ORIENTATION

    We must avoid the natural objection which many of the participants will raise to the plan presented to them on the Weekend: I wasn’t born to be a leader. This talk prepares the participants to return, as Christians, to the same world from which they came before this encounter with the Lord. It emphasizes that each one of us, using all of his or her talents, whether many or few, has a place in a world that must be reconstructed from the very foundations (Christifideles Laici, No. 15, pp. 34-38).

    Here we proclaim that the transformation of the world depends on each one in particular. We want to present an idea of what can be done by a group of persons who are putting all of their talents into play, empowered by the love of Christ, at the service of others. We should present the proper style of the Christian leader: in Christ, through Christ, with Christ. Each one should bloom where he or she is planted. You have your talents; you must make them bear fruit. Whoever wants to do so is a potential leader. None of us can do everything, but all can offer what we have, living our Christian being to the fullest. The leader should be a real proof of what is proclaimed.

GENERAL COMMENTS

    If the "Holiness" talk defines the purpose of the Cursillo at one level (living and spreading the life of grace), "Leaders" defines it at a different level. It is one thing to say that a person must direct all of his/her lėfe to God and that he/she must live the Christian ideal fully and unreservedly, and it is another thing to tell them how to do it. It is one thing to decide fully to be a Christian; it is another thing to develop into being effective as a Christian in the world. The "Holiness" talk is a call to be a Christian; the "Leaders" talk is a call to form oneself to be effective as a Christian, to completely reorient oneself in a Christian way.

    In order to become formed as a Christian leader, in order to become fully Christian, it is necessary to do certain things. These things are summarized in three groupings: the spiritual acts that nourish our growth in holiness, the study of the Christian ideal to nourish our formation as Christians, and specific apostolic action within our responsibility to be evangelizers. The Cursillo says that all of life must be made Christian—must be taken into the living of the Christian ideal. But if all of life is to be lived for God, certain things must be done to Christianize the person in order that when he/she lives his/her life, everything done will be fully Christian. As Structure of  ldeas expresses it:

Presenting the loftiness of an infinite ideal without offering at the same time the concrete means to make it a reality in life will always mean sowing utopias in order subsequently to harvest inevitable disappointments. Every fulfillment that is worth living requires, together with the loftiness of the ideal, the concrete means to make this dimension attainable (Structure of Ideas, p. 69).

THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE TIME OF PRESENTATION

    "Leaders" thus completes the second day, reassuring all and setting the stage for the third day, helping to remove doubts and anxieties.

METHOD OF WRITING THE TALK

    A second purpose of the talk is to show how Holiness, Formation, and Evangelization are all a daily part of the Christian Leader's life. This point is not made directly, but is scattered throughout the qualities, and should be a general part of the examples and/or witnessing. The Christian leader's reliance on God must be clear. In addition, how the leaders spend considerable human effort of their own, should be interwoven throughout. To illustrate either too much dependence on God (while neglecting the personal effort and planning that should be involved in all Christian action of any duration) or too much dependence on self (while neglecting God's role in action) are both wrong. The talk should present a picture of a leader as one who prays as though everything depends on God (which it does) and acts as though everything depends on him/her (which it does).

    The "Leaders" talk presents a picture to the participants of who and what a leader is. The participants should be able to see through the descriptions and examples of the speaker who and what a leader is, and how to become one; especially how they can become one. Therefore, the examples should not all be of a grand and glorious nature, but should be of a simple enough nature that most can relate to and see a pathway to grow in. This talk is part of the last phase of the Cursillo, and continues to outline to the participants the way the Christian should approach the world as a whole. "Leaders" is the natural bridge between the tripod of Holiness, Formation, and Evangelization and the remainder of the talks, and illustrates the life of the effective Christian in the world. The remainder of the talks deal specifically with how it can be done; but "Leaders" should point out that it can be done.

LEADERS
OUTLINE

1. INTRODUCTION

   A. We are not being asked to undertake any special task, carry all others'
         burdens or leave your world to join Cursillo.

    B. Tomorrow we will return to our places in the world, places God wants
         to be saved:

        (1) With a new awareness of our link to His plan of salvation.

3. NATURAL QUALITIES OF A LEADER

    Each of us is unique and we must remain so, but all leaders share
    certain natural qualities which make them effective. They are:

        (1) The spirit of initiative

        (1) The ability to reach our own decisions

        (2) The courage to act upon our decisions. (On Evangelization in the Modern
                   World, No. 74, pp. 49-50).

