Following Christ course ends...

Well, I have time for a quick blog today. All is well here at ChristLife, lots going on in preparation for our upcoming conference and much more!

Last Thursday we finished up Following Christ, a course that helps to mature and deepen the conversion which many encountered during Discovering Christ.

It really is an amazing course that I love to go through. It deals with establishing a daily personal prayer life, reading Scripture as God’s word, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, the sacraments, spiritual warfare, and lots more exciting topics in following Jesus as Lord.

It was my fourth course, and I loved it! Ally and Leyna did as well :)

15-25 young adults came each week and at the last session, many shared what the Holy Spirit accomplished in their lives during Following Christ when responding to:

Can you describe any life change as a result of Following Christ?

"Bottom line, I've praying more. I've been able to see Jesus more in my day, not just during prayer. Being a part oft this has made me walk confident in my faith to share with others."

"It has changed my life, the first time and has reconvicted me! Praise God- prayer especially"

"I have started to keep a prayer journal now and I can now pray in tongues."

"Daily prayer and worship"

"My prayer life has grown exponentially, and I've become fully alive in my faith. Morning mass and the rosary are cornerstones of my life, and I'm able to witness to people like never before!"

"I have been so inspiring to other people in my life- really spreading the Lord's light"

These remarks and others are so inspiring to the ‘mission’ team- Dave, myself, Brittany, Ally, Marg – and all those who prayed for us and financially supported the course. Thank you!!'

Following Christ retreat

What a wonderful weekend! Thanks to all who helped out- Dave, Ally, Brittany & especially Marg. For all who donated $ to make it happen, and who prayed for protection and the power of the Holy Spirit to be with us!

How can I share what happened for the 24 young adults? I'm hoping they will share a bit themselves in the comments below...

But here are few phrases that come to mind-

joyful praise deep prayer & reflection encounter with Jesus fresh and intimate community great food and drink beautiful weather & retreat location lots of laughter (and noise in general!) freeing discovery that we are at war sweet bonfire and smores

Thanks to Jen, Dave, and Miguel- here are a few pictures:

The whole group of us

My prayer spot on Saturday morning, beautimous (a made up word, yes, I know :)

one of the guy's small groups (the loud group :)


beautiful weather on Saturday

one of the girl's small groups

Miguel and Robbie with their tasty lunches

one on one sharing on the great stump

Following Christ for young adults

I want to share with you a letter I sent out yesterday to some close friends asking for prayers and support for one of the critical areas of mission ChristLife is involved with:

September 30, 2009
Feast of St. Jerome

Dear friends of ChristLife,

I'm writing you to ask for your 1) committed intercession and 2) financial support for a Following Christ retreat, Dave, Ally, Brittany and I are running this Friday-Saturday
(Oct 2-3).

This summer ChristLife hosted a Discovering Christ course for 60+ young
adults. Many lives were touched - from regular Catholics to nominal
Catholics to non-Catholic Christians to unbelievers. In fact one of the
young adults who shared the last session, came from a non-Christian background
and shared:

"I've really been touched by this course, I don't know what it is, but I
feel like I'm in the right place. I'm not making any commitments yet. but I
really enjoyed this."

She's been coming to mass with a friend for the past several weeks and is
coming on this weekend's Following Christ retreat. Praise God! And, not only
is she coming, but 24 other young adults who the Holy Spirit has touched in
various ways!

This didn't happen overnight though. We prayed and struggled with the
feasibility of even running a retreat. We faced four obstacles:

1. Location. Finding a retreat center with less than a month
notice
2. Commitments. Needing 15+ young adults to commit (we only had
15-25 coming weekly)
3. Affordability. Making the retreat affordable for young adults,
while meeting the costs
4. Obedience. Juggling so much at ChristLife, and not wanting to
get-ahead of the Lord, or behind Him.

Long story short, the Retreat Center had an opening this weekend.
One obstacle down! We then prayed about this "open door," and the day I had
to make the decision, "yes" or "no," just 2 weeks back, I got three
confirmations:

1. Enough people. 15 young adults confirmed their attendance,
followed by 10 more the next week (25 of us overall!)
2. Drop in price. I get an email from the retreat center dropping
our price by $300
3. The Lord speaks provision. I read the Gospel for the day from
Luke 8, which immensely struck me, a) the ragamuffin band of followers Jesus
attracted - the apostles, women from Herod's court, former prostitutes -
which feels a bit like our Following Christ group - very diverse; and b) how
they and "many others provided for them out of their resources." (vs. 3) And
I felt like the Lord was saying, "go ahead, I have my people. tell them what
you are doing, and I will provide."

