HOLINESS (Background and Summary) (Given by a Layperson) Background: The heart of the CEW is an exposition of what it is to be a Christian. The weekend stresses the three necessary elements of the Christian Life: 1) Formation; 2) Holiness; and 3) Apostolic Action. (This sequence comes from the Cursillo format, and since it is on our small group sharing sheets and elsewhere, this order is retained in such explanations as this.) THE KEY POINT TO UNDERSTAND IN THE CEW IS THE NOTION OF HOLINESS AND THE HOLINESS TALK ITSELF. The holiness talk is prepared for by the previous talks of the weekend. The whole of the arrangement of talks is directed to making the candidate aware of the greatness, the beauty, an the overwhelming importance of the Christian life: 1) that God has called them to something greater than they could have hoped for 2) that He has offered them a very precious gift, His own life 3) that He will be constantly present to them and us with His help This process of presenting a new concept of the Christian life, the life of grace, is completed in the Holiness talk. MEANING OF HOLINESS Holiness means living the Christian life, the life of grace fully and unreservedly. It is the ideal of the Christian -- the directing of one s whole life to God. The practices of holiness are those things which are specifically intended to maintain and strengthen love of God and dedication to God. These are not the Christian life, but they are the means to maintaining it. Holiness, Formation and Apostolic Action are the key things to do, they are the things that the Christian must do. They are the means to live a Christian life... A person cannot be a full Christian if he/she does not pray and try to increase their dedication to God; if he/she does not study and try to learn what Christianity is and implies; and if he/she does not try to bring the life of grace to others. APPROACH TO TALK While explaining that Holiness is the direction of our whole life to God, the talk sketches in a concrete way what it means to direct the whole of life to God, 1) partly by contrast, 2) partly by description, but 3) mainly by personal testimony. Holiness is nothing more than actually living the life of grace. Holiness is union with God, and there is no union with God more intimate, more genuine, and more authentic than that of
the life of grace, which makes us sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit. What then is the most important thing about Christianity? -- Christ. Being a Christian is directing the whole of life to God through Christ...but not just any kind of personal relationship with Christ. It involves a reorientation of the whole of life to God so that God becomes first. While the talk encourages doing Christian things, it should state in a very strong way that being a Christian is more than doing Christian things. It is a personal relationship with Christ that must be the basis of the Christian life we lead. This talk should provide direction and examples. This is what the Holiness talk is designed to do. Central to this relationship is personal prayer. People need and want to learn how to pray. If the speaker does nothing more than show the candidates how easy and satisfying prayer is, the talk will be a great success. This talk ends with a visit to the chapel by everyone. That experience of simple, spontaneous prayer is the break through for many candidates. The honesty, humility and simplicity of the speaker creates the atmosphere. Elaborate prayers by the team may be intimidating to the candidates. The team should be sensitive to this and allow the Spirit to lead the people to prayer. At some weekends, it has been very powerful to have the Blessed Sacrament exposed at this time at the discretion of the spiritual director. NOTE: Before the talk, the speaker should select an individual to write a prayer letter to the speaker and the group. This prayer letter is read toward the end of the talk. This gives a concrete example to Holiness, and begins moving and disposing the hearts of the listeners for the chapel prayer session that follows. No reference ought to be made of the individual prayer letters at this time; that would distract from the effect. Those letters are given out a little later. Length: 30 minutes. This talk is followed by a Chapel visit.