          (3) Cooperation with others

        (2) We must be willing to observe, judge what seems right and then
              act. (Eph. :18-20)(Phil. 4:13).

        (3) We must be willing to stand alone.

        (4) We must be willing to risk ourselves where justice is required.

        (5) We must be willing to stand aside and wait and pray before acting
              if we believe that is what the Holy Spirit would have us to do
              (Isaiah 30:15).

      C. Sense of Responsibility

           The leader is one who feels responsible for a mission.

      D. Authenticity

          (1) Be truthful with ourselves
          (2) Be what we are suited to be.
          (3) Be what we say we are.

       E. Generosity

           Give:
       
                • What we have;
                • What we are;
                • What we can become,

            Give of ourselves totally.

        F. These natural qualities must be continually developed and perfected, but they
            can only be put into the servie of the Lord to the degree that they are formed
            around a Christian axis throught the development of the supernatural qualities.

4. SUPERNATURAL QUALITIES

        A. Living Faith:

(1) To give credence to the vision of a living, personal God who wants my salvation.

(2) Liberates because it implies a conversion that is always in progress (The                 
        Fundamental Ideas of the Cursillo Movement, No. 29, p. 24).

(3) A continuous encounter with God in Christ.

(4) The universal Yes to God, personal, mature and dynamic.

(5) Reflected in the witness of our normal daily life (Mt. 1 7:20).

            (1)    • is not thinking less of ourselves than others;
                    •  is not having a low opinion of our own gifts;
                    •  it is the freedom not to think about ourselves at all.

    B. Conscious of the need to use their talents in the world for the service of the
        Kingdom and salvation in Jesus Christ (Paul V1, On Evangelization in the
          Modern World, No. 70, pp. 46-47).

         (1) Christians must accept the responsibility to bring Christ's love and
              compassion and wisdom to bear on the affairs of the world: we know
              God's response, let it be ours (John 3:16-17).

         (2) Another person's pain is ours, especially man’s cruelty to man. We must
              be as Christ to ease the burden. What is our response? (Gal. 6:2).

         (3) Rather than running from sin and the world, we respond by the example
             of our lives to bring all environments of the world toward Christ
             (Vatican II, Constitution on the Church, No. 36).

         (4) It is not necessary to be a censor or a preacher. Our counter-testimony
               to the ways of injustice, immorality, and lack of love and concern in the
               world must be attractive to others by its truth, as evidenced in our
               own self-giving.

         (5) Christian leaders cannot hide from the world; they enter the world and
                embrace it by calling it to evangelical freedom (Paul VI, On Evangelization
                in the Modern World, No. 29, pp. 17-18, No. 38, pp. 21-22).

      F. True Christian Communities are needed in the world today. The Christian leader
           calls the community:

          (1) By prayerfully reading the signs of the times each day.

(2) By calling the community to prayerfully read these signs of the times and
     form a communal sense of them among God's people. (Read Chapter 6 of
     His Way by Fr. David Knight, available from St. Anthony Messenger Press,
    1615 Republic St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45210.)

6. ME, A LEADER?

    A. You are here because you are a leader in family, work and other environments.

    B. Continue to be a leader, but add Christ.
       
         (1) Be Christian where we are. You are asked to bloom where you are planted.

         (2) Be penetrated and saturated by Christ to penetrate and saturate all of
              our environments with Christ.

         (3) No one can do everything, but each one of us can do something
              (refer to Mt. 25:14-20 or Lk. 19:12-28; 1 Cor. 9:24).

         (4) A11 that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people
              do nothing. Edmund Burke.

7. CONCLUSION.

    A. The world will receive the Good News,
      
         (1) Not through evangelizers who are sad, discouraged, impatient,
              angry or anxious,

That day the prophecy will be fulfilled: Even greater things you will see (Jn. 1:50).

LEADERS
EXPANDED OUTLINE

    A. We are not being asked to undertake any special task, carry another’s burdens, or leave our world to join Cursillo. In fact, Cursillo is not an organization one joins, but rather it is a movement that provides a method to assist us in living what is fundamental to being a Christian.

    C. When on that day, we, as a nucleus of people empowered by the love of Christ, pledge to commit ourselves entirely to the service of others and center our lives and our actions in Christ, through Christ and with Christ, then, and only then will our part in the mission of the Church—the Chrėstian transformation of society—have begun. On that day, we wil be true Christian leaders.

