Baptism and Confirmation USER AGREEMENT

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 1

® ®

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Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

With the exception of short excerpts used in articles and critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form whatsoever, printed or electronic, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Scripture verses contained herein are from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright ©1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Educators of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America, copyright ©1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright ©1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org LIVING THE CREED: BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION

SESSION OVERVIEW

The fruits of Christ’s death and resurrection are dispensed in our lives today through the sacraments. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation through the liturgy of his Church” (CCC 1076). For Catholics, the word sacrament might convey a sense of ritual and religious experience, but for those not familiar with the Church, the idea of a sacrament can be puzzling. What is a sacrament? How do the sacraments work? Do I really need all of this ritual? Can’t I just have a simple relationship with God?

These are some of the questions we’ll be discussing in this session. Today, we begin by looking at the seven sacraments instituted by Christ in general; then we’ll focus more specifically on two sacraments of initiation: Baptism and Confirmation. We’ll discuss how Baptism is considered the “gateway” to the Christian life as well as the significance of Confirmation. In the next four sessions, we’ll consider the other sacraments of the Church. Along the way, we will see how the sacraments draw us into the story of salvation, deepen our union with God, strengthen us in the Christian life, and assist us in the key moments of our lives.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

Review the entire lesson plan in advance so you are prepared to lead and discuss comfortably. Gather necessary supplies and review video segments prior to your gathering. Use the time allotments in the session outline below as a guideline, as the length of time spent on each section will vary from group to group.

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity about hopefulness. Then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: The Sacraments Scene 2: Baptism Scene 3: Confirmation Scene 4: A Grace-Filled Life

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, ask group members to commit to taking the questions for renewing our baptismal promises to daily prayer, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “Changed Forever: The Sacrament of Baptism” and “We Must Go Out: The Sacrament of Confirmation” by Father Michael Schmitz through Lighthouse Catholic Media. lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/changed-forever-the-sacrament-of-baptism# lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/we-must-go-out-the-sacrament-of-confirmation

CONNECT Activity

HOPE FLOATS

Distribute paper and pencils. Explain the activity as described here.

SAY: At the top of your paper, write a sentence about someone you know who had a miserable day. Please change the name of the person so they remain anonymous. For example, it can read: “John recently found out that his parents were getting a divorce.” When you’re done you will pass your papers to the right.

Pause as people write and pass their papers. Then continue.

Read the sentence on your new paper, and then write a hypothetical sentence describing how the situation got a little better for the person. For example, it can read: “John confided with Samantha at lunch and she was a great listener and encouraged John.” Then fold over the first sentence so that when you pass the paper to the right the person only sees the second sentence.

Again, pause.

Write another sentence based upon the second sentence, and again make the situation a little better. For example, it could read: “Through this experience John recognized how special Samantha was and a few months later asked her to a dance.” Fold the paper again to cover the second sentence so that only the third sentence is exposed and pass the papers again to continue building the story. When your paper has made it back to you, we will read the stories.

When papers are back to their original owners, have participants read aloud their stories. Then discuss the following questions:

» Can you share of a time recently when you were full of hope and enthusiasm for life? » There are times that everyone experiences hopelessness to some degree. However, why is it that Christians are never without hope?

» What would you say to someone who is depressed and without hope?

introduction

SAY: The Catechism states that “buoyed up by hope” we are kept from discouragement, sustained in times of abandonment, and have hearts focused on eternal life in heaven (CCC 1818). As Christians, we should never be without hope as Jesus can make any situation better. The sacraments are our hope as they bring heaven to earth. “In the sacraments of Christ the Church already receives the guarantee of her inheritance and even now shares in everlasting life, while ‘awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus’” (CCC 1130). In this session, we will focus on two of the seven sacraments: Baptism and Confirmation.

opening prayer

SAY: Let’s begin prayer with a reading from Romans 6:3-6.

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness “ of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.” —Romans 6:3-6

PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us the gift of life and the opportunity to be born again in Baptism through Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, we ask for the grace to be more closely configured to You. Holy Spirit, strengthen us with Your gifts so that we might be missionary disciples in our homes, schools, and wherever You might lead us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 4½ minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Dr. Sri gave a description of the baptismal ritual in the early Church at the Baptistery of St. John Lateran in Rome. Everything about the ritual symbolized what happens to the soul in Baptism. Through the sacrament, the risen Jesus unites us to Himself and shares with us the new life He won by His death and resurrection. The sacrament achieves what it symbolizes: a spiritual death and rebirth in Christ.

» How would you respond to someone who asks: “Why have you Catholics made Christianity so complicated with all your rules and rituals?” (The simple answer to that question is: “Because Jesus ascended into heaven and we need to think seriously about how we worship Him and live our lives as His disciples until He returns in glory.” Just before He ascended to His Father, Jesus commissioned His disciples to make disciples of all nations, and He promised that He would be with them always [Matthew 28:18-20]. His disciples had to be thinking: “How will He remain with us if He ascended to heaven?” Their question was answered when the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost, and the Church, the Body of Christ, was born. Through the liturgy and sacraments of the Church, Jesus continues the work of salvation that He began during His earthly life. Rules and rituals are about truth and grace. Jesus saves us through truth and grace.)

» Dr. Sri said our life in Christ is nourished and sustained through the sacraments. What would you say to someone who says only the Bible is necessary to nourish and sustain our life in Christ? (“‘The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord’: both nourish and govern the whole Christian life” [CCC 141]. “The Church ‘forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful…to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures’” [CCC 133]. What the Catechism is teaching is that the Bible is God’s word, it nourishes the life of the Christian and should be read frequently. However, Jesus wanted to be present to us in a way that goes beyond the words of Sacred Scripture. On Pentecost, Jesus began to act in the world in a new way through the liturgy of the Church. Liturgy means “the participation of God’s people in God’s work.” In other words, through liturgy and sacraments, Jesus is present and is at work. No action of the Church is more sacred than the liturgy [CCC 1070].)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 10½ minutes. At the end of the 2 segment, discuss.

SAY: Romans 5:18 contrasts Adam with Jesus. It says: “Then as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men.”

» How would you respond to someone who says it is unfair that God would punish everyone for Adam’s sin? (While it is true that we have inherited a sinful nature from Adam, it is not true to say that God has punished us because of Adam’s sin. When we face God on our day of judgment, we will not be held responsible for Adam’s sin; we will be held responsible for our own sins. Original sin is a state we are in, not a personal sin. Having a sinful nature and the difficulties it brings into our lives makes us aware that we need to be saved from our sins and the effects of sin. Having difficulty in our lives because of the effects of sin gives us the opportunity to overcome these difficulties with God’s grace and become holy. And, that is the goal of our lives—holiness.)

» There is a growing number of atheists undergoing “de-baptisms,” mock ceremonies in which they are dried off with a hair dryer labeled “reason” by pretend “priests.” They then receive a certificate that says they have freely renounced their baptism. When these atheists send their “de-baptism” certificates to a Catholic Church and ask to be removed from the Baptism register, the parish tells them it is not possible. Why can’t the Church remove people from the Baptism register if that is their wish? (The Catechism teaches: “Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated” [1272]. Baptism incorporates a person into Christ and into His Church. They can choose to leave Jesus and the Church, but Jesus and the Church will not renounce them but rather pray for their return.)

» The Church teaches that Baptism is necessary for salvation but leaves open the possibility of people being saved without Baptism. How do we understand this apparent contradiction? (Jesus told Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” [John 3:5]. Therefore, the Catechism teaches: “The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are ‘reborn of water and the Spirit.’ God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments” [1257]. However, the Church recognizes there are many circumstances

in which people were not able to receive the Sacrament of Baptism at no fault of their own. Knowing the great mercy of God and that He desires everyone to be saved, the Church believes that there is the possibility of salvation only known by God.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 5½ minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Matt was invited to a Conference by his Catholic friend at school. He was nervous about it because his family did not go to church and he was never baptized. Matt decided to go because he admired and trusted his friend. Matt was so moved at the conference that he wanted to repent of his sins and give his life to Jesus. So, he went to confession and told the priest everything that was going on in his heart. The priest said: “I am so happy for you but I can’t absolve you of your sins…yet.”

» Why did the priest say that? (The priest was not able to administer the Sacrament of Confession for Matt because Matt had not been spiritually born in Baptism. Baptism is not only the first of the seven sacraments, it is the sacrament that makes all the others possible. Only a baptized person can receive absolution in the Sacrament of Confession, be confirmed, receive Jesus in the Eucharist, receive the Sacrament of Matrimony, be ordained a priest, or receive the Sacrament of the Sick. This is why Baptism is called the gateway of the Christian life. Baptism first gives a person the supernatural life, whereas the other sacraments provide for the restoration, or growth, or healing, or communication, of the supernatural life.)

» Why is it significant that in Confirmation we are anointed with chrism oil? (Anointing with oil played an important role in Old Testament time in creating prophets, priest, and kings. “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos meaning “anointed one.” Jesus says in Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” Jesus is “the Christ” because He is the anointed One from God. We are called “Christians” because we are “anointed ones” in Jesus Christ. We were first anointed with chrism oil at our Baptism and then again in our Confirmation. Chrism oil is a mixture of olive oil and balsam fragrance. The fragrance reminds us that we are sanctified and called to be what St. Paul calls Christians in 2 Corinthians 2:15: the “aroma of Christ” in the world. The oil reminds us that we are strengthened in the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the Catholic faith.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the forth video segment. The video will last about 2 minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The sacraments are not simply rituals. They are a gift to us from Jesus to give us grace so that we might experience intimacy with God and grow in holiness.

» What does it mean that the sacraments are our toolkit as we step out every day as believers? (The sacraments give us grace, and “grace is a participation in the life of God. It introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life” [CCC 1997]. So, stepping out every day in the state of grace assures you that you are not alone! You have the presence of God within you and have available to you the power to resist temptation, persevere through challenges, and bring blessing to others. Frequent reception of the sacraments and prayer strengthen our relationship with God.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Now I want to go around the circle again, this time starting with the person on my left, and I’d like each of us to share one take-away from tonight. In other words, share something that resonates in your heart as a truth to live by.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: When something resonates with our hearts, we should be mindful to take that to prayer as that is generally how the Holy Spirit works. So I encourage you to take whatever touched your heart in this session into your prayer this week. In addition to prayer, how are your spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. coming along? Encourage your group to share how they have grown spiritually since your last meeting by practicing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. Ask them if there is any way you can help them in their commitment to developing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. You can find the H.A.B.I.T.S. in the Leader Guide for Follow Me, Session 5: The Cost. After everyone has shared, follow up on last week’s commitments before discussing the new commitment.

SAY: There are six questions we’re asked when renewing our baptismal promises. We renew these promises in the Sacrament of Confirmation. The challenge this week is to take these promises into your daily prayer. Ask yourself whether you believe in these promises so strongly that you would stake your life on them:

1) Do you reject Satan? 2) And all his works? 3) And all his empty promises? 4) Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth? 5) Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? 6) Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close in prayer.

PRAY: Father in heaven, when the Spirit came down upon Jesus at His Baptism in the Jordan, You revealed Him as Your own beloved Son. Keep me, Your child, born of water and the Spirit, faithful to my calling. May I, who share in Your life as Your child through Baptism, follow in Christ’s path of service to people. Let me become one in His Sacrifice and hear His Word with faith. May I live as Your child, following the example of Jesus. Amen.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 2

® ®

The Eucharist USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org

Cover Photo Credit: St. Peter’s Square © Anshar/Shutterstock.com LIVING THE CREED: THE EUCHARIST SESSION OVERVIEW

The Sacrament of the Eucharist lies at the very heart of the Catholic faith. When we receive Holy Communion, we are united with Jesus in the most intimate way possible here on earth. The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. The almighty God, Creator of the universe, humbles Himself so that He can become one with us each time we attend Mass and receive communion.

The idea that a sliver of bread and a drop of wine can truly be changed into Christ’s Body and Blood can be difficult for our limited minds to grasp. After all, they still look like bread and wine! Indeed, when we do stop to consider what is really happening at the Eucharist, the miracle is almost beyond comprehension.

While the Eucharist has the outward appearance of bread and wine, it is the Body and Blood of Christ that we must consume to have eternal life. This is a central mystery of our faith: Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist, yesterday, today, and until the end of time. In fact, many famous converts have joined the Church because they came to understand that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.

We will discuss why Jesus couldn’t have been speaking metaphorically when He said to eat His Body and drink His Blood and also, how the sacrifice of the Mass makes present Christ’s sacrifice on the cross—and how knowing that makes a crucial difference for our participation in the liturgy.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity about thankfulness; then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: The Real Presence Scene 2: Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Scene 3: Holy Communion Scene 4: The Blessed Sacrament

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, challenge your group to take some time to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “True Worship” by Father Michael Schmitz and “Understanding the Eucharist” by Dr. Scott Hahn through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/true-worship lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/understanding-the-eucharist#

CONNECT Activity

THANKFUL MEMORIES

Distribute paper and pencil to everyone. Give these instructions:

SAY: Fold your sheet of paper in half and then in half again. Open up your paper and you’ll have four rectangular boxes. At the top of the first box write “childhood,” at the top of the second box write “middle school,” at the top of the third box write “high school,” and at the top of the 4th box write “future.” ®

Next I’ll ask you to draw a picture in each box. Each picture will represent a memory you are thankful for in that time period of your life. In the last box, you will draw a picture of something you anticipate in your future that you will be thankful for. When everyone is finished drawing your pictures, you will explain them to the group. Do your best to impress us with your artistic abilities.

Allow time. Then go around and have group member share about the pictures they drew.

introduction

SAY: Catholics celebrate a thankful memory at every Mass because the Mass is a memorial of the Last Supper. When we celebrate the Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving” in Greek, we carry out the command that Jesus gave us at the Last Supper: “Do this in memory of me.” Also, when the priest offers the Memorial Prayer to the Father, we remember with gratitude the death and resurrection of Jesus. However, the beauty and power of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is that the memory is made present to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice” (CCC 1367). opening prayer

SAY: Let’s begin prayer with a reading from John 6:51-58.

Have someone read John 6:51-58.

“‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say “ to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.’” —John 6:51-58

PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us the gift of life and the opportunity to receive the Body and Blood of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, we ask for forgiveness for the times we have not worthily received You in the Eucharist and failed to give You the adoration that You deserve. Holy Spirit, we pray for the gift of understanding as we dive into the great mystery of the true presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 5½ minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Father Walter Ciszek was accused by the Soviet secret police of being a Vatican spy. He was sentenced to 23 years of hard labor in Siberia. When he was released in 1963, he wrote a book about his experiences there called He Leadeth Me. Father Ciszek writes: “I have seen prisoners deprive their bodies of needed sleep in order to get up before the rising bell for a secret Mass….We would be severely punished if we were discovered….The Masses were held in drafty storage shacks and sometimes outside huddled in mud or slush. In these primitive conditions, the Mass brought us closer to God than anyone might conceivably imagine.”

» Why do you think these prisoners risked being discovered and severely punished in order to receive Jesus in the Eucharist? (These prisoners suffered daily in hard labor, with little food and beatings from officers. In the midst of these desperate conditions, they found hope in the Eucharist. Could it be that they were absolutely convinced of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist because they experienced His consoling love in the midst of their suffering and where they had absolutely nowhere else to turn? Why else would they risk so much?)

» In the Lighthouse Catholic Media talk “Former Satanist Becomes Catholic,” Betty Brennan shares her story of how she was drawn into Satanism and reached the upper echelons of its practice. She shares how the satanic rituals are based upon the sacramental rites within the Catholic Church. In fact, she claims that a skilled satanic witch can identify a consecrated host among 2,000 unconsecrated hosts. How do you think that is possible? (In Luke 8:27-28, Jesus meets a man who has demons. The demons, upon seeing Jesus, say: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” Demons are aware when the presence of God is in their midst because they are tormented by His presence. In the same ®

® Copyright © 2015 Augustine Institute. All rights reserved. SESSION 2 LEADER GUIDE 4 LIVING THE CREED: THE EUCHARIST manner, the demons within a satanic witch will be aware of the real presence of Jesus in the consecrated host. Even after Betty’s conversion to Christ and His Church, her deliverance from evil spirits took over 1½ years and during that time she would often vomit after receiving the Eucharist.)

» Why do you think there are so many people who identify themselves as Christian, both Catholic and non-Catholic, who have nowhere near the conviction of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist in comparison to the prisoners and Satanists mentioned in the previous questions? (The “Real Presence” is a difficult teaching. When Jesus gave this teaching in John 6, many of His disciples say, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” [v.60] and “After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him” [v.66]. In fact, it was the bitterest controversy of the Protestant Reformation, both between Protestants and Catholics and between different Protestant denominations. If the bread and wine is not Jesus after consecration but just a symbol, then Protestants are right in accusing Catholics of idolatry. If the bread and wine are His Body and Blood, then Protestants are guilty of rejecting the Lord’s command: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” [v.53]. Finally, there are many Catholics who were raised in the Church but never became devoted followers of Jesus and are indifferent to Jesus’ real presence. This is why Pope St. John Paul II called for a New Evangelization—so that all Catholics would become disciples.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. At the end of the 2 segment, discuss. Then direct your group to the Participant Sheet and read the verse again.

SAY: Let’s read again the verses from John 6:51-58 and pay attention to the number of times Jesus commands us to eat His flesh and blood.

» How are we to know whether to interpret these verses literally or figuratively? (It is clear that Jesus’ disciples understood Him to be speaking literally. That is why they found the teaching difficult and many left. It is reasonable to think that Jesus would have clarified Himself if He were speaking figuratively since He did lose followers and would have misled the Church for 2,000 years. In addition, we have testimony from the earliest Christians that they believed Jesus was speaking literally. St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, wrote this as a correction to misguided Christians in the year 110: “They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again.” Finally, and most importantly, the Church teaches that Jesus was speaking literally, and it is the Church that Christ established to be the official interpreter of Sacred Scripture.)

» When speaking of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist, we profess that His body, blood, soul, and divinity is present. Why do you think Jesus’ real presence is often expressed in this way? (When Protestants began breaking away from the Catholic Church and rejecting or changing Catholic teaching, the Church held the Council of Trent to identify Protestant errors and reaffirm and clarify Catholic teaching. The Council taught that the Eucharist contained the whole Christ—body, blood, soul, and divinity. We receive Jesus as He is now in heaven—the fullness of His divinity and the completeness of His humanity, nothing less.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 5½ minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The miracle that God performs in the Eucharist is transubstantiation, which means the substance of the bread and wine has changed into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ while the outward appearance of bread and wine remain the same.

» St. Thomas Aquinas wrote in a beautiful Eucharistic hymn: “Faith will tell us Christ is present, when our human senses fail.” What does this mean to you? (Father Riley said that if you look at a consecrated host under a microscope, you will not see the cellular structure of a human body, you would see bread. This is when our human senses fail and when we exercise faith. However, there is a story of a scientist named Professor Odoardo Linoli who looked at a host under a microscope and actually saw human heart tissue. This is the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano, Italy, that occurred in the 8th century. During the celebration of the Mass, a host turned from bread into flesh and has been naturally preserved without decay for 12 centuries. In 1970, Professor Linoli and his assistant, Professor Bertelli, did scientific analysis on the tissue and determined that it was human heart muscle. This is just one of many documented Eucharistic miracles that have occurred throughout the history of the Church. Just as Jesus said, “Do not be faithless, but believing” [John 20:27] as He allowed Thomas to put his fingers into the nail prints in his hands and wound in His side, Eucharistic miracles tell us to not be faithless, but believing.)

» Father Riley says: “We gather at Mass, not merely to watch or witness, but to be drawn into the great mystery.” What does it mean to be drawn into the Mass? (The great mystery is that Jesus’ once-and-for-all sacrifice on Calvary is made present and perpetuated in the Mass. The Catechism teaches: “Our prayer ascends in the Holy Spirit through Christ to the Father— we bless him for having blessed us; it implores the grace of the Holy Spirit that descends through Christ from the Father—he blesses us” [CCC 2627]. This movement of prayer happens in the Mass. In the Holy Spirit, we unite ourselves to Christ in a prayerful offering to the Father for the salvation of souls. The priest, standing in the person of Jesus, presides at the Mass and offers our prayers to the Father. Our union with Jesus in the Mass is a “Holy Communion” in which we are transformed.)

SAY: Unity of faith and unity of life are needed in order to properly receive Holy Communion. Unity of faith means that you are a practicing Catholic, and unity of life means that you are in the state of grace.

» An Oscar- and Emmy-winning television and film producer was asked in an interview about his Catholicism. He replied: “I’m often asked why I remain Catholic, when my views dramatically differ from the teachings of the Church. For me, the choice is like being an American: While I oppose many policies of our country, I want to remain engaged in the process to bring about change.” What are some problems with this analogy? (The Catechism teaches: “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed. As personal adherence to God and assent to his truth, Christian faith differs from our faith in any human person. It is right and just to entrust oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely what he says. It would be futile and false to place such faith in a creature” [CCC 150]. We can know God’s revealed truth through the Church, and this is where we place our faith. God’s revealed truth cannot change. Policies of government can often change through the will of the people. St. Paul warns in 1 Corinthians: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord” [11:27]. This is why it is a serious matter when Catholics do not have unity of faith—because it is most often the moral teachings of the Church they disagree with, creating a greater possibility of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and not being in the state of grace.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the fourth video segment. The video will last about 3 minutes. At the end of the 4 segment, discuss.

SAY: Jesus humbles Himself in the Eucharist in order to be present to us. Intimacy is not possible without presence. He waits lovingly in every tabernacle for us to visit Him and grow in intimacy with Him.

» What would you say to a non-Catholic who says he feels “second class” because he is not allowed to receive communion in a Catholic Church? (The Eucharist is a sign of unity in the Catholic Church. Jesus prayed to His Father: “That they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” [John 17:21]. Our unity is vital to the mission of the Gospel in the world. Therefore, Catholics take unity very seriously. Restricting non-Catholics from Holy Communion is not meant to make them feel bad, but is meant to create awareness of how important working toward unity is. Secondly, St. Paul wrote about how dangerous it is to receive communion unworthily: “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself” [1 Corinthians 11:29]. The Church is showing mercy to those who might otherwise receive the Lord unworthily without knowing.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

Encourage your group to share how they have grown spiritually since your last meeting by practicing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. Ask them if there is any way you can help them in their commitment to developing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. You can find the H.A.B.I.T.S. in the Leader Guide for Follow Me, Session 5: The Cost. After everyone has shared, follow up on last week’s commitments before discussing the new commitment.

SAY: Dr. Sri asks: “Will you take time to visit Jesus in the Eucharist?” Or, put another way: What is preventing you from visiting Jesus in the Eucharist? Will you commit to making a visit to the adoration chapel or Church sanctuary this week for a holy hour?

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close in prayer.

PRAY: May the partaking of Your Holy Mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body. O Lord, I also believe and profess that this (which I am about to receive) is truly Your most precious Body and Your life-giving Blood, which, I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and for life everlasting. Amen. —From the Byzantine Liturgy

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 3

® ®

Walk Through the Mass USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org

Cover Photo Credit: St. Peter’s Square © Anshar/Shutterstock.com LIVING THE CREED: WALK THROUGH THE MASS

SESSION OVERVIEW

From the time of the Apostles, Christians have gathered on Sundays to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Early Christians would read the Scriptures, listen to a homily, and pray prayers of petition. The priest then offered bread and wine, and the people received the Eucharist in Holy Communion. It was the Mass then—and it is the Mass today.

In order to better appreciate the sacred mysteries of the Liturgy, we need to understand how the Mass is arranged and what happens in each of its four basic parts. We then can begin to understand how Christ’s one sacrifice on Calvary is made present to us through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As we do so, we enter more profoundly into the sacred Liturgy and encounter Jesus, present and alive for us today.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity about celebration planning; then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: Worship in the Early Church Scene 2: Parts of the Mass Scene 3: The Power of the Mass Scene 4: Go in Peace

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, ask the group to commit to arriving at Mass 15 minutes early to adequately prepare for the Eucharist, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “The Mass Explained” by Father Larry Richards through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-mass-explained#

CONNECT Activity

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME PARTY

Distribute a sheet of paper and a pencil to everyone. Then explain the activity:

SAY: Let’s imagine that you had an unlimited budget to throw a once-in-a-lifetime party. You’ll have about 5 minutes to give some thought to this party. Here are the questions:

• Where would you hold the party? • What would be the food and drink? • What would you have for music and entertainment? • What would be the theme of your decorations, costumes, etc.? • What gifts would you give to each of your guests? • Excluding your immediate family, if you could only invite five people to this party, who would they be?

Allow time, and then invite everyone to each share about their party.

introduction

SAY: It was fun hearing about your “once-in-a-lifetime party” and who you’d invite. The Book of Revelation describes a “once-in-eternity” party. It is the heavenly liturgy that never ends. In fact, there are numerous comparisons between what St. John describes in the Book of Revelation and the Mass. St. John’s vision begins on Sunday, the Lord’s Day. He sees an altar, candles, incense, priests dressed in robes, bread, and chalices of blood. He sees the angels and saints making the Sign of the Cross on their foreheads, crying “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “Alleluia,” and singing a hymn. There are readings from Scripture and a wedding feast of the Lamb (Holy Communion).

We believe that every Mass celebrated here on earth is caught up into the heavenly liturgy, where we worship God with the angels and the saints. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “By the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all” [CCC 1326]. In this session, we are going to walk through the Mass and consider how it is structured and why we are obligated to go to Mass every Sunday.

opening prayer

SAY: Let’s begin prayer with a passage from Luke 22:19-20.

Have someone read Luke 22:19-20.

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’” “ —Luke 22:19-20

PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank You for creating us to have everlasting life. Lord Jesus, You are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Forgive us of our sins and strengthen us with Your grace that we might offer ourselves more generously with You in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Holy Spirit, draw us together in our fellowship, sharing, and prayer so that our hearts will be on fire to spread the Gospel message with our words and witness. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 5 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: St. Justin Martyr, writing in the year of 150, describes the early Christian worship in this way: “On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray. On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, ‘Amen.’ The Eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.”

» Why do you think it is important that the Mass we celebrate today closely resembles the worship of the early Church? (Jesus commanded His Apostles to “do this in remembrance of me.” He willed that we worship in a particular way and He purposely handed this on to His Apostles, who in turn handed it down to their successors. Apart from this Apostolic Tradition of the Mass, worship will be experimented with in many different, even deadly, ways. For example, Pastor Coots of Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name Church in Kentucky died in 2014 from a rattlesnake bite he received during a worship service. “Snake handling” is a practice that developed through an interpretation of one verse in the Bible: “They will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them” [Mark 16:18a].)

SAY: A woman named Susan grew up in an evangelical Christian church. In college, she was invited by a friend in her dorm to a candlelight Mass at the Newman Center. The lit candles on the altar provided the only light in the Church. She writes: “Everything in the Church was dark but the altar, and it became clear to me that night that for Catholics the focus of worship is what takes place on the altar. This was so different from my experience of worship growing up where I focused primarily on the sermon from our pastor. This was the beginning of my journey to Catholicism. I had to know what was so special about the altar.”

» What is so special about the altar? (The Mass is the central act of worship that makes Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary present to us. The altar emphasizes that the Mass is a Holy Sacrifice. Without the altar there is no Eucharist, and without the Eucharist there is no Mass. Catholics understand that true worship offers God adoration and sacrifice. The Catechism states: “To adore God is to praise and exalt him and to humble oneself, as Mary did in the Magnificat, confessing with gratitude that he has done great things and holy is his name” [CCC 2097]. It also says: “The only perfect sacrifice is the one that Christ offered on the cross as a total offering to the Father’s love and for our salvation. By uniting ourselves with His sacrifice we can make our lives a sacrifice to God” [CCC 2100]. Adoration and sacrifice take place in every Mass.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. At the end of the 2 segment, discuss.

SAY: Jesus, as a faithful Jew, worshipped in two places: His local synagogue and the Temple in Jerusalem. The synagogue was the place to read from the Word of God and offer prayer. The Temple was the place to offer sacrifice and prayer.

