because it decided that it is close to it. If You prefer to pray standing there is no problem. This attitude spread in the Church along with growing rigorism - conviction about how great sinners we are, how very unworthy of meeting with God. With the deepening in the Church of the awareness of God’s love and mercy, which is greater than our sin, and manifests itself in that God himself entered among sinners unworthy of meeting him, prayer of praise increases, and a dynamic standing attitude fits it more. Sitting attitude favors listening, therefore in such an attitude we pray with the breviary.
- Why do an examination of conscience since Jesus knows anyway what we did?
Because the examination of conscience is not for Jesus only for us. It is we who need to stop and see a piece of our life and somehow summarize it - evaluate, arouse regret, draw conclusions for the future deciding on changes. We have experience, however, that Jesus is happy when we do this and supports us in this, because he wants our good.
- How do we know what Jesus said during prayer in Gethsemane since he was there alone?
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (Jn 14:26) God wanted us to know part of the content of this prayer, therefore in a supernatural way (cf. “biblical inspiration”) he revealed these words to the evangelists.
- How did Noah fit so many animals on an ark built of wood?
Sorry, but he didn’t fit. The Book of Genesis is an allegorical Book in its first 11 chapters. It is a story in which there is Truth, but not concerning science and history only faith. The story of Noah speaks about the fact that man is still responsible for all creation (he got this responsibility in Eden) and does not blow it off (literally :D). It also speaks about the fact that God asks man sometimes for things incomprehensible humanly (build a big boat on dry land?)
- Why do we have Eucharistic bread, and not something else, e.g. popcorn?
Bread is daily and simple. Everyone needs it and has access to it. God is just like that: he wants to be in everyday life under every house, and not only in palaces. So he chose. This sign was very expressive for people from this cultural circle (reference to Jewish Passover). In Poland we have this cultural aspect in common. Bread is the same for us.
- How does faith know so much what happens to a human being after death?
The Holy Spirit told us this, and we have been listening to him intensely for 2000 years. This is a sufficiently long time to ask him about various topics. Besides, our founder died and returned to us. The apostles certainly asked him “how was it there”.
- Why do we make the sign of the cross with holy water entering the church?
Holy water in the church primarily refers to the water of baptism. The Sign of the cross made with it is a reminder, and at the same time a renewal of the covenant concluded at baptism with Christ. Confession of faith, which is a condition for fruitful experience of the Eucharist, to which we go, or prayer brought to God. Also, to remind ourselves that we enter a holy place. Symbolically wash what is not holy and be ready for meeting with Jesus.
- Why are candles put on the altar since their light is not needed?
Candle light symbolizes vigilance, presence, and above all the Risen Christ, who is the “light of the world”. We will also not hide that it is simply a tradition that remained with us from times when we had not yet tamed electricity as humanity. We like these candles, they help us. The candle itself burns to give others light and warmth - we find in this an important truth about the vocation of each of us.
- Why do priests wear a clerical collar? Ba! why do they walk in dresses? :|
What a ring is for spouses (shows connection, deters persons inclined to look for a life partner) a clerical collar is for priests. As for walking in a “dress” (in the area of the Catholic church generally called a cassock or in the case of a monk a habit), we are similar to judicial institutions. Outfit externalizes our internal identity: metalheads walk in leathers (sorry if I am imprecise in assigning subcultures), skinheads in black and in combat boots. Sometimes it is related to the task or function performed (e.g. uniforms of soldiers or policemen). In some formations it undergoes constant evolution, in others it stops at some moment (cf. guards guarding the royal palace in London). I do not know the full history of the cassock. I expect that at some stage of history this outfit referred directly to current fashion. Then its development stopped and today it strongly distinguishes clergymen from other persons (cf. robes and wigs worn in British courts). Just like the clerical collar it is a clear sign that we are dealing with a clergyman - not suitable as a candidate for a husband, serves with help in spiritual matters.
- What does “amen” mean? Why didn’t they translate it into Polish?
from Heb. amen – “let it be”, “fidelity”. It caught on very strongly and so it stayed. It is also cool to have some common word despite the multitude of languages, right? It builds unity between us. And why weren’t such words translated into Polish as: physics, philosophy, music, calculator, computer, clown, umbrella, studies, not mentioning “younger” words such as chat or pen-drive? Yes there were, such attempts in the 18th century, but “it didn’t work out” because they boiled down more or less to the fact that following their path today we would say “calculating machine”, instead of “calculator, or “electronic brain” instead of computer :D
- What sense does saying the same prayer 50 times in 30 minutes have?
