LIFE NIGHT OVERVIEW ABOUT THIS LIFE NIGHT

The Gather is a small group relay race where the teens DEMONSTRATE move a volunteer from one side of the room to the other. THE OF JESUS The Proclaim explores the miracles of Jesus and His ability to restore our relationship with God. The Break gives the GOAL teens an opportunity to share how the Lord is speaking to them through lectio divina. The Send is a prayerful time The goal of Demonstrate is to present the miracles of for the teens to create a sign that will help them grow in Jesus so teens know that He has the power and desire their faith. to make them whole by restoring their relationship with God. ENVIRONMENT

KEY CONCEPTS As a standard environment for this series, create a of miracles in the front of the main meeting space. • The Incarnation is the ultimate in the history of Place an image of Jesus at the center of the shrine and humanity, proving that God is faithful to His promises. surround the image with items that represent healing and conversion, such as crutches, wheel chairs, and • In the Gospels, Jesus’ miracles are signs and works of metal hearts. Layer the shrine with electric candles and power that show us that He is who He says He is and that place colored lights on the floor to illuminate it. He has the ability to restore our relationship with God. Set up a space for the teens to gather for the Proclaim. • Miracles are not meant to be the center of our faith, but Project the Demonstrate environment image, which can they can aid in our conversion and help us grow in our be found on the September 2019 Life Teen USB and faith. online at lifeteen.com under Life Support: September 2019.

KEY TERMS: For this Life Night, set up a space for the Gather activity. Conversion, Incarnation On one side of the room, place enough wooden dowels and sheets of plywood or cardboard for each small SCRIPTURE: group. On the other side of the room, use tape to create Isaiah 7:14; Luke 5:18-25; Luke 17:11-19; John 20:30-31 a finish line on the floor.

CATECHISM: MEDIA SUGGESTIONS 447, 515, 547-549, 1335 lifeteen: “LS - Signs and Wonders” (spotify:user:lifeteen)

SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS: #LT_Demonstrate

48 SIGNS AND WONDERS 49 AS YOU GET STARTED... serve as physical reminders that Jesus is working in our lives. Similarly, the gift of miracles tie into our desire for For an alternate Gather, consider setting up a game show a manifestation of Christ’s power that we can see, touch, called, “Which Miracle Was That?” to tests the teens’ or hear. Make this connection when talking about Jesus’ knowledge of Jesus’ miracles. Divide the teens into the miracles, relating it to our human need for something Signs and Wonders small groups. Choose one of Jesus’ we can sense in order to recognize His work in our miracles and offer the teens clues as to what the miracle midst. Challenge the teens to remember that, just like might be, pausing between each clue to allow the teens the our moms taught us to carry with us or the time to discuss among their group and guess. Award a saint statues in our abuelita’s homes, the miracles we are point for each correct answer. The small group with the privileged to witness or receive are meant to point us most points at the end of the game wins. back to the saving work of Jesus.

For a Gather with a small group, consider playing “Healers Notes:______and Infectors,” which is a twist on the game, “Mafia.” In ______this game, the teens are on a mission to heal the world (their small group) of a disease. Each teen receives an ______assignment that they cannot not reveal: healer, infector, ______or citizen. Within their small group, the teens vote to ______identify and quarantine the infectors. If all of the infectors ______are not successfully quarantined in four votes, each small ______group member becomes infected and the game is over. This game can be tied in to the idea that while we are not ______always who we say we are, Jesus always is who He says ______He is — the Messiah — and His mighty works reveal His ______power and redeem us. ______For a deeper Send, consider inviting your parish priest and music minister to lead a healing service. ______HISPANIC INCULTURATION ______By Stephanie Espinoza ______Contributors: Diana Arizmendi, Juan Aznaran, Fr. Fernando Camou ______Cultural Insights ______In Hispanic/Latino culture, there is a great affinity for ______tangible signs of God’s presence in the world. This is ______why Hispanics/Latinos tend to have many sacramentals in their homes and cars or worn on their bodies — they ______

50 SIGNS AND WONDERS 51 Explain the significance of each part of lectio divina using LIFE NIGHT: DEMONSTRATE the following:

• Lectio: to read the Scripture GATHER • Meditatio: to meditate on the Scripture and discover its meaning in our lives Welcome and Opening Prayer (5 min) • Oratio: to give a prayerful response to the text via Gather the teens in the main meeting space. Welcome them thanksgiving, praise, or a request for grace, healing, to the Life Night, introduce any teens or Core Members who or forgiveness are attending for the first time, and begin in prayer. • Contemplatio: to turn toward God and experience Just Roll With It (10 min) Him through the Scripture Divide the teens into their Signs and Wonders small groups and have them select one volunteer to be the “surfer.” Line Invite the teens to get into a comfortable position, close the groups up across from the finish line and then give each their eyes, and place themselves in God’s presence. group a set of wooden dowels and a sheet of plywood or cardboard to place on the dowels. When instructed to do so, Lectio the surfer must lay down on the plywood or cardboard. The Invite the teens to listen for the context of the story as it rest of the small group members push the surfer toward the is read aloud. What is happening? Who is present? Slowly finish line by moving the dowels in the back to the front. If a read Luke 5:18-25. If the teens would like to read along, surfer falls off, the group must start over. The first small group allow them to do so in their Bible, or they can simply to get their surfer to the finish line wins. listen. Pause for a moment.