So, I'm writing to make you aware of our needs spiritually and financially.
This morning in prayer, I prayed, "thank you Jesus that we never have enough
money, because it keeps us dependent on you and on the family of the Church!
" So here's how you can help:

1. Pray for protection. Really. Friday is the feast of "Guardian
Angels." I don't think a coincidence, as our retreat is themed We are at
War: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Pray for angelic protection and
the power of the Holy Spirit. I know Friday is first Friday and many
chapels have adoration. Will you commit time to pray? We have huge
anticipation the Lord is going to changes lives eternally! (Pray for those
in attendance and for ChristLife's leadership.)

2. Make a donation. In an effort to make the retreat affordable - to
attract young adults - we are only charging $35, though it costs more like
$105 per person to meet our costs. That's a $60 difference. Would you
consider a donation of this amount or more to help us meet our costs for
this retreat? If so send a donation to 12280 Folly Quarter, Ellicott City,
MD 21042 or donate online at

Thanks so much! Blessings in the Lord Jesus,

Pete Ascosi
Young Adult Coordinator

Thanks so much for considering this request and joining our mission to make Jesus known and loved!

Steadfast in purpose. An amazing example!

Recently while prayerfully reading Acts chapter 11:19-26, I was struck, once again, by the early church's missionary zeal.

It is the account of those who were scattered because of the persecution in Jerusalem and how they continued to witness to Jesus as Lord! They weren't silenced or intimidated by the persecution.They couldn't stop talking about this good news of what God had done in Jesus of Nazareth who was raised from the dead. Some of those who were evangelizing began to share with non-Jews, Greeks, about the Lord Jesus. As a result many came to believe! The Church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch to see what was happening and to help build up the new believers. When he saw the grace of God evident in the lives of those who believed, he was glad. Barnabas then exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord and steadfast in purpose (vs 23). I felt like that was a word for me and for those of us who serve in and our friends of ChristLife. It is a good word, isn't it? Something we all want in our walk with the Lord Jesus. To be faithful to him and absolutely steadfast in our purpose.

While in Michigan last week presenting a mission for two parishes, the pastor of St. Therese's shared a YouTube video that really illustrates faithfulness and steadfastness in purpose. Take a look and give thanks to the Lord for this man! You may not feel called to do what he did, but the key point that all of us should admire is his steadfastness in doing what he was called to do!

May we all have such passion to make the Lord known to others! May each of us be steadfast in purpose.

The Primacy of Grace

Well, it's a beautifully warm morning here in the western parts of Howard County, MD. Driving out to work today with the windows down, driving west past all of the bumper to bumper eastbound, citybound traffic made me very thankful for ChristLife's remote location in the cornfields west of Ellicott City.

I've been "running" the last few days with a lot of ministry and life activities. My wife is now five months pregnant - a very exciting time! Though this 90+ degree heat in April isn't too welcome.

Every time I mention Ally's due date - at the end of August - to mothers, they all pity her/us for a mid-summer - never can get cool enough - third trimester.

Anyway, with my wife's help, this past Sunday night ChristLife and the Newman Club concluded Spring 09's Following Christ course... A very awesome course building upon the foundation of Discovering Christ, with lots of people deepening or renewing their commitment to Christ as Catholic Christians and (re)learning the bare essentials of our faith - something, unfortunately, many never hear of - discipleship; importance of daily private prayer; reading Scripture as the Word of God; listening to God guide us; the charisms of the Holy Spirit; the importance of the sacraments for a disciple; we are at war (really!)- the world, the flesh, and the devil; and evangelization. All of these talks in the context of passionate praise and worship, small groups, and fellowship. Here's most of the group that went through the course:

This course combined with lots of developments with the summer 09 young adult Discovering Christ course (lots of very exciting info coming soon - especially if you are signed up for our eupdates) - make it a very busy time for us! Not to mention, the boss, Dave is out of town in MI doing a two parish mission right now on Jesus and evangelization.

