Last month, at School of Leaders, we heard a talk on “Christianity in Action”, one of the Sunday talks from the 3-Day Encounter. Our last couple of Kindling articles talk about the value of what we do when we practice piety, study, and action and then share those with others. We keep thinking about what we heard in September---how is it that people who start grouping and Ultreya do not even know each other, but become connected through their sharing?

The Cursillo manual defines Christianity in Action as a group of grace filled Christians who live together in a climate that makes it possible for each one to live and spread the Gospel in the world. This is a tall order for folks who do not know each other and have little in common. What we see happen on each weekend is that strangers become friends solely by experiencing the Weekend Encounter together.

At the center of all the talks and all the levels of communication and varieties of service is Christ, and the grace He imparts to those gathered together. Yes, we are the hands and feet, the messengers, but the Weekend belongs to the Holy Spirit. The same holds true for people who come together as a small friendship group, or a larger group at Ultreya. Individuals get to know each other, share their full range of life experiences as they journey to our heavenly home, and develop admiration and true friendship for each other. Christ and His grace are also in the center of these experiences.

In our small groups and Ultreyas the Gospel comes alive as we live out our mission to evangelize—to those we have come to know, and to those we meet outside the circle of Christian friends. Differences among people begin to disappear, Christ is at work in every life, and when He is recognized miracles appear, and a profound joy and gratitude becomes the natural state of the Christian living closely with the Holy Spirit.

The September School of Leaders speaker described this pattern as it played out in his own small friendship group with many examples of action toward group members and others outside of the Christian community. He said it was more of a feeling that empowered them to action, and the only word that would describe the connectedness and generosity of his group is love. Is your group and Ultreya empowered to action?

Please join us in giving the Lord thanks for two wonderful men who have agreed to be co-Spiritual Advisors for Twin Cities Cursillo: Fr. Paul Jarvis and Dn. Mick Humbert. We extend a warm welcome to each of them, and ask for many blessings in their assignment.

God bless you friends!

Larry & Jeanne Bendzinski