» How is the Mass the fulfillment of the worship offered by Jews in the synagogue and in the Temple? (The Mass consists of four parts: Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. The Liturgy of the Word resembles the worship offered in the synagogue. The Liturgy of the Eucharist resembles the worship offered in the Temple. The Temple was understood to be God’s ®

dwelling place and where heaven and earth meet. This is why the Temple was so important to the Jews and why they would make pilgrimages to the Temple. Those who lived far away would try to make at least one pilgrimage in their lifetime for Passover. Those who lived closer would try to make the three festivals each year: Passover, Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Booths. In a sense, the Mass has brought the Temple to the synagogue. The Mass is God’s dwelling place as Jesus is present—body, blood, soul, and divinity. The Mass brings heaven to earth because it participates in the heavenly liturgy. God’s Word is proclaimed and Jesus is offered as a holy sacrifice in every Mass.)

SAY: Jesus told this parable in Luke 18:10-14a: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.”

» Jesus exhorts us to pray like the tax collector. How is the Mass like the prayer of the tax collector? (The Penitential Act is part of the Introductory Rites of the Mass. The Penitential Act includes the Kyrie Eleison, a Greek phrase meaning, “Lord, have mercy.” Like the tax collector, we humble ourselves at the beginning of the Mass and ask for the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness.) » Before an athletic competition, athletes spend time warming up in preparation for the game. What are the Introductory Rites of the Mass preparing us for? (The Catechism teaches: “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people,’ have a right and an obligation by reason of their Baptism” [CCC 1141]. From the moment we enter the Church, we should be preparing ourselves for full, conscious, and active participation. Therefore, we make the Sign of the Cross with Holy Water to remind us of our Baptism. We genuflect to show our reverence for Jesus in the tabernacle and then kneel and pray quietly before Mass to prepare our hearts. The opening hymn or psalm offers God praise, the presider enters, reverences the altar with a kiss, and then begins the Mass with the Sign of the Cross. He greets us acknowledging the presence of Christ in our midst, leads us in the Penitential Act, and then leads us in the Gloria—except in Advent or Lent. We are now prepared for the Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 5 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The first reading in the Mass is from the Old Testament. Well-known atheist Richard Dawkins writes in his book The God Delusion: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” » How do we reconcile what appears to be an angry and vengeful God of the Old Testament with the loving and merciful God of the New Testament? (The Catechism teaches that “the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New” [CCC 129]. What that means is that the Old Testament foreshadows the coming of Jesus and the New Testament helps us to understand the Old Testament in light of Jesus who is the fullness of God’s revelation. God’s plan is revealed in both and therefore both are inspired “and nourish and govern the whole Christian life” [CCC 141]. Jesus shows us the heart of the Father who is just, merciful, and loving. This is the lens we use when reading the Old Testament. The history in the Old Testament shows us a world without the grace of Jesus Christ. God chose the Israelites in a world that was quite violent. Without the benefit of knowing the heart of the Father through Jesus Christ, His actions could have been understood as angry or vengeful. Richard Dawkins is using the Old Testament to argue against the existence of God instead of sincerely trying to understand it in the light of Jesus Christ.)

SAY: Full, conscious, and active participation in the Liturgy of the Word means to pay attention and be looking for the message that God wishes to give you personally.

» How do you think we can be discerning of the message God desires for us personally? (In Luke chapter 24, we read about two of Jesus’ disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. In verse 32, they describe their experience with Jesus: “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?’” In other words, they were aware of something happening in their hearts. God’s Word can do the same for us. There may be a movement in our hearts, a sense of peace, a sense of hope, inspiration, or even a solution comes to mind for a problem. The key is to pay attention to the words of Scripture and be aware of what is happening in our thoughts, feelings, and desires.)

SAY: We are obligated to eat, drink, and breathe in order to stay alive. We should think of our Sunday obligation to attend Mass in the same way. God gave us the commandment to “keep holy the Sabbath” because He knows that without it we will die.

» What would you say to a friend who says it is not necessary to attend Mass every Sunday? (St. Padre Pio, who was known to celebrate Mass for 2–3 hours, said: “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without the Holy Mass.” Though we receive Jesus in the Word and the Eucharist, the Mass is not just for our benefit. We are offering our prayers with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice for the salvation of souls. In other words, the world needs the Mass, and Jesus desires our cooperation with Him. Also, we are transformed through our worship of God. So, why go to Mass? Because God wants to transform us and through us transform the world. The penalty of mortal sin shows us just how important the Mass is for the world.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 3 minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The Mass is the heartbeat of the Christian life. It unites us to Jesus and strengthens our life as disciples.

» In the Concluding Rite, the priest blesses the assembly and says, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” What does it mean to “go in peace”? (“Go” is one of the final words of Jesus to His disciples as He ascended into heaven. He commissioned them to go and make disciples of all nations. This is what will ultimately bring peace to the world. So, for us to go in peace is to take seriously our mission to make disciples of all nations. And, the Mass is exactly what is needed to strengthen us for that mission.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: The challenge this week is to arrive at Mass at least 15 minutes early so that you can adequately prepare yourself for full, conscious, and active participation.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today by praying part of St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Prayer for After Mass.”

PRAY: I give thanks to thee, O Lord, most holy, Father almighty, eternal God, that thou hast vouchsafed, for no merit of mine own, but out of thy pure mercy, to appease the hunger of my soul with the precious body and blood of thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly I implore thee, let not this Holy Communion be to me an increase of guilt unto my punishment, but an availing plea unto pardon and salvation. Amen.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 4

® ®

Penance and Anointing of the Sick USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Dr. Joseph E. Burns, Ed.D. M.T.S., Censor Deputatus Imprimatur: Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, S.T.L., Archbishop of Denver, November, 2015

English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America, copyright ©1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright ©1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org

Cover Photo Credit: St. Peter’s Square © Anshar/Shutterstock.com LIVING THE CREED: PENANCE AND ANOINTING OF THE SICK

SESSION OVERVIEW

God, in His infinite mercy, understands that we will fall short, we will sin—but He doesn’t leave us in that sin. Through the Sacrament of Penance, we can be restored to love and friendship with God and receive the grace to mend our relationships with each other. Like the father of the prodigal son, He welcomes us back at the smallest sign of our sorrow and repentance. Just as Jesus did not condemn the adulterous woman, He forgives us completely and tells us to “Go and sin no more.” Little wonder then that the Sacrament of Penance, also known as Reconciliation, is one of the last and greatest gifts Jesus left us. When He told his Apostles after the Resurrection, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven,” He gave them authority to bestow the Father’s tangible mercy to all generations that follow.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity about trust; then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: Lord Have Mercy Scene 2: Reconcilliation with God and the Church Scene 3: Healing of Body and Soul Scene 4: Growing in Grace

20 minutes COMMIT The COMMIT for this week is to challenge your group to go to Confession every 2 to 3 weeks and to choose a regular confessor.

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “Confession” by Father Larry Richards through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/confession#

CONNECT Activity

CIRCLE OF TRUST

Have everyone stand in a circle for this activity.

SAY: I would like to ask one of you to volunteer to stand in the middle of the circle. You will cross your arms, put your feet together, keep your legs locked, and close your eyes. When you are ready to fall and trust your brothers and sisters, say, “I am ready to trust you.” The group will then respond: “We are ready to support you.” Then you simply lean back on your heels. We will catch you and, if you stay rigid, we can pass you around in the circle for about 30 seconds. Make sure everyone is standing close enough to catch the volunteer. Allow others to try the activity as interested. Invite everyone to share thoughts about the experience, whether they were in the center or not. ®

introduction

SAY: That was a fun trust exercise. It can be difficult to be the person in the middle because it requires us to be vulnerable and place our safety in the hands of others. We have to trust that our brothers and sisters are there to support us. This is the goal of our discipleship group. We want to trust and be a support for each other so that we can be vulnerable with our thoughts, feelings, and desires.

The Sacrament of Penance calls us to be vulnerable in confessing our sins and to trust in God’s mercy. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick gives us grace at the moments of our life when we are most vulnerable—in serious illness and in danger of death. opening prayer

SAY: Let’s begin prayer with a passage from the Bible.

Ask for a volunteer to read aloud 1 John 1:6-10, which is also on the Participant Sheet.

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and “ cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” —1 John 1:6-10

PRAY: Lord, You invite all who are burdened to come to You. Allow Your healing hand to heal me. Touch my soul with Your compassion for others. Touch my heart with Your courage and infinite love for all. Touch my mind with Your wisdom, that my mouth may always proclaim Your praise. Teach me to reach out to You in my need, and help me to lead others to You by my example. Most loving heart of Jesus, bring me health in body and spirit that I may serve You with all my strength. Touch gently this life, which You have created, now and forever. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 5 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Dr. Sri explains the beautiful painting in St. Peter’s Basilica near the confessional booths. The painting is of the biblical scene where Peter begins walking on the water but sinks when he takes his eyes off of Jesus. The analogy is that sin results when we take our eyes off Jesus, but He is there to forgive us and save us. We need to reach out to Him like Peter and ask Him to save us. As St. John writes in our opening scripture: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

» How can we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so that we are not susceptible to sin? (The Catechism teaches that our human nature “is wounded in the natural powers proper to it; subject to ignorance, suffering, and the dominion of death; and inclined to sin—an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence” [CCC 405]. This means sin is attractive to us and temptations will draw our attention away from Jesus. Daily prayer, receiving grace in the sacraments, avoiding areas of temptation, and the support of Christian friendships help us to keep our eyes on Jesus. The more we grow in intimacy with Christ, the more we desire Him above everything and the less we are attracted to sin.)

» In ancient Israel, it was not uncommon for the parable of the prodigal son to end with the father expelling his son from the family. Why do you think it was understood that this was the right thing for the father to do? (To have concluded the parable with the father enacting justice would have demonstrated that sin has consequences and harms not just the individual but one’s family and others. The parable would have served as a deterrent, showing how serious it was to turn your back on your family and your religion.)

» A Catholic college student joked with his fraternity brothers: “I live out the story of the prodigal son every weekend! I sin on Friday night, go to confession on Saturday, and then Mass on Sunday.” What is wrong with this mindset? (The Church teaches that this mindset is itself sinful. It is the sin of presumption. The Catechism teaches: “There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God’s almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit)” [CCC 2092]. You cannot be forgiven of sin without true contrition. Perfect contrition is when we are sorry for our sins because we love God and never want to offend Him again. God’s mercy will mean little to us if we are not

® Copyright © 2015 Augustine Institute. All rights reserved. SESSION 4 LEADER GUIDE 4 LIVING THE CREED: PENANCE AND ANOINTING OF THE SICK truly sorry or committed to avoiding sin. This is why Jesus told the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14. The Pharisee presumed he was righteous while the tax collector begged for God’s mercy. He said: “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” Jesus wants our contrition to imitate that of the tax collector.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 9 minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Father Riley says that Jesus definitively broke the power of sin and death in His own death and resurrection. He then spent 40 days with His Apostles in order to establish the Church, which would continue His ministry of reconciliation after He ascended into heaven.

» Father Chris told a group of college students on retreat: “Catholics are obliged to confess their sins to a priest because Jesus ascended into heaven.” What did he mean by this? (Jesus conquered death and ascended into heaven so that we could rise from the dead and enter heaven. He sits at the right hand of the Father and exercises His kingly authority and high priesthood through His Church here on earth. He told His Apostles: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” [John 16:7]. In other words, it is better for us that Jesus forgives our sins by the power of the Holy Spirit working through His priests. Why? In order to increase our faith, hope, and charity. If Jesus were still present on earth for all of us to see, there would be no need for faith since we would see Him clearly. He wants us to know, love, and serve Him freely.)

SAY: In eastern Africa, a troop of 50 baboons made themselves at home right next to a farm. Before long, they were ravaging the crops. The frustrated farmer set up cages with food in them so they could be relocated. The baboons were suspicious at first, but after a few days one of the hungry baboons ventured into the cage and sampled the food. The next day, the same baboon returned for more food and other baboons followed. After a few days, the entire group of baboons were going into the cages to eat. Once the baboons were comfortable eating in the cages, the farmer rigged the food to a string attached to the door latch. When the doors on the cages slammed shut, the baboons were momentarily spooked but quickly went back to eating.

» How does this story illustrate the nature of sin? (Just as the baboon was apprehensive of the cage, our conscience makes us apprehensive of sin. The food in the cage was so enticing it tempted the baboon to take a risk. Sin is enticing and tempts us to override our conscience. The baboon became comfortable in the cage similar to how we can become comfortable and habitual in our sin if we fail to repent and amend our lives. Finally, 50 baboons were entrapped as a result of a single baboon entering a cage first. Our sin affects others. The Catechism teaches: “The sinner wounds God’s honor and love, his own human dignity as a man called to be a son of God, and the

spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone” [CCC 1487]. This why the priest is not only a representative of Jesus in the confessional, he is also a representative of the Christian community. Therefore, we are reconciled to God and the Christian community.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 9 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Three longtime friends were on a fishing trip in Canada. After a couple of days together on a boat, they started to really open up to one another. One of them said: “Let’s share with one another what tempts us the most. I’ll start. I have a terrible addiction to Internet pornography. I just can’t seem to stop and it’s destroying my marriage.” The second man said, “I just can’t get enough money, and I have been secretly embezzling small amounts of money from my company for years.” The third man said, “I can’t control my tongue. I gossip constantly, and after hearing your confessions, I can’t wait to get home!”

» How does this joke illustrate the psychological need we have for confession?

(The Catechism teaches that “sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it” [CCC 1850]. Sin is painful and weighs us down because our hearts were made for God’s love. Penance is a sacrament of healing. Confessing our sin allows us to unload the weight, and absolution allows us to heal. Without confession and absolution, we remain trapped and stunted in our growth. Also, the seal of the confessional gives us the confidence to know we can be completely transparent about our sin.) » It is well known that Pope St. John Paul II and Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta went to confession weekly. Why do you think these two very holy people would go to confession so frequently? (Pope St. John Paul II said: “It would be an illusion to seek after holiness, according to the vocation one has received from God, without partaking frequently of this sacrament of conversion and reconciliation. Those who go to Confession frequently, and do so with the desire to make progress, will notice the strides that they make in their spiritual lives.” The Sacrament of Penance not only forgives you of your sins but gives a special grace to avoid sin in the future and grow in virtue. The Catechism teaches that Penance gives “an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle” [CCC 1496].)