So, this morning prayer was extra good... In that, I'm tired and really in need of God. Prayer wasn't a "religious routine" but as necessary as drinking cool water on a hot day in the desert. Yeah buddy.

In these times I'm reminded of an excellent section from an Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II, Novo Millennio Ineunte. Read this slowly and digest, especially if you are a "Martha" from the Gospel who found herself very good at "being busy" in "serving the Lord" but neglected the "unum necessarium," the "one thing necessary," intimacy with Jesus. This section is called the primacy of grace:

38. If in the planning that awaits us we commit ourselves more confidently to a pastoral activity that gives personal and communal prayer its proper place, we shall be observing an essential principle of the Christian view of life: the primacy of grace. There is a temptation which perennially besets every spiritual journey and pastoral work: that of thinking that the results depend on our ability to act and to plan. God of course asks us really to cooperate with his grace, and therefore invites us to invest all our resources of intelligence and energy in serving the cause of the Kingdom. But it is fatal to forget that "without Christ we can do nothing" (cf. Jn 15:5).

It is prayer which roots us in this truth. It constantly reminds us of the primacy of Christ and, in union with him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness. When this principle is not respected, is it any wonder that pastoral plans come to nothing and leave us with a disheartening sense of frustration? We then share the experience of the disciples in the Gospel story of the miraculous catch of fish: "We have toiled all night and caught nothing" (Lk 5:5). This is the moment of faith, of prayer, of conversation with God, in order to open our hearts to the tide of grace and allow the word of Christ to pass through us in all its power: Duc in altum! On that occasion, it was Peter who spoke the word of faith: "At your word I will let down the nets" (ibid.). As this millennium begins, allow the Successor of Peter to invite the whole Church to make this act of faith,which expresses itself in a renewed commitment to prayer.

A great invitation to deeper conversion, by a wonderful, saintly, courageous man who lived the primacy of grace.

How does this invitation to enter the primacy of grace stir you? Do you find yourself more often in the primacy of self and busyness?

Jesus I love you and thank you for everything!

Ralph Martin and Personal Prayer

Yesterday I had lunch with a dear friend of mine, Ralph Martin. It is always special to have time with Ralph, we've know each other for 38 years! Ralph lives in Ann Arbor Michigan so we don't get to see much of each other, but recently he has been finishing up his Licentiate in Sacred Theology in Washington, D.C. So Ralph drove up to get a chance to see our ChristLife offices and for some time to catch up with each other.

Back in 1971 I attended a workshop on Union with God in

Prayer, that Ralph was presenting. That workshop inspired and instructed me how to begin the discipline of a daily personal prayer life that continues right up till this morning! Ralph has written two incredible books on prayer: Hungry for God- Practical Help in Personal Prayer and, The Fulfillment of All Desire.

I want to encourage anyone who would like to establish a daily personal prayer life, which is so crucial to living as a Christian, to get hold of Hungry for God. It will be life changing.

An exciting few days...

Well, it's been a while since I blogged. But I thought I would share some great news. First off, my wife, Ally, and I went on a retreat this weekend with the Catholic Campus Ministry at UMBC, as part of our Following Christ course. This is the second component in our evangelization process of Discover, Follow, and Share. It was a fantastic time with 20 or so young adults - all at different places on the spiritual journey. We were so blessed to help serve them and lead them closer to Jesus Christ! Here are a few pictures from the retreat:


The location, Fatima House, rural PA is a restored barn and several houses from the 1800s - very cool spot. Lay conscerated people served us, provided hospitality, and really covered us with their intercession.


Here I am about to eat my superb dessert at our final lunch - ice cream with strawberries - yum :)

Here are three of our leaders (L-R): Vincenzo, Ejiofor, & Miguel

Here's the whole crew that went on the retreat.

So, it was a fantastic time- many of the young adults renewed their commitment to Jesus Christ, went to confession, & enjoyed the fellowship of one another. Two priests, Fr. Richard Gray, MSA, and Fr. Andrew Carr, a Redemptorist priest, led us through the weekend, sharing their lives with us and the sacraments.

-snip-

Another amazing experience was this morning, when my wife and Ally went for her second sonogram. We're having a .... (drum roll please) a girl!! Praise Him!