    B. Leaders are those who_, with their person and conduct, influence the thoughts and actions of others. They guide_, orient and direct. //repeat// Their decisions influence the decisions of others. Their opinions help form the opinions of others and their attitudes stir up similar attitudes among other people. People who influence what happens in a group or situation are its leaders. A leader is one who influences those around him/her; a child, husband, co-worker, friend, family member, or business associate that one influences. This is a well-accepted definition in society. Those who study organizational structures and dynamics label such a leader as an agent of change; one who, regardless of status, rank or position, recognizes the need for change and by his/her words and actions, influences the attitudes and opinions of others around him/her to achieve the desired change. Every environment has these agents of change, they lead by what they are.

    Everyone of us here has the potential to become this type of leader by using our God-given talents to orient, guide, and direct those around us to help bring about the Christian transformation of society.

    [An example to illustrate this point is effective here. The example should be related
    to a person that the speaker has encountered in his/her own environment.]

    A. The Spirit of Initiative is the ability to reach our own decisions, the courage to act upon our decisions, and to cooperate with others for a lasting result. The leader is the first to recognize the need for change and to take the steps necessary for the change to become a rea1ity.

    [An appropriate short example/witness of how someone, preferably the speaker, took
    the initiative, in recognizing and taking the steps needed to change an environment.]

    B. Ability to Risk - We, the leaders, must not fail to act because it is possible that we may be wrong. Fear can, and often times does, prevent us from doing what is necessary, and in doing so, we allow much to be thrust upon others. The leader does not fail to act because he/ she may be wrong, outnumbered, or exposed to unfavorable criticism or treatment. He/She willingly accepts the risk for what he/she believes is right. The leader observes, judges what seems right and then acts.

    C. Sense of Responsibility - A leader accepts responsibility in his/her life and knows life is a challenge. As leaders we possess the ability to respond to that challenge, accept the responsibility to carry out the mission and feel responsible for the mission. This does not mean that when a leader takes responsibility for his/her environments and the mission to transform them that he/she will not feel anxious or inadequate. These feelings are overcome by knowing that God's grace wiIl make us strong.

    [An appropriate short example/witness of how the speaker accepted the responsibility
    to act in a certain situation in his/her life.]

    D. Personal Authenticity — Personal authenticity requires that we be truthful to ourselves, be what we are suited to be, and be what we say we are. It is a quality that shows that the leader is not solely saying what is right or how to do something, but rather showing that he/ she is living what he/she says and does. Their words speak truly of who they are and generally their leadership is sought after and warmly welcomed.

    [An appropriate short example/witness as to how the speaker exhibits his/her
    authenticity in their daily lives.]

    E. Generosity - Generosity means that we give what we have, what we are, and what we can become. Generosity requires that we give of ourselves totally. A leader will always give of hės/her time, energy and treasure, if necessary. They give of themselves to help others grow and to develop their talents. Leaders teach and correct when necessary with compassion and acceptance of the person.

    [An appropriate short example/witness may be used to show how the speaker/other
    used this quality in being a true leader.]

    [ALTERNATIVE: Speaker can provide one witness at end if you wish—showing all
    qualities in speaker/other in a situation that required all of the qualities set forth.]

    A. Living Faith - Living faith does not simply mean belief or accepting Christian doctrine. Rather, living faith makes believable and acceptable the concept of a living, personal God who cares about our salvation. Faith understood this way liberates, because it gives witness to an ongoing conversion directed towards a growing relatėonship with God in the person of Christ. Living faith is the uriiversal yes to God, an acceptance that is personal, mature, and dynamic. It leads to a true Christian commitment to God and His people. Jesus tells us, in Matt. 17:20, If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you will say to the mountain, move from here to there and it will move. Nothing is impossible for you. It is living faith such as this that we must have in our everyday lives, not to move mountains but to lead and influence the people and environments we encounter to bring them closer to Christ and His vision for the world.

    [Speaker should provide an appropriate witness/example of how he/she is living a life
    of living faith.]

    B. Hope - Hope is to believe in the impossible and live as if it were a reality. By having hope we make things possible and overcome discouragement. Victory will come to the person who, having trusted in God, commits hėmself/herself to freeing others to live in Christ. As we hear in Romans 12:12: Rejoice in hope, be patient under trial, persevere in prayer. To hope is not to dream, but rather hope forms the basis upon which dreams become reality.

    Hope steams from our knowledge and trust in the fact that the Lord is with us. Hope is not based solely upon the promise of eternal life to come but upon the knowledge that eternity begins with our actions here and now to build the Kingdom of God, to free others from their slavery, whether self-imposed or imposed on them by others. Our hope is secure in the knowledge of Christ's promise. Jesus himself tells us, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (Mt. 28:20).