SAY: The Catholic Church teaches that a sin can be mortal or venial. A mortal sin is grave, breaks our covenant with God, and deprives the soul of sanctifying grace. Our communion with God is ruptured and needs to be restored through the Sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion at Mass. A venial sin weakens charity in the soul but does not break our covenant with God.

» The Catholic Church is criticized for making the distinction between mortal sin and venial sin by those who believe that all sin is the same before God. Why do you think this distinction is important?

(For one, the Bible makes this distinction. In 1 John 5:16-17 we read: “If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.” It is of utmost importance for us to know how serious sin is and how it can deprive us of sanctifying grace. Without sanctifying grace, we have no armor to defend ourselves against the attacks of Satan, who has the sole mission of dragging us into hell. The irony is that non- Catholic Christians who criticize this distinction between mortal and venial sin, because they believe all sin is the same and is a serious offense before God, don’t take sin seriously in practice with regard to examination of conscience, confession, and penance.)

» A grandfather groaned as he got out of the chair. His grandson asked: “Is it your arthritis, Grandpa?” The grandfather jokingly answered: “No, I was just reminded that I was made to fall apart!” Why are we made to fall apart? (We have to fall apart in order to be rebuilt for heaven. The Catechism teaches: “God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living….It was through the devil’s envy that death entered the world” (Wisdom 1:13; 2:24) [CCC 413] and “As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers, subject to ignorance, suffering and the domination of death, and inclined to sin” [CCC 418]. Sin is the reason we all will experience suffering and death. However, the good news is that because of sin, suffering, and death, we were given a Savior who has made our situation even better than before. “The victory that Christ won over sin has given us greater blessings than those which sin had taken from us: ‘where sin increased, grace abounded all the more’” (Romans 5:20) [CCC 420]. In other words, suffering and death are worth it because God has given us grace to forgive us of our sin and ultimately overcome suffering and death to be glorified in heaven.)

» If we are designed to fall apart in order to be rebuilt for heaven, why does the Church administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick? (Sacraments rebuild us spiritually in that they give grace. Grace is a participation in the life of God and “introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life” [CCC 1997]. Jesus, who experienced suffering and death, wants to be especially close to us in our time of suffering and death. Anointing of the Sick unites the person to Jesus in His passion, strengthens them, gives them peace, forgives their sins, and prepares them for passing over to eternal life. And, just as Jesus healed in His earthly ministry, He can heal the body through this sacrament if it is best for the person’s soul.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 4½ minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Pope St. John Paul II said: “Confession is an act of honesty and courage—an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God.”

» What is keeping you from encountering Jesus in the Sacrament of Penance more often? (Pope St. John Paul II’s quote inspires us to ask ourselves: “Do I need to be more honest with myself, more courageous in my weakness, and more trusting of God’s love and mercy?”)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: The challenge this week is to commit to confession every 2–3 weeks and to go to the same priest each time so that he can be of more help to you with his counsel.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today by saying an Act of Contrition.

PRAY: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 5

® ®

Matrimony and Holy Orders USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org

Cover Photo Credit: St. Peter’s Square © Anshar/Shutterstock.com LIVING THE CREED: MATRIMONY AND HOLY ORDERS

SESSION OVERVIEW

We all know the familiar words: “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” They are part of the time-honored traditional vows of marriage, and they form the cornerstone of the Catholic rite of matrimony. But the wedding ceremony is just the beginning of the Sacrament of Marriage. A marriage is shaped day by day, as the husband and wife grow in love, trust, and mutual self-giving over their lifetimes.

Marriage takes a lot of work. It is often noted that about 50 percent of all marriages in the U.S., including Catholic marriages, end in divorce. Of the remaining 50 percent, many do not emulate the daily sacrificial love that God intended marriage to be. All in all, living an authentic Catholic marriage in today’s world is a real challenge. That’s why Marriage is a Sacrament of Service, as is Holy Orders. Through the graces offered by the sacrament, Jesus gives us the strength to love our spouse as Christ does and offer our own life to our spouse as a witness of that love.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity in which they share about a physical scar or another injury; then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: Discovering One’s Self in the Sincere Gift of Self Scene 2: The Love of Christ for His Church Scene 3: Fruitfulness Scene 4: Service to Others

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, encourage group members to commit to “Courageous Prayer” daily, and close in prayer.

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “Marriage and Family—Love Unveiled” by Dr. Scott Hahn through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/marriage-and-family-love-unveiled#

CONNECT Activity

SCAR SHOW AND TELL

Have everyone stand in a circle for this activity.

SAY: For this activity, we’ll go around the circle and share some of our scars. Tell the group the story of how you got one of your scars. If you don’t have any physical scars, you can share a story of an injury you received or an embarrassing mistake you made. Let’s share in the order of our birthdays, starting with the youngest and finishing with the oldest in our group.

Be sure to share a story of your own. Then continue with the Introduction.

introduction

SAY: Thanks for sharing about your scars. Tragically, many have been scarred by failed marriages, and we need to think seriously about what makes successful marriages. We’ll talk about that today.

The Church calls divorce a “plague on society” because of the grave harm it causes to families (CCC 2385). But there is a remedy to this plague and it is found in God’s own scars—on the hands, feet, and side of His Son, Jesus Christ. The grace of the sacraments flow from Jesus’ scars, that is, His death and resurrection.

Marriage, along with Holy Orders, is a sacrament of service. God unites a husband and wife in marriage and gives them the grace to grow in selfless love for one another and for their children. This love builds up the Body of Christ and is a witness of God’s love for the world.

opening prayer

SAY: Let’s begin prayer with a few verses from Genesis.

Have someone read Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it’....Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, “ and they become one flesh.” —Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24

PRAY: God our Father, we give You thanks for the gift of marriage: the bond of life and love, and the font of the family. The love of husband and wife enriches Your Church with children, fills the world with a multitude of spiritual fruitfulness and service, and is the sign of the love of Your Son, Jesus Christ, for His Church. May Your Holy Spirit enlighten our society to treasure the heroic love of husband and wife, and guide our leaders to sustain and protect the singular place of mothers and fathers in the lives of their children. We ask all these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Dr. Sri references the beautiful fresco paintings by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican museums. In them we see the creation of Adam and the creation of Eve— the first marriage. In Genesis 2:18 we read: “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”

» Why did Adam need “a helper fit for him”? (The Church teaches that “man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself” [The Church in the Modern World, 24]. Adam needed Eve, and Eve Adam, in order to discover the true meaning of their lives—to make a sincere gift of self in love. God created the male body and female body to make it obvious to us that we fit together. The union of our bodies involves a gift of self and creates a communion of love. This is a window into God’s own life. The Blessed Trinity is a communion of love. Being created in God’s image and likeness means we were made to give ourselves in love.)

» Genesis 2:25 reads: “And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.” But after they sinned, they were ashamed and covered themselves with fig leaves. What do you think changed in their relationship? (The Catechism teaches: “The harmony in which they had found themselves, thanks to original justice, is now destroyed: the control of the soul’s spiritual faculties over the body is shattered; the union of man and woman becomes subject to tensions, their relations henceforth marked by lust and domination” [CCC 400]. As a result of their sin, Adam and Eve lost their trust with God and with one another. In the absence of trust, they felt vulnerable and insecure. They covered themselves since lust and domination was a new reality they had to battle in their hearts, and marriage has been troubled ever since. This is why Jesus made marriage a sacrament.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 9 minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: A husband and wife were getting ready to celebrate the wedding of their seventh child. They had been through this already four times before, as well as the ordination of one of their sons and the

® Copyright © 2015 Augustine Institute. All rights reserved. SESSION 5 LEADER GUIDE 4 LIVING THE CREED: MATRIMONY AND HOLY ORDERS final profession of one of their daughters as a religious sister. The wife was looking into the mirror and said to her husband: “Look at this old woman. My eyes are sagging, my skin is wrinkled, and my arms are flabby. Please say something to cheer me up.” The husband said jokingly: “Sure…your eyesight is good!” He then hugged her and whispered into her ear: “But I love you more than the day I married you 40 years ago!”

» How is this couple an example of the love Jesus has for His Church? (Jesus’ love for His Church is free, total, faithful, and fruitful. He freely chose to become human and to offer His life for us. His passion and death is the ultimate expression of this love. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He freely surrenders His will to the Father and hands Himself over to the guards. He faithfully endures suffering and the crucifixion in order to conquer sin and death for our sake. He totally gives Himself on the cross as His side is pierced and blood and water flow and become fruitful in the sacraments of the Church. This couple gave themselves freely 40 years ago in their wedding vows. They have given themselves totally in their marital intimacy, have fruitfully welcomed children, and have raised them in the faith. They have been faithful to one another and will do so until death. This is a picture of a joy-filled marriage made possible by God’s grace.)

» Why do you think it is significant that the first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding? (Marriage is often the metaphor used throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, for God’s covenant love with His people, Israel. For example, Isaiah 54:5 says: “For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name.” The Catechism teaches: “The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church” [CCC 1661]. Jesus is the bridegroom and the Church His bride. In other words, the covenant of marriage is a sign of God’s faithful and steadfast love for each of us. Given that marriage is so important to God, it is fitting that Jesus would perform His first miracle by abundantly blessing a marriage feast. Jesus desires to be at the center of a marriage relationship and bless that union abundantly.)

» After his second divorce, a popular American entertainer had this to say about marriage in an interview on television: “Well if you have to work at it then maybe it’s not worth having...I have to work at everything else in my life. I have to work at my work. I just think a marriage should be easy, not hard.” How would you respond to that comment? (Marriage is a covenant, not a contract. Contracts can be terminated, covenants cannot. Contracts are about what we get. Covenants are about what we give. Giving is not easy but it becomes easier with practice. The easier it is for you to love, the more joy you will have. Marriage is worth the work. As with most things in life, the more you work, the better things become. Several studies have shown that more than 50 percent of couples who have divorced wished they had tried harder to make their marriages work.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 9 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The Catechism states that “sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes” (CCC 2351).

» Why do you think the Church teaches that for sex to be an act of true love it must be open to conceiving a child?

(True love imitates God—it is selfless and holds nothing back. Chastity in marriage is making sure that our sexual desires and sexual intimacy never become an act of selfishness—for example, guarding our eyes, ears, and minds from sexual impurity, making sure every sexual act is open to life, and treating one another’s bodies with respect. A man and woman love each other selflessly in sexual intimacy when they are open to God and receiving His gift of life [procreative] and affirming each other [unitive].) » Since the Church teaches that sex is designed by God to be within the covenant of marriage and ordered to bring children into the world, how does the Church help people with same-sex attraction? (The media has portrayed the Church as being anti-gay. This is a lie. The Church loves all people. The Church is a hospital for the sick, and we are all sick. Mother Teresa best represents the Church when she said she did not like the term “homosexuals.” She asked to refer to those with same-sex attraction as “friends of Jesus.” She understood their identity was not in their sexual attractions but in their dignity as children of God. She was the first to open hospices in countries around the world to care for those dying of AIDS. In addition, the Church has a ministry called Courage, which ministers to those with same-sex attraction and their families. We are all called to holiness. The sacraments offer the grace to be forgiven and the strength to be chaste.)

» A priest said: “While it is true that no one will ever call me daddy, thousands call me Father.” Why do we call priests “Father”? (We call him “Father” because we are his spiritual children. Just as God gives fathers the power to generate life, so God gives priests the power to generate eternal life. Every man is called by God to marriage. His bride is either a woman or the bride of Christ, the Church. The man is called to give himself selflessly to his bride in order to bring forth new life and bear fruit for the Kingdom of God. As a husband, he accepts children lovingly. As a priest, he brings forth thousands of spiritual children through his sacramental ministry.)

» A priest, as understood in Jewish tradition, is a “mediator between God and man.” However, the New Testament says: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” [1 Timothy 2:5]. Why does the Catholic Church still use the word “priest”? (Jesus offers Himself in the Mass as a sacrifice to the Father through the hands of the priest for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of souls. This is what is meant by “in persona Christi” [in the person of Christ]. In this sense, the priest is a mediator because he stands in for the one and only mediator, Jesus Christ. The Mass is not a new sacrifice of Christ but a participation of our Lord’s one sacrifice on Calvary.

We exercise our priesthood by offering ourselves with Christ. However, it is not just at Mass that we can offer our spiritual sacrifices. Every day we can unite our prayers, work, joys, and sufferings with Christ. St. Peter teaches how our priesthood is a sharing in Jesus’ eternal priesthood: “Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” [1 Peter 2:4-5].)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 3 minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders are sacraments at the service of communion. They are directed toward the salvation of others and the building up of the people of God. Jesus pleads with us in Luke 10:2: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” We will labor for the Lord in His harvest primarily through our vocation.

» How can you more seriously discern your vocation? Or, how can you more generously live out your vocation? (In addition to growing in your spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S., you can pray “The Courageous Prayer” every day. That prayer is: “Lord Jesus, give me the desire for the vocation You desire for me—whether that is the priesthood, consecrated life, or marriage—and give me the grace to respond to that desire generously.” For those in their vocation, they can pray: “Lord Jesus, help me to make my vocation the top priority of my day. Bring someone my way this day that needs Your love and the hope of the Gospel message.”)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: The challenge this week is to commit to praying the “The Courageous Prayer” every day. It is courageous because it involves trustful surrender to God’s will for your life. You’ll find it on your take- home sheet.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today by praying the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ prayer for the discernment of vocations.

PRAY: O God, Father of all mercies, Provider of a bountiful harvest, send Your graces upon those You have called to gather the fruits of Your labor; preserve and strengthen them in their lifelong service to You. Open the hearts of Your children that they may discern Your holy will; inspire in them a love and desire to surrender themselves to serving others in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Teach all Your faithful to follow their respective paths in life guided by Your divine Word and truth. Through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, all the angels, and saints, humbly hear our prayers and grant Your Church’s needs, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 6

® ®

A Catholic Moral Vision USER AGREEMENT

YDisciple® grants permission to Diocesan and Parish subscribers to modify materials to fit their unique leadership requirements, physical environment needs, locale, and format preferences. However, no changes may be made to the content of the materials. Great effort has been made to ensure authentic transmission of Catholic Church teaching, including several layers of theological review. To honor these efforts, we respectfully ask that no modifications be made to the teaching content of the YDisciple Studies or the Formation Sessions.

