What’s Holding You Back?

Watch or read the following:

2.0 What are you doing? 

2.1 The Quest for Happiness OR read pages 30-35 in the student text.

2.2 Stinking Thinking

2.3 Hungry for the Truth OR read pages 36-43 in the student text.

2.4 This is Personal

2.5 Decision Point OR read pages 44-51 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 34, 38, 42, 47, & 52 of the student text):

1.     What are some of the things you desire that are good for you? 

2.     What is something you thought would make you happy, but in fact left you feeling empty, unhappy, miserable, used, deceived, or worse? 

3.     Describe a time when you had the wisdom and courage to follow your conscience, and you were glad you did. 

4.     How is “stinking thinking” holding you back from becoming the person God created you to be? 

5.     Individualism, hedonism, minimalism, relativism: Which of these are the biggest temptations for you at this time in your life? 

6.     Describe a time when you embraced one of these broken philosophies. What was the outcome? How did you feel afterward? Did you become a-better version-of-yourself? 

7.     Describe a time when you were not “hungry for truth,” when you didn’t want to know the truth. Why were you avoiding it? 

8.     Think about a disturbing story you have seen in the news recently. What happened? Which of the Ten Commandments were broken? 

9.     When we examine the Ten Commandments, the obvious ways of violating them are apparent, but what are some of the more subtle ways we can break them? 

10.  What did the story about the rattlesnake make you think? 

11.  What does the rattlesnake represent for you? Who or what is holding you back? What is it that sooner or later is going to turn on you and strike you down? How would your life be better if you could walk away from that rattlesnake? 

12.  If you had more courage, what good thing would you do? 

13.  If God called you to a great mission like he did Gideon, do you think you would say yes? Why? Why not? 

14.  Like the Israelites, we have all: gone looking for happiness in the wrong places, fallen into stinking thinking, turned our backs on the truth, and been too proud to admit our wrongdoing. When was the last time you acted like the Israelites? 

15.  What does our culture worship? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the video or reading.

The Jesus Question.

Watch or read the following:

3.0 The Jesus Question

3.1 Who is Jesus? OR read pages 58-61 in the student text.

3.2 The Problem and the Solution

3.3 Jesus was a Radical OR read pages 64-74 of the student text.

3.4 Second Chances

3.5 Decision Point OR read pages 76-80 the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 62, 67, 73, 78, & 81 of the student text):

1.     How did this session change the way you see Jesus? 

2.     How did Jesus change the world? 

3.     The Jesus Question is, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29) If Jesus came to your house to visit today and asked you this question, what would your answer be?  

4.     In many ways the world is an incredible place, but in lots of other ways it is a mess. In what ways is the world a mess? 

5.     How did the world get to be such a mess? 

6.     What is sin? How does it affect you? 

7.     Who do you know who take the teachings of Jesus seriously, allowing those lessons to direct the way they live their lives? 

8.     How do the teachings of Jesus challenge you to radically change your life? 

9.     What is agape love? How is it different from the way movies, music, and the media portray love? 

10.  Grace is the help God gives us to respond to his call and to do what is good and right. In what part of your life do you need God’s grace most today? 

11.  How do you imagine you would be different if you went to reconciliation once a month? 

12.  We all need to be forgiven by God and others, and we all have people we need to forgive. In the Our Father we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Whom is God calling you to forgive today? 

13.  How is this session calling you to change? 

14.  Are you going to read the Gospel of Matthew? Why? Why not?

15.  What is your favorite example from history of a person who has followed Jesus?

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the video or reading.

The Prayer Process

Watch or read the following:

4.0 The Prayer Process 

4.1 Why Pray? OR read pages 86-87 in the student text.

4.2 The Big Question OR read pages 90-91 in the student text.

4.3 The Prayer Process OR read pages 94-95 in the student text.

4.4 The Best Way to Learn OR read pages 98-100 in the student text.

4.5 Decision Point OR read page 104 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 88, 91, 96, 101, & 105 of the student text):

1.     Whom do you talk to every day? Why? 

2.     Do you pray? How often? How do you feel after you pray? 

3.     Do you think you would be happier if you made time to pray each day? 

4.     Describe a time when someone challenged you to do something that would help you become the-best-version-of-yourself. How did you respond?

