Growth Study Leader Study (English)

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Growth Leader Guide Created and published by Catholic Christian Outreach Canada. Copyright © 2011. All rights reserved.

Nihil Obstat: Patrick Fletcher Ph.D. Censor Deputatus

Imprimatur: +Terrence Prendergast, S.J.

Archbishop of Ottawa

June 26, 2011 Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Catholic Christian Outreach Canada.

1247 Kilborn Place Ottawa, ON K1H 6K9

Canada

Phone: 613-736-1999 Fax: 613-736-1800

[email protected] www.cco.ca

Printed in Canada.

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The leaf image on the cover of Growth represents life, health and vitality. It brings to mind these Scripture passages:

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8

The imagery in these verses reminds us of the indispensable presence of the Holy Spirit, through whom growth and fruit appear (as discussed in Source). This study reminds us of the growth that is possible when we are rooted in Christ, confident in our relationship with him and uniting our efforts to grow in holiness with the Spirit. Image © Iakov Kalinin 2010 Cover Design © Chris Pecora 2011

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Quotations from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Verbum Domini, Dominicae Cenae, Redemptoris Missio and Documents of the II Vatican Council are used with permission from Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used with

permission. All rights reserved.

Fr. Bob Bedard, CC (founder), quoted with permission by the Companions of the Cross. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from Catholic and Christian: An Explanation of Commonly Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs by Alan Schreck are copyright © 1984, 2004 by Alan Schreck and used with permission of Servant Books, Cincinnati, Ohio. Catholic and Christian by Alan Schreck can be purchased at bookstores, Amazon.com, or by contacting St. Anthony Messenger Press at 1-800-488-0488.

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To St. Paul whose letters instruct and inspire us

to grow to maturity in Christ.

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Table of Contents

Faith Study Objectives 10

Leading a Faith Study 13 Lesson 1 – Growth Essentials 19 An overview of why and how we are called to grow in our relationship with God.

Lesson 2 – Prayer 27 Growing in our confidence in prayer and our intimacy with God through prayer.

Lesson 3 – Scripture 39 Scripture is living and active, and should be so in our daily lives.

Lesson 4 – Sacramental Life 50 The graces we receive in the sacraments help us to grow in faith.

Lesson 5 – Fellowship 59 Paul, Barnabas and Timothy are models of the relationships we have within the body of Christ.

Lesson 6 – Service and Witness 67 We are called to serve others and share the love of God with them in word and deed.

Appendix 76

Growth Follow-Up 79 Challenges each participant to start his/her own Discovery study.

Living it Out Cards 85

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Faith Study Objectives

1. CCO's Strategy

Proclaim / Equip / Commission. To bring people to Christ, build them up as Catholic Christians, and send them out to reach others. 2. The Objectives of CCO Small Group Faith Studies

• For students to hear spiritual truth.

• For students to hear the truth about Jesus and be introduced to him.

• For students to make Christian friends and be drawn into a Christian community.

• To provide a means to get students involved with activities in CCO, their parish, their diocese and the universal Church.

• For students to deepen their understanding and love of the Catholic Church, especially the sacraments.

• For students to encounter the love, forgiveness and salvation offered in Christ Jesus, and to have a deep and lasting “metanoia” (conversion of heart and life).

• For students to learn transferable concepts which enable them to transmit the truths they learn to others.

• To equip students for future leadership. 3. Goals of Each Thematic Study

CCO has formulated five small group thematic faith studies: Discovery, Source, Growth, Obedience and Commission. These are faith studies, not Bible studies in a pure sense (i.e. the study of long passages of Scripture in their context). CCO studies look at particular Scripture passages and other Church documents as they relate to certain topics or themes (e.g. prayer, the love of God, the Holy Spirit).

The studies do not attempt to teach comprehensive theology. They are simply meant to (re)introduce students to the basics of the Catholic faith, challenging them to greater holiness by means of group discussion.

Leaders should understand the purpose of the studies: what they teach, how they complement each other, and the objectives of each lesson. Small group sessions should be purposeful (for example, we want to avoid spending hours looking up verses that may quickly be forgotten). Adhering to the objectives of each lesson will help us to successfully pass on their content.

Discovery – Evangelization. The first four lessons of this study introduce the basic concepts of Christian faith. In the fifth lesson, participants are invited to make a commitment to Christ. The sixth lesson aims to help them better grasp that commitment.

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Source – Holy Spirit. This study looks at the Holy Spirit's vital role in

our lives, which is to empower and direct us to be holy, and teach us to overcome our sinfulness.

Growth – Daily Christian Growth. This study explores the living out of a commitment to Christ. It explains the essential components of the Christian life (prayer, Scripture, sacraments, fellowship, service and witness).

Obedience – Lordship. The focus of this study is obedience to the Lord in various aspects of life (speech habits, sexuality, hardships, Church teachings, etc).

Commission – Missionary Identity. This study explores the Church’s deepest identity, which is her missionary character. Truths and principles about evangelization and discipleship that CCO has learned over the years are examined.

4. Growth Goals

You will find the six lessons and their goals listed in the table of contents.

Growth offers practical guidance on how to grow in holiness. Like the Discovery and Source studies, Growth is rooted in the truth that God is at the centre of our lives. In Discovery, we opened ourselves up to receiving, more fully, the gift of salvation offered to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We invited him to have his rightful place in our lives as our Lord and Saviour, our King and Redeemer. In Source, we learned about the Holy Spirit and how he is active in our lives moment-by-moment, directing and empowering us to follow Christ. Now it is time for Growth. In the context of an intimate relationship with God, there is much to learn about growing and living the Christian life in the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is important to remind your group throughout the study of the real help and action of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, this study could be interpreted as a list of activities we must accomplish in order to earn God’s favour. The things we do to grow in the Christian life (prayer, Scripture, sacraments, fellowship, witness and service) should flow from our relationship with God and our desire to know, love and serve him. They should be impelled by the Holy Spirit’s action in our lives, giving us the grace to understand and to desire to follow God’s will.

Source preceded Growth to help us understand the integral role of the Holy Spirit in our piety and practice of the Faith. Recognizing the importance of the Holy Spirit, we now look at the concrete actions that characterize a Christian life. The concepts presented in both Source and Growth are vital for those who are newly learning to live as Christians.

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The Growth follow-up at the end of the fifth lesson challenges participants to gather a group of people and lead their own Discovery group. We know that “faith is strengthened when it is given to others” (Redemptoris Missio, 2). By initiating their own Discovery group, we hope that participants will have fresh impetus to keep God at the centre of their lives, and to be steeped in prayer and the Scriptures. They will have an opportunity to build fellowship with more people in this group. They will also have the opportunity to see how the sacraments can minister to their friends as they are led back to God through the Eucharist and in the sacrament of Reconciliation.

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Leading a Faith Study

A. Qualities of a Faith Study Leader

Faith study leaders should be: F A C T (Faithful, Available, Contagious and Teachable). They agree to chaste conduct, daily prayer, committed attendance at their parish and dedication to whatever their primary vocation is. (For example, students should be diligent in their academics). They must be:

a) Faithful:

• To the Lord

• To personal holiness (prayer, Mass, discipleship, etc.)

• To Church teachings

• To a parish – faithfully attending Mass every Sunday

• To the call of evangelization

b) Available:

• Diligently prepare each lesson

• Spend time with group members

c) Contagious:

• Welcoming, affirming

• Authentic witness of a vibrant relationship with God

• Strive to identify with those to whom they minister

• Enjoy and delight in each group member

d) Teachable:

• In the areas of personal holiness, ministry, character, involvement

• Willing to grow in faith (prayer, reading, conferences, retreats)

• Able to accept constructive criticism B. How to Lead a Faith Study

1. Phone Contact

• As you are dialling, say a brief prayer for each person.

• Identify yourself and how you know the person, or received their contact information.

• Confirm the time and place of the small group meeting.

• Make sure each person knows where to find the meeting room, or...

• Plan somewhere obvious to meet so that you can lead your group to the meeting room.

• Let them know that every week they should bring a Bible to the group, preferably with an Old Testament. If anyone doesn't have a Bible, ask a CCO staff member if there are extra Bibles available for small groups.

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2. Preparation

a) Personal Prayer

• Leaders should have a consistent personal prayer life (with daily prayer time).

• Leaders should be reading Scripture on a regular or daily basis.

• Leaders should faithfully attend Mass every Sunday.

b) Intercession

• Intercede specifically for each participant.

• Pray for one student each day.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to open the hearts and minds of the participants.

• Pray the rosary, offering a decade or a Hail Mary for each member.

c) Prepare

• Review the faith study as a whole and the lesson to be led.

• Have The Catechism of the Catholic Church handy for reference, as per preparation notes. The index in the back of the CCC is the best way to search for information.

• Call a CCO staff member or student leader for guidance if necessary.

• Note which part(s) of the study are most important and which could be covered more quickly.

• The answers provided are intended as a guide and sometimes contain more information than is required. Use as needed.

• These studies are tools that you use, not just studies that you lead. Make the content your own. Share your relationship with God and your personal faith journey.

3. Logistics for Your First Meeting

• Meet your group members but do not wait too long — 10 minutes after the starting time, go to the study location.

• Have everyone introduce themselves, then hand out the studies and go over logistics.

• You will need to collect money from each small group member to cover study guide costs. Please forward this money to CCO student executive members (as applies).

• Give participants your phone number.

• Explain that you are committed to this study time and ask the group to make the same commitment for the semester. This commitment is important because the lessons build on one another. Ask them to let you know if they cannot make it to a meeting.

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4. Components of a Faith Study

a) Casual sharing

• Start the small group meeting in an atmosphere of fun and sharing.

• Discuss how the group implemented the study challenges that week.

b) Announcements

• Make announcements at the beginning of each lesson. If you only make announcements at the end of the lesson, many will be rushing off to class and will not take proper note of the upcoming events.

c) Prayer

• Open the faith study with prayer.

d) Recap last week’s study

e) Overview of this week’s study

• This helps participants focus on the topic.

f) Go through the study material

• Summarize each section as you go, so participants understand the direction of the lesson. This avoids a verse-by-verse checklist approach.

g) Closing comments

• Summarize clearly and concisely the points the group has discovered.

• Go over the challenge/homework.

h) Closing prayer

• Add any special intentions that have come up during the study.

• Time permitting, you could close with 10 minutes of small group prayer. Have each person share a need and pray for the person next to him/her.

5. Helpful Tips

a) Set the tone

• Be on time for the meeting (arrive early when possible). This sets a good example and shows your commitment to the group.

• Greet each member by name. Vary comments, but let each know they are welcome. The sooner you remember their names, the sooner they will feel comfortable with the group.

b) Facilitate discussion

• A circle without barriers is best for group discussion. If anyone comes in late, make sure he/she is brought into the circle.