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org

Cover Photo Credit: St. Peter’s Square © Anshar/Shutterstock.com LIVING THE CREED: A CATHOLIC MORAL VISION SESSION OVERVIEW

The word morality is often viewed as something negative today. It is associated with “rules” that keep us from having too much fun. But that’s not the Catholic view of morality. For the Catholic Church, morality is all about the quest for happiness. In Catholic teaching, living a moral life means following the plan of the God who made us so that we can be fully alive. It means becoming all that God has created us to be.

So why does the world have such a different take on morality than the Catholic Church? Much of the world today holds to moral relativism: the idea that everyone can make up their own morality, that there isn’t really anything right or wrong, true or false—all that matters is that you follow what you believe.

One problem with moral relativism is that it is focused on self. Without a higher standard outside of ourselves calling us to generosity, perseverance, loyalty, and heroic sacrifice, we become trapped in self-interest. Instead of following God’s plan for our lives, we follow our own plan, making up our own ethics, which, instead of challenging us to give ourselves more in sacrificial love, often supports our own advantage, comfort, or pleasure.

In this week’s session, we learn that morality is simply following our Maker’s plan for our lives and in doing so, we become authentically whole and holy.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead group members in an activity about their identities, and then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: The Cardinal Virtues Scene 2: Achieving True Freedom Scene 3: Truth Matters Scene 4: Grace to Change

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, challenge group members to pray the “Litany of Humility” daily, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing, “Seven Deadly Sins—Seven Lively Virtues” by Bishop Robert Barron through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/seven-deadly-sins-seven-lively-virtues

CONNECT Activity

ALL IN A NAME

Distribute paper and pencils. Then explain the activity as follows:

SAY: Write your full name at the top of your paper with a dash at the end. After the dash, write a funny meaning for your name in 10 words or less. For example, it could read: John Michael Smith— the man with exceptionally bad taste in clothing.

Give the group time to write a funny meaning to their name, and then have each share it with the group.

SAY: Again, write your full name with a dash, but this time write a meaning for your name that is an accurate portrayal of your personality. For example, it could read: John Michael Smith—a fun guy who is committed to his friends.

Give the group time to write a meaning that reflects their personality, and then have each share it with the group.

SAY: Finally, write your full name with a dash, but this time write a heroic meaning to your name, something that you aspire to be. For example, it could read: John Michael Smith—a man whose character inspires the best out of others.

Give the group time to write a heroic meaning to their name, and then have each share it with the group.

introduction

SAY: Thanks for giving some thought about who you are and who you would like to become. In this session, we are going to be talking about becoming the hero of your own life. When we think of heroes we think of strength, bravery, and self-sacrifice. The Christian life calls us to nothing less, because living a moral life requires strength, bravery, and self-sacrifice. But, as we will discuss in this session, that is the path to true happiness. The Church calls moral strengths virtues. The virtuous life is to know the truth and to live it.

SAY: Let’s begin with a passage from Romans 7 and then share together a prayer from St. Augustine of Hippo.

Have someone read aloud Romans 7:15-25a.

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, “ in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” —Romans 7:15-25a

PRAY: Christ Jesus, Sweet Lord, why have I ever loved, why in my whole life have I ever desired anything except You, Jesus my God? Where was I when I was not in spirit with You? Now, from this time forth, do You, all my desires, grow hot, and flow out upon the Lord Jesus….O, Sweet Jesus, may every good feeling that is fitted for Your praise, love You, delight in You, adore You! God of my heart, and my Portion, Christ Jesus, may my heart faint away in spirit, and may You be my Life within me. Amen. —St. Augustine of Hippo

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Dr. Sri references the fresco paintings of the cardinal virtues by Raphael inside the Vatican museums. In them we see a beautiful vision of the Catholic moral life. To be virtuous is to live a joy-filled life.

The cardinal virtues are prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice. Prudence is to know what is true and good, temperance and fortitude is to have the self-control and courage to do what is true and good, and justice is giving to others what is true and good.

» Prudence is depicted as a woman with two faces—one face looking back and the other face looking into a mirror. There is a cupid, Hope, behind her holding a flaming torch. If prudence is “sound judgment,” how does this scene depict this virtue? (The face looking back is that of an older, bearded man, showing that wisdom is gained from life experience. The face looking into the mirror represents the “long, hard look” of self-examination and seeing the truth clearly in order to make good decisions. The flaming torch of hope is to know who we are called to be and the confidence that we can change with God’s grace. As St. Paul mentions in Romans 7:24-25 regarding his struggle to do what is right: “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”)

» Temperance, or self-control, is depicted as a lady pulling back the reins, not letting herself be enslaved by pleasure. She is guarding the cupid Faith, who is pointing at the sky with his right hand. How does this scene depict self-control? (The Catechism teaches: “Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable” [CCC 1809]. Faith motivates us to strengthen our will and gain mastery over our passions, because we know if we don’t they will pull us away from God. Faith is our response to Jesus, who says, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” [Matthew 6:20]. Perhaps that is why the cupid is pointing to heaven.)

» Fortitude, or courage, is depicted as a lady dressed like a soldier with a lion in her lap. She demonstrates her strength by pulling down an oak tree with the cupid Charity shaking its branch. How does this scene depict courage? (The Catechism teaches that fortitude “strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions” [CCC 1808]. In other words, fortitude is the courage to do what is right no matter the circumstances. First John 4:18 reads: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Perhaps this is why the cupid Charity is shaking the branch—to show that love takes courage.)

» Justice is depicted in two scenes, one showing ecclesiastical (Church) authority and the other civil authority. In each scene a book of law is being handed down from the person in authority—canon law from the Pope and civil law from the governor. How do these scenes depict the virtue of justice?

(In these two scenes we see justice toward God and justice toward men. The Catechism teaches that “justice toward God is called the ‘virtue of religion.’ Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good” [CCC 1807]. The law handed down is to govern our actions toward God and man. With prudence, temperance, and fortitude, we are able to be just toward God and others.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 6 minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Freedom is not simply a choice but an achievement that requires skills. For example, someone may value classical music but they will not have the freedom to play classical music if they have not acquired the skill to play an instrument. The skills needed in the moral life that brings true freedom are the virtues.

» Ron Garofalo is a three-time world champion powerlifter. He trains young men in the sport of powerlifting in his gym called Virtus, which is Latin for virtue. What is the relationship between strength and virtue? (The will is like a muscle. With training it can be strengthened. Without training, muscle can atrophy [waste away] and become weak. Virtue is strength of will, and vice is weakness of will. To strengthen a muscle you need to subject it to heavy weight. The resistance causes the muscle to respond and grow. In the moral life, the heavy weight is temptation and difficulty. Pushing through this resistance strengthens the will, and resisting temptation and pushing through difficulty becomes easier and easier. Doing what is right with relative ease is what brings freedom and happiness.)

» American novelist Mark Twain said: “It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” What is your interpretation of this quote? (Physical courage can be seen when someone does his or her duty and/or protects others despite danger of injury. It is admirable. However, it can take far greater courage to do what one knows to be right, which may result in misunderstanding, disapproval, and even ridicule. A person with moral courage is willing to make personal sacrifices in order to do what is right. Integrity is having the moral courage to do what is right when no one is watching.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 7 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: To make a good moral choice the intention must be good, the circumstances must be good, and the act itself must be good. This is why we may never perform evil to achieve a good. To make a bad moral choice is to sin. It contradicts God’s law and therefore contradicts what is good for us.

» Some people argue that cohabitation before marriage is a good decision. They say: “You don’t buy a car without test-driving it first.” How would you respond to that statement?

(It seems reasonable to think that “test-driving” a marriage will result in stronger marriages, but in fact the opposite has been true. Research has shown that cohabitation actually leads to higher divorce rates. God’s plan is that sexual intimacy be an act of total self-gift within the covenant of marriage. Without the wedding vows and commitment to each other for a lifetime, total self-gift is not possible. In other words, like all sin, cohabitation is disordered and is an example of why the ends cannot justify the means.)

» When husbands or wives say something that hurts their spouse, they need to apologize and reconcile. However, if husbands or wives commit adultery, more than an apology is required to heal the relationship. How does this example show the difference between mortal and venial sin? (The Catholic Church teaches that a mortal sin is grave, breaks our covenantal relationship with God, and deprives the soul of sanctifying grace. A venial sin weakens charity in the soul but does not break our covenant with God. Venial sins still need to be taken seriously and confessed or they will likely weaken the soul to the point of giving into mortal sin. Similarly, marriage is a covenantal relationship. Spouses can hurt one another in marriage but not rupture their relationship. They need to seek forgiveness with each other or their relationship will deteriorate and may eventually dissolve. Adultery, however, ruptures the covenantal relationship between husband and wife, as the trust between them is destroyed. It is one thing to hurt a relationship and another to destroy it. Mortal sin destroys our relationship with God. We can be forgiven, but there are always consequences to sin. The greater the sin, the greater the consequences. The Church calls the consequences of sin temporal punishment. In other words, we will need to be purified and healed from the attachments and damages that sin causes. Similarly, it will take much time to overcome the hurt and distrust that adultery causes.)

SAY: The Church calls us to perform corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. The Church also calls us to spiritual works of mercy: admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, and pray for the living and the dead. Mercy understood in this sense is having compassion for others and, if possible, alleviating their burdens.

» Why is helping someone to form their conscience in the truth a spiritual work of mercy? (The Catechism teaches: “The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings” [CCC 1783]. To instruct the ignorant and counsel the doubtful is to help form

® Copyright © 2015 Augustine Institute. All rights reserved. SESSION 6 LEADER GUIDE 7 LIVING THE CREED: A CATHOLIC MORAL VISION their conscience according to the truth so that the truth will set them free. If we fail to act according to God’s plan, whether we know it or not, we will suffer the consequences. This is why it is merciful and loving to share the truth with others.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 4½ minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Charles Dickens begins his novel David Copperfield with the sentence: “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.” St. Paul, however, makes it sound that it is impossible to be the hero of your own life. He writes to the Romans: “For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members” (Romans 7:22-23).

» How does the Good News of Jesus Christ reconcile these two statements? (Ephesians 2:8-10 reads: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” In other words, we can be the hero of our own lives by placing our faith in Jesus and cooperating with His grace in order to be set free from the “law of sin” and perform the good works God has prepared for us. With God’s grace, we can be heroes—strong, brave, and self-sacrificial.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: When something resonates with our hearts we should be mindful to take that to prayer, as that is generally how the Holy Spirit works. So I encourage you to take whatever touched your heart in this session into your prayer this week. In addition to prayer, how are your spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. coming along? Encourage your group to share how they have grown spiritually since your last meeting by practicing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. Ask them if there is any way you can help them in their commitment to developing spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. You can find the H.A.B.I.T.S. in the Leader Guide for Follow Me, Session 5: The Cost. After everyone has shared, follow up on last week’s commitments before discussing the new commitment.

SAY: St. Augustine said that humility is the foundation of all virtues. The challenge this week is to pray “The Litany of Humility” at the start of each day. You’ll find it on your take-home page.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today by praying “The Litany of Humility.”

PRAY: The Litany of Humility

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being loved... From the desire of being extolled... From the desire of being honored... From the desire of being praised... From the desire of being preferred to others... From the desire of being consulted... From the desire of being approved... From the fear of being humiliated... From the fear of being despised... From the fear of suffering rebukes... From the fear of being calumniated... From the fear of being forgotten... From the fear of being ridiculed... From the fear of being wronged... From the fear of being suspected...

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I... That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease... That others may be chosen and I set aside... That others may be praised and I unnoticed... That others may be preferred to me in everything... That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should… Amen.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 7

® ®

A Love that Lasts Discovering Authentic Love USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org

Cover Photo Credit: St. Peter’s Square © Anshar/Shutterstock.com LIVING THE CREED: DISCOVERING AUTHENTIC LOVE

SESSION OVERVIEW

In his Apostolic Exhortation, On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World (Familiaris Consortio), St. Pope John Paul II stated, “God created man in His own image and likeness: calling him to existence through love, He called him at the same time for love. God is love and in Himself He lives a mystery of personal loving communion. Creating the human race in His own image and continually keeping it in being, God inscribed in the humanity of man and woman the vocation, and thus the capacity and responsibility, of love and communion. Love is therefore the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being” (FC 11).

In the world’s view, love is often defined by the Greek word eros—the passionate love that seeks pleasure in the company of a beloved. This kind of love focuses on what we can get out of the relationship, particularly a romantic relationship. It’s about good feelings, emotion, and pleasure. It’s primarily about getting, not giving.

The kind of vocational love St. John Paul II talks about is called agape—a total, committed, and unconditional love that centers not on what we can get from the other person, but on what we can give. This kind of love mirrors the love of the Trinity and the love that God has for each one of us. It’s a selfless and self-sacrificing love. But in a divine paradox, the more we practice agape love, the more we give of ourselves to another, the more we discover the deep, lasting love our hearts desire. We will only find our fulfillment and happiness when we live total self-giving love in relationship with God and the people in our lives.

Pope Benedict XVI taught that eros and agape are not intrinsically opposed. If the passionate love of eros ascends to the sacrificial love of agape, eros and agape can become united in Jesus Christ, who loves us so much he gave up his life for us. Such a love then becomes “concern and care for the other,” a true self gift (Deus Caritas Est, 6, 10). For as the Catechism explains, “To love is to will the good of the other” (CCC 1766).

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity about Jesus’ influence in their lives; then introduce the topic, and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: Eros and Agape Scene 2: Self-Centered Love Scene 3: True Authentic Love Scene 4: Sincere Gift of Self

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, ask participants to commit to examining their relationships in prayer this week, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “Love or Lust?” by Jason and Crystalina Evert through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/confession#

CONNECT Activity

THE DIFFERENCE JESUS MAKES

Distribute paper and pencils. Give the following instructions:

SAY: I am going to share with you a list of eight things that might be important in your life right now. I’ll read it twice. The second time, I want you to write down the three things from the list that are most important to you right now.