5.     Have you ever asked God the big question: “What do you think I should do?” If you have, what happened? If you have never asked God the big question, why not? 

6.     If you spent ten minutes a day in prayer every day for the next month, how do you think you might be different a month from now? 

7.     Has anyone ever taught you how to pray? Who? When? 

8.     Which of the seven steps in the Prayer Process intrigued you the most? Why? 

9.     If you were going to set aside ten minutes to pray at the same time every day, what time of day would be best for you? 

10.  What are you most grateful for today? 

11.  What surprised you the most as you practiced the Prayer Process? 

12.  Now that you have been taught how to pray, what is most likely to get in the way of developing prayer as a daily habit in your life? 

13.  Over and over in the Scriptures we read about Jesus going off to a quiet place to pray. Do you have a quiet place where you can pray each day? Where? 

14.  Do you have a favorite quiet place you like to go when you need to make big decisions? 

15.  Did you do anything today that was more important than spending a few minutes with God in prayer? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

 The Bible

Watch or read the following:

5.0 The Bible OR read page 112 in the student text.

5.1 Map for the Journey OR  read pages 113-114 in the student text.

5.2  Introduction to the Bible OR read pages 118-120 in the student text.

5.3 How Should I Use The Bible? OR read pages 124-127 in the student text.

5.4 The Power of Habit OR  read pages 130-132 in the student text.

5.5 Decision Point OR read page 136 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 115, 121, 128, 133 & 137 of the student text):

1.     Do you think of the Bible as a guidebook? If not, what is your perception of the Bible? 

2.     In what ways are you a tourist and in what ways are you a pilgrim? 

3.     How comfortable would you be if you died today and had to account for the way you have lived your life? 

4.     What new thing did you learn about the Bible in this section? 

5.     What’s your favorite book in the Bible? Why? 

6.     If you could be one person in the Bible, who would you want to be? Why? 

7.     How do you feel about the challenge to read the Bible for a few minutes each day? 

8.     How do you think your life would change if you did read the Bible for a few minutes each day? 

9.     Other than reading the Bible, what other habits could help you become the-best-version-of-yourself? 

10.  Who do you know who has great habits? What are those habits? 

11.  Have you ever seen bad habits destroy a person’s life? 

12.  What will be the biggest obstacle to you establishing the habit of reading the Bible for a few minutes each day? 

13.  What are the major voices influencing the direction of your life? 

14.  When was the last time you accepted or rejected an invitation from God? 

15.  Are you open to God’s direction in your life? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

Relationships

Watch or read the following:

6.0 Relationships OR read page 142 in the student text.

6.1 What is the purpose? OR  read pages 142-144 in the student text.

6.2 Choose your friends wisely OR read page 148-150 in the student text.

6.3 What is Love? OR read page 154-156 in the student text.

6.4 Your Quest for Love? OR  read pages 158-159 in the student text.

6.5 Decision Point OR read page 162 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on page 145, 151, 157, 160, & 163 of the student text):

1.     Who are the most important people in your life? Why? 

2.     What is the purpose of relationships?  

3.     What are you pretending not to know about your approach to relationships? 

4.     What’s the best friendship decision you have made in the past twelve months? 

5.     How do you feel God is calling you to improve your relationships with your parents? 

6.     Are your friends helping you to become the-best-version-of-yourself? Are you helping them to become the-best-version-of-themselves? 

7.     What did you learn about love in this session? 

8.     Who models selfless love in your life? 

9.     How does your relationship with God influence your relationships with other people? 

10.  In what ways have you gone looking for love in the wrong places? 

11.  Who do you know who has a great marriage? What do you admire about their marriage? 

12.  What virtue do you think is most important to healthy relationships? 

13.  Who or what are you willing to lay down your life for? 

14.  Who loves you in the way God envisions love? 

15.  How is God calling you to love yourself differently so that you can love others more fully? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

The Eucharist

Watch or read the following:

7.0 The Eucharist OR read page 168 in the student text.

7.1 The One Thing OR read pages 168-169 in the student text.

7.2 The True Presence  OR read page 172-173 in the student text.

7.3 The Power of the Eucharist OR read pages 176-178 in the student text.

7.4 Get Close and Stay Close OR read pages 180-181 in the student text.

7.5 Decision Point OR read page 184 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 170, 174, 177, 182, & 185 of the student text):

1.     What is your favorite thing about being Catholic? 

2.     Which of Jesus’ teachings do you find most difficult to live? 

3.     If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island and you could only take five people with you, whom would you take? 