• Your group may be quiet because they may be concerned that the answers are really "deep" ones. They might not want to give the ‘obvious’ answer for fear that it is too simple to be true. For the most part, the answers are very straightforward. Remind the group of this.

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• Give people time to think after you have asked a question or invited sharing (wait 2-5 seconds before speaking again). Relax. Don't fear silence.

• Avoid answering your own questions. Re-word a question if it is unclear.

• Sometimes you may want to expand on someone's answer by asking, "What else do you see?" or "What other ways are there?" or "Does anyone else have anything to add?"

• Do not struggle to get participants to say exactly what you think is the right answer. Better to let a few questionable responses go by than to discourage people from talking. However, if it is a matter of basic truth or the answer is wide of your aim, say something like, "That's an interesting point of view. Does anyone else have a thought about this?" To avoid confusion sum up briefly, "I appreciate your sharing. I guess my thoughts are... because..."

• Acknowledge each person's answer. Let him/her know (verbally and non-verbally) that you are listening and that you appreciate the contribution. If necessary, ask questions like "could you explain more?" Be natural in your response. If someone brings up something new to you, say so ("I hadn't seen that before. Thanks for pointing that out.").

• If someone talks too much, try saying, "Let's hear from someone who hasn't had a chance to comment yet."

• If someone is barely talking in the study, ask him/her to read aloud certain sections of the faith study or Scriptures so that he/she can participate verbally in the group.

• Direct a question at an individual to draw out timid participants. It is a good idea to direct easy questions their way to build their confidence in speaking out.

• You can also use this technique (of asking specific people to answer questions) to allow other voices to join in when there are individuals monopolizing the discussion.

• Keep the sharing current and personal. Encourage people to share things God has done in their lives that week or during the meeting.

• Please be sensitive and welcoming if you have non-Catholics in the group. It would be considerate to prepare them before the study begins, in case they do not want to be in a Catholic program. Assure them that they are most welcome in the group, and that it is in fact an honour to have them join. Be sure they understand that the content will be very Catholic, with quotes from Scripture, popes, saints, and The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Although the material has been written to communicate the Catholic Church's teaching, non-Catholics will probably be pleasantly surprised at how understandable it is. Assure them that you will be sensitive to their situation in the small group discussions. Let them know they can approach you if they have questions.

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c) Pace the study within the time limit

• Know the objective of each lesson and communicate it clearly to ensure that people stay on track and do not go off topic. Do not get bogged down in unimportant details; keep the discussion moving.

• Be mindful of how much time is left and of how quickly you are progressing through the material.

d) Leader's role

• The onus is not on the leader to convert the hearts of the students — that job is for the Holy Spirit. The leader’s role is to present the material in an enthusiastic way and to facilitate discussion. Most of the speaking should come from the students.

• The leader intercedes quietly in and beyond the study, staying closely connected to the Holy Spirit. The leader recognizes that:

No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3b

Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14

We are not to be concerned with being effective. We are to be faithful, faithful simply to what the Lord has called us to be. What he may want to accomplish through us is his business and known only to him.

Father Bob Bedard, CC

6. During the Semester

• Plan a social or meal as a celebration/reunion of your study group.

• Remember: you are encouraged to book a one-on-one appointment with each participant after the last lesson.

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Growth Small Group Information:

Time:

Place:

Leader:

Phone Number: Email:

Participants:

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Lesson 1 Preparation Notes

"Growth Essentials" In Brief:

Overview of why and how we are called to grow in our relationship with God.

Key Elements:

• This lesson is all about growth. It is also an introduction to the topics that will be covered over the course of the study.

• Colossians 2:6-7 summarizes Growth. We will unpack it phrase-by-phrase: "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

• The practical ways by which we grow and co-operate with the Holy Spirit are through prayer, Scripture, sacraments, fellowship, witness and service. These also happen to be the lesson titles for the remainder of the faith study.

• It is very important to emphasize our need for the Holy Spirit. This is the reason Source, rather than Growth, comes after Discovery. We must first learn to rely on the Holy Spirit, so we are able to co-operate with the grace he gives us. We do not want participants to feel they have to prove themselves to God through their achievements. Faith and works must go together! As we go through Growth, looking at these "works," make a conscious effort to draw the participants back to the Holy Spirit's activity in their lives.

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Lesson 1

Growth Essentials

In Discovery, we affirmed that Jesus Christ is God’s plan for our salvation. We ended the study emphasizing that we must make a choice to live out the call of our Baptism and follow God. This process of conversion must continue for the rest of our lives.

Ongoing conversion implies growth; our relationship with God should always be growing. But how does that happen? Source emphasized the role and importance of the Holy Spirit in our faith life; now, in Growth, we will take a very practical look at what we can do to grow our relationship with God.

1. What is necessary for any kind of a relationship to sustain growth?

Answers will likely refer to time, effort, or commitment.

• Time – investing time, taking time to be together, celebrating special and ordinary times; the more time you spend with someone, the more you know him/her.

• Effort – quality time, communication, trying to get to know the person better, making an effort to love and care for him/her, showing that love and making an effort to stay in contact.

• Commitment – this is a necessary prerequisite to growth in relationships. It provides an environment of trust, safety and fidelity even through the difficult times.

“The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle.”

CCC 2015

Leaders: Much could be said here about the paschal mystery and how sacrifice, struggle and perseverance in company with Christ are part of the Christian journey. This is not, however, where we want to take the discussion at this point. For now, focus on human relationships and the elements listed above.

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Parable of the Sower

Jesus often taught using nature-based parables and images to teach spiritual truths. We will now look at his parable of the sower. Jesus shows us how environment is critical to promote and sustain growth in both the natural and spiritual worlds.

2. Read Luke 8:4-8. Jesus touches on environmental factors which are needed for plant growth. What are such factors?

When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

Good soil, right amount of sunshine, right amount of moisture, (also you might want to mention: fertilizer, location, pruning, stakingS)

3. What happens to a plant if one or more of these elements is not sufficiently present?

To the degree that the environmental factors are not sufficiently present, the plant can suffer. For example, if roots cannot go deep enough, the plant does not properly develop and mature; it does not reach its potential, and fruit is scarce or non-existent.

Each factor is important to the overall health of the plant, if even just one factor is weak, the plant as a whole is affected.

4. Read Luke 8:11-15. What jeopardizes spiritual growth?

‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Leaders: You can have participants share or extrapolate from what they have read in this parable, or from what they have experienced.

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5. We have talked about the factors needed for plant growth. What practical elements are needed for spiritual growth?

This line of questioning will help the participants brainstorm. By the end, whatever they share should be able to be categorized into the areas of: prayer, Scripture, sacramental life, fellowship, service and witness.

6. What happens if one or more of these elements is not sufficiently present in our life?

It is important that we develop and strengthen each area of our spiritual life. Otherwise, we will be imbalanced and ultimately struggle to grow in holiness.

Remind the participants how all the factors are important for the health of the plant. Over the next 5 lessons, Growth intends to bring clarity to these essential elements for spiritual growth and to emphasize healthy development in each area.

Christian Growth

7. Read Colossians 2:6-7. How can we concretely “live (our) lives in him”?

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

You can point out that keeping Christ at the centre of our life is the right environment and necessary starting point. Without a Christ-centred life (or you could say a Spirit-filled life), these good practices just do not have the proper strength — prayer will not be focused, the sacraments will lose their meaning to us, etc. For “ongoing conversion” to keep happening in our spiritual journey, Jesus must be at the centre of our lives.

Living our lives for him implies decisions and choices, sometimes challenging ones, to follow God's will and plan for our lives and to say "no" to lesser options and of course sinful choices and temptations.

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8. How are we “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith”? Try to be as specific as possible elaborating on the elements for spiritual growth from the last section.

Leaders: Draw attention to each verb: rooted, built up, and established. For example ask supplementary questions which will tie in the elements of spiritual growth with these verbs. (Sample answers are included). This line of questioning will help you dig a bit more deeply into how each area helps us grow and grounds us in the Lord.

• "How are we rooted in Scripture?" I encounter God by making time to read Scripture and experiencing it as living and active in my life. I can read the Mass readings every day.

• "How are we built up through the sacraments?"

Through the sacraments, I receive grace and help to follow God's will for my life. I feel strengthened in my faith when I go to Mass. Confession lifts the weight off my shoulders and sets me on a right path.

• "How are we established through fellowship?" Through my Christian friends and community I am supported and encouraged, and I have role models to show me how to follow God. I have somewhere to learn and grow.

Space for Notes:

Another important point to bring up with this question is the primacy of love in our spiritual lives and our growth in holiness. As we read in 1 Corinthians 13, I can have great faith and action but if I “do not have love, I am nothing” (v. 2).

The following quotation from Vatican II - Dogmatic Constitution on the Church connects love with spiritual growth.

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Indeed, in order that love, as good seed, may grow and bring forth fruit in the soul, each one of the faithful must willingly hear the Word of God and accept his Will, and must complete what God has begun by their own actions with the help of God's grace. These actions consist in the use of the sacraments and in a special way the Eucharist, frequent participation in the sacred action of the Liturgy, application of oneself to prayer, self-abnegation, lively fraternal service and the constant exercise of all the virtues. For charity, as the bond of perfection and the fullness of the law, rules over all the means of attaining holiness and gives life to these same means. It is charity which guides us to our final end. It is the love of God and the love of one's neighbor which points out the true disciple of Christ.

Lumen Gentium, 42

Faith and hope — the other two theological virtues integral to the Christian life — could be discussed as well. We need faith in order to be saved and empowered with grace of the Holy Spirit, and hope so as to persevere in faith (Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.”)

9. The beginning of this verse reads, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord.” How do we receive Jesus?

We received him in faith and Baptism.

10. Why is this important to remember?

We received Christ Jesus the Lord with childlike faith and trust, recognizing our need for salvation from sins and weaknesses. We must not forget our “first love” or become complacent. We must remember this disposition of humility before our God, and always be mindful of his great gift of mercy on our lives.

We receive his very life in us at our Baptism. This gift of new life and adoption into God’s family is of immeasurable worth. It should be remembered, cherished and honoured. (Hence why we bless ourselves with holy water before and after Mass).

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11. What can we learn from the rest of the verse, which reads “just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving”?

"Just as you were taught" remind us to be humble — we do not know everything and were dependent on someone else to teach us the faith. It can also remind us to respect the teaching authority of the Magisterium. More learned and holy people have gone before us studying, debating and unveiling the deep truths of the faith. We are not the ultimate authority on Catholic truth.

