Passages Retreat
Fifth Talk and Closing Session

Sunday

8:00 A.M. Wake up

Breakfast

Team meeting

9:00 A.M. Reflection: Reflection of Jesus in our lives

9:30 A.M. Fifth Talk: Heroes

Fifth Talk: Heroes

Opening Song: We Don’t Need Another Hero (Tina Turner)

Last night we spoke of how turning away from others is perhaps the greatest obstacle to putting our values into action. We also mentioned how turning away from ourselves – how trying to be someone or something we’re not – can cause the same damage in our lives and in our relationships with God and others.

Sometimes we see others we admire and try to imitate them. To a certain degree, this is natural. If we see someone who inspires us to become a better person, we surely will want to be more like him or her.

Give an example of someone whom you admire. How does he or she inspire you? What impact has he or she made on your life?

When we were children we all had heroes – people or characters we admired and looked up to. These heroes were important to us. They possessed things, positions or abilities we wished that we possessed. They do perfect things in perfect ways in perfect situations. We not only wished we could be like our favorite hero, but we sometimes wished we could actually be our hero.

Give an example of a childhood hero. How did you try to model yourself after him/her/it?

Even though we are no longer children, we sometimes tend to hang on to these images of a “hero.” We sometimes try to be someone or something we’re not. We can spend a lot of time saying, “I want to be just like him or her,” but we can never, in fact, accomplish this. We take time away from being ourselves, we become frustrated when we find that we haven’t become just like our hero, and we deny our true selves. In a sense, we try to become our own hero.

Give an example of how and why this can be a problem in living and acting upon our own values.

In the process of trying to become our hero, we deceive ourselves. We idealize our hero, consider him or her “perfect,” and hope to follow his or her values rather than our own. Even though we’ve matured we’ve sometimes failed to give up our childish notion of heroes.

A real hero inspires us to discover who we are. A real hero does not encourage us to act like him or her or to become someone we’re not.

Give an example of someone who inspires you to be yourself. How does he or she do this?

A real hero has a clear set of values by which he or she lives his or her life. A real hero does not force his or her values on us. Rather, he or she inspires us to adopt similar values by which we can live our lives in a loving way.

Give an example of the values someone you admire possesses. How do these help you to establish and live your own values?

A real hero inspires us to recognize and develop our unique talents and abilities. A real hero encourages us to see ourselves as individuals. He or she challenges us by saying, “What are you called to become. What talents and abilities can help you achieve this?” rather than saying, “How can you become like me?”

Give an example of how someone challenged you to recognize something unique about yourself. How did you accept this challenge? How did it help you to be yourself?

As Christians, we are continually challenged to see ourselves as unique individuals. Each of us has been given talents and gifts unlike others. Each of us has the ability to develop these talents and gifts. Each of us has people we can look up to inspire and guide us – and these people are more than mere “heroes.”

Give some examples of people who challenge you as a Christian.

For Christians, Jesus Christ is more than a hero. He is the ultimate example of someone who inspires us to be the person we’re called to be. Jesus once said, “If you love me, you’ll do as I do.” He didn’t say, “If you love me, you’ll become me.” Time and time again He showed His love for His People and He challenged others to see beyond the “heroes” and “gods” they chased after. In Jesus Christ we find the greatest challenge t be loving individuals. And because of His friendship, we really don’t need another “hero.”

Closing Song

10:15 A.M. After the talk, candidates will break up into their individual groups.

Small Group Session 5

Ask candidates the following questions.

• What is the difference between “admiring” someone and “idolizing” them? How does “hero-worship” harm us?

In your notebooks list the qualities that make you you. Allow time for the candidates to complete this. Ask each candidate to share what he or she wrote.

• How do these qualities make you unique? Name some people who have helped you develop these qualities and talents. How have they done this? How have you admired these people without “idolizing” them?

Select one candidate t share their thoughts on this talk with the reassembled group.

10:45 A.M. Reactions

11:30 A.M. Lunch

After lunch candidates should be asked to pack up their things for the 3 P.M. departure.

While candidates are packing up, there will be a team meeting.

Recreation

2:15 P.M. Closing Session

Review of the entire retreat employing selected songs and scripture passages. The outline will be distributed on Friday, August 25.

3:00 P.M. home

On the Turning Away Pink Floyd

On the turning away
From the pale downtrodden
And the words they say which we won’t understand
Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of others suffering
Or that you find that your joining in the turning away

It’s a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud over all we have known
Unaware of the rags aglow
Dreaming of by a heart of stone
We can find that we’re all alone
In the dreamer of the cloud

On the wings of the night
As the daytimers scurry
Where the speeches unite in a silent accord
Using words you will find the strength
Mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the beauty of change
On the wings of the night
No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away from the coldness inside

Just a world that we all must share
Turning not just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there will be
No more turning away

Rank the following values from most important (1) to least important (20).

________ acquiring material goods (money, cars, comfort items)

________ living an exciting, pleasurable life

________ Feeling that I’ve accomplished something in life or that I’ve made a real contribution or impact on others

________ achieving world peace, free form conflict, war, and injustice

________ developing artistic talents (music, art, drama, etc.)

________ achieving equality for all, free from prejudice

________ Feeling family security (taking care of and/or being taken care by loved ones)

________ being free, independent, able to make my own choices and decisions

________ being happy and content

________ Being at peace with myself (free from inner conflicts, tension, stress)

________ Feeling loved and accepted by others for who I am

________ acquiring sexual pleasure

________ developing and maintaining true friendships, close companionships

________ developing myself as an honest, trustworthy, loving person

________ acquiring salvation (eternal life)

________ achieving and maintaining self respect (good self esteem, a positive self image)

________ acquiring social recognition, status, and admiration from others

________ developing my intellectual skills through study and hard work

________ developing my physical abilities

________ Acquiring a wise, mature, satisfied understanding of life

		Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry Orthodox Church in America PO Box 675 Syosset, NY 11791 http://yya.oca.org yyacm@oca.org The Hub | Back to top