The Year of the Butterfly

If you are an aficionado of Chinese New Year celebrations, you already see the problem with this week’s article. The New Year of 2014 (or 4712 as it is reckoned by the Chinese) is not the Year of the Butterfly, it is the Year of the Horse. In fact, I don’t even think there is a Year of the Butterfly.

So why the title of this week’s article? Rather than a reference to Chinese New Year celebrations, it is actually a reference to an opportunity for spiritual growth. I have already mentioned in a previous article that the New Year is a good time to think about our spiritual health as well as our physical health. Many of us are trying to get back in shape after a long holiday binge, so why not pay attention to our spiritual shape as well?

The reference to the butterfly is a reference to the Cursillo movement, which has adopted the butterfly as its mascot and logos, of sorts. If you are not familiar with it, “Cursillo” is a Spanish word that means “short course.” The Presbyterian Cursillo is a short course in the Christian life and is designed to encourage people to grow in their faith.

The reason Cursillo is on my mind is that recently, I have received several invitations to participate in Cursillo events. My daughter, Tiffany is participating in one this weekend, as I write this, and I will be serving on staff next month at an event in North Texas. Here in Eastern Oklahoma, there is an event scheduled at Dwight Mission on March 7-9, 2014. So, there seems to be a flurry of Cursillo events coming up.

If you have never considered a spiritual retreat, I would highly recommend Cursillo. The goal is to encourage participants to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus. It is a weekend that will inspire, challenge and equip those who attend so that they can live more effective lives for Christ whether they are at home, at church, school or work.

The format is a busy three-day weekend event filled with worship, singing, study, and lots of fun activities. The weekend centers around a series of short talks, given mostly by lay people, that center on God’s grace, Christian discipleship, and what it means to be the church.

The people I know who have been on these retreats come away blessed not just by information, but by formation—they feel they have had a new experience of God’s love and mercy. That is why the butterfly was selected as the image of the Cursillo weekend. It is a marvelous picture of transformation, which is what happens to us through faith in Christ. The Bible says in Christ, we are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). So many people have experienced that through Cursillo.

If you want more information about Cursillo, or if you want to sign up for the weekend retreat, there are brochures on the table outside the office, and on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. It is a great opportunity not just to learn more, but to meet a great bunch of people, and to grow in your faith.

Let this New Year be more than just a time to think about shedding a few pounds. Think about how you can grow with God and follow in the footsteps of Jesus.