"Abounding in thanksgiving" again speaks of humility and gratitude for those who have passed the faith on to us, and for what God has done in our lives, especially by saving us when we were dead in our sins. This phrase can also speak to us of the Eucharist (which means 'thanksgiving'). As Catholics, the Eucharist is central to our liturgical life and encounter with Jesus. In the Eucharist Jesus literally comes into our life. Through the Eucharist we are reminded that Jesus' rightful place is at the centre of our lives

Personal Application

12. What factors in your environment could jeopardize your spiritual growth? 13. Which of the elements for spiritual growth is strongest in your life right now? Which is the weakest? What would you like to see improved?

By practicing all the essential elements for spiritual growth (prayer, Scripture, sacraments, fellowship, witness and service) we have the best chance of keeping Jesus at the centre of our lives. A word of caution is necessary, though. We could fulfill all these activities, but have other things as our “first love” or our “god”. For example: pride, accomplishment, money, success or career. We might be good at doing all the right things, but keep our hearts far from God. We need to examine our consciences regularly and always be ready to re-invite Jesus to be Lord of our lives.

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Summary

Prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, fellowship, service and witness are practical ways we can nourish our spiritual lives and grow in holiness. Balanced Christian growth can happen if each of these areas is cultivated. We progress in Christian maturity when our efforts co-operate with the graces we receive from the Holy Spirit.

Living It Out

Challenge: Pick your weakest area and decide on a way to strengthen it. Make it a concrete and practical resolution. Memorize Colossians 2:6-7: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

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"Prayer” In Brief:

Growing in our confidence in prayer and our intimacy with God through prayer.

Key Elements:

• This lesson looks at two common challenges in prayer life: intimacy and confidence. With both intimacy and confidence, prayer life can soar; without them, all the techniques in the world will fall flat.

• Both characteristics boil down to trusting in God's goodness. The better we know him, the more we can have confidence in his care and provision. The more we experience his care and provision, the closer our relationship becomes. This perspective is grounded in the spirituality of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which is a great resource for your study preparation and your own prayer life.

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that "Prayer presupposes an effort, a fight against ourselves and the wiles of the Tempter. The battle of prayer is inseparable from the necessary ‘spiritual battle’ to act habitually according to the Spirit of Christ: we pray as we live, because we live as we pray." (CCC 2752) Although we do not focus on temptation from the devil in this study, you may need to be sensitive to how participants respond to this spiritual reality.

• A key question in this study is: “What is your greatest struggle in prayer?” Prayer is a struggle when we fail to understand that it must be grounded in a relationship with the living God. It would be difficult to pray if we felt we were lifting up our cries to an unknowable, unapproachable cosmic energy. It is critical to understand that God is a person. He is real and wants to be in a vibrant, personal relationship with us.

• Encourage participants to pray daily. Refer to a human relationship: we need and want to take quality time to communicate with a best friend. Personal time for prayer means setting aside time above and beyond those little prayers and conversations we have with God throughout the day. Those “throughout-the-day” prayers are important, but should not be our only kind of prayer.

• If you have time, doing the optional "Diving In" activity is a concrete way to show participants how to pray. Some may never have set aside a specific time to pray — this activity can help them understand how to use that time (of course this is not the only way to pray, but is a good start for mental prayer).

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Recommended Reading:

• CCC 2725-2758

• I Believe in Love, Fr. Jean C. J. d'Elbée (on St. Thérèse)

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Lesson 2

Prayer

1. How did last week’s challenge go?

A great way to start growing in holiness is through prayer. Prayer should be a regular and very personal part of our relationship with God. It is simple enough for a child to do and vast enough to keep the saints in awe.

Luke 11:1 says, “He [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” Like the disciples, let us begin this lesson by asking Jesus to teach us to pray. Let us be assured that if we ask, he would be delighted to take us under his care and teach us to pray.

Leaders: Opening with prayer at this point would be appropriate. End the lesson with the Lord’s Prayer.

2. What are some reasons why people pray?

Leaders: To help participants think of reasons, ask them to think of why the greatest saints pray and why the greatest sinners cry out in desperation.

• Help for myself: courage, answers, guidance, direction, wisdom

• Help for loved ones: friends, family situations or challenges

• Help for the world: war/peace, hunger, disease, justice, evangelization

• Intimacy: comfort, connection, to be close to God

In this lesson, we will look at two of the greatest challenges we face in prayer: intimacy and confidence.

Leaders: The point developed in this lesson is that if we know God intimately, we can have confidence in his goodness. The reverse is also true: when we live out of a confidence in his goodness we are able to know him so much better.

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Intimacy

Prayer is much more than just asking for favours or pleading for help from God. It is primarily a means of conversing with him. It is listening to and sharing our heart with a trusted friend.

3. Read the passages below. Circle words or ideas in these verses that describe how we should approach God. How will these ideas help us to develop our prayer and intimacy with God?

Hebrews 4:14-16

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We can approach God to receive mercy, grace and help. Jesus is not far removed from our challenges and trials. He understands and can relate to our experiences.

Ephesians 3:15-21

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

This passage describes how we can grow spiritually as we deepen our intimacy with God. We are encouraged to delve deeper and deeper into knowing and experiencing the love of God. There is no end to loving and being loved by him in new and richer ways.

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Confidence

Any father anticipates that his child will ask for and need his help. Jesus understood this. He tells us in Luke 11:9-13:

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

The key to confidence lies in the intimate relationship between father and child. The child does not impress the father by his great display of confidence. It is the depth, love and security of the relationship that gives the child the freedom and confidence to ask his father for help. Our heavenly Father can be trusted with all our cares and concerns. Our intimate relationship with God is the essential foundation for confidence in prayer.

Sometimes it is easier to believe that God hears and answers prayers for other people; it can be much harder to have confidence that he is actually willing to help me. This kind of thinking is a sign that we need to deepen our faith in the Father's love.

4. Can you relate to any of these comments on confidence? How? The following Scripture selections can inspire confidence in God and remind us that his faithfulness is not far off or for someone else, but available for each of us.

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5. Read the following Scripture selections as though they were written directly to you. How does each passage teach you to approach God the Father in prayer? How can you adopt this posture before God?

Leaders: For this question, separate the participants into pairs. Divide the passages among the groups and allow 5-10 minutes for discussion. Have the group come together and ask each pair to present how they can be confident in prayer.

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.

If we are praying according to God’s will, we can have confidence that he will hear our prayers and answer us. This does not mean he will always give us exactly what we ask, but he will answer us according to what he knows is best for us.

Hebrews 10:19:22

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Through Christ, we are made clean so that we can approach God confidently. The veil referred to here is the veil (heavy curtain) that covered the Holy of Holies, separating the people from God’s presence. It was torn in two when Christ died on the cross. We can now approach God freely, no matter who we are.

Both of these passages tell us that we should approach God with confidence and absolute trust. It is because of Jesus that we are able to have confidence in approaching the Father.

Leaders: Remind participants that through their Baptism they are given the right to be children of God. By giving our hearts to Christ (i.e. choosing and living in the third kind of relationship as explained in the Ultimate Relationship booklet) we can live confidently before God. For some people, it is not until their adult conversion that they feel the veil is lifted and they can encounter the Lord in a real and personal way.

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Mark 11:20-24

In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.’

Have faith and do not doubt. With God, ‘impossible’ things can happen!

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When you pray, be thankful, and pray without anxiety.

Leaders: Ask, “How does anxiety conflict with confident prayer?”

6. What are some practical ways we can pray with greater confidence?

• Read and meditate on Scripture. If we do not know the promises of God, if we are not aware of how prayer has been answered or even how to pray, then it is difficult to pray with confidence. Knowledge of Scripture fosters confidence.

• Step out, ask, believe, wait and see. With God, nothing is impossible.

• The more we pray, the more we will see God at work in our lives. The more we see God at work, the more we will pray.

• Surround yourself with people who pray and believe.

• Just do it! Practice makes perfect.

Sometimes it seems as though God does not answer our prayers. There may be reasons for this:

• Our request is immature, unnecessary or a fleeting desire. • Our request is not for God's greater glory in our lives or in the

lives of others. • We have not prayed with faith. • We have no real intention of changing our ways and giving

our love and our life completely to him. We want his blessings, but we do not want to change sinful behaviour.

• We have not persevered in prayer.

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When we come before God, we should examine our motivation and ask him to help us pray with pure and sincere hearts. We must also remember that God’s perspective is more complete than ours is — he sees the bigger picture. It may seem to us that he does not hear or wish to answer our prayers, when in fact he is offering us a greater good. We need to trust that he loves us and wants what is best for us.

Leaders: "What about when God doesn't answer our prayers?" is certainly a difficult and often emotional question. Even if he does not answer our prayer the way we think he should have, it does not mean that he did not hear our prayer. His response of "wait" or "no" means that he has a better plan in mind that we do not yet understand – that a greater good is being accomplished. Scripture promises that nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God" (Romans 8:39), and that "all things work together for good for those who love God" (Romans 8:28). Jesus taught us to pray with a spirit of submission and abandonment to God's purpose – "Thy will be done."

The Battle of Prayer

Prayer presupposes an effort, a fight against ourselves and the wiles of the Tempter. The battle of prayer is inseparable from the necessary "spiritual battle" to act habitually according to the Spirit of Christ: we pray as we live, because we live as we pray.

CCC 2752

7. Why is it such a struggle to make time for prayer, especially on a daily basis?

• We are tempted away from prayer in a variety of ways, usually through our natural weaknesses.

• We are lazy.

• We do not know how to pray.

• We are busy, so we find it hard to make time for prayer. We choose times that are rushed, or pray right before bed and end up falling asleep.

• We set unrealistic goals (e.g. “I will pray one hour every day” may not be practical for beginners).

• We do not believe in or understand the purpose of prayer.

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Leaders: Ask, “What is your greatest struggle in prayer?”

Prayer is a struggle when we fail to understand that it must be grounded in a relationship with the living God.

We must develop a prayer life that goes beyond asking for things. If we think of prayer as merely listing our needs, then we will only pray when we “feel” these specific needs. Since we are not always in a state of “felt” need, we will not always be driven to pray.

God wants much more than “wish list” prayers. He wants us to share our hopes and concerns with him. He also wants us to allow him time to love us and speak to our hearts. Prayer is much more than simple demands; it is an encounter with the living God in a personal, life-giving way. We need to come to the feet of Jesus, not just to his pocketbook.

When I begin my prayer each morning, I find it is difficult to focus, to have the faith that God is near. It is as if I begin my prayer running on empty. Nothing to receive, nothing to give. So the first thing I do is remind myself of the truth. “Father I know you love me, that you hold me in your hands. I know that through Christ’s death and resurrection, I can approach you with confidence — not as a slave but as a child, part of the family.” I imagine myself approaching the throne of grace. I am no longer alone, empty or without focus. Now I can begin my prayer.

André Regnier

8. Do you find it difficult to focus when you begin to pray? How could the above approach (and the things we have discussed in this lesson) help you get started each day?

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Practical Application

Daily prayer can take many forms. The acronym P.R.A.Y. is a helpful reminder of the various ways we can pray.