1. Being accepted by my peers 2. Getting along with my family 3. Feeling good about myself 4. Dating 5. Going to heaven 6. Succeeding in school or work 7. Savings account 8. Discerning your vocation

» Of the three things you chose, how much influence does your relationship with Jesus have on these areas of your life? Does He have a direct influence, an indirect influence, or no influence at all?

» What would it look like for Jesus to have a direct influence in the most important areas of your life right now? Invite volunteers to share their thoughts.

introduction

SAY: Thank you for sharing how much Jesus impacts the most important areas of your life. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

In this session we will discuss the distorted view of love that the world offers and the authentic love that God calls us to. Allowing Jesus to have a direct influence in our relationships is to, as St. Paul writes, be transformed by the renewal of our minds so we can live in the will of God. opening prayer

SAY: Let’s begin prayer with a passage from 1 Corinthians 13 followed by “The Peace Prayer” from St. Francis of Assisi.

Have someone read aloud 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never “ ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” —1 Corinthians 13:4-8

PRAY:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, truth; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek; To be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

—Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 5 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Dr. Sri directs our attention to the ruins of the largest temple of Rome, the Temple of Venus and Roma. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, is associated with eros, which is Greek for a passionate, pleasure-seeking love. But true love is much more than eros. True love is self-sacrificial and wills the good of another. This kind of love in Greek is called agape. The Church described God’s love for humanity as agape. If a relationship is only eros, it will end in ruins like the Temple of Venus.

» I am going to read you lines from some popular love songs. See if you can determine what kind of love the song is speaking about: eros or agape.

“Romeo, save me, I’ve been feeling so alone. I keep waiting for you but you never come. Is this in my head? I don’t know what to think. He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said…” —“Love Story” by Taylor Swift “We are undercover passion on the run, chasing love up against the sun. We are strangers by day, lovers by night, knowing it’s so wrong, but feeling so right.” —“Part Time Lover” by Stevie Wonder “I just called to say I love you. I just called to say how much I care, I do. I just called to say I love you, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart. “ —“I Just Called to Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder

“Oh, what’s love got to do, got to do with it? What’s love but a second-hand emotion? What’s love got to do, got to do with it? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?” —“What’s Love Got to Do With It?” by Tina Turner ®

“I said I love you and that’s forever, and this I promise from my heart. I couldn’t love you any better—I love you just the way you are.” —“Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel “You’re asking me will my love grow, I don’t know, I don’t know. You stick around now it may show, I don’t know, I don’t know.” —“Something” by The Beatles “Love me tender, love me dear, tell me you are mine. I’ll be yours through all the years, till the end of time.” —“Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley “They say that time takes its toll on a body, makes the young girls brown hair turn grey. But honey, I don’t care, I ain’t in love with your hair. And if it all fell out, well, I’d love you anyway.” —“I’m Gonna Love You Forever” by Randy Travis “She said why don’t we both just sleep on it tonight, and I believe in the morning, you’ll begin to see the light. And then she kissed me, and I realized she probably was right—there must be fifty ways to leave your lover.” —“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon

» How has music, media, and the entertainment industry distorted the meaning of love? (You have heard the expression “sex sells.” Well, when it comes to music, media, and entertainment, “eros sells.” Rarely is agape love identified in music, movies, entertainment, and popular culture. Relationships are portrayed as emotional, sexual, and self-serving. Sex is portrayed as a passionate driving force, difficult to resist, and its purpose is more about recreation and self-satisfaction than expressing selfless love. It is a tragedy that too many people settle for a counterfeit when in reality they were made for agape love.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 3½ minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Despite her conscience pulling her in the direction of authentic love, Leah Darrow bought into the counterfeit love marketed in pop culture which snowballed into a series of unhealthy relationships.

» Leah’s boyfriend jokingly described his relationship with her as “leasing with the option to buy.” How is this a violation of her human dignity? (We lease things, not people. Eros without agape reduces a person to a thing. The Catechism teaches: “Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone” [CCC 357]. The Catechism also teaches that “respect for the human person considers the other ‘another self’” [CCC 1944]. As we want to be respected and treated with dignity, so we are called to treat others with respect and dignity.)

» Why do you think Leah gave permission to someone to use her in this way? (Leah said she got into “relationships that made her ashamed” because she lacked the strength to resist them. She failed to understand her dignity and demand that her dignity be respected. Unfortunately, her boyfriends were too weak to respect her when she did not respect herself. The worse she felt about herself, the more she desired to get back into a relationship and have someone give her attention.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 6 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Leah says her life began to change when Jesus touched her heart during a photo shoot when she was a professional model. Leah shares the details of this photo shoot in YDisciple: Follow Me: Session 4. She was scantily clad and in the bright lights of the flash photography when she had a vision of Jesus turning His gaze away from her. It was if Jesus was indicating that He couldn’t bear to watch her objectify herself. She walked out in the middle of the shoot and refused to be used anymore in the industry or in her relationships.

» It is a reality that “you can’t give what you don’t have.” How does this reality relate to the difficulties Leah experienced in her dating relationships?

(Leah mentions entering relationships based upon her needs and desires, which were negatively influenced by a worldly philosophy. 1 John 2:15-16 reads: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.” According to this verse, Leah’s love for the world deprived her of the love of the Father. Therefore, she did not have the authentic love of God to give in her relationships.)

» The first thing Leah did when she left the photo shoot was call her dad. Why is it significant that Leah’s father was instrumental in her rediscovering God’s authentic love for her? (Leah’s dad immediately jumped into his truck and drove 2,000 miles to be with his daughter in her crisis. Unlike the men she had been dating or the industry that only wanted to profit off her beauty, her dad would lay down his life to demonstrate his love for her. In this sense, he imitated Christ. But her dad did more than just imitate Christ; he brought Leah to a Catholic Church where she could be face to face with Jesus in the Sacrament of Penance. Leah describes this experience as being the first time in a long time that she “experienced true, authentic love.” This was the beginning of her new life in Christ. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” [2 Corinthians 5:17].)

SAY: Sadly, the worldly philosophy of dating prepares a couple more for divorce than for a lifelong, joy-filled marriage. St. Paul sets the standard for married love that dating couples and married couples should aspire to. He writes: “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord.…Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:21-22, 25).

» There is a popular saying that goes: “Behind every great man is a great woman!” How is this saying similar to what St. Paul is saying to the Ephesians? (Girlfriends have a powerful influence in bringing the best out of their boyfriends, just as wives have a powerful influence in bringing the best out of their husbands. As Christ loved the Church, so husbands are called to lay down their lives for their brides. A husband is called to love, provide for, protect, teach, and lead his family selflessly. This is made possible by God’s grace and through the love, respect, and encouragement of his wife. In fact, this is what he grows to love most about his wife. She helps him become more Christ-like.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: St. John writes: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16b). We, being made in the image and likeness of God, are made in the image and likeness of love. This is why, as St. Pope John Paul II wrote: “Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it” (The Redeemer of Man, 10).

» What do you think it means that “man cannot fully find himself, except through a sincere gift of himself? (Made in the image and likeness of God, we were made to love as God loves. In fact, we are to become like God and share in His life here and now and gloriously in heaven. As we grow in selfless love, by the grace of God, we discover more deeply the meaning of our existence. This is why we can never be fully satisfied with our life here on earth. We are ultimately made to abide in God forever in heaven.) » St. John writes: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). How does perfect love cast out fear? (Leah shared how her fear and insecurity was at the heart of her selfish desires. Fear is often the result of pain and difficulties experienced in life. The anecdote to fear is perfect love, and that perfect love is God. St. Paul writes to the Romans: “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship” [Romans 8:15]. In other words, when we surrender our lives to God and trust in Him, then fear will lose its grip on us and we will be able to make a sincere gift of ourselves in love.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: Dr. Sri invited us to examine our relationships and evaluate how much we are making a sincere gift of ourselves in those relationships. The challenge this week is to take a journal into your prayer time and have a conversation with Jesus about the people in your life. Ask Him to reveal to you the relationships in which you need to become more selfless. Have the courage to apologize to people in your life whom you have failed to love as God loves.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together with this prayer.

PRAY: God, my Father, may I love You in all things and above all things. May I reach the joy that You have prepared for me in Heaven. Nothing is good that is against Your will, and all that is good comes from Your hand. Place in my heart a desire to please You and fill my mind with thoughts of Your love, so that I may grow in Your wisdom and enjoy Your peace. Amen.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 8

® ®

A Love that Lasts God’s Plan for Sexuality USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org LIVING THE CREED: GOD’S PLAN FOR SEXUALITY

SESSION OVERVIEW

The Catholic view of human sexuality is that it is a great gift to humanity. It is part of God’s beautiful and transformative plan to bring a husband and wife into the deepest possible union within the Sacrament of Matrimony—when a man and woman unite their very selves in a total gift of self, a gift of self that is open to creating new life. In the Catholic view, all love, but especially marital love, is supposed to be self-giving, and the sexual embrace is when spouses give themselves totally to the other, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Sex is not just a physical act but the outward expression of what God means when he says that two shall become one.

The reality is that God wants to transform our lives—every aspect of our lives, including our sexuality—so that we can live the abundant life Jesus promised to his followers. That’s why the Church proclaims the truth about the proper use of our sexuality. The Church’s teachings on sexuality are intended to help us say “yes” to God’s plan for love so that our sexuality can become the great gift of self that it was created to be. Just as the banks of a river channel the water so that it can be a powerful force instead of a wasteful flood, so, too, the Church’s teaching on marriage and sex helps channel our sexuality into a life-giving, creative force that brings the love of Christ more into the world.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW 20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity, “Most Deprived”.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: The Power of Sex Scene 2: Marital Intimacy Scene 3: Babies and Bonding Scene 4: Disordered Sex Scene 5: Restoration

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, ask group members to commit to putting accountability software on their computers, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils » Skittles

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “The New Sexual Revolution” by Chris Stefanick through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-new-sexual-revolution#

CONNECT Activity

MOST DEPRIVED

Give everyone ten Skittles, but tell them not to eat them. Then explain the activity.

SAY: At one time or another, we all probably feel deprived. With this activity, you’ll each have the opportunity to prove you are the “most deprived” in the group. When it is your turn, tell the group something you have never done that you think everyone else has done. For example, you might say, “I’ve never been to the ocean.” Then everyone who has been to the ocean has to give you a Skittle. However, you have to pay a Skittle to everyone in the group who also has not been to the ocean. We will play a couple of rounds and see who ends up with the most Skittles. ®

introduction

SAY: You do not want to be the “most deprived” when it comes to authentic love. As St. John Paul II wrote in the Redeemer of Man: “Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it” [10].

If our relationships are healthy, they should not be deprived of love, respect, appreciation, and encouragement. In this session we will be discussing God’s plan for sexuality. In God’s plan, intercourse is not just a sexual act, but a profoundly personal act meant to draw couples into deeper union – authentic love. Outside of God’s plan, sexual activity hinders authentic love and wounds others. opening prayer

SAY: Let us begin by prayerfully reflecting on this scriptural passage from First John:

Have someone read 1 John 4:7-12.

“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we “ might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” —1 John 4:7-12

PRAY: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 5 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The Catechism teaches that “sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes” (CCC 2351). Unfortunately, the Church is often portrayed as being “out of touch” when insisting that sex is for creating babies and for bonding within a sacramental marriage. And yet, in our hyper-sexualized culture, it is obvious that something has gone seriously wrong.

» It has been said that sex is like atomic power. When used according to God’s plan, it creates massive amounts of energy…but when used contrary to God’s plan, it destroys. What are some examples that demonstrate this point? (Abortion, divorce, abuse, prostitution, human trafficking, rape, pornography, contraception, the objectification and exploitation of human beings…these are all serious consequences of using sex contrary to God’s plan. St. Pope John Paul II wrote: “The family is the center and the heart of the civilization of love” [Letter to Families, 13]. The misuse of sex destroys families and results in the moral decline of society.)

» The fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God means sex is more than a physical act. How so? (We have been created body and soul. It is the soul that gives the matter of the human body life, consciousness, and freedom. In philosophy we understand “image and likeness” to be our intellect and will. This means we have the ability to reason and the will to act according to reason. We are not purely instinctual and therefore sex is not purely instinctual. In theology, we understand that God is a communion of persons and an eternal exchange of love. Therefore, we are created in the image and likeness of love. The body expresses the soul. We are made to be loved and to love. For this reason, sex is a profoundly personal act meant to draw couples into deeper union.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 5½ minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The Church teaches that “chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom” (CCC 2339) and “self-mastery is a long and exacting work” (CCC 2342). The Church does not hide the fact that chastity is hard work, and warns that “the alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy” (CCC 2339).

» The word love is overused and trivialized today. What are some characteristics of love? (Love is a decision. Feelings are fleeting, while love always wills the good of the other—whether one feels like it or not. Jesus said that there is no greater expression of love than to lay down your life for another, thereby emphasizing the selfless and sacrificial aspect of love.)

» A marriage therapist said: “While many people are capable of having sex, only married couples are capable of making love!” How would you interpret this statement? (“Making love” implies that the sexual act is an expression of love and not a selfish act with someone who happens to give us pleasure. The therapist is implying in this statement that sex outside of the marital covenant is ultimately a selfish act. We are more than just our bodies. We have souls and our bodies express our souls. In holy matrimony, the mutual, lifelong, faithful commitment to love one another in good times and bad is expressed in sexual intercourse—our wedding vows made flesh.)

» Jason Evert says: “The problem with pre-marital sex and cohabitation is not that you are going too far, but that you are not going far enough.” What did he mean by this statement? (We have to consider the nature of sex: babies and bonding. This is why marriage is so important. It provides the mutual commitment and trust that allows for bonding and babies to flourish. Sex outside of marriage does not have the mutual commitment and trust for bonding and babies to flourish. It doesn’t go far enough! In fact, once sexual activity enters a relationship, it actually has a way of preventing bonding because the physical activity quickly becomes the priority, and communication, emotional bonding, and spiritual bonding fall off.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 9 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The word contraception means “against conception.” It is the deliberate prevention of conception. In the 1960s, the birth control pill, an oral contraceptive, was invented and was considered by many to be a miracle for mankind. As oral contraceptives were gaining in popularity, Pope Paul VI issued an encyclical in 1968 titled Humanae Vitae (On Human Life). This reaffirmed the Catholic teaching against contraception and predicted that the promises of contraception would turn out to be false.