Saying has little sense; only such that diction is practiced. Behind words, however, go intentions and meditation. The rosary allows to concentrate on one thought and seek an answer in it - it has a character, one could say, meditative. But the rosary is not just rattling off “Hail Marys” - each decade is a different Mystery describing the life of Christ - because contrary to appearances this prayer is strongly Christocentric which is evidenced by “Jesus” in the middle of every “Hail Mary”. However, here we consider this life from the perspective of Mary, who just like us, was an ordinary human being who had to accept everything through faith.
- How is it possible that God knows everything, and yet I have free will?
St. Augustine answered this and it is one of the more important fruits of his life. We live in time, and this means that we have past, present and future. God and the whole heaven is outside of time. He sees past and future simultaneously. He sees therefore Your current choice and the one you will make in an hour. Changing the observation point does not change the fact that from the perspective of someone living in time they make free choices.
- Why does the altar boy hit the gong during transubstantiation?
Imagine long temples in which Mass is celebrated in Latin. The faithful people at that time not understanding too much pray as they know how in their own way. With a long temple and poor lighting not everyone always knew what the moment of liturgical action was. Bells or a gong made the matter easier. We liked it and left it even though currently in sum one could resign from it. Bluntly: sometimes we like this gong ourselves, because when thoughts drift away (yes! Involved Christians are not always at full concentration at Mass) then such a gong brings to order in a moment :).
- Why can’t I go to heaven with my dog?
Because a dog does not have a soul and is not a person.
- What does God need our ornate temples for, since in heaven He probably has it infinitely nicer?
He does not need them. Jesus unequivocally presented his point of view on splendor understood humanly in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew: “Consider the lilies of the field, 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.“ We build temples in this way because there are believers whom it helps. We want to give God so in our understanding, what is best and noblest (Cf. Jn 12:1-8). We have no doubts, however, that God does not really want anything from us, he wants us.
Faith is a process¶
The path of faith leads through many questions. How many of them need to be asked? When will it be “good enough”?
Let’s read:
Wisdom is radiant and unfading,and she is easily discerned by those who love her,and is found by those who seek her.She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.He who rises early to seek her will have no toil,for he will find her sitting at his gates.To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,and he who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,and she graciously appears to them in their paths,and meets them in every thought.The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction,and concern for instruction is love of her,and love of her is the keeping of her laws,and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,and immortality brings one near to God;so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.—Wis 6:12-20
What is wisdom in the biblical view?
What needs to be done to find wisdom? What does the use of the word “seek” testify to? (faith is a process, something that lasts in time, is not instant)
What does it mean that “wisdom herself goes about seeking those worthy of her”? (God wants us to have wisdom. He waits for our step in this direction)
Let’s read a sentence of an ancient Christian thinker:
“Non nascuntur sed fiunt Christiani!” (“Christians are made, not born!”)
Tertullian
How do you understand this sentence?
Why is faith a process? Why can’t it be achieved and put on a shelf in the room and had until the end of life?
We are becoming all the time and will be becoming Christians. Faith is a process. It requires conscious effort and taking a direction (decision). We talked about all this since yesterday to now be able to look at it fully consciously. This process begins like every one: from the first step. Faith will open its mysteries before us.
When one gets to know faith, certain false images are shattered. Similarly as in the case of revealing cards today at the meeting. Truth liberates, because it allows to understand and believe, and not just “blindly follow”.
Let’s read:
When someone claims that they are an unbeliever, I ask them: what does this God look like, in whom you do not believe? And when this someone describes the God in whom they do not believe, I often have to congratulate them with relief: God bless, that you do not believe in such a God. I do not believe in such a God either
Fr. Tomáš Halík
How has Your looking at faith and God changed so far?
Are you open for something else to change?
What can be Your first step in this direction?
The first step can be choosing one question and saying it to God today at evening prayer. Many people focus on necessarily hearing some answer from God. This is understandable. We hope that after today’s meeting before we start expecting God to answer us on various topics we will think for a few minutes what question we want to ask him and why.
Application and prayer¶
Talk to one person from the retreat about a question related to faith that you ask yourselves. It can be a friend or colleague, it can be a facilitator or priest. It is not about the other person singing the answer to You, only about the sharing itself.
For persons preparing for confirmation I recommend additionally such a question:
How will I after confirmation differ from myself before confirmation?