Leaders: Let participants know that the format below is simply a guide and that the allotted times for each type of prayer are suggestions only. Assure them that they are not obligated to follow this guide exactly.

Praise: What does it mean to praise? Why praise? How do we praise? (3-5 minutes)

Praise is saying good things about someone. We know that God has done great things. He deserves our praise. Does he need our praise? No. We need to praise because when we do, we remind ourselves of his greatness and establish this truth in our hearts. As we worship him with our hearts, we are lifted up into his presence.

We can worship with words: reading the Psalms, speaking out or reflecting on how great God is, singing or listening to praise and worship music.

We can worship with our imagination: imagining that we are in God’s presence worshipping him and expressing our love to him. (This is Ignatian style prayer).

Repentance: Why is repentance important? (2-4 minutes)

God knows what we have done. It is no secret. He knows our sins and he knows how to deal with our sins. There is no sin that is too big for him. It is freeing to expose our weakness and failures. As the expression goes, “you’re as sick as your secrets.” There is no better place to deal with our sin than in the sacrament of Reconciliation, which we should receive regularly. On a daily basis, however, it is important to do an examination of conscience and to admit our failures to God.

Ask: How can I remember to pray for everybody and everything I should, let alone for myself? (5-10 minutes)

Sometimes we have an overwhelming number of intentions on our minds. One manageable way to remember to pray for them all is to make a weekly list, praying for a few each day. Another idea is to pray a rosary, offering a decade or a Hail Mary for various people and intentions. Be assured that it is not bad or selfish to pray for your own needs too.

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Yield: To what are we yielding and why is this important? How do we yield? (5 minutes)

It is not really a question of “to what” we yield, but “to whom?” We are yielding to God. Yielding is a lifelong process; it is the daily struggle to let go of our own will and give way to God’s will for our life. Yielding can begin with giving God permission to do what he needs to do in us. We then ask the Holy Spirit to help us give way to his will throughout the day.

A very practical way to yield to God’s will is to take time to listen to him. This means taking time for quiet, to just “be” in God’s presence and perhaps hear him speak to you (not audibly, but in the depths of your heart). This usually works well if you have been reflecting on a Scripture passage. The reading of Scripture should always accompany your daily prayer (this will be the topic of the next lesson). Journaling is also helpful —write down what you feel the Lord is telling you so that you can look back and see his work and guidance in your life.

Diving In

Optional: Your small group leader may direct a time of prayer according to the PRAY model. You will all pray individually, but at the same time.

Leaders: Below is a suggested format. Allow 15 minutes (be sure to have a watch). You will guide participants along from section to section.

• (3 minutes) Praise – Bring in a worship CD and listen to one song (slow song is most appropriate here), or slowly read a Psalm aloud (suggestions: Psalms 91, 145, 8, 148).

• (2 minutes) Repentance – Direct participants to take a few minutes to reflect on their lives. You could direct them to the examination of conscience in the appendix of the study guide.

• (6 minutes) Ask – Direct them to take a few minutes to present their concerns to the Lord, first for others, and then for themselves. Let them know after three minutes when to start presenting their personal needs before the Lord.

• (2 minutes) Yield – Have them take a couple minutes in silence. To direct their thoughts, have them ask the Lord if there is anything in this faith study lesson, or from the Scriptures read, that he wants to impress on their hearts.

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Tying It All Together

9. At the end of each lesson we will look at how each theme contributes to the overall goal of growing closer to God. Therefore, how does prayer help us grow closer to God?

In speaking to God and listening to what he has to tell us, we come to know who he is and what he wants for us. This knowledge helps us to better follow and imitate him. In prayer, we exercise the gift of faith, confident that the Lord has our best interests in mind and that with him nothing is impossible.

Summary

How incredible that we can be on speaking terms with the Creator of the universe! Through prayer we are able to express what is in our hearts and ask for God’s blessings. The more we communicate with him, the more we will get to know him and become like him.

Living It Out

Challenge: Set a goal to take time daily for personal prayer. For example, you might resolve to begin each day by praying for at least 10 minutes.

Leaders: Refer again to a human relationship. We need and want to take quality time to communicate with a best friend. Personal time for prayer means setting aside time above and beyond those little prayers and conversations we have with God throughout the day. Those “throughout-the-day” prayers are important, but they should not be our only kind of prayer.

Memorize Hebrews 4:16: Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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"Scripture" In Brief:

Recognizing that Scripture is living and active, and should be so in our daily lives.

Key Elements:

• As with prayer, much could be said about the Word of God. For the purpose of this study, we will focus on a few key points:

• Scripture is alive

• The authorship and authority of Scripture

• We can apply its truths to our lives, since it is alive and authoritative!

• We will emphasize that it is the Holy Spirit who makes Scripture come alive for us.

• Be prepared to share how Scripture came alive for you, in case none of your group members have had this experience yet. You could also share your favourite Scripture passage and why it has special meaning to you.

• The lesson closes with an exercise that offers tips on "unpacking" a Scripture passage for personal reflection.

• Choose a passage for your group to look at and prepare your reflections well ahead of time. Some suggested selections:

• Hebrews 12:1-11 – Christ’s example of perseverance.

• Ephesians 1:1-23 – The riches of being in Christ.

• John 10:1-18 – The Good Shepherd.

• Isaiah 55:1-13 – Come, receive mercy.

• 2 Corinthians 4:7 - 5:10 – Living in light of eternity.

• Philippians 3:1-20 – The privilege of knowing and serving Christ.

• Anticipate possible questions about the passage and prepare answers. You can also read commentaries or ask someone (e.g. your priest) for tips on explaining the passage so that you are well prepared to lead your group through this exercise.

• The goal of this exercise is to show participants the richness of Scripture so that they might be motivated to read it daily. As you lead the reflection, ask God to touch each member of the group with new and personal insight.

• Encourage the participants to purchase a Bible and a copy of The Catechism of the Catholic Church if they do not already own these books. Both books are important for their faith journey.

• You might want to offer a “Bible/Catechism Shopping Day” so that you can help them find an appropriate Bible. There are many translations of the Bible, but only a few are approved by the Catholic

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Church. Familiar ones are The New American Bible, Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition), New Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) and the Jerusalem Bible.

Notes on Sacred Scripture:

• CCC 101-141: If questions arise about the difference between Protestant and Catholic Bibles, mention that the specific list of books (called the "canon") of the Catholic Bible has existed in its present form for over 1600 years. During the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, some of the books of the Bible were removed. Protestant reformers justified their actions on the grounds that these books were not always part of the Bible: in 90 A.D., some Jewish rabbis removed these seven books from their Sacred Scriptures (our Old Testament). Keep in mind, however, that these books had been included in the Bible for centuries before 90 A.D. The earliest Christians and some Jewish communities continued to regard them as legitimate books in the Sacred Scriptures (as did the Orthodox Church and most Anglican traditions). Moreover, these seven books are alluded to in the New Testament. For example, Matthew 22:23-33 parallels Tobit 3:7-17, and Luke 18:1-8 is a variation of the proverbs found in Sirach 35:13-15.

• If controversies about science and the Bible come up, mention that the Scriptures are about truth, not scientific accuracy. It is interesting to note, however, that as archaeology develops, historical biblical accounts are generally proven rather than contradicted.


• Verbum Domini

• Dei Verbum

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Lesson 3

Scripture


The Word of God is found in what the Church calls the "Deposit of Faith”, which has two elements: Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture.

Sacred Tradition is composed of the living traditions that have been handed on from Christ to his apostles and their successors, either through the spoken word or in writing. New Testament Scripture is an early recording of Sacred Tradition, written under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

As such, the Church regards both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition with the same reverence. In this lesson, we will focus primarily on Scripture. As in prayer, we can come to know God through reading the Bible and meditating on the teachings of the Church. If praying is speaking to God, then reading the Scripture is listening to him.

Rediscovering Scripture

A common perception of Scripture is that it is dry, outdated and complicated. Many people find it hard to imagine how the Bible, written thousands of years ago, could have any relevance to the challenges and aspirations of their daily lives. They may have even tried to read the Bible for guidance and found it offered little more than mildly comforting stories or phrases.

Reading Scripture does not have to be dull. When people experience a personal conversion to Christ, submit their lives to his Lordship, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, Scripture takes on a completely new dimension.

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I express my heartfelt hope for the flowering of “a new season of greater love for sacred Scripture on the part of every member of the People of God, so that their prayerful and faith-filled reading of the Bible will, with time, deepen their personal relationship with Jesus.”

Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, 72

2. Have you experienced Scripture come alive? If possible, share an example of a passage that spoke to you.

Leaders: Share how Scripture has come alive for you in case none of your group members have had this experience yet. You could also share your favourite passage and why it has special meaning to you.

3. Read 1 Corinthians 2:9-16. How does this passage explain the experience we are describing?

But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.

Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.

Leaders: Have participants skim through the whole context of this passage (1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16), focusing on the theme of spiritual versus worldly wisdom. It is the Holy Spirit, the grace of God, that enlightens our minds and gives us spiritual understanding.

Authorship of Scripture

Scripture recounts for us our ongoing salvation history, which is really a love story — God calling and inviting humanity to his love and friendship. The Bible is a collection of 73 inspired books, from both the Jewish Scriptures (46 in the Old Testament), and the teaching of the apostles (27 in the New Testament).

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The Bible did not drop down out of the sky one day! The Church determined which books were to be included in the canon of Sacred Scripture based on their content, scholarship, consistency with the faith that had been passed on through Sacred Tradition, and by discerning which books were truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. The official canon was decided upon at the Council of Rome in the year 382. That decision has been reaffirmed at subsequent Church councils.

4. What is distinctive and authoritative about Scripture and how it was written?

1 John 1:1-4

We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

What we read in the New Testament comes from the direct experience of the apostles who were with Christ (i.e. Sacred Tradition).

2 Peter 1:20-21

First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The human writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit to know what to write.

2 Timothy 3:16a

All scripture is inspired by God.

The word “inspired” in Greek literally means, “breathed by God.”

Leaders: Have participants look at each of their versions of 2 Timothy 3:16 to see if the word “inspired” is translated differently. Different translations might offer further insight into the meaning of this verse.

Scripture finds its source in God; it is God who truly speaks or “breathes” the Word. Scripture is true, holy and powerful. Jesus understood the authority of Scripture, for he studied it, memorized it and referred to it often. “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures.” Matthew 22:29

The Second Vatican Council explains the human dimension of Scripture:

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In composing the sacred books, God chose men and while employed by him they made use of their powers and abilities, so that with him acting in them and through them, they, as true authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which he wanted... God speaks to people through people in a human fashion.

Dei Verbum, 11, 12

Applying Scripture to Our Lives

5. How should Scripture affect and influence our lives?

2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:4

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.