» Contraception was supposed to make marriages better, but from 1965 to 1975 the divorce rate doubled. Why do you think that is?

(Couples waited to have children and they had fewer children. Children help parents to grow in virtue, as a couple realizes that it is no longer just about them—they are now responsible for the care and formation of their child. This has a powerful impact in bonding a couple. They are more willing to work through their problems when they have children. Secondly, the divorce rate doubled because contraception made adultery more tempting as it removed the consequences of a child out of wedlock. Thirdly, with fewer children and more women working, women did not necessarily need a man’s income. In addition, most adulterous affairs begin in the workplace. Finally, contraception has led to more premarital sex and unmarried couples living together [cohabitation], which has been shown to increase the chances of divorce, unwanted pregnancies, and abortion.)

» Humanae Vitae predicted that contraception would lead to an increased disregard for women’s well-being. There has been an explosion of pornography and an increase in the sexual abuse of women, and 60 percent of the poor in the United States are single women with children. How would contraception have contributed to these problems? (A woman’s fertility is a remarkable gift from God. The fact that she is able to conceive a child within her womb [with the help of a man], allow that baby to develop and grow within her womb, and then deliver that baby into the world inspires awe and respect. Before contraception, men had to seriously consider the reality of pregnancy before having sex. Contraception and abortion have removed this reality and respect of a woman’s fertility. In fact, contraception treats a woman’s fertility like a disease. This loss of respect has led to the objectification of a woman’s body. When a woman is reduced to an object, she will be used, abused, and discarded.)

» Humanae Vitae predicted that the availability of contraception would lead governments to force it upon their citizens. The one-child policy in China is one example. Another example is the United Nations’ economic aid programs to poorer countries, where they will not provide aid if these poorer countries do not implement population control programs that include contraceptives, sterilizations, and access to abortion. How do these programs violate the dignity of the human person? (These efforts to control “breeding” are treating human beings like animals. In the United States, the Court recognizes that the fundamental right to procreate is protected by our Constitution. Despite this, the United States is a key backer of the United Nations’ population control programs.)

» Humanae Vitae predicted that contraception would lead to treating the human body as if it were a machine. What might be some examples of treating the human body like a machine? (Thinking we can turn fertility “on” and “off” without any consequences, surrogate motherhood, in vitro fertilization, designing children by purchasing sperm and eggs from people who have desired traits, implanting embryos in order to have multiple children at a time, producing embryos for research, harvesting aborted baby body parts for research.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the fourth video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The Catechism teaches that pornography “offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other” (CCC 2354). In addition, the Catechism teaches that “the deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose” (CCC 2352), and therefore masturbation is “an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.”

» Why does pornography make a man less of a man and a woman less of a woman? (To be virtuous is to be strong and to offer that strength for others. Pornography trains men and women to objectify people for personal pleasure, and it becomes very addictive. This is weakness. The Church teaches that “chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom” [CCC 2339] and “self-mastery is a long and exacting work” [CCC 2342]. Real men and women work hard to achieve self-mastery and freedom so that they can love authentically.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 5.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. 5 At the end of the segment, discuss.

» How does the interaction between the woman caught in adultery and Jesus in John 8 point us to the Sacrament of Penance? (Jesus meets us in the Sacrament of Penance through the priest. He is there to hear our confession and offer us mercy and forgiveness. He asks us to do a penance as an act of love to rectify the wrong that has been done and to convict us to live differently. The central aspect of the Christian life is to be transformed by God’s grace. He desires to make us holy, and deep down our desire is to be holy—healed and whole.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: 1Peter 5:8 says: “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” A common way the devil prowls and devours is through the Internet. The challenge this week is to set up boundaries to protect you when you are on the computer. Commit to putting accountability software on your computer. Check out fortifyprogram.org or covenanteyes.com.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today with the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Read aloud the following passage together. It is also on the Participant Sheet.

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 9

® ®

Catholic Social Teaching Building a Civilization of Love USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org LIVING THE CREED: BUILDING A CIVILIZATION OF LOVE

SESSION OVERVIEW

Have you ever heard the expression “Actions speak louder than words”? Christians have believed that since the very beginning. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read how Jesus’ disciples served the poor, aided the sick, tended to the widows and orphans, confronted the evils of the day, and generally went about building a civilization of love. Then, as the faith spread and became more accepted, people began to reflect more on the reasons behind their actions and discuss what it is that makes Christian living so different from the rest of the world. Over the next 2,000 years, this combination of practical action and contemplation has formed the basis of what is called Catholic social teaching. This tradition has much to offer the world today as it faces a wide range of social, economic, and cultural issues such as abortion, poverty, immigration, healthcare, and marriage in the family. Catholic social teaching affects the way we act every day in our families, our places of work, our communities, and ultimately in the entire world. What’s more, Catholic social teaching it isn’t just for Catholics. It embodies Christ’s message to serve and is meant for the entire world. It is the love of neighbor in concrete action, united to build a civilization of love.

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW

20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity in which they identify ways they see Jesus in each other. Then open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss video segments. Scene 1: Generous Saints Scene 2: Catholic Social Living Scene 3: Justice and Peace Scene 4: Encountering Others

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, ask group members to commit to plan and carry out an act of service, and close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » In this session we are introduced to St. Katherine Drexel. Consider watching a segment about St. Katherine Drexel from Catholicism Session 8: “A Vast Company of Witnesses.” The segment starts at 5:27 and ends at the 15-minute mark. Catholicism can be accessed through Formed.org. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “Encountering the Poor: Biblical Roots for Catholic Social Teaching” by Dr. Tim Gray through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/encountering-the-poor-biblical-roots-for-catholic-social- teaching

CONNECT Activity

HOT SEAT—I SEE JESUS IN YOU

Have participants bring their chairs to sit in a circle. Put an extra chair in the middle.

SAY: Let’s start with a variation on the “Hot Seat” activity, where we ask one person questions for 3 minutes. But today, instead of asking someone questions, we are going to compliment the person on how we see Jesus in them. Everyone will have the opportunity to be in the hot seat. Your compliment can come from the following list (which is also on the Participant Sheet): JESUS THE HEALER: Your genuine interest and compassion for others helps them to know they are loved and gives them hope. JESUS THE SACRIFICE: You are willing to give up everything for God. JESUS THE PREACHER: You are not afraid to share your faith with others. JESUS THE REBEL: You have the courage to go against the flow and not give into peer pressure. JESUS THE CRITIC: You have the courage to say what needs to be said, even when it is not politically correct. JESUS THE SERVANT: You would give the shirt off your back for others. JESUS THE LEADER: You inspire others to imitate you in following Jesus. JESUS THE TEACHER: You have the gift of explaining the things of God and His plan for our lives. JESUS THE RECONCILER: You bring peace into relationships and situations.

introduction

SAY: To become like Jesus is at the heart of discipleship. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and made it clear to them that they should imitate His example. In other words, Jesus calls us to humility and service to one another. This is the focus of the social teaching of the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “The principle of solidarity, also articulated in terms of ‘friendship’ or ‘social charity,’ is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood” (CCC 1939). ®

opening prayer

SAY: Let us begin by prayerfully reflecting on this scriptural passage from the Gospel of John.

Have someone read John 13:3-17.

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe “ them with the towel with which he was girded. He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘You are not all clean.’ When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’” —John 13:3-17

PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of our lives. Help us to be good stewards and to recognize everything we have been given by You. Lord Jesus, we ask for the grace to love You as we serve the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Forgive us for the times we fail to reach out and help those in need. Holy Spirit, we invite You to transform us to be more Christ-like and to multiply our humble efforts to advance the Kingdom of God. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 4 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Jesus said that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). If we are not careful, our possessions can possess us! This is what is particularly inspiring about saints like St. Gregory the Great, St. Francis, St. Louis, St. Thomas More, and St. Katharine Drexel. Their love for God and His Kingdom allowed them to be detached from their wealth.

» St. Gregory the Great believed that his generosity to those in need was giving them what was theirs and not his own. Why did he believe his wealth was theirs? (Everything we have is a gift from God—our lives, our health, our family, our talents, our opportunities, and our possessions. St. Gregory recognized he would not have had his wealth if God had not given it to him. Jesus made it clear that those who are blessed with wealth have an obligation to help those who are in need. In the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, the rich man was damned for failing to meet the need of the poor man, Lazarus, who laid at his gate [Luke 16:19-31]. In Jesus’ description of the Last Judgment He says to the damned: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me” [Matthew 25:45]. Therefore, St. Gregory recognized his wealth was theirs because it really wasn’t his to begin with.)

SAY: As an heiress to a fortune, St. Katharine Drexel could have had a comfortable, luxurious lifestyle. Instead, she used her fortune to start schools for Native Americans and African Americans and founded a religious community to serve them. She wrote: “If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them.”

» St. Katharine Drexel witnessed with her life that joy is found in what you give and not in what you have. Why do you think true joy is found in generosity and service? (Jesus says in John 15:11: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Service to God and others puts our own preferences second. Selflessness brings great freedom, peace, and joy because it allows God’s love to flow more easily through us.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 6 minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Dr. Jonathan Reyes said that before there was a defined “Catholic Social Teaching,” the Church was already living it. From the very beginning, the Church cared for the poor, the sick, and the abandoned. The Church created the education system and the health care system, and has fed, clothed, and housed more people than any other group or institution in history.

» How does this statement embody Catholic social teaching: “To know Jesus is to want to make Him known”? (Jesus said: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you” [John 13:34]. Jesus raised the bar from “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” [Matthew 22:39]. It is difficult to love ourselves until we understand and experience the depth of God’s love for us. The reality is that the more we know and love Jesus, the more we know and love ourselves. And the more we know and love ourselves, the more we are able to love others. The love of Jesus within us is the reason and inspiration we love and serve others. The Church will serve more heroically and be able to meet more needs in the world when more Catholics grow in intimacy with Jesus. This intimacy is cultivated in prayer, the sacraments, and study.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 5½ minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: In 1979, a short and humble woman dressed in a white sari and sandals was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work on behalf of the poor, the sick, and the dying in the slums of Calcutta. St. Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa in 2003 and in his homily described her as “one of the most relevant personalities of our age”…“an icon of the Good Samaritan,” whose life was “a bold proclamation of the gospel.”

» In our age very few people would take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and dedicate their lives to service of the poorest of the poor. Why then did St. Pope John Paul II say Blessed Teresa of Calcutta is “one of the most relevant personalities of our age”?

(Mother Teresa was respected and loved throughout the world. Her religious community, the Missionaries of Charity, grew to 4,500 sisters serving in 133 countries. While her life may have seemed too radical to the average person, her witness challenged and inspired the world to love more. She wrote: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” God made us to love and be loved. In this sense, Mother Teresa was relevant because she helped us identify with the fundamental meaning of our lives.)

» Blessed Teresa is quoted as saying: “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” How can we achieve world peace by loving our family? (The United Nations recognizes the family as the basic unit of society. The Catechism teaches: “The family is the original cell of social life. It is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love and in the gift of life. Authority, stability, and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security, and fraternity within society. The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom. Family life is an initiation into life in society” [CCC 2207]. The family is essential to Jesus’ work of salvation in the world because the family is meant to reflect the love and life within the Blessed Trinity. Every human being is called to this blessed life in heaven. However, “without love the family cannot live, grow and perfect itself as a community of persons” [Familiaris Consortio, 18]. The breakdown of the family has had devastating effects on society. In fact, problems in family life is the number one reason Catholics leave the Church. If there is no peace in the family, there is no peace in society.)

» What is your understanding of the definition of justice? (The Catechism teaches: “Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor” [CCC 1807]. In other words, the just person does not ignore their responsibility to love God and love others. They recognize the dignity of the human person and treat them according to that dignity.)

SAY: Pope Francis wrote in his book On Heaven and Earth: “The moral problem of abortion is pre- religious in nature because the genetic code of a person happens at the moment of conception. A human being is already there. I separate the topic of abortion from any religious concept. It is a scientific problem. To not let the development continue of a being who already has all of the genetic code of a human being is not ethical. The right to life is the first of human rights.”

» Why do you think Pope Francis is making an argument against abortion from science and not religion? (Many have tried to frame the issue of abortion as a religious issue and not an ethical issue. If it is a religious issue, it can be dismissed as the “beliefs of some that should not be imposed upon others.” However, the right to life is not just a religious issue but an ethical issue. Ethics are well-founded standards of right and wrong that apply to both religious people and nonreligious people. Pope Francis, who has a masters degree in chemistry, points out that science has proven that life begins at conception and therefore the right-to-life ethic should apply to a newly conceived human being.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the fourth video segment. The video will last about 3 minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Pope Francis has repeatedly used a word in his writings and speeches to the Church. That word is “encounter.” When he was Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he lived in a simple apartment and rode the bus to work. His simplicity and humility created the opportunity for him to be more present to people, to “encounter” them. Through his attentive listening, encouragement, and charity, people would encounter the love of Jesus and be more drawn to God.

» How is “encounter” at the heart of social justice? (St. Paul writes to the Philippians: “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves” [Philippians 2:3]. When we put others first, then we are more present to them. Too often in our daily lives we forget that the people around us have immortal souls that God desires to be with Him forever. Our smartphones, our televisions, our music, our cars, our clothing, etc. are not immortal, and yet we often put our things and our own interests before others. We often choose comfort in things over the joy we experience from encountering others.)

» What is one thing you can do this week to be more present to others?

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: Your commitment this week is to plan and carry out an act of service. Who is someone in your life that most needs an “encounter” with you?

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today with the Justice Prayer.

