You have come to the end of your three-day journey, so perhaps it is fitting to ask if any changes have occurred since you attended. As I looked around the room during my weekend, it certainly had changed. I saw evidence covering the walls of lots of love pouring in from the outside community, as well as our posters from Friday, caricatures of our own thoughts and feelings.
More significant though are the changes in each of us that will be used to impact our environments as we continue this walk of faith. Remember the Rollo “Being Christ In Our Environment”? There was a message as to how we should move from this safe, wonderful place, back into our everyday lives. A message of how we can be AS CHRIST in our environment.
Cursillo has made an enormous change in my life. I was a regular, active member of my church and was a good husband, father and citizen in my community, but something just seemed to be missing. What was missing was the unconditional love of a large group of individuals who simply loved me for who I was at that moment, God’s love. Well, Cursillo certainly changed all of that. It has shown me how important it is to be guided by, and show, my feelings and thoughts as well. It has taught me to love everyone I meet unconditionally, with my whole heart and to see the face of Christ in each person. Since my Cursillo, back in 1998, life has been far more joyous than ever before, and feedback tells me that I, in turn, have made others feel better as well.
Each team member, in his or her own way, has contributed energy toward making this one of the most love filled weekends possible, and each of you has responded in your own way to complete the picture of an ideal Christ community. This is truly what it is all about.
Now you have walked away from your weekend of love. If you’re like the overwhelming majority of candidates, however, you will never separate from the experience you have been given. And, to the extent you change course toward a life centered in Christ, the world around you will become a far better place.
So, how did your weekend come to be? Cursillo is not a club, like Rotary or Kiwanis, with dues paying members. It is a not for profit movement based on the love and teachings of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Your team was assembled and self-trained over a period of a year just for this weekend. It will never be re-assembled and the presentations and information you received will never be disseminated in quite the same way again. Much of what you have seen and eaten during your weekend was donated. It is palanca that has been provided by the Cursillo community, those who have come before you. It is a weekend that gives a gift of love to you from the gifts of love received from others.
Each of you have been given a three-day holiday, complete with great meals, lodging and entertainment that is second to none, (well almost). You received mail, known as palanca, from many brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t know you, but love you just the way you are.
What is the value of a weekend like this? I wouldn’t venture a guess. Have you priced a life-changing weekend lately? What is the value of this Cursillo experience in your life? No one can place a price tag on that. All I can say it that my experience was priceless.
What we do ask is that you seriously consider how you can be a good steward of the love you have received on your weekend and “Pass It On”. This is a real and effective way to be a light in the darkness. It is what keeps Cursillo moving forward and it is a fellowship in which we would like to invite you to share.
There are many ways to be a “Rooster Booster”. This is our program of stewardship, a program that will allow you to designate a pledge of time, talent and/or treasure to the support of our movement. A form is available on this site and will help you to understand the program.
Think it over, and, if you wish to make a commitment to the work of our secretariat, simply follow the directions found at the end of this page.
Remember that those who came before you have helped to produce this weekend. Now you have a chance to help unite others in the Holy Spirit through this incredible movement.
The Apostle Paul summed it up well in his first letter to the people of Corinth:
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to everyone for their service. The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way to each one, for the good of all.”
God bless you, De Colores and Ultreya!