We should remain faithful to the Word. It teaches us about "salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (v. 15). It equips the faithful to do good works; it is useful for teaching, refuting, correcting, training, reprimanding, proclaiming, encouraging, and keeping the faith free from errors (v. 16).

Leaders: Have the group draw out the distinctions between each of these words. The expression “for reproof” may be unfamiliar. Other versions might translate this as “refuting error". In other words, Scripture can be used to expose errors or false teachings.

Ask, “Do you see anything in today’s society that mirrors verses 3 and 4?” Some examples could be the New Age movement, psychics, fortune telling, etc.

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Hebrews 4:2, 12

For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The Word of God should be heard with faith; we should believe the Word and submit to it. Scripture is not simply an ancient text. It is inspired and alive and speaks to us in our personal lives — centuries after it was written.

James 1:22-25

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

Leaders: Ask participants to identify the command and the promise in this passage. The command is to hear the word and act on it (be hearers and doers); the promise is that those who are both hearers and doers “will be blessed in their doing.”

The Lord wants Scripture to be integrated into our daily lives. In the Old Testament, the Lord told Joshua: “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it.” (Joshua 1:8a)

Diving In

“Indeed, the word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12a). When we read and reflect upon Scripture, it becomes alive and real in our lives. We should thus approach Scripture with a prayerful attitude.

As we read in The Catechism of the Catholic Church,

>prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that a dialogue takes place between God and man. For ‘we speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles.’

CCC 2653

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6. We will now take an opportunity to dive into a Scripture passage.

Leaders: Allow 10 - 15 minutes for this section of the lesson. Prepare ONE passage for your group to study. Suggested passages:

• Hebrews 12:1-11 – Christ’s example of perseverance

• Ephesians 1:1-23 – The riches of being in Christ

• John 10:1-18 – The Good Shepherd

• Isaiah 55:1-13 – Receiving mercy

• 2 Corinthians 4:7 - 5:10 – Living in light of eternity

• Philippians 3:1-20 – Knowing and serving Christ

Remember: The goal of this exercise is to show participants the richness of Scripture so that they might be motivated to read it daily. As you lead this reflection, ask God to touch each member of the group with new and personal insight.

• Begin with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten our

minds and speak to our hearts through Scripture.

• Read the passage once to get a feel for it.

• Read it again, more slowly this time. As you read: ° Mark words, phrases or verses that strike you. ° Circle repeating words or phrases; these often signal

what is important in the passage. ° Underline commands. ° Put a question mark by anything you find confusing or

that raises questions. ° Look for concepts that compare and contrast.

• Look in the margin of your Bible for any reference notes or reference verses that may give you insight into the passage.

• If time permits, read the verses and/or chapter(s) preceding and following the passage to help you understand the context of the passage.

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church points out that in understanding the context of a Scripture passage,

>the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words.

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In order to discover the sacred authors' intention, the reader must take into account the conditions of their time and culture, the literary genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking and narrating then current. "For the fact is that truth is differently presented and expressed in the various types of historical writing, in prophetical and poetical texts, and in other forms of literary expression."

CCC 109-110

7. Now that you have reflected on it, what is the Lord saying to you in this reading? How can you apply this passage to your life?

(Extra space for personal preparation of Scripture passage)

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Practical Application

8. How will you incorporate Scripture into your life on a regular basis?

Some Suggestions:

• Subscribe to a devotional that looks at the daily Mass readings.

• Underline key words or passages in your Bible and/or colour-code the text to draw out certain themes (examples of themes: God’s love, commandments, promises, evangelization, prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament and where they are fulfilled in the New Testament).

• Memorize verses that you can call to mind throughout the day.

Leaders: Encourage participants not to begin reading the Bible at page one. Many people try to do this and quickly become discouraged. Their reading generally goes well until they hit the third book, Leviticus, at which point the text becomes dry and confusing. Tell your group that the Bible is not written like a novel and does not need to be read in order, from beginning to end. It is more like a “library of books” than a novel. This is exactly what the word “Bible” means — hence the French word “bibliothèque.”

Suggest that they start reading John or Acts and continue through the rest of the New Testament before beginning the Old Testament.

If they follow the daily Mass readings of the Church, they will have the opportunity to read various Old Testament and New Testament passages every day. Over a three-year cycle of following the Church readings, they will have read almost the entire Bible.


9. How does Scripture help us in the overall goal of growing closer to God?

In speaking to God in prayer and reflecting on his word in Scripture, we come to know who he is and what he wants for us. This knowledge helps us to better follow and imitate him.

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Summary

The Word of God comes to us through the Church by means of Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture. The Bible is unique among all books, and continues to be the all-time “best seller”. It is God's message of love to us and our guide for living. We should read Scripture often, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds and our hearts with the truth of God's Word.

Living It Out

Challenge: Take time daily to reflect on God's word in Scripture. Make a plan for how you will do this. For example, you might decide to read the daily Gospel from Mass (perhaps before or after your time of prayer). Next week, share with the group your plan and how you carried it out. Memorize Hebrews 4:12: Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

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"Sacramental Life" In Brief:

Recognizing that the grace we receive in the sacraments helps us to grow in faith.

Key Elements:

• This lesson introduces the sacraments and gives a brief overview of each of them.

• We then focus on the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, which are regularly available to us as a means of grace.

• The section on Reconciliation explores the purpose and value of this sacrament. We will explain mortal and venial sins, as some participants may not be familiar with these terms.

• The section on the Eucharist looks at the context and meaning of John 6, where Jesus boldly states that we must eat his body and drink his blood.

• After this lesson, do all you can to help your participants find a parish and get to Mass every Sunday (some might even be ready to find time for Mass during the week). Also help them find a good opportunity for Confession (i.e. book an appointment or go with them).

• Consider introducing some or all participants to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. You could suggest anything from a short time of silent prayer in front of the tabernacle to an evening of adoration. You may also plan a time when the whole group can pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament.


• CCC 1210-1666 (on the Eucharist: 1322-1419; on Reconciliation: 1422-1498)

• CCC 2041-2043 (on the obligations for Catholics concerning Mass, Confession and fasting)

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Lesson 4

Sacramental Life


Sacraments

The sacraments are a defining part of Christian life, especially for Catholics. They play an essential role in blessing and inaugurating the significant rites of passage in our lives: birth, death, maturity and vocation. The sacraments are intended to be a regular part of our ongoing relationship and intimacy with God — hence the term “sacramental life.”

2. How would you explain what a sacrament is?

"A sacrament is an outward sign of an inward reality, instituted by Christ to give grace" (as defined in the Baltimore Catechism). It is a means by which we encounter God and receive a share in his divine life through sanctifying grace (see CCC 1131).

Leaders: Stress the fact that the sacraments are not merely symbolic – God uses them to accomplish something real, to effect real (not merely symbolic) changes in our lives.

You could add that “The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the Body of Christ and, finally, to give worship to God” (CCC 1123). Then ask, “How do the sacraments do these three things?”

3. The Catholic Church identifies seven sacraments that can be placed into three categories. As a group, discuss where each sacrament fits.

Sacraments of Christian Initiation

Sacraments of Healing

Sacraments of Service

- Baptism - Eucharist - Confirmation

- Anointing of the Sick - Reconciliation

- Marriage - Holy Orders

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Leaders: When discussing the sacraments of Christian initiation, explain that Baptism is our initial entry into the life of the Church. At Baptism, we are “born again” – we are grafted onto the “tree of God” and receive a share in his divine life (the sap). Confirmation and Eucharist complete the initiation process that began at Baptism.

Leaders: Segue into the next section by saying, "We will now focus our lesson on the two sacraments we can receive regularly."

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

The sacrament of Reconciliation deals directly with the problem of sin. It cleanses us from our sins, and provides us with the grace to overcome sinful tendencies and become more like Christ.

4. Read John 20:21-23. What is happening in this passage?

[Jesus] said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ After he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Christ is giving the Church, through her priests, the power to forgive sins. This is the institution of the sacrament of Reconciliation. CCC 1441 states that Jesus “gives this power [to forgive sins] to men to exercise in his name.”

5. Why should we confess sins to a priest in the sacrament of Reconciliation? Why can we not just ask God to forgive us privately?

As we just read in John 20:21-23, Christ gave his Apostles and their successors the authority to forgive sins in his name. Scripture and Tradition tells us that this is the “normal” way to have serious sins forgiven. It was what Christ established.

Through Baptism, we all become part of the body of Christ, the Church. Therefore, sin hurts not only us, but also the Church as a whole (see CCC 1469). As such, we must seek forgiveness from God and the Church, both represented by the priest. When we frequent the sacrament, we receive forgiveness and special graces that strengthen us to combat specific sins in our lives. Confessing our weaknesses to another person has psychological value as well. Admitting our

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failures to someone else helps us to recognize and overcome them.

The severity of certain sins, and the fact that Christ gave his Apostles and successors the authority to forgive sins, makes Confession necessary. In civil law, certain crimes are worse than others are. For example, murder is considered more serious than stealing a candy bar. While both are illegal, one has a more serious consequence. The same can be said for sin.

The two types of sin are venial and mortal. Venial sin damages our relationship with God but does not sever it completely. Mortal sin completely severs our relationship with God; that is, we lose the sanctifying grace given to us at Baptism. To die in mortal sin is to be eternally separated from God. This state is known as hell.

Three conditions must be met for a sin to be mortal: 1. It must be of a serious/grave nature. 2. It must be committed with full knowledge of its seriousness/gravity. 3. It must be done with full consent of the will (not forced).

Leaders: If participants have more questions about these conditions, and especially about what constitutes grave matter, refer to CCC 1858-1860.

The following analogy is helpful: We are branches and God is the tree. When we sin, even venially, we cut off the flow of life-giving sap into our branch. When we commit a mortal sin, we completely sever the branch from the tree. Mortal sin is so severe that it cuts us off from the life of God. God has not cut us off; we have cut ourselves off. The normal way to restore sanctifying grace lost in mortal sin is through the sacrament of Reconciliation. However if a person has perfect contrition they can still be forgiven of mortal sin — if they do not have recourse to the sacrament. See CCC 1452).

6. Should we go to Reconciliation only when we have committed a mortal sin?

No. The Church encourages frequent reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Leaders: Note that the Church requires everyone to go to Mass on Sunday, if it is possible for them to get there. For example there may be valid reasons that make it

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impossible for someone to get to Mass, such as: illness, necessity to care for someone, in a remote location. However, for those for whom it is possible to attend, it must be understood as a priority and of great importance. The faithful are expected to find a Mass time that will permit them to fulfill their Sunday Mass obligation so they can worship God, hear the Word, receive the Eucharist, and celebrate with a community.