    [Speaker should provide an appropriate witness/example of how he/she has exhibited
    his/ her quality of hope in life situations. It is preferable that it relate to the continuing
    witness, example in the prior natural and supernatural qualities.]

    C. Love - Love can be defined as the giving of oneself to others in service. It is not just another virtue; it is the virtue which gives feeling, vigor, and effectiveness to all other virtues. To love is to reach in and touch the heart of another as Christ would, and that is wherever and whenever pain or injustice exists, especially in situations where it would be much easier to sit back and do nothing. The final judgment in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 25 leaves no doubt that our judgment will be based solely on our service or disservice to others. To those who served His people, He invites, Come. You have my Father’s Blessing. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you... And to those who neglected to serve, He condemns, out of my sight... All else we do, if not in the service of others, has no value. Simply stated, as Christian leaders, we must imitate Christ as when He fed the hungry, cleansed the lepers, proclaimed the Good News, bore the scourges, evangelized the poor, and as His ultimate expression of love, died so that we might have life.

    [Speaker should provide an appropriate witness/example as to how the speaker
    reflected the love of God in their life situation shared above in living faith and hope.]

    D. Humility - Humility is sometimes a very difficult quality to understand. It is often thought of as thinking less of ourselves than others or having a low opinion of our abilities. In fact, humility frees us from thinking about ourselves at all and it helps us to focus our talents on the needs of others. Humility stems from our awareness of our abilities as compared to the greatness, majesty, and generosity of God. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he says I repeat, it is owing to his favor that salvation is yours through faith. This is not your own doing, it is God's gift; neither is it a reward for anything you have accomplished, so let no one pride himself on it. We are truly his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to lead the life of good deeds which God prepared for us in advance (Eph. 2:8-10). Humility also stems from our awareness that every other person, no matter what he/she may appear to be, has a special gift or talent, a touch that is theirs alone. Humility allows us to recognize each of our talents and their worth, allowing us to put them at the service of God and others.

    B. Christian leaders are conscious of the need to apply their talents in everyday situations in the world for the service of the Kingdom and salvation in Jesus Christ.

    C. Christian leaders are those who use all of their God-given human resources as if everything depended on them while they pray as if everything depended on God. By their word and deed, the Christian leader proclaims the fullness of the Gospel, and, in turn, calls other responsible leaders to Christ. They help others to discover their real calling by helping them to develop to their full potential. Christian leaders work to incorporate the Gospel in their lives through a program of Holiness, Formation, and Evangelization.

    We are called to make use of our talents, live out our responsibilities, and engage in service to others. In other words, we are called to live-out our Baptism. Even where we lack talent, the Lord makes up for our deficiencies, if we live in grace and give ourselves totally to Him. Christ and I are an overwhelming majority! With Him we can accomplish anything.

    [Speaker to provide appropriate witness/example as to how he/she combined their natural
    and supernatural qualities as a leader, and used them to bring Christ into their area of the
    world. A personal conversion witness is not appropriate in this talk.]

6. ME A LEADER?

    A. Some of you may be saying to yourselves that may be they (the speakers) are leaders, but not me. Be assured that every person here is a leader, although some may not recognize it.

    You are here because someone who knows you—your sponsor, spouse, friend—recognizes you as a leader in your family environment, work environment and/or social environment. You have been given your place in the world to influence. Often we are leaders without realizing it.

    B. Continue to be the leader you are, but add Christ. Jesus has called us to work for Him, to be Christian leaders right where we are at this time in our lives. It is not asked of us to uproot ourselves and move into other areas, or change jobs, or anything else. We are asked to bloom where we are planted—in our current job, neighborhood, and social circles. Be penetrated and saturated by Christ in order to penetrate and saturate all of our environments with Christ.

No one can do everything, but each one of us can do something. The alternative to our doing something is best expressed by these few but profound words of the English Statesman Edmund Burke, and I quote, All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing. //repeat//

7. CONCLUSION

    A. The world will receive the Good News of Christ, not through evangelizers who are sad, discouraged, impatient, angry or anxious, but through those whose lives radiate the joy, peace and love of Christ; those whose lives are dedicated and consecrated to Him.

    B. The day when Christ can count on a group, a nucleus of Christians who put into action their love of God and their talents, offering not only what they have, but all that they have, guided by the Holy Spirit, bearing witness to the Word and moved by Christian love to serve the truth, on that day the prophecy will be fulfilled: Even greater things you will see. (Jn. 1:50).