HOLINESS (Outline) Introduction: What are the participants ideals? Jesus said: I tell you, unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:20) What did he mean? God s help should have cleared away one of the main resistances to fully accepting the Christian ideal as presented in the previous talks - namely, the fear of being unable to live up to it. By now the candidates desire for more holiness has been raised, and he/she is receptive to be taught some specifics about the what and how of Christian spirituality, another name for holiness. Genuine and Authentic Holiness -- It is the directing of our whole life to God. This is the most important sentence in the Holiness talk. Holiness is a way of life. -- Knowing what one is doing and the reason why he or she is doing it; It is spiritual awareness; Seeing meaning in what we do. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37). Holiness is an ideal. -- At this point, the Holiness talk builds upon what has been said in the Ideals talk. That which unifies and gives direction to one s life should be one s desire. Father, I pray that they may be one in us... that their unity may be complete. (John 17:21-23) The Holiness talk does not advocate hiding a dedication to God out of a false humility, but it shows what Matthew 5:16 advocates, Let your light so shine before all that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Qualities of Holiness Corresponds to the person s vocation in life Natural -- at ease; comfortable, not forced; coming from inner self Confident and courageous -- I tell you this, that in me you may find peace. You will suffer in the world. (John 16:33) o A common difficulty in the attempt to live a true holy life is that to be religious is cowardly (or at least timid), and it is sinners who are the brave ones. Joyful -- Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again. Rejoice... Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. (Phil. 4:4-7) o True joy is a sign of the presence of God.
Apostolic -- Concerned about others spiritual and material needs (NOTE: Prayer letters should be shared here). o A person of true holiness will want all people to share in the life he/she lives with God. There is an inner connection between holiness and apostolate. It is natural to want to share holiness. Otherwise his/her holiness will be incomplete and false. Common False Concepts of Holiness: External Aspects Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see. (Matthew 6:1) The Holy Joes -- There is a certain security and group respectability in externalism (observance of external acts) Mechanical or routine Catholics -- in your prayer, do not rattle on like the pagans do. They think they will win a hearing by the sheer multiplication of words. (Matthew 6:7) Good and bad aspects of: Habit, memorized prayer, unconscious gestures, e.g. making the sign of the cross; genuflect in Church, and from habit, in theater. 2. Internal Aspects (attitude) o The Pharisees or hypocrites -- When you are not praying do not behave like the hypocrites... in order to be noticed. (Matthew 6:5) These are people who think that holiness is something that should show to the world.-- Their real life is in flat contradiction to how they try to appear... The direction (orientation) of our whole life to God is the key phrase of the Holiness talk. The conscious and growing life of grace; complete Christianity; Catholicism known, lived, and spread; and life focused according to the gospel are nothing other than a life wholly directed to god. This section of the Holiness talk is the place for the main testimony, where the speaker tells how he or she has realize the importance of God and the necessity of changing his or her life directing it to God. Results (indications or signs) of true holiness Fruits of the Spirit -- Peace, joy, love, patience, gentleness, self-control, compassion. Conclusion of holiness talk should read: Hopefully God s Spirit has put a new desire to pray in your mind and heart, through what I have shared with you. Now we want to allow that Spirit to speak freely through you. Now we will go to the Chapel for a time of spontaneous prayer. This is your time to pray; to tell God honestly and openly how you feel at this time. Please do not worry about the words you use. Speak from your heart, as the Spirit prompts you. As you enter the Chapel, please come up as closely as possible around the tabernacle. Please follow me.
TALK EVALUATION HOLINESS Background: Holiness means living the Christian life. It is the ideal of the Christian the directing of one s whole life to God. The practices of Holiness are those things which are specifically intended to maintain and strengthen love of God and dedication to God. While the talk encourages doing Christian things, it should state in a very strong way that being a Christian is more than doing Christian things. It is a personal relationship with Christ that must be the basis of the Christian life we lead. This talk should provide direction and examples. Goals of this talk: 1. Give the candidates a good understanding of what HOLINESS is and is not. 2. Stress the need for personal prayer as the key to their personal relationship with God. The talk should: 1. Discuss false concepts of Holiness. What is not Holiness. 2. Show genuine & authentic Holiness. 3. Show holiness as an ideal. 4. Discuss the qualities of holiness. 5. Show how your life has been affected by attempting to live the holiness ideal. 6. Struggles in the world today living a holy life. 7. The importance of prayer in your personal relationship with Christ. Delivery: Organization: a. Effective use of Eye Contact b. Volume & Pace. c. Rapport with the audience. A. Were the specific goals of the talk met? B. Was the central idea of the talk clear to the audience? C. Were the main points easy to follow? D. Did the speaker capture and hold the attention of the audience. Use the back of this page for your notes and comments.