The Church also requires everyone to receive the Eucharist and go to the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year (during Easter). Of course, everyone should receive the Eucharist at Sunday Mass unless prevented by mortal sin (as discussed in the next lesson) and should confess every mortal sin in the sacrament of Reconciliation.

The sacrament of Reconciliation is also called the sacrament of “Penance” or “Confession”. All three are acceptable titles for this sacrament. “Reconciliation,” “Penance” and “Confession” each emphasize a particular aspect of the sacrament.

7. Discuss what each term emphasizes.

• “Reconciliation” emphasizes that we are restored to a right relationship with God after it has been broken or damaged through sin.

• “Confession” emphasizes that we need to say/confess our sins.

• “Penance” emphasizes that we must show we are truly sorry by actions that show our contrition.

Leaders: Segue to next section by saying, "Another sacrament that should be a regular, even daily, part of our lives is the Eucharist."

The Eucharist

Jesus, at the Last Supper, instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist. Surrounded by his apostles, he transformed bread and wine into his Body and Blood. This same miracle occurs at every Mass: when the priest speaks the words of consecration, the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Through the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus gives

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himself to us entirely. He unites us to himself by filling us with his own life.

The word Eucharist means “thanksgiving”. This is most appropriate, since we gather at Mass to thank God for the salvation Jesus won for us through his death on the cross.

Jesus often spoke in stories and parables. He frequently used figurative language to describe spiritual realities, such as the "wedding banquet" in Matthew 22:2. So, when Jesus spoke about the bread being his body, was this meant to be literal or figurative?

Leaders: That is a rhetorical question.

8. Read John 6:25-69. Read it a second time, underlining the words that repeat most often. What strikes you about this passage?

Key words: bread, flesh, life, blood, eat, drink.

9. Read John 6:52-60. What evidence can you find that the listeners understood Jesus’ words literally, not figuratively?

In verses 52 and 60, his listeners “disputed” amongst themselves and struggled with the literal meaning.

The word Jesus used for "eats" in John 6:54 is the Greek verb “trogon”. This is not the verb normally used for human eating. It more accurately describes how animals munch or gnaw. No wonder those who heard it were disturbed and perplexed!

10. Why would Jesus use such graphic language?

He does this to stress the literal meaning of his words. He meant that we would really eat his flesh and blood. Perhaps he makes the statement shocking so that we would realize he is saying much more than a parable. Of course this language does not mean that when we receive the Eucharist, we are chewing on a piece of Jesus’ body (an elbow, or toe). We are receiving him — body, blood, soul and divinity. We are truly receiving all of who Jesus is.

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11. Read verses 61-69. What is significant about the disciples’ response to Jesus?

Jesus is adamant that his discourse is to be taken literally. The disciples, while possibly not understanding fully what he meant, knew that Jesus was not only speaking figuratively. If Jesus had only been speaking of a symbolic reality, he could have stopped those who were turning away from him and said, “No, no I didn’t mean you REALLY eat my flesh! Don’t leave, that’s not what I meant!” He does not, however, correct their misconception. In fact, Jesus asks the twelve if they are offended and whether they too want to leave him.

Jesus’ followers may have been confused by the teaching about his body and blood. Those who were with him at the Last Supper, however, would have remembered, and finally understood this teaching as they witnessed Jesus institute the sacrament of the Eucharist.

12. Read John 10:9 and John 15:5. What metaphors does Jesus use? How do we know they are metaphors?

“I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

The metaphors are gate and vine. There is absolutely no controversy surrounding this passage; that is, none of Jesus’ followers struggled with a literal interpretation. They clearly recognized these metaphors: Jesus is “like” a gate and a vine, but “is” neither.

The Eucharist is an incredible encounter with Christ! Only in the Eucharist are we able to come into such direct contact with the fullness of God. This is why the Church reveres it as the "Sacrament of sacraments" (CCC 1169), and recognizes it as “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 11).

13. What motivates you to participate wholeheartedly in the sacrament of the Eucharist?

In the Eucharist, we receive the greatest gift ever: Christ himself! Every time we receive the Eucharist, God himself comes to live and work inside us. It is he who acts in us; changing us and sanctifying us.

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Leaders: Encourage participants to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Just as Jesus asked Peter to pray with him for an hour in Gethsemane, he also asks us to spend time with him in adoration before the tabernacle (where the Eucharist is reserved).

Leaders: Say, "We'll wrap up this section on the Eucharist with the following quote."

The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.

Dominicae Cenae, 3

Tying it All Together

14. How do the sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Eucharist help us in the overall goal of growing closer to God?

The only way to become more like Christ is to receive his help along the way. Through the sanctifying grace (the divine life of God) given to us in the sacraments, we are enabled to become more like him.

Summary

Through the sacraments, God shares his life with us. Each of the seven sacraments strengthens the sanctifying grace given to us at Baptism and provides us an opportunity to encounter Christ personally. They are gifts from God to help us become more like Jesus. It is especially important for our spiritual growth to regularly receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist.

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Living It Out

Challenge: Commit to attending Mass faithfully every Sunday and try to go at least one other day this week. Also, try to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation this week.

Memorize John 6:54: Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.

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"Fellowship" In Brief:

Study the examples of Paul, Barnabas and Timothy — models of the relationships we have within the body of Christ.

Key Elements:

• The word “fellowship” is used in this lesson to describe the relationship developed among Christians who encourage and challenge each other in living their faith. We have chosen this word instead of “community” because the latter implies a wider scope of people than is our focus in this lesson. Although community is certainly important and should be encouraged among our participants (by inviting them to CCO large group events, encouraging involvement in a parish community, etc.), here we wish to focus on the close relationships that offer guidance and support along our Christian walk.

• Paul is the mentor and example. Barnabas is the peer and encourager. Timothy is the person you are helping or mentoring.

• Participants are encouraged to have a “Paul,” a “Barnabas” and a “Timothy” in their lives.

• Be prepared to share how important fellowship is to you in your faith life.

• Encourage participants to attend the next CCO large group event. Suggest that your small group go to the next event together. You could also suggest going out for dinner as a group or doing something social together. Perhaps invite another small group to come along with you.

• The Growth follow-up comes after this lesson. During your follow-up meetings, challenge each participant to start his/her own Discovery study and reach out spiritually to his/her friends (potential "Timothys").

• The challenge to start a Discovery study ties into the next lesson on service and witness. This is a concrete opportunity to put that element of Christian growth into action.

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Lesson 5

Fellowship


2. As a group, discuss the meaning of “fellowship”.

“Fellowship” is the relationship developed among Christians who encourage and challenge each other in living the faith.

3. How is fellowship different than friendship?

Fellowship occurs among a group of like-minded individuals gathering for a common purpose — to strengthen and grow in their faith. Friends can be like-minded, but they do not have to be. The goal of a friendship is not necessarily spiritual.

Another important aspect of fellowship is accountability —keeping each other accountable in our behaviour and spiritual goals.

Leaders: You could give an example of accountability in your own life.

4. What are some examples of fellowship groups?

CCO, Newman Centres, parishes, young adult groups, prayer groups, study groups, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Women’s League, apostolates, retreat movements such as Live-In Christ Weekends, Cursillo and Challenge, etc.

Don’t wait for fellowship to find you — seek it out! If you do not find a group, consider starting one.

Leaders: CCO is not the only place for participants to find fellowship. We do want to show them, however, that there are positive friendships and a terrific community to be found in CCO. Share how important fellowship is to you in your faith life. Encourage participants to attend CCO large group events and suggest that your study group go to the next event together. You could also suggest now, or at the end of the study, to go out for dinner as a group or do something social together. Perhaps invite another small group to join you.

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5. Involvement in a Christian or Catholic group does not guarantee fellowship. How do we build community, belonging and friendship in a group?

We need to:

• make an effort to stretch ourselves and talk to people.

• be willing to share and get involved.

• look for opportunities to serve and not just be served.

• share our gifts.

• find a small group or a few individuals to get to know better in the large group.

• get to know the group leaders.

• invite people out for coffee to get to know them better.

• think of others who may need help entering the community.

Remember that the purpose of our fellowship is to encourage each other to grow in holiness.

Paul, Barnabas and Timothy

At first glance, fellowship may seem to be one of the easiest elements of spiritual growth to incorporate into our lives. After all, we enjoy spending time with other people, especially our closest friends. But there is much more to fellowship than simply going to a movie with friends. While fellowship does mean spending time with other Christians, it also involves reaching out to draw more people into the community.

We can sometimes get so caught up in our own spiritual growth that we forget an essential part of our call: to "go forth and make disciples of all nations." The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it and spread it" (CCC 1816).

A vibrant fellowship circle should therefore include various types of relationships. Some members are like Paul, some like Barnabas, and others like Timothy. In fact, it is helpful for each of us to have a “Paul”, a “Barnabas” and a “Timothy” in our lives. What does this mean? To find out, let us look at each of these men and how their relationships intertwined.

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Paul

6. Read 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 and 1 Thessalonians 2:3-8. What do these passages tell us about Paul’s role in the Christian community?

For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me. (1 Corinthians 4:15-16)

For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:3-8)

Paul helped many people become Christian. He invested much time in others, bringing them to faith in Christ and then helping them to grow spiritually and spread the Gospel. Through his ministry, Paul has left a spiritual legacy that still exists today.

7. Is there a “Paul” in your life? How does this person enrich your life? If you do not yet know a person like this, try to imagine what kind of impact a “Paul” might have on your life.

Your “Paul” is a model, a mentor, someone to look up to and learn from, someone who challenges you in your Christian walk.

Leaders: Be prepared to share your example of a “Paul”.

8. If you do not have a “Paul” relationship, how might you seek one out?

Direct this question towards the future, when the group members perhaps move away from the community and from their present “Paul”. Have them discuss ways to seek out another “Paul” (e.g. get involved with other communities, apostolates, parishes, retreat movements, or continue to correspond with your former community).

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Barnabas

Barnabas was Paul’s travel companion. The book of Acts describes his journeys with Paul to Cyprus, Antioch, Iconium and Lystra.

9. What does it mean to have a “Barnabas” in your life?

Your Barnabas is a friend, a soul-mate, someone to walk with, lean on, talk to —someone on a similar journey.

10. What do these passages tell us about the importance of a “Barnabas” relationship?

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another.

Leaders: Look up the New American Bible translation of this verse for alternate wording. We all experience discouragement at times, and can benefit from the support of a friend. We also can encourage each other to grow in holiness. Ask the group to give examples of how we can ‘sharpen’ one another.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.

Christian brothers and sisters help us when we are down or discouraged. We can do the same for those around us who need a word of hope; we can be an example of faith to others.

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This passage calls us to gather in community regularly. Our fellowship with others should incite us to greater love and to acts of service. We should encourage one another as we look forward to Christ’s return.

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11. Is there a “Barnabas” (or two) in your life? How does this person enrich your life? 12. How might you seek out other “Barnabas’”?

