“All the People of the Lord Were Prophets” by Jim Bayne
So, when a young man quickly told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp," Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses' aide, said, "Moses, my lord, stop them." But Moses answered him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!" (Nm 11:24-29)
At that time, John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. (Mk 9:38-41)
Piety
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen
Study
The dictionary defines a prophet as "a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God." In the readings from Numbers and from Mark, presented above, people are attempting to define who can be "an inspired teacher."
The followers of Moses and of Jesus have clearly decided who is NOT qualified for the role of inspired teacher. However, both Moses and Jesus disagree and greatly expand the definition of who is an inspired teacher.
Moses says he wants everyone to be an inspired teacher. Jesus says anyone who isn't against is for us and therefore can be an inspired teacher.
By either of these definitions, you and I have the potential for being inspired teachers! Wow!! Who would have thought!!
But how does one become an inspired teacher?
Our Cursillo movement has as its main purpose, the goal of making each and every one of us inspired teachers by living the three legs of the Cursillo tripod on a daily basis:
Piety
In what ways did you personally encounter Christ in your life this week?
In Another Person, In Personal Prayer, In Liturgical Prayer, In Meditation, In Mass and Holy Communion, In Nature, During Lexio Divina, Through Spiritual Direction, In Serving Others
Study
By what means did your Study this week enable you to encounter Christ and get to know Him better?
Bible Study Group, Spiritual Books, Periodicals, Radio/TV Programs, Church Documents, Your Environment
Action
What actions did you take this week to enable others to encounter Christ in their lives?
In your Environment, In your Parish, Through Other Service Opportunities
If we're living the tripod on a daily basis, our first opportunity to be an inspired teacher comes when we share the results of our Cursillo lifestyle with the members of our weekly group reunion. We do need all three legs to be fully inspired. You can't do it with just one or two legs. Remember the three-legged stool from your weekend?
Beyond group reunion, the larger community – which can be as big as the world – will come to recognize our status as inspired teachers and prophets by the way we live our daily tripod lives.
As one member of my group reunion likes to say, "People would rather see a sermon than hear one." As scripture tells us, "By their fruits, you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" (Mt 7:16)
Action
Are you in a weekly Group Reunion?
Are you living the Cursillo tripod in your daily life?
Do others see you as an "Inspired Teacher"?
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