Funny, so there's a nun where Ally works (a Catholic school) who predicted from the beginning - it would be a girl... Then others chimed in and we had all sorts of predictions. Well, I was praying... really just talking out loud to our Father last week and I felt a slight impression in my heart- "it's a girl" - I held on to that... Well, it was right! Thank you Lord!

Watching our little girl on the sonogram machine was quite an amazing thing... You just get this deep "wow" feeling... Almost a transcendent moment.

Anyway, in the spirit of this... I watched the other week this awesome 2 minute clip from National Geographic on a new 4D sonogram... Which I think is the best argument for being "pro-life." Not sure if NG intended that - but its amazing.

Then, finally, one more awesome clip my brother Andrew shared with me the other day, with the subject line, "funny... I bet you can't wait." It's four hours in the life of a ninth month old baby sped up to 2 minutes. A delightful video. I wish I had half the energy. I can't wait :)

More Funny Videos

Thinking like Christ

He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a burden to us because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange…Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them, and they did not know the secret purposes of God. Wisdom 2: 15,21-22

Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who… humbled himself and became obedient unto death. Philippians 2:5, 8b

The first passage above is from the book of Wisdom written around 200 B.C. You really have to read the whole chapter- it is a remarkable prophecy of Christ’s suffering, death and rising. But it also is a testimony to how different God’s ways are from our ways of thinking apart from him.

And that reality has been challenging me in recent weeks during my times praying over Scripture. The Lord wants to renew our ways of thinking about everything! Take as one example Jesus’ question and teaching to the disciples found in Matthew 16:13-27. Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter responds by the revelation of God, “You are Christ, the Son of the living God.” The Lord then goes on to explain his mission as Messiah and how he will suffer, die and be raised on the third day. Pete got the revelation that Jesus was Messiah, but when it came to the revelation of His mission, he could not comprehend how that had to do with Jesus, in fact he also would have feared what that would mean for him as lead disciple! I imagine Peter thinking to himself, “If you Lord, who are Christ, are to suffer and die, then what about me your follower?! Jesus in fact went on to say, "if anyone would come after him, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Like Peter, I recognize within myself patterns of thinking that are not yet subject to the Lordship of Christ. Thoughts that essentially continue to preserve my self life. Thinking that is not consistent with what I profess. Just like Peter, I can say by the grace of God, “Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of God!” But when he tells me that his mission also requires, death to self, I recognize areas of my mind that clearly are resistant to Him and need renewal! I want to say, God forbid!-just like Peter.

The Lord wants us to be his witnesses from the inside out. Like the passage from wisdom, he wants our manner of life to be unlike others, because we are growing in oneness with the Lord.

Some practical ways to co-operate with the Holy Spirit transforming our thinking

The good news is that the Lord knows exactly where we don’t have the mind of Christ and wants to transform our minds by the renewal of his Holy Spirit within us! (Romans 12:2). He is for you and He is the one who can change your mind!

In order for this to occcur it means hanging out with the Lord in daily personal prayer and Scripture.

It means being with Church as we celebrate the Liturgy and receiving his Word and His Body and Blood.

He wants to break strongholds of our thinking by his divine power (2 Cor. 10:4-6). That means if there are areas where evil spirits are influencing our thinking, we have authority in our Lord Jesus to renounce and give up fellowshipping with those patterns of thinking.

For our part he wants us to surrender to him. We need to talk to him daily and make a practice of surrendering to his leadership of my entire life. We can ask for his light to reveal the darkness within and to then renounce thought patterns that are not consistent with who He is and who we are. It is also wonderful that we can take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation for more power to hold firm in our resolutions to draw closer to the Lord!

One last thing, St Paul’s exhortation to have the mind of Christ is spoken to Christians, the church and not just to ‘me and Jesus.’ A very important support to being a disciple of Jesus today is having some brothers or sisters who you can fully reveal yourself to. Trusted Christians who you can share and pray with, and turn to in times of trouble and times of joy. As we share with others with the desire to live for Christ, his light works through to transform us, and bring us more completely into the image of Christ, being fully who you were made to be in Him.

Jesus wants to teach us his ways that are not of this world, but which turn the world upside down and right side up, so that we see things as they really are, and can offer others more of his fullness of life which we are increasingly living!

No ordinary people, no mere mortals!