Answers should be similar to those provided in question 8 (about a “Paul”).

Timothy

Timothy was a young leader in the early Church. Through the influence of both his grandmother and Paul, Timothy became a fruitful follower of Christ.

13. What does it means to have a “Timothy” in your life?

Your "Timothy" is someone you evangelize and mentor. You are this person’s "Paul"!

14. What do these passages tell us about the importance of a “Timothy” relationship?

John 17:20-21

"I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

We are called to evangelize. In this passage, Jesus prays for the apostles and for those who will come to believe through their witness. Jesus expects his disciples (us included) to spread the Good News. He commissions us to reach the whole world with the Gospel (v.21).

2 Timothy 2:2

And what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.

“Timothy” relationships multiply our efforts and provide more labourers in the great task of evangelization.

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15. Are you reaching out to any “Timothys”? How do these people enrich your life? 16. Why is it important to both maintain our relationships with non-Christian friends and build Christian fellowship? What is the role of each of these relationships in our lives?

You should not feel obligated to “drop” non-Christian friends. These relationships can still be a source of joy, support and growth. They can also provide opportunities to share your faith and be a witness of Christian life. Christian relationships offer the added dimension of journeying together in the faith and should help us to grow in holiness. As a Christian, it is important that you be able to positively influence your non-Christian friends, and not be drawn away from the faith through their influence on you.

17. How can you seek out “Timothys”?

Building Fellowship

The following stories describe how two young people took to heart the importance of building Christian fellowship.

A young man returning from a CCO summer mission chose to act on the mission’s closing challenge to spread the faith. Upon his return home, he invited some of his friends and co-workers to participate in a CCO faith study. Of the five people he contacted, four said yes. One of them was baptized into the Catholic Church less than a year later. The other three experienced conversion and continue to practice their faith today. This young man’s initiative made a life-long impact on his friends!

Another young man decided that the faith study he had followed was too good to keep to himself. He sent an email to some friends at 5:30PM one afternoon, inviting them to take the study. By 9:00PM that evening, he had received 12 email replies from friends who wanted to participate!

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18. Have you ever considered developing a personal ministry? Have you ever considered starting a Discovery faith study for your friends?


19. How does fellowship help us in the overall goal of growing closer to God?

By encouraging and challenging one another, we can be moved to greater holiness and more radical faith. Fruitful fellowship should always direct us towards the imitation of Christ, who is our model. Fellowship involves not only being encouraged and strengthened by those who have more experience than we do, but also reaching out to those who are new to the journey.

Summary

Fellowship is the relationship we have with Christian friends who support and encourage us, as well as challenge us to grow in faith. In our fellowship circles, it is important to have “Pauls”, “Barnabas’” and “Timothys” — mentors, companions and people to whom we can reach out.

Living It Out

Challenge: Find a fellowship group or make an effort to develop a deeper friendship with someone in your existing fellowship group. Memorize Hebrews 10:24: And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds.

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"Service and Witness" In Brief:

Recognizing our call to serve others and share the love of God with them in word and deed.

Key Elements:

• The Holy Spirit calls us to make the love of God and the message of his salvation known to all. Jesus said, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." (John 13:34).

• This lesson looks at our call to witness to the Gospel through love and service.

• The phrase "witness of life and witness of word" comes from Pope Paul VI's encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi.

• There are a number of longer passages that could not be put into the leader’s guide. Be sure to look these up before leading the lesson.

• Be prepared to share your testimony or describe an opportunity you had to share the faith with someone.

• Remember: this lesson confirms the challenge participants were given to start their own Discovery study.

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Lesson 6

Service and Witness


Service and witness are essential to a fruitful and fulfilling Christian life.

The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it: "All however must be prepared to confess Christ before men and to follow him along the way of the Cross, amidst the persecutions which the Church never lacks." Service of and witness to the faith are necessary for salvation: "So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."

CCC 1816

2. Why are serving and witnessing often the most challenging aspects of our Christian growth?

Serving and witnessing means putting what matters to God and other people first. It means making ourselves vulnerable to others, to persecution, to humiliation, to sacrifice.

3. How are prayer, Scripture, sacramental life and fellowship all connected to service and witness?

Through Scripture and prayer we hear that the Lord asks us to serve others and to be a witness to them (we will look at this further today).

In the sacraments, we are also challenged to live a life of service and witness for God's greater glory.

In our fellowship groups, we should always have an outward focus, desiring to draw more people into the community (fellowship groups with an exclusively inward focus will

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eventually wane in faith and zeal). Holiness and mission (internal growth and external works) mutually support each other, bringing about a healthy spiritual life. This is true for Church groups as well as for individuals.

Service

4. How did Jesus serve those around him?

Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick, reached out to the outcasts (lepers, tax collectors, possessed), and gave instruction.

5. Read John 13:12-15. What did Jesus model in this passage? What does it mean for us today?

After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he modeled placing others before oneself and seeking opportunities to serve. He laid down his life and his right to exert power in order to serve out of love. For us, that could mean offering, out of love, to do acts of service that no one else wants to do.

6. Who are some role models of Christian service?

A few examples: Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Marguerite Bourgeois, St. André of Montreal, St. Marguerite d’Youville and Saint Damian of Molokai (who worked with lepers). Participants may also give examples of people they know personally who are great models of Christian service.

7. What are some simple ways you can practice Christian service?

Examples: helping clean up around the house, aiding an elderly neighbour or relative with yard work, volunteering at a food bank.

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Leaders you can ask if they have ever heard of "the corporal works of mercy." You can read the quote below.

The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.

CCC 2447

Ask: "Which of these have you done, or would like to do?"

8. Read Matthew 25:35-40 and 1 John 4:20-21. What attitude should we have when we serve?

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35-40) Those who say, “I love God,” and hates their brothers and sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (1 John 4:20-21)

We should strive to see Jesus in everyone. This means we ought to treat everyone as we would treat Jesus. We should serve out of love for others.

He should also serve out of concern for their salvation — and for our own, after all,

Those who are incorporated in the Catholic Church ought to sense their privilege and for that very reason their greater obligation of bearing witness to the faith and to the Christian life as a service to their brothers and sisters and as a fitting response to God. They should be ever mindful that "they owe their distinguished status not to their own merits but to Christ's special grace; and if they fail to respond to this grace in thought, word and deed, not only will they not be saved, they will be judged more severely."

Redemptoris Missio, 11

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9. Commit yourself to an act of service that you can do this week, this month, or sometime this semester. Share your idea with the group if you feel comfortable doing so.

Leaders: have your own idea prepared in advance to set the tone.

It is helpful to encourage them to choose something that can be done fairly soon, otherwise good intentions get swallowed up with the busyness of life. A "what" without a "when" is often a "never".

Witness of Life

Leaders: Choose a participant to look up each passage and read it aloud. Since these passages are long, encourage participants to underline the words or phrases that stand out to them as they read.

10. Read 1 Timothy 4:11-16. Why should we witness by our way of life and our actions?

These are the things you must insist on and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Just like our witness of word, our witness of life can lead to the salvation of souls. Our faith should be “evident to everyone.” The witness of our actions is the proof that we practice what we preach.

11. According to the following passages, what are the virtues Christians should practice and what are the vices they should avoid?

Leaders: It is not necessary to spend a lot of time on each of these passages; simply highlight a few examples of virtues to practice and vices to avoid ("dos and don'ts"), as the passages are read. Share examples of how the virtues can be put into practice daily.

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Ephesians 4:25 - 5:1

• Refraining from lies.

• Being honest

• Using proper speech (no profanity, loose talk or gossip).

• Not arguing

• Being compassionate, kind and forgiving.

Colossians 3:12-17

• Compassion

• Humility

• Patience

• Peacefulness

• Thankfulness.

Romans 12:9-21

• Sincerity in our love

• Outdoing one another in honouring, zealousness, hospitality and generosity

• Empathy

• Doing good to our enemies.

Witness of Word

Leaders: Choose a participant to look up each passage and read it aloud.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that through the grace of the Holy Spirit given to us in the sacrament of Confirmation, we are able to "bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds" (CCC 1316). Our Christian witness should be composed of words supported by actions. A clear proclamation of the message of salvation is urgently needed. As Pope Benedict XVI explains,

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At the dawn of the third millennium not only are there still many peoples who have not come to know the Good News, but also a great many Christians who need to have the word of God once more persuasively proclaimed to them, so that they can concretely experience the power of the Gospel. Many of our brothers and sisters are “baptized, but insufficiently evangelized.”

Verbum Domini, 96

12. What does it mean to "bear witness to the Christian faith"?

It means that we should show our faith through our words and deeds. Our faith should be evident to others and encourage them to draw closer to Christ themselves.

13. Read 1 Corinthians 9:16 and Romans 1:16. Why should we witness by word?

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

This is our obligation as Christians. Evangelization is a command, not a gift or charism for a select few. It is not just for those who feel they are good at it. Witnessing by word brings people to the source of salvation: Jesus Christ.

14. Look at the following passages and write down what each says about witnessing by word.

1 Peter 3:15-16

… but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

Always be prepared to share your faith. In our proclamation of the truth, we need to be wise and sensitive both in how we speak and in our attitudes toward others.

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Acts 18:9

One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent.”

We should be courageous and not afraid to speak to others about Jesus.

Romans 10:13-14

For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?

People may become interested in the Christian faith by observing your lifestyle, but they will believe in it through hearing the truth proclaimed.

A powerful way to witness by word is to share with others how God has worked in your life. People can argue with what you believe or disagree with the Church's teachings, but no one can argue with your personal experience. Of course, this testimony is most effective when it is accompanied by a life that reflects Christian virtue.

Leaders: Share your own testimony or describe an opportunity you had to share the faith with someone.


15. How does service and witness help us in the overall goal of growing closer to God?

Both service and witness call us to love others and to put their needs before our own. This is what Jesus did, ultimately leading to his total sacrifice. In the process of doing this, we imitate Christ and become more like him.

We strongly advocate that holiness and mission go hand in hand. One ministers to, encourages, and supports the other. Growing closer to God is not a "God and me" thing. He has designed it such that we grow closer to his heart, as we engage in those things his heart longs for (to love and serve his people so they can ultimately be restored to a right relationship with God). Missionary activity revitalizes faith (see Redemptoris Missio, 2).

There is much more about this in Commission Lesson 1.

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Summary

Jesus made it clear that we are to follow his example by laying down our lives to serve others. We are also called to bear witness to our faith by living virtuously and courageously proclaiming the Gospel. If we love him, we will be compelled to love our neighbour through witness of service and proclamation of God's love in Christ Jesus.

