A Collection of Spiritual Reflections for Young People ISSUE 4
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PEACE OUT A Collection of Spiritual Reflections for Young People ISSUE 4 WWW.VINNIES.ORG.AU Introduction This Collection of Spiritual Each reflection is based around Reflections is a resource for Vinnies a theme and contains a reading Young Adult members, groups, and some discussion questions or conferences and volunteers. It activities based around that theme. is also for teachers to share with members of St Vincent de Paul We hope you find this Collection of Conferences, Social Justice Groups Spiritual Reflections a useful resource or Religious Education classes and that you take the opportunity within their schools. to allow yourself and your group or students some ‘time out.’ These reflections have been prepared for young people to take some time If you would like a version of this out to reflect on different areas of life publication that would reproduce well and look at them from a Christian and on a photocopier, please visit www. particularly, a Vincentian viewpoint. vinnies.org.au/youth-resources-nsw. Peace Out Issue 4 A Collection of Spiritual Reflections for Young People St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Youth and Young Adults For more information: [email protected] or go to www.vinnies.org.au The spiritual reflections in this resource have been written and/or compiled by the following Vinnies Youth members and staff: Damien Fewtrell, Jeannine Ashton, Penelope Foster, Bernadette Novotny, Claire Pentecost, Peter Figg, Rebecca Bromhead, Julie Simpson and Jo-Anne O’Brien. ABN: 46 472 591 335 2 Contents Embracing Imperfection ................. 4 Our Mission The inestimable worth of The St Vincent de Paul Society each human being .......................... 5 is a lay Catholic organisation Searching for oneself ...................... 5 that aspires to live the Gospel message by serving Christ in Parable of the Mustard Seed ......... 8 the poor with love, respect, The Good Samaritan ....................... 9 justice, hope and joy and by working to shape a more just A prayer by Michael Leunig .......... 10 and compassionate society. The Gift of Hope ............................ 10 Our Vision The Starfish Story ......................... 11 The St Vincent de Paul Society A love letter from Jesus ................ 12 aspires to be recognized as a Poem Reflection ............................ 13 caring Catholic charity offering ‘a hand up’ to people in need. Christmas presence ...................... 14 We do this by respecting their Consumerism ................................ 15 dignity, sharing our hope and encouraging them to take The Widow’s Offering ................... 15 control of their own destiny. Learning empathy from Dreaming: Rock and Tree ............................... 16 Four Candles ................................. 18 Materialism .................................... 19 What is Service… .......................... 20 St Vincent de Paul’s Spiritual Way ................................. 21 Litany of Remembrance ............... 22 PEACE OUT St Vincent de Paul Society 3 Embracing Imperfection BEING HUmAN ISN’t ABOUt BEING pERfEct My name is Sophie, I am 18 and I have a facial paralysis called Moebius Syndrome. I was born with this syndrome and have had many years of people staring at me and making cruel and nasty comments because of the way I look. Over the years, I have had to overcome many barriers because so many people think that because you look different to the way society says you should look, they treat you differently and unfairly. Society has become really stereotypical in making us feel like that we have to look a certain way, feel a certain way when in actual fact we are all imperfect. None of us are physically perfect; none of us are emotionally perfect. We all have flaws, we all have set backs and I think that for me, being physically imperfect having Moebius has helped me realise that I have to accept my flaws, both physically and emotionally and I have to embrace them and accept these flaws. I have had to learn to love and work with my flaws everyday and I accept who I am. If I am able to accept who I am, then it may go towards others also being accepting of those who are different in the way they look, act or speak. I believe that we should focus on the things that we can change, instead of focusing on what we can’t and we should try and make ourselves better people because we have to accept that we are not REflEctIONS all perfect and sometimes we cannot change the • What are your imperfections? physical things about a person but we should just • How have you judged people in your accept each other for who we are. If we are able Vinnies work? to do that, then it will make for a better and just society. • How can you build acceptance of difference in your community? I have been fortunate that I have a loving family and group of friends who accept me for who I am, not what I look like. They look beyond my physical appearance and can see the young adult that I am. I have always been a shy person but now that I am doing a Bachelor in Arts at University, and have become part of a different community, I have grown so much in myself to further accept myself and will hopefully change the view of others to do the same. – Sophie Rose, 18 years 4 The inestimable worth of each human being A man convinced of the inestimable worth of each faith into action, especially in service of the poor. human being, Frederic Ozanam served the poor of He proves that to be Vincentian is not about the Paris drawing others into his work. Through the St. clothes you wear or the title before your name. It Vincent de Paul Society, his legacy continues to the is about serving those who are marginalised and present day. experiencing disadvantage. In Paris he studied law at the University of Sorbonne. When certain professors there mocked REflEctIONS Catholic teachings in their lectures, Frederic • How do you/we define or value, the worth defended the Church. of each individual human being? Do you think that it is “inestimable”? A discussion club which Frederic organised • Why do we [Australians] continue to place sparked the turning point in his life. In this club certain groups/individuals above others, in Catholics, atheists and agnostics debated the terms of their worth in our society? (think of issues of the day. Once, after Frederic spoke on marginalised groups across our nation, why Christianity’s role in civilization, a club member do they remain outcast?) said: “Let us be frank, Mr. Ozanam; let us also be • What do you, your community, your peers very particular. do “besides talk”? How are you serving our What do you do besides talk to prove the faith you poor and disadvantaged? claim is in you?” • Can you think of positive examples of “faith Frederic was stung by the question. He soon in action”? Why are they outstanding? Are decided that his words needed grounding in they Vincentian by nature? action. Frederic is an outstanding model of putting Searching for oneself Good Shepherd, who finds the lost one. The “me” I have known has disappeared. REflEctIONS Will I ever recover the person I have been? Sometimes we don’t always feel like Will I ever find and feel good about myself again? ourselves. Sometimes life feels stressful Will I discover who I am and who I am becoming? and busy but usually in these times it’s more important that we take a second to Protect me in this great vulnerability. do something we enjoy and come back to Assure me that I will come home to myself, ourselves. If we stop trying to fix and control Even though “my self” may be different. everything ourselves and instead put our trust Silence my impatience. in God he will look after things. Calm my worry. matthew 6:35: “Therefore do not worry about Restore my joy. tomorrow, for tomorrow will look after itself. Solace my distress. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” God Help me to befriend my new self knows what you need even before you ask and With tender hope and welcoming love. he will provide for you, so don’t worry. Mary MacKillop understood this message and took – Joyce Rupp, Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems faith saying “God will provide.” and Reflections for Every Season PEACE OUT St Vincent de Paul Society 5 The Lord’s prayer – a conversation with God “Our Father which art in heaven …” “Have I got control of you?” “Yes?” “Well … I go to church.” “Don’t interrupt me. I’m praying.” “That isn’t what I asked you. What about your “But you called me.” bad temper? You’ve really got a problem there, “Called you? I didn’t call you. I’m praying. Our you know. And then there’s the way you spend Father which art in heaven …” your money … all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?” “There … you did it again.” “Stop picking on me! I’m just as good as some of “Did what?” the rest of those people at the church.” “Called me. You said, Our Father which art in “Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my heaven. Here I am. What’s on your mind?” will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have “But I didn’t mean anything by it. I was, you know, to start with the ones who are praying for it … just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the like you, for example.” Lord’s Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like “Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. getting a duty done.” Now that you mention it, I could probably name “All right.