PROCLAIM Meditatio Before reading the passage a second time, ask the teens “Demonstrate” Teaching (10 min) to listen for and choose a word or phrase that stands out The Proclaim Outline and Proclaim Details can be found to them. Read the passage again and then spend a few on pages 56 to 65. minutes in silence so the teens can reflect on their word or phrase. BREAK Oratio Rise and Walk Lectio Divina (25 min) Read the passage a third time and then ask the following Divide the teens into their Signs and Wonders small questions, pausing between each so the teens can silently groups. Begin in prayer and then give each teen a Bible. reflect: Once they have opened their Bibles to Luke 5:18-25, lead them through a prayer exercise that is known as “lectio • How does this word or phrase make me feel? divina.” Peaceful? Anxious? Confused? Convinced?

52 SIGNS AND WONDERS 53 • What does this word or phrase bring to mind? Is a variety of supplies to make signs — images, Scripture memory attached to this word or phrase? Is there verses, prayers — that point the teens back to their hope for the future in this word or phrase? expectant faith in Jesus and His ability to work miracles • How have I seen this word or phrase act in my life? in their lives. Give the teens time to make a sign and then have them pray with the image, verse, or prayer they Contemplatio chose. Invite the teens to display their sign in their room, At this time, encourage the teens to engage in a deeper car, locker, or another place so they can see it each day, conversation with Christ by silently reflecting on the and encourage them to consider how it impacts their following questions: week.

The following images, Scripture verses, and prayers are • Why does this word or phrase strike me? a great starting point, but be sure to add others that will • What are you trying to teach me, Jesus? resonate with the teens: • What are you saying to me, Jesus? Images After a few minutes of reflection, invite the teens to focus • Luke 5:18-25 on God’s presence and silently thank Him for this time of • The Blessed Virgin Mary prayer. Conclude by praying a Hail Mary together. • St. the Archangel

Following the prayer, allow the teens to share about their Scripture Verses experience from lectio divina and discuss Jesus’ question, “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or • The word or phrase from Luke 5:18-25 that stuck out to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” Use the following questions to to them continue the discussion: • Isaiah 7:14 • Luke 17:13 or 17:19 • Which is easier for you to believe: Jesus can and does forgive your sins or Jesus can perform miracles? Prayers Why? • Our Father • Where in your life do you need to grow in trust of • Prayer to the Holy Spirit Jesus’ power? • Glory Be

SEND Conclude the Life Night with a prayer, thanking God for His goodness and asking for a reminder of our need for Signs Prayer Activity (15 min) radical conversion through Him and in the Holy Spirit. Gather the teens in the main meeting space and encourage them to remain silent. Create a prayerful environment by playing meditative music in the background. Provide a

54 SIGNS AND WONDERS 55 PROCLAIM OUTLINE • Project and read Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah 7:14. • God made a promise that a woman would crush the head of the serpent and be a virgin who would give DEMONSTRATE birth to a son. God fulfilled that promise with the birth of Jesus, which we call the “Incarnation.” • The Incarnation is the miracle of God becoming a man KEY TERMS through Mary, who willingly trusted in God’s promises. It is the ultimate miracle in the history of humanity, Conversion: A radical reorientation of the whole life proving that God is faithful to His promises. away from sin and evil and toward God. Incarnation: The fact that the Son of God assumed SIGNS AND WONDERS human nature and became man in order to accomplish our salvation in the same human nature. • Jesus’ entire life was marked by miracles, from His virgin birth to His Resurrection after dying on the TEACHING POINTS cross. • Jesus came into the world during a time when THE MIRACLE OF ALL MIRACLES people lived with expectant faith in the promises • Some people view the Gospel stories like the game of God made to bring them out of exile and into a telephone. They believe that, over time, the stories of restored relationship with Him. Jesus were recorded and explained with exaggerated • Jesus was more than any savior they could have ever detail, especially the miraculous events that were imagined because He did not just come back to win performed by Jesus during His life on Earth. an earthly, political Kingdom, but a heavenly one. He • In order to maintain Scripture’s validity in our came to restore humanity’s relationship with God. scientifically-minded culture, many people want He could do this because, through the Incarnation, to downplay Jesus’ miracles or offer alternate He was both God and man. interpretations of the Scripture passages. • Throughout the Gospels, Jesus’ miracles are referred • We believe that the miraculous work of God and to as “signs and wonders.” They demonstrate that science do not contradict one another, but work Jesus is who He says He is, the Son of God. He carries together. Modern science can only prove or disprove with Him the power of the Father. something if the scientists are physically present to • All of Jesus’ miracles are signs and wonders, meant test the materials and people that were involved, but to inspire awe and point to the reality that He can current scientific knowledge can inspire us to look with make us whole physically and spiritually. awe at the miraculous power of God. • When it comes to Scripture, we trust the power of JESUS AT THE CENTER interpretation that the has through • Project and read Luke 5:18-26. the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church holds fast to an • The friends of the paralyized man go to extensive interpretation of Scripture that affirms that Jesus lengths to bring him to Jesus because they believe performed miracles.