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities… that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations — these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” - C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

My dear friend Bert Ghezzi quoted this section of C.S. Lewis’ sermon in one of his books and it has had a profound and lasting impact on with me. In fact I carry a copy of it in my wallet and another inside the cover of my prayer journal. I do that to remind myself daily of the reality of what happens in my interactions with others and especially to re-read at times when I am tempted to be less than loving with others. I am called to relate in the love of Christ towards all I encounter. To relate to others as if Jesus were living my life and relating to them through me.

This can mean exercising patience at times, say with a grumpy customer service representative. Or being a truth teller with a friend who is veering into sin in her sharing about a mutual friend. In all our interactions with others it calls us to bear in mind the truth that I cannot be neutral in attitude towards anyone. No “ordinary” people. No mere mortals. Everyone is on the way to heaven or hell – no exceptions. Everything that I say or do can help or hinder them.
That is a real reason for seeing all that we do as evangelizing others to the love of God.

“Father, open our eyes to see people as you do and as they really are, created for eternity. Through Christ our Lord we pray, Amen! “

Perseverance and Practice in Christ.

But solid food is for the mature- for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good and evil. Hebrews 5:14

This is what the Lord intends for us who follow him. He desires for his kids to grow in Christ- likeness, in Christian maturity. We are to have the family resemblance. We are to resemble our older brother, Jesus. That’s what holiness is about. To think and behave like Jesus, as if he were us, by the empowering grace of God. Not to try and attempt externally to play act what we think we ought to be and do, but to allow his Spirit to make us like him from the inside out. That takes a life time of experience and connection to Him.

God knows that we learn from experience as is clearly illustrated for us in Scripture. The stories of the Bible our intended to help us learn how to best live. So the Saints lives in the Old and New Testament recount not only the glories of their lives but also their sins. Think of Adam and Eve, Abraham, David or Peter.

Hopefully we learn from their experiences but more often than not its our experiences that help to instruct us, both the good and sinful choices that we make. Everything (St Augustine tells us even sin) works together for good for those who love God and are called by him... so that we might be conform to the image of Jesus. Romans 8:28,29

As I get older, more mature in age, I find myself identifying with the people of the Bible much more readily and closely. I appreciate them, feel like I know them and empathize with their failings and rejoice in their choices to say yes to God and trust in his unfailing faithfulness.
I also see a characteristic of all the saints both in Scripture and in the Church’s history - they get up and go on. When they fail, they turn once more to God and continue walking with him. The Spirit instructs and transforms (sanctifies) them through perseverance, through practice, to think and act more like Jesus!

Over the last couple of years, I have taken time to reflect on my life and relationships. I have had the blessing of a mentor who has helped me to examine how things have gone for me up to the present. I have seen some things I had never known about myself. One example has to do with a tendency to grow passive in certain relationships and not speak honestly on what I think and feel about the relationship. I never even recognized this weakness in myself. I just didn’t see it.

Now I am learning the power of speaking the truth in love by practicing in my relationships. It is sort of like exercising a set of muscles that have never received strength training. I am growing in virtue, as my thinking becomes more subject to the Lord’s truth and light, which brings change to my behavior! Not easy, painful at times - hard work in prayer, reflection and conversation. Yet it is a wonderful grace where I can see He is at work to change me, to make me to think and act like Jesus! To help me to love like he loves.

When we are transformed by his grace at work within us, as we persevere and practice, his Spirit works not only in us, but through us. We freely receive in order to freely give. When we are healed we are to become healers, when we are delivered we are to be his delivers. Any work of grace is to become a grace for others.

Holiness, Christ-likeness is essential to and Christian who brings good news to others.

May we each continue to draw close to our Father and allow him to transform us as we persevere and practice his truth in the love of Christ our Lord!

What then shall I compare the people of this generation?

What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.' ... (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

"To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, `We piped to you, and you did not dance;we wailed, and you did not weep.'For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, `He has a demon.' The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, `Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by all her children."Luke 7:25-35

God is not distant and removed from creation and his creatures. He is with us! He is not static but active, creative, redeeming-moving in his all powerful Holy Spirit in our 'today.' The Lord Jesus points out the purposes of God coming in two very different persons. John the prophet forerunner preparing the way, and Jesus the Messiah. The Pharisees and lawyers rejected the purposes of God for themselves in what He was doing in their day. They missed his activity, his will for them in the persons of John and Jesus. They couldn't see God working among them.

