1. Chapter 1: Encountering the Sacred

2. Sacramental Awareness  Sacred:  How does God communicate?

3. Sacramental Dullness  Those who cannot perceive the sacred in their life or in the world. Why?

4. Conversion – an ongoing process  St. Paul. 1. Hunger 2. Search 3. Awakening 4. Response

5.  What do you “hunger” for most in life? Describe a time when you felt a longing or hunger for something, even if you could not name it at the time. Describe a time when you felt a longing or hunger for something, even if you could not name it at the time.  How do you respond to these deep hungers? Describe a time when you responded to your hungers by searching for something? Describe a time when you responded to your hungers by searching for something?  How is an awakening similar to sacramental awareness? Describe an awakening moment in your life. What did you feel? How did it come about? Describe an awakening moment in your life. What did you feel? How did it come about?  Life changes after an awakening and a response to that experience is necessary Describe a time where you responded to an awakening or a sacramental moment. How were you changed? Describe a time where you responded to an awakening or a sacramental moment. How were you changed?

6. Grace  The creative, sustaining and transforming self- gift of God that is always being offered to us

7. Sacramental Skills  Listening for God  Responding to God

8. Sacraments  We bump into God everyday even though we may not realize it  Sacraments in the broadest sense: God’s loving presence made visible and tangible in our life here and now.  Sacraments are not about God, rather they are meant to provide an experience of God.

9. Two Dimensions of a Sacrament  1. God acts and is present as grace  2. We respond to God’s presence in faith and friendship. God is with us and for us, lovingly active in all our human life. At the same time, we respond to that good news in our relationships and celebrate it as a community suing symbols and rituals