Post-Effusion and Discipleship

… exposed
with greater accuracy
the way of God

Acts of the Apostles 18:26b

Those who have had the experience of the outpouring of the Spirit in a seminary animated by the Community are — almost always — required a period of time in which to become more aware of the newness they have come across.

These are often neophytes, that is, people who do not come from a life of faith. These therefore need to be accompanied, should they so desire, on a journey of deepening Christianity that will help them become rooted in Christ.

After many years of field experience, the Community has structured pathways that are offered at the end of the New Life Seminar.

Post-effusion

This first course is called “New Life in Christ” and lasts for about three to four months during which, with the help of some facilitators, participants receive some teachings from reading the texts of some miracles told by the evangelists, which represent icons of the change of life that takes place for anyone who experiences God’s love in Jesus Christ.

The various catecheses-and the other moments offered in these post-effusion meetings-help the brothers become aware of what has taken place in them during the New Life in the Spirit Seminar and especially after the prayer of effusion.

At the same time, the distinctiveness of Charismatic Community Prayer is also deepened so that it is understood and-if desired-lived.

The objectives of this course are as follows.

– Becoming aware of what happened with the Effusion;

– To begin to “enter” into charismatic spirituality;

– To begin to “exercise” the charisms;

– Begin to actively participate in charismatic community prayer;

– Gradually insert themselves into the life of the fraternity.

Discipleship

This second path-proposed to those who have experienced the effusion and post-effusion experience-has a much longer duration, no less than two and a half years, and is characterized by four stages, all aimed at a progressive knowledge of Christianity and insertion into the life of the Church, the Christian community, and not necessarily the Magnificat Community.

Stage I: Becoming disciples of the Master

During this time, under the guidance of community animators, the brothers and sisters are led toward a turning point in their journey: having made the encounter with Christ, following Him can begin for them.

The whole stage thus tends toward one goal: to encourage the brothers and sisters to choose to put themselves in the school of Jesus. All the stage meetings are centered on the beauty of the person of Jesus who calls to follow, urging them not to fear in the face of the conditions He sets, for He is a master who does not disappoint and who rewards a hundred times and more for every renunciation made in His name.

Stage II: The Gospel of the Kingdom

Through listening to the Gospel and in particular to some of the parables Jesus told to the crowds (later explained in the background to the disciples), the core of Jesus’ teaching on salvation is presented.

In an atmosphere that becomes increasingly fraternal, the group of disciples gradually learns to grow together, to share their journey with others.

Stage III: The Master’s disciples

In this third stage, participants are introduced to some of Jesus’ disciples mentioned in the Gospels: Mary of Nazareth, Mary of Bethany, Zacchaeus, Joseph of Arimathea…

Through the presentation of these figures, the brothers and sisters are helped to consider the response those figures made to the Lord’s call, in order to receive inspiration, witness and encouragement. In each figure presented, a Christian virtue is highlighted and proposed as a point of conversion for all participants.

Stage IV: The community of disciples

This last stage represents a change of horizon to give the disciples a new perspective, that of the brothers and sisters who, with them are making the same journey.

The disciple, at this stage, must ask himself, “Who are they to me? Who am I to them?” These questions are answered by the stage by affirming that the Bible presents us with God’s will toward men who have accepted faith in Jesus, that is, to make of them one body, that of Jesus.

The stage is marked by a general introduction on the call to live in the Church and by going down into the specifics of the four pillars on which Christian community life is based: fraternal communion, the Eucharist, listening to the Word of God, and prayer.

In the Church At the end of the discipleship journey, the brothers and sisters who have traveled it are invited to decide now to actively insert themselves into the Christian community where they feel they are called by the Lord to bring their contribution as new people, aware that they have “a particular manifestation of the Spirit for the common good“(1 Corinthians 12:7) to give to the Church.