There are many Christians as well as unbelievers that have no understanding of this truth. They don't know the good news of Emmanuel, God with us today! Here and now. Jesus said, I am with you always. In Christ God the Father has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us as Church but also personally in our daily lives (have you read the Acts of the Apostles recently?).

This reality effects everything. Who we are and what we do. How we pray personally and when we gather together. Anticipation and openess to the Holy Spirit's guidance. Attentiveness to His providence in our lives and in interacting with others, and with circumstances we are in daily. Our faith in His faithfulness in all details of our lives. Our confidence in his mercy coming through times of joy (we danced for you) and in times of sorrow (we sang a dirge for you). His grace in presenting his life to us in the church by different kinds of churches as well as different types of people that we can identify and respond to. John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus were very different as the Lord himself pointed out.

In this time, in our generation, the Lord continues to fulfill his purposes. Let's pray for our eyes to be opened to see what he is doing and our ears to hear what He saying and to obey Him! (See John 5:19,20 to learn from the Master). He wants us to know with confidence that He is with us and wants us to join Him in fulfilling his purposes in our day!

The Pope Podcast!

Well, we've now done 45 podcasts at ChristLife! Its really amazing how many we've done - how many different people we've interviewed. This podcast is a first though. It is the first to have audio of the Pope speaking!

So, the top three reasons to listen to this podcast are-

1. A clip of the Pope speaking at Yankee stadium
2. A song by Matt Maher
   
3. Testimonies from our young adult Following Christ course at UMBC

Listen in!

Jesus Saves!

"We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world." - 1 John 4:13-14

What an incredible witness to share with others the amazing things God has done in our lives and His saving power! Our friend Jen King who went through ChristLife's Discovering Christ and Following Christ courses, has a powerful story of the Lord saving her and drastically changing her life! It is such a privilege to know Jen and her story is such an inspiration to me!
To listen to her testimony click here or press play below:

Charisms at Following Christ

The Following Christ course we've been running at UMBC has been going very well. This is our second pilot course that is still in production phase. The first Following Christ course we did as after the St. Agnes young adult Discovering Christ course.

At UMBC we've been teaming up with Fr. Richard Gray, MSA and the Newman Club to help a group of 12-15 students grow as followers of Jesus. Each night we combine praise and worship, testimonies and teachings on Christian discipleship, small group discussion and fellowship. Thus far its gone very well. We are all learning so much and growing in our love for Jesus! The topics touched in this course include: an overview of discipleship, personal prayer, Scripture, guidance, the sacramental life of a disciple, the charism, the world the flesh and the devil (2), & evangelization.

Anyway, last night's topic was the charisms (or gifts of the Holy Spirit). Fr. Rich's friend, Kate, gave the talk and it was superb. She talked all about the gifts, the fruits, and the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit. This was the real focus.
Anyway, following her talk we spent time praying for the gifts and worshiping God using these gifts. One gift several people received was the gift of tongues! After I finished worship we asked if anyone had anything to share and one guy, kind of stunned, said, "wow, this is so crazy, but I was speaking in tongues..." A second later another young adult exclaimed the same thing!

It was really really awesome - because all of the openness to the gifts - just opened us even more to God's great love for us and allowed us to express our love to Him. It was a wonderful time that brought us all closer to God and one another.

In my own life the first time I remember speaking to God in "tongues" was during an extended time of worship I was really "caught in the presence" of God and experientially felt His great love for me. I began to respond to him in prayer and I ran out of words and I realized I was speaking in tongues! What a beautiful gift of love to the Lord!

Unfortunately the charisms tend to be undervalued by many Catholics and we choose to say "no" to the Holy Spirit. I sure have done this in the past! Anyway, point being - we often haven't adequately received formation in this area and even more seldom is - seeing these gifts used!

For those not familiar with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, you can read about them in Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 12 or for an excellent introduction - on Page 12 of the Fall 2006 issue of Pentecost Today (PDF) or checkout this link which includes lots of articles on the charismatic renewal and the specific charisms.

The last three popes have begun to talk more about the charisms, and now it is more normal to hear about priests and even bishops involved with the Charismatic Renewal.