4.     Is there a person in your life whose presence just makes you feel calm and safe? 

5.     When did you first learn about Jesus being present in the Eucharist? 

6.     How do you think your life would change if you spent one hour each week sitting quietly in Jesus’ presence? 

7.     When was the last time you did something that you knew wasn’t good for you? Why did you do it if you knew it wasn’t good for you? 

8.     Have you ever tried to quit a bad habit and failed? 

9.     When you’re in a situation and you want to do what is good and right but are attracted to the wrong choice, do you call on God and ask for his help? 

10.  If you could visit one of the beautiful churches mentioned in this section, which would you choose? 

11.  At this time in your life, what question would you like Jesus to answer for you? (Your question should be about something that applies directly to you.) 

12.  What quiet places have you found to spend a few minutes in each day? 

13.  Why do you think our culture has rejected the Sabbath? 

14.  How can you honor the Sabbath as a day of rest? 

15.  How would the world be different if everyone took one day each week to rest and turn their attention toward God? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

The Holy Spirit

Watch or read the following:

8.0 The Holy Spirit OR read page 190 in the student text.

8.1 Who is the Holy Spirit? OR  read pages 190-192 in the student text.

8.2 Unopened Gifts OR read pages 196-197 in the student text.

8.3 The Fruits of the Holy Spirit OR read pages 200-201 in the student text.

8.4 Prompted OR read pages 204-206 in the student text.

8.5 Decision Point OR read page 210 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 193, 198, 202, 207, & 211 of the student text):

1.     In your own words, who is the Holy Spirit? 

2.     Describe a time in your life when you felt inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

3.     Would you like to learn how to experience joy even in the midst of great suffering like Saint Paul? What do you think his secret was? 

4.     Have you ever given someone a gift and he or she was ungrateful? How did that make you feel? 

5.     Which of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit do you feel most in need of at this time in your life? 

6.     How would your life be better if you really opened yourself up to the gifts of the Holy Spirit? 

7.     Which person in your life would you like to fill with joy? 

8.     How would a lack of self-control make it harder to experience the other eleven fruits of the Holy Spirit? 

9.     Can you see how God’s ways are designed to bring order to our lives and liberate us from worldly chaos? 

10.  If you were going to go on a pilgrimage and walk the Camino, whom would you take with you? Why? 

11.  When was the last time you felt the Holy Spirit prompting you to do something? Or not to do something? 

12.  What is your favorite part of The Prayer Process? Why? 

13.  Are you going to welcome the Holy Spirit into your life? 

14.  How will having the Holy Spirit as your constant companion make life better? 

15.  Whom do you feel called to encourage today? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

The Church

Watch or read the following:

9.0 The Church OR read page 216 in the student text.

9.1 The First Christians & the Early Church OR  read pages 216-218 in the student text.

9.2 One, Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic OR read pages 222-224 in  the student text.

9.3 The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, & the Lies OR read pages 228-231 in the student text.

9.4 Ten Great Reasons to be Catholic OR read pages 234-235 in the student text.

9.5 Decision Point OR read page 238 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 219, 225, 232, 236, & 239 of the student text):

1.     When you think of church, what comes to mind? 

2.     If you could ask a group of early Christians one question, what would you ask? 

3.     Why is it difficult to practice agape love? 

4.     If Jesus wanted the Church to be one, why do you think there are so many different churches today? 

5.     How many popes have there been during your lifetime? Who were they? What do you remember about them? 

6.     What do you think was Jesus’ main message?  

7.     What makes you proudest to be Catholic? 

8.     In what ways has the Church disappointed you? 

9.     We all make mistakes, and we all sin against God. Do your own failings help you to understand why there have been scandals at different times in the history of the Church? 