PRAY: Come, O Holy Spirit! Come, open us to the wonder, beauty, and dignity of the diversity found in each culture, in each face, and in each experience we have of the other among us. Come, fill us with generosity as we are challenged to let go and allow others to share with us the goods and beauty of earth. Come, heal the divisions that keep us from seeing the face of Christ in all men, women, and children. Come, free us to stand with and for those who must leave their own lands in order to find work, security, and welcome in a new land, one that has enough to share. Come, bring us understanding, inspiration, wisdom, and the courage needed to embrace change and stay on the journey. Come, O Holy Spirit, show us the way. —from Prayers and Devotions on usccb.org

® L LIVING THE CREED LEADER GUIDE SESSION 10

® ®

Catholic Social Teaching Protecting the Dignity of the Human Person USER AGREEMENT

Nihil obstat: Currently Under Review Imprimatur: Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver

Augustine Institute 6160 South Syracuse Way, Suite 310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Information: 303-937-4420 Formed.org augustineinstitute.org LIVING THE CREED: PROTECTING THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

SESSION OVERVIEW

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain’s question to God after the murder of his brother Abel often echoes in our own hearts. Am I the keeper of the addict on the street? The unwed mother? The homeless veteran on the corner? The widow on my block? The elderly in the nursing home? The Gospel tells us, “Yes, we are responsible for them; we are responsible for all in need. We are our brother’s keeper because we are all part of the one human family.”

This solidarity with every other person lies at the heart of Catholic social teaching. Despite our modern individualistic attitude and general indifference to the plights of those who are suffering, the Church tells us that we have the responsibility to carry on Jesus’ mission—which involves serving the sick, the poor, and the needy, and defending the dignity of all human life from conception to natural death. In fact, how we treat the “least of these” will be the ultimate standard by which we are judged at the end of our lives, for Jesus tells us whatever we do to the poor and needy, we do to him.

The bottom line of Catholic social teaching is that when we encounter those in need, we encounter the Lord himself. That’s why Catholic social teaching isn’t just for Catholics; it’s for the entire world. It is a way to think about and act on the issues that face all of us in order to bring about a greater flourishing and happiness of every human person. It’s a way to help all people live in accord with basic human dignity and to bring about true and lasting peace in the world. As Pope Paul VI said, “If you want peace, work for justice.”

SESSION SNAPSHOt

TIME SECTION SECTION OVERVIEW

20 minutes CONNECT Lead your group in an activity in which they each rate how well they love; then introduce the topic and open in prayer.

50 minutes DISCUSS Watch and discuss these video segments: Scene 1: You Did It To Me Scene 2: The Family of God Scene 3: Hope for the World Scene 4: Salt and Light Scene 5: Our Brother’s Keeper

20 minutes COMMIT Review the key points, ask participants to commit to praying peacefully outside an abortion clinic, and then close in prayer.

Supplies needed prepare in advance

» Media device to show video segments » Have snacks ready. » Bibles » Create a welcoming environment. » Participant Sheets » Paper and pencils

leader tips

» We often include possible responses and material from the Catechism after the discussion questions to help you facilitate the conversation. It is best to let group members respond first and share the concepts in parentheses only as needed. » In this session we discuss the generous life of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Consider watching a segment about Mother Teresa from Catholicism Session 8: “A Vast Company of Witnesses.” The segment starts at 42:55 and ends at 53:14. Catholicism can be accessed through Formed.org. » To understand this topic more deeply, consider purchasing “The New Conversation: Changing Hearts and Minds on Abortion” by Stephanie Gray through Lighthouse Catholic Media.

lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-new-conversation-changing-hearts-minds- on-abortion

CONNECT Activity

HOW’S YOUR LOVE LIFE?

Distribute paper and pens or pencils. Then explain the activity.

SAY: In this activity we are going to be honest about our love lives. I am not talking about romantic love, but rather the standard of love that St. Paul sets before us in 1 Corinthians 13. When I read the 15 characteristics of love from this chapter, I want you to give yourself an evaluation on a scale of 1–10 for each characteristic. After I read a characteristic, write down a word and number. For example, love is patient. You will write down “patient” and give yourself a number based upon how patient you think you are, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.

LOVE IS PATIENT: I don’t get irritated and take out my frustrations on others. I pray for those who frustrate me. LOVE IS KIND: I smile, share encouraging words, and do thoughtful things for others. LOVE DOES NOT ENVY: I do not resent but rather celebrate others’ gifts, abilities, and blessings. LOVE DOES NOT BOAST: I don’t feel the need to talk about myself or be the center of attention. LOVE IS NOT PROUD: I don’t think of myself as better than others. LOVE IS NOT RUDE: I don’t make cutting remarks or crude comments when I don’t get my way, nor do I give the silent treatment. LOVE IS NOT SELF-SEEKING: I put others before myself and give them emotional and spiritual support. LOVE IS NOT EASILY ANGERED: I am not easily provoked to anger, and I do not retaliate. LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS: I don’t keep track of the number of times someone has wronged me, and I don’t bring it up with them when we have a conflict. LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL: I am loving and accepting while not approving of sinful behavior. LOVE REJOICES IN THE TRUTH: I conform my life to the truth and share the truth in love with others, even when it might be difficult.

LOVE ALWAYS PROTECTS: I stand in the breach for others, protecting their purity and well-being. LOVE ALWAYS TRUSTS: My faith and security in God’s love frees me to risk and trust others. LOVE ALWAYS HOPES: I expect the best and try to bring the best out of others. With Jesus there is always hope. LOVE ALWAYS PERSEVERES: I know I will let myself down and people will let me down, but I will not give up on myself or others. As a result of this exercise, what are some characteristics of love that you would like to focus on as an area for growth? James 2:17 reads: “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” Why are works the evidence of a living faith?

introduction

SAY: Thank you for being honest in your assessment on how well you love. Mother Teresa said: “I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, He will not ask, ‘How many good things have you done in your life?’ Rather He will ask, ‘How much love did you put into what you did?’”

We will be judged on how well we loved. The good news is this: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). Jesus promises us that if we ask Him for the grace to love as He loves, it will be given to us. So, be encouraged. God is patient with us and at every moment gives us the grace to grow in selfless love.

opening prayer

SAY: Let us begin by prayerfully reflecting on this scriptural passage from the Gospel of Matthew and then praying The Prayer for Life.

Have someone read Matthew 25:31-46.

“When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right “ hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” —Matthew 25:31-46

PRAY: Father and Maker of all, You adorn all creation with splendor and beauty, and fashion human lives in Your image and likeness. Awaken in every heart reverence for the work of Your hands, and renew among Your people a readiness to nurture and sustain Your precious gift of life. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen. —from Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers at usccb.org

DISCUSS

SAY: Let’s watch the first scene of this session.

Watch the first video segment. The video will last about 6 minutes. 1 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was overwhelmed by the extreme poverty she saw in Calcutta and was moved to do something about it because she saw Jesus in the poor. There are approximately 200 million “untouchables” in India who are viewed as less than human according to Hinduism because they were born into a lower caste. They are subjected to a number of human rights abuses and considered “untouchable” because they are considered impure and deserving of their state in life due to karma—how they lived in a previous life.

» Why is an “untouchable” class of people contrary to Catholic social teaching? (The Catechism teaches: “Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity” [CCC 1934]. Every human being is soul and body, every human being is unique, and every human being is irreplaceable.) » What would you say to someone who criticizes the work of Blessed Teresa Missionaries of Charity in India as proselytizing Hindus? (There is no question that Blessed Teresa believed that Jesus is the way, truth, and life for every human being and that He established the Catholic Church for the salvation of souls. And it is true that Hindus were converted to Christianity and many of the dying were baptized with their consent. However, Blessed Teresa was motivated by love and not by some quota for converts. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI clarifies the difference between evangelization and proselytism: “Charity, furthermore, cannot be used as a means of engaging in what is nowadays considered proselytism. Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends. But this does not mean that charitable activity must somehow leave God and Christ aside.” [Deus Caritas Est, 31]. In other words, Christianity is always an invitation and never coerced. As the hymn goes: “They will know we are Christians by our love.”)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 2.

Watch the second video segment. The video will last about 6½ minutes. 2 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “No one is without a family in this world: the Church is a home and family for everyone, especially those who ‘labor and are heavy laden” (CCC 1658).

» How is this statement a good summary of Catholic social teaching? (The Catholic Church defends the dignity of every human person and works to create environments where every human being is known, loved, cared for, and can flourish. The Church is the family of God, and it is the responsibility of all baptized Catholics to both share in the life and love of this family and invite all people into the life and love of this family. Social justice is the extension of the family of God to all people, especially those who are “heavy laden.” John 3:16 reads: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Therefore, the Catholic Church so loves the world and brings the truth and grace of Jesus to the world.) ®

» A woman said to her Catholic friend, “I find it hard to believe that the Church is Christ’s Body when I see how some Catholics act.” Her friend replied, “I felt the same way until I realized I shouldn’t blame Mozart because of how some musicians play his music.” What do you think she meant by that statement? (The Church has both a divine dimension and a human dimension. The Church would have never lasted 2,000 years if it did not have this divine element. Why? Because the human dimension of the Church will always struggle with sin. This includes not only its membership but its leadership as well. However, that does not change the fact that the Holy Spirit gives us divine life in the sacraments and prevents the Church from teaching error regarding faith and the moral life. God gives us the grace to grow in holiness but will not force holiness upon us. He requires our cooperation. The more Catholics sincerely pursue holiness, the greater the Church’s impact will be on the world.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 3.

Watch the third video segment. The video will last about 7 minutes. 3 At the end of the segment, discuss.

SAY: One Sunday morning, an elderly African chief was present at Mass when he began to cry. He was remembering images from his childhood, when he would watch warriors from his own Ngoni tribe wash blood from their spears and bodies after fighting warriors from the Senga and Tumbuka tribes. The reason that he was overwhelmed with emotion was that at this particular Mass there were members of all three tribes worshipping together. That morning, at the celebration of the Eucharist, the old chief understood as never before what the Church was all about: God’s plan for the human race.

» How does this story demonstrate that the Church is one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic?

(ONE: Jesus united these tribes in His Church. It is the mission of the Church to reconcile God to man and man to one another. This brings about our unity. We are one in that we are all God’s beloved sons and daughters. As St. Paul says: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” [Galatians 3:28]. We are one in our belief and worship. HOLY: God’s grace empowered these tribes to love their enemies. Sin divides us. The Church gives us the grace to overcome sin and grow in holiness. The grace of God gives us the power to love our enemies. CATHOLIC: Catholic missionaries brought the faith to Africa, which brought about this reconciliation. Catholic means “universal” and the Church is universal—the hope for the world. Jesus has asked us to share this hope, to “go and make disciples of all nations” [Matthew 28:19]. APOSTOLIC: Jesus handed His teaching and ministry on to the Apostles, and the Apostles to their successors. He gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit, who would guide them in teaching the truth (John 16:13) and give them the power to forgive sins (John 20:23). The bishops are the successors of the Apostles, and the Church in Africa is governed by the Bishops of Africa. The Church could not be one, holy, or catholic if it were not apostolic.)

» Since the first century, the Catholic Church has taught that abortion is a moral evil and is an act of violence against an unborn child and the mother. Why is it important to view a pregnant mother as two lives with equal dignity? (The Catechism teaches: “Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God” [CCC 2319]. The life of the unborn child and the life of the mother are sacred. Abortion rights activists often criticize pro-life activists of being anti-woman. However, it is illogical to think that those who recognize the sacredness of human life in the unborn child would fail to recognize the sacredness of human life in the mother. In reality, abortion exploits and harms women.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 4.

Watch the fourth video segment. The video will last about 5½ minutes. 4 At the end of the segment, discuss.

» In the 20th century, Communist atheist governments were responsible for killing, by some estimates, up to 100 million people. What could have possibly motivated these leaders to commit such atrocities? (Atheism does not provide an understanding of the sanctity of human life nor the universal right to life based upon the dignity of the human person. If there is no God then we were not created in His image and likeness. Therefore, Communist leaders justified mass murders for what they believed to be the greater good—a powerful and united country.)

» What is the responsibility of Catholics when confronted with political and economic problems? (“Responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation” [Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, USCCB]. Catholics are obliged to fulfill Jesus’ command of being “salt of the earth” and a “light to the nations” [Matthew 5:13-14]. We must do all we can to defend the dignity of the human person and promote the common good. In other words, we need to take our Catholic faith into the voting booth and into the public square. St. Pope John Paul II is a powerful example of working toward justice under unjust political and economic systems. As a young man in Nazi occupied Poland, he secretly studied for the priesthood and founded an underground theater while the Nazis were attempting to destroy the Church and eliminate the cultural identity of Poland. As Holy Father, his visits to Poland drew millions of people and gave them courage as a community while the Communists were attempting to atomize the Poles and keep them apart from one another and afraid. His influence was key to the fall of Communism.)

SAY: Let’s continue with Scene 5.

Watch the final video segment. The video will last about 4½ minutes. 5 At the end of the segment, discuss.

» How does the Catholic view of rights and responsibilities differ from the world’s view? (The Catholic view is that human dignity is protected when basic human rights are protected. This begins with a fundamental right to life and protection for that life from conception to natural death. In addition to basic human rights, the Catholic view is that we all have basic responsibilities to our families, our communities, and all of society. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI warned world leaders that selfish individuals were deliberately abusing the Human Rights Act to get what they want without any thought given to the common good. Pope Francis has said numerous times that religious liberty is a fundamental human right that is under attack. For example, as Church teaching conflicts with the emergence of so called “sexual and reproductive rights,” there is increasing pressure in society to silence people of faith. The Church views these rights to be in conflict with our responsibility to the family, which is the fundamental unit of human society, where we learn to live and love and grow in virtue and become complete human persons.)

COMMIT Activity

TAKE-AWAY

SAY: I am going to go around the circle, starting with the person on my right, and I’d like each of us to share something we remember that this person said tonight.

Take a minute and go around the group, asking everyone to share briefly. Then continue.

Give everyone time to share, and then continue.

SAY: Your commitment this week is to schedule an hour to pray peacefully outside of an abortion clinic. Prayer works and saves lives! If you are not near an abortion clinic, pray a holy hour before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for an end to abortion.

CLOSING PRAYER

SAY: Let’s close our time together today by praying Psalm 139:1-4, 13-16.

PRAY: Lord, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, Lord, you know it all….You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know. My bones are not hidden from you. When I was being made in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw me unformed; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be.