Living It Out

Challenge: Practice Christian service this week by volunteering your time to a specific activity, helping someone in need, starting a faith study, etc. Also, start working on a short testimony of your faith so that you are ready to share “the reason for the hope that is in you.” Memorize Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Leaders: Beginning a Discovery faith study is the challenge placed before participants in the Growth follow-up.

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Appendix

Making a Good Confession

Prayer before Confession:

Oh most merciful God! Prostrate at your feet, I implore your forgiveness. I sincerely desire to leave all my evil ways and to confess my sins with all sincerity to you and to your priest. I am a sinner; have mercy on me, Oh Lord. Give me a lively faith and firm hope in the Passion of my Redeemer. Give me, for your mercy’s sake, a sorrow for having offended so good a God. Mary, my mother, refuge of sinners, pray for me that I may make a good confession. Amen. How to go to Confession:

• You have the option to go to confession anonymously (behind a screen) or face to face.

• After the priest greets you in the name of Christ, make the sign of the cross. He may choose to recite a reading from Scripture, after which you say: ‘Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (state how long) since my last confession. These are my sins.’

• Tell your sins simply and honestly to the priest. You might even want to discuss the circumstances and the root causes of your sins and ask the priest for advice or direction.

• Listen to the advice the priest gives you and accept the penance from him. Then say an Act of Contrition for your sins. The priest will then absolve you of your sins and will pray the Prayer of Absolution. This prayer is a beautiful affirmation of God’s mercy. Listen to its powerful words: “God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

• Afterwards, spend some time thanking and praising God for the gift of his mercy. Fulfill your penance as soon as possible.

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Act of Contrition:

Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all of my sins because of your just punishment, but most of all because they have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

A simple prayer from the heart is also acceptable:

Lord, I am sorry for my sins. I thank you for your forgiveness, strength and love.

Do your Penance:

When we go to Confession, we are cleansed and freed from our sins. Although the absolution we receive takes away the sin, it does not, however, remedy all the problems that sin causes. When we sin, we weaken ourselves as well as our relationship with God and our neighbours. We must repair the harm caused by our sin (i.e. return stolen goods or restore the reputation of someone about whom we have gossiped). That is why the priest gives us a penance.

The penance given usually depends on the gravity of the sin committed. Penances can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service to neighbour, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of suffering that brings us closer to Christ. The sacrament of Confession is not complete until you do your penance. It should be done immediately in the church, if it is a penance of prayer. Otherwise, it should be done as soon as possible.

Examination of Conscience

I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods besides me. Did I fail to love God, to make him first in my life, to thank, trust and love him as he deserves? Did I fail to pray? Have I doubted or denied my faith? Was I careless in saying my prayers? Do I give God time every day in prayer? Do I make a god out of my work, possessions, or image in the eyes of others so that these rule my life instead of God? Am I angry toward God because of illness or misfortune? Have I been involved with magic, horoscopes, Ouija boards or fortune telling?

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain Did I curse or swear? Did I use God’s name in vain, lightly, carelessly, by blasphemy? Have I used foul language or jokes? In conversation, have I passively listened to slander and to jokes demeaning the Church or God’s authority?

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Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation? Did I leave Mass early without good reason? Have I received communion at least once a year? Did I receive communion in a state of serious sin? Have I been to confession recently? In any of my previous confessions, did I lie to or deliberately conceal something from the priest? Have I allowed myself to become so dominated by my work and chores that I have not set aside Sunday for spiritual and family activities?

Honour your father and your mother. Did I honour and obey my parents? Did I respect my brothers and sisters? Did I respect others with lawful authority, especially teachers and professors? Did I speak rudely to them? Did I speak about them to others in a derogatory way? Did I fail to help my parents (at home, or in their time of need)? Did I spend time with my family, or avoid them? Do I blame my parents for my own shortcomings?

You shall not kill. Did I give in to feelings of anger or jealousy? Did I keep hatred in my heart? Have I

ever struck anyone in anger, intending to injure the person? Did I fight, give a bad example or cause scandal? Have I abused alcohol or drugs? Have I had or in any way permitted or encouraged abortion? Have I nurtured thoughts about suicide?

You shall not commit adultery & you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. Did I consent to impure glances or thoughts? Did I give my mind over to lustful thoughts or fantasies? Have I encouraged them by stares, curiosity or impure conversations? Did I neglect to control my imagination or desire of other people? Was I immodest in dress or behaviour? Did I look at pornography, impure books, magazines or videos? Am I guilty of impurity with myself, premarital sex or adultery? Do I live chastely according to my state in life (married, single, consecrated celibate)?

You shall not steal. Have I stolen? What or how much? Did I return it or make up for what I stole? Have I cheated on tests or homework? Did I waste time at work? Did I do graffiti? Have I been extravagant in my manner of life, to the neglect of the poor at home and abroad?

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

Have I lied, gossiped? Have I talked about other people behind their backs? Do I always tell the truth? Am I sincere? Did I reveal secrets that I should have kept confidential? Am I critical, negative or uncharitable in my talk? Have I injured the reputation of others by speaking about their failures and sins with little desire or intention to help them? Have I condoned prejudice and hatred toward people of other nationalities, races or religions?

You shall not covet your neighbour’s goods. Is my heart greedy? Am I jealous of what another has? Am I envious of others because I don’t have what they have? Do I habitually compare myself with others? Do I work, study, and keep busy to counter idle thoughts? Am I critical, negative, or uncharitable in my thoughts of others? Is my heart set on earthly possessions or on the treasures of heaven? Do I give to those in need, so as not to cling to my possessions?

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Growth Follow-Up

Objective: to call each Growth participant to start his/her own Discovery study.

If they have already begun to lead their own faith study then make it the objective of this follow up to show them how to challenge and train someone else to lead their own faith study.

1. Every Member a Missionary

Read together the mission statement of CCO.

Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) is a university student movement dedicated to evangelization. We challenge students to live in the fullness of the Catholic faith, with a strong emphasis on becoming leaders in the renewal of the world.

Highlight some of the major terms in the mission statement with a brief explanation of their importance. For example: why we focus on university students, why we consider ourselves a movement and how that differs from a club, what we mean by evangelization.

Summarize CCO's mission statement as evangelization and leadership development. We develop leaders for the task of evangelization, and so that they can discover and grow the gifts God has entrusted to them.

The last thing we want in CCO is to have a long list of inactive members! Our goal is to have every member become a missionary. Your participants are invited to take their missionary call to a new level by leading an evangelistic faith study for their friends, family, co-workers, classmates and parishioners.

Two important points made next, and directed personally at each participant is that 1) a clear message needs to be communicated, and that, 2) more people need to live out their missionary call.

(1) Message of a Missionary

Point out that the message of a missionary is first and foremost the love and mercy of God through the saving work of Jesus on the cross. All that matters is that Jesus be proclaimed; this is what brings us joy! (Philippians 1:18). This is the basic Gospel message (kerygma). Discovery can be used to communicate this message.

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(2) Raise Up Missionaries

The most empowering words a person will ever hear are, "I believe in you." Let participants know that they are potential leaders and why. Do not stretch the truth, but let them know how much you believe in them. For example, “_______, you have a lot of potential for leadership. I really think you can leave a significant spiritual legacy here, and I would like to help you with that. I really want you to consider starting and leading a Discovery study.” It is important for the participant to know that you believe in him/her.

2. Starting a Discovery Study a) Develop an Impact List

Have them make a list of friends, classmates, parishioners, co-workers that will hopefully take the study. Remind the participants to sow broadly. They should not keep people off their list because the participants think they will say no. Many have been pleasantly surprised by who accepts this invitation.

NAME PHONE/EMAIL DAY/TIME THAT DOESN'T WORK

Tell your participants to personally invite each person to join the faith study they will be leading. For example: “Hey, a group of us are going to try to get together for a small group faith study, and I was wondering if you might like to come out too?” See if they might be interested in joining the group.

Have them determine the best day for everyone. Never ask, “What day is best for you?” Only ask, “What evening can you not attend?” Alternatively, they should say something like, “I know Thursday isn’t the greatest for you but it's the only night some people can make it. Would you be willing to try it out?” They should determine the best location for everyone. Ensure everyone has transportation.

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b) Commitment to Personal Growth

New leaders should set aside time each day to pray, read Scripture on a daily basis, participate frequently in the sacraments (Eucharist and Confession) —try to implement all the things we have been learning in Growth.

c) Commitment to Intercession

New leaders should intercede specifically for each participant, asking the Holy Spirit to open their hearts and minds.

d) Learning the Ropes

New leaders should review the study before gathering with your group, researching any tricky parts or calling a CCO staff member or their study leader for clarification on areas that they do not understand are all key suggestions.

They should take advantage of the many resources in the Discovery leader guide to help them lead their small group.

Inform them of the importance of starting and ending on time — this will keep people coming back.

Encourage them that, when leading their small group, they should not be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” They can find out the answers for next week.

3. Leaving a Spiritual Legacy

Building community and evangelizing are important and often exciting, but they are not our only tasks. A multiplying ministry has the greatest potential to bring the love of God to the most people. A missionary understands that evangelization is not complete until those he/she has evangelized are evangelizing others.

Our task is not to make converts; our task is to form multiplying missionaries. Tell them to be aware of who may lead a faith study from their group. Pray for their multiplying ministry (as Jesus did in John 17).

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Challenge

Be accountable to your Growth leader about your progress in starting a Discovery study group.

Have the participants in Growth aim to start a Discovery group as soon as possible; otherwise, it will be hard to carry through with the challenge.

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Growth Follow-Up Worksheet

Objective: To call each Growth participant to start his or her own Discovery study.

1. Every Member a Missionary

Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) is a university student movement dedicated to evangelization. We challenge students to live in the fullness of the Catholic faith, with a strong emphasis on becoming leaders in the renewal of the world. 2. Starting a Discovery Study a) Develop an Impact List

NAME PHONE/EMAIL DAY/TIME THAT DOESN'T WORK

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b) Commitment to Personal Growth c) Commitment to Intercession d) Learning the Ropes 3. Leaving a Spiritual Legacy Challenge

Be accountable to your Growth study leader about your progress in starting a Discovery group.

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Record of Completion

Return this form to your study leader or to the address on the back. Please print.

Name: Today's Date: Primary Contact Information: Address: City/Prov./State: Postal/Zip Code: Phone: Email : Secondary or Permanent Address: Address: City/Prov./State: Postal/Zip Code: Phone: � Please contact me about more CCO studies, events or newsletters. � I do not wish to be contacted about more CCO studies, events or newsletters.

Faith study just completed or completing: � Discovery � Source � Commission � Growth � Obedience Study Leader's Name: Campus/Parish:

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Your Feedback Please take a moment to give us your feedback. Please print.

How has the study influenced your life? Any other comments/feedback? Please return by mail or fax to:

CCO Faith Studies 1247 Kilborn Place Ottawa, ON K1H 6K9 Fax: (613) 736-1800

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