10.  What do you think is the best reason to be Catholic? 

11.  What did you learn in this session that really made you stop and think? 

12.  How did the top ten reasons to be Catholic change the way you view Catholicism?

13.  How do you think your life might be better if you followed the map the Church invites us to follow? 

14.  In what ways is God calling you to be countercultural like the first Christians were? 

15.  How purposefully are you living your life? Give yourself a score between one and ten. 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

Confirmation

Watch or read the following:

10.0 Confirmation OR read page 244 in the student text.

10.1 What is Confirmation? OR  read pages 244-245 in the student text.

10.2 The Power of Preparation  OR read pages 248-250 in  the student text.

10.3 How Will Confirmation Change You? OR read pages 254-255 in the student text.

10.4 On the Day OR read pages 258-260 in the student text.

10.5 Decision Point OR read pages 264-265 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 246, 251, 256, 261 & 266 of the student text):

1.     Do you believe that God has good plans for you?  

2.     What can you do to find out the plans God has for your future? 

3.     How has your idea of Confirmation changed since we began our time together? 

4.     Who have been your spiritual coaches and mentors throughout your life? 

5.     What did you learn in this session that really made you stop and think? 

6.     How has the way you pray and what you pray for changed over the past few months? 

7.     In what practical ways do you think Confirmation will change you? 

8.     Which of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit could you most use at this time in your life? 

9.     When did you last pray to the Holy Spirit, asking for help to make a decision? 

10.  If you could ask the bishop one question, what would you ask? 

11.  Are you nervous about your Confirmation? 

12.  How are you preparing for Confirmation? 

13.  How will this experience influence you ten years from now? 

14.  In what ways do you sense preparing for Confirmation is changing you? 

15.  How is this experience helping you to clarify your values? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

Made for Mission

Watch or read the following:

11.0 Made for Mission OR read page 270 in the student text.

11.1 The World is a Mess OR  read pages 271-272 in the student text.

11.2 A World Without Neighbors  OR read pages 276-277 in the student text.

11.3 Finding Your Mission OR read pages 280-282 in the student text.

11.4 Your Untapped Greatness OR read pages 286-288 in the student text.

11.5 Decision Point OR read page 292 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 273, 278,  283, 289 & 293 in the student text):

1.     In what ways do you think the world is a mess? 

2.     How do you sense God is calling you to make the world a better place? 

3.     What’s one thing you can do today that will make the world a better place? 

4.     Jesus calls us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Whom do you consider to be your neighbor? 

5.     Why do you think so many children die from lack of food? 

6.     Are you willing to make sacrifices to reduce the amount of suffering in the world? 

7.     Who do you know who has found and followed their mission in life? 

8.     Have you ever asked God what mission he has for you? 

9.     How do you think what you want for yourself is different from what God wants for you? 

10.  Who do you know who is great at serving other people? 

11.  What does the story about the rich man and Lazarus make you think about? 

12.  Do you think you will be happier if you find and follow your mission? 

13.  What are you afraid of? 

14.  One day, when you are dying, what do you want to see when you look back on your life? 

15.  How available are you to God? 

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.

Holiness is Possible

Watch or read the following:

12.0 Holiness is Possible OR read page 298 in the student text.

12.1 The Holy Moment  OR  read pages 298 -300 in the student text.

12.2 Everything is an Opportunity  OR read pages 304 -305 in the student text.

12.3 Your YES can Change the World OR read pages 308-310 in the student text.

12.4 Review OR  read pages 314-317 in the student text.

12.5 Dream! OR read pages 320 -321 in the student text.

Then answer the following reflection questions (also found on pages 301, 306, 311, 318, & 322  in the student text):

1.     Who is the holiest person you know? What makes that person holy? 

2.     Who is your favorite saint? Why? 

3.     What’s one thing you have learned throughout the DECISION POINT experience that surprised you? 

4.     Who do you know who does little things with great love? 

5.     What little things can you do with great love today? 

6.     What does today’s culture think about doing little things with great love? 

7.     Are you ready to let God come and fill you up in all the ways you need and want to be filled?

8.     What have you said yes to in the past that you knew was not for you?

9.     How available are you to God today?

10.  What new habit have you developed since you started this program?

11.  What is the best idea you heard during the entire experience?

12.  What is one thing you can do this week to better prepare yourself for Confirmation?

13.  What are your dreams?

14.  What cross are you carrying at this time in your life?

15.  What do you hope your life will be like five years from now?

Prepare to share your understanding and raise questions that came about from your engagement with the videos or readings.