Reflect
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1 Begin
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by Steve
C on n or
Lifting Burdens “Be still and know that I am God!”
Psalm 46:11
One drizzly, cool fall day I found out that my best friend had died. He had been sick with cancer, so the news was not totally unexpected, but it jolted me. I went for a walk. In a nearby park, I found a dry bench and sat down to pray. Closing my eyes, I asked God to help me and to be with me as I remembered my friend. As I prayed, I heard a noise. I opened my eyes, and there she was, wrapped in her layers, and pushing her cart. She came to the bench and sat down. I wanted to be alone. As I stood to leave, she said, “How are you today?” I wasn’t sure I heard her, but I responded, “OK.” She looked up at me and said, “You seem a little sad.” For someone who barely said anything, she had a lot to say! I sat back down and told her, “I am sad. My best friend just died.” As I spoke the words, I started to cry. She moved closer to me, and from under her coats came a gloved hand.
Mystical Body of Christ How can you help someone in a time of trouble? Complete each phrase with your ideas.
If Tim e Allows ~ pg 141 ~
Benchwarmer
2 Connect
When someone is bullied, I can . . .
. When someone looks lonely, I can . . .
. When someone suffers a disappointment, I can . . .
. When someone is suffering physically, I can . . .
STeVe ConnoR has worked in pastoral ministry for over 25 years and is Director for Adult Spirituality Resources at Loyola Press.
i_3671_SE_G7_U4_16-20.indd
Reflect
She lived in the neighborhood. All day she walked around with her shopping cart full of bags. If it was a sunny and warm day, she might remove one of her four coats. If it was a cold and wet day, you could hardly see her beneath the hats and scarves. People brought her food. Most times she didn’t speak. Sometimes you heard a muffled, “Thanks.” When you gave her a cup of coffee, though, she would look out from her layers, look you straight in the eye, and say, “Thanks. I need that.”
She gently reached over and placed her hand on mine. The tears flowed. We sat like that for about ten minutes. No words were spoken, but my prayer had been answered. Just when I needed it, God sent me someone to help me grieve. I thanked her and got up to leave. Maybe remembering her own needs, she looked up and said, “I could really use a cup of coffee.”
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141
Session 16 > Jesus Gives us himself
Inclusion
LoyolaPress.
10/19/12 3:04 PM
Vision
Point out that the most PDF Signoff: Production _______ Design _______ Design Editorial _______ Customized Young important setting in the article people with vision challenges is a public bench. Ask: How may benefit from large does a public bench function and neat writing. Consider differently from a sofa or an making personal posters easy chair? (People often sit or assignment sheets that on public benches to enjoy match the content found on nature, rest, or when they are the board or in their book. waiting for someone.) Invite young people to find a bench in the coming week and to sit on it for 10 minutes or so, “waiting” for God. Ask them to spend some of the time in silent prayer and some of it watching, listening, and engaging their senses. Afterward, have volunteers share their experiences—in particular, small or unexpected ways they recognized God’s presence.
Ask: When someone orders you to do something, how do you feel about that task? (Possible answers: resistant, nervous, afraid, angry) Ask: When you order someone to do something, what kind of results do you get? (Possible answers: insincere, half-hearted, careless) Say: A quiet, gentle request often gets better results. Thankfully, God speaks to us in quiet, gentle ways. He invites us rather than orders us to notice him. Ask a volunteer to read aloud the introductory text.
Invite volunteers to take turns reading aloud Lifting Burdens. Ask: What makes this a good story? (Possible answers: Something unexpected happens. The person who usually needs help is the person who gives help.) Say: Events like this happen every day all around us. But sometimes we don’t realize they are Christ-filled moments until we stop long enough to think about them. Draw young people’s attention to the last line of the article. Ask: What important lesson in faith do we find in the woman’s words? (Possible answers: The woman found something to give even when she had nothing—her consoling presence was a Spiritual Work of Mercy; we can give even when we feel poor and empty; we are invited to accept and give help.) Invite young people to complete the Mystical Body of Christ activity with a partner. Challenge them to discuss at least two possible responses for each scenario, continuing on another sheet of paper if needed.
3 Close Have partners share their ideas with the group. Invite young people to notice occasions throughout the day when they give or receive help.
Unit 4 • Session 16
141