56 SIGNS AND WONDERS 57 that He is who He says He is. Jesus sees their faith, ______forgives the paralyzed man of his sin, and restores his ______relationship with God. ______• Jesus’ actions caused an uproar because only God ______can forgive our sins. In order to prove to the people ______that Jesus is, in fact, God, who has the ability to heal the man spiritually, He heals the man physically. ______• An interesting and sobering detail we must remember ______is that all of the people who witness or receive ______personal miracles still experience death. ______• Miracles can and should strengthen our faith in Jesus, ______but the miracles we experience in this life point to ______the ultimate miracle that we are all promised — ______resurrection from the dead and eternal life with God. ______• At times, it might seem that we have more experiences ______of death than we do of life. We can feel broken from our imperfect relationships. ______• Jesus can and will restore the broken, paralyzed, and dead parts of us, and sometimes that will result in the ______physical healing of our bodies. He will restore us from ______the inside out to live an abundant life of healing that ______begins now and goes beyond death. ______• In all of Scripture, Jesus is the only person to every ______perform miracles in His own name. Jesus is asking ______us to believe in more than just the message He proclaimed, He is asking us to believe in Him. ______Notes:______

58 SIGNS AND WONDERS 59 PROCLAIM DETAILS Instead of downplaying or using alternate explanations for the miracles of Jesus, we can understand how scientific knowledge helps us grow in our faith. We believe that the miraculous work DEMONSTRATE of God and science do not contradict one another because we believe that faith and science work together. They do not have to oppose each other. In fact, modern science can only TEACHING prove or disprove anything if the scientists are physically present to test the materials and people that were involved. THE MIRACLE OF ALL MIRACLES With Scriptural accounts, we will not be able to be physically present unless we have a time machine. However, our current Have you ever played telephone? In this game, one person is scientific knowledge can inspire us to look with awe at the given a sentence or phrase that is whispered from person to miraculous power of God. person. The last person states the phrase aloud, and everyone laughs at how bizarre the new phrase is compared to the When it comes to Scripture, we have to trust the power of original. It can be a fun game and has probably been used to interpretation that the Catholic Church has through the Holy demonstrate various lessons. Spirit. The Catholic Church holds fast to an interpretation of Scripture that affirms that Jesus performed miracles. He In many ways, people treat the Gospel stories the same healed the sick, controlled nature, cast out demons, and way. They believe that, over time, the stories of Jesus were raised people from the dead. Jesus’ very life is a miracle that recorded and explained with exaggerated detail, especially God promised to the people of Israel many years before He the miraculous events that were performed by Jesus during was born, and it is also the promise that was made at the His life on Earth. In order to maintain Scripture’s validity in our beginning of time to Adam and Eve after they sinned. scientifically-minded culture, many people want to downplay Jesus’ miracles or offer alternate interpretations of the Mark 4:35-41 Scripture passages. Luke 8:26-36 John 11:1-44 For example, some would argue that the feeding of the 5,000 Matthew 9:27-31 was not a miracle where Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed thousands of people because scientifically it is not Project and read Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah 7:14. possible. Instead, they say it was a miracle in the sense that people shared all of the food they had tucked away, resulting God made a promise that a woman would crush the head in a big potluck. Explaining this passage, and others like it, in of the serpent and be a virgin who would give birth to a son. this way has major implications for what we believe and teach God fulfilled that promise with the birth of Jesus, which we about who Jesus is and what His mission was. call the “Incarnation.” The Incarnation is the miracle of God becoming a man through a young woman named Mary, who Matthew 14:13-21 willingly trusted in God’s promises. It is the ultimate miracle in the history of humanity, proving that God is faithful to His promises.

Luke 2:1-20

60 SIGNS AND WONDERS 61 SIGNS AND WONDERS JESUS AT THE CENTER

Jesus’ entire life was marked by miracles. At the beginning Project and read Luke 5:18-26. of His mission, He turned water into wine at the wedding of Cana. From there, He healed people and cast out demons. He In this story, a man is brought by his friends to be healed by walked on water and controlled nature. In fact, it was because Jesus. They go to extensive lengths to bring him to Jesus Jesus raised His friend, Lazarus, from the dead that Caiaphas, because they believe that He is who He says He is. Jesus the high priest, started to craft a plan to put Him to death. sees their faith and makes an important move: He forgives Even the “end” of Jesus’ life on the cross was followed by His the paralyzed man of his sin and restores his relationship with Resurrection. So, what was the point of it all? God. Jesus’ actions caused an uproar among the Pharisees because only God can forgive our sins. In order to prove to John 11:45-53 the people that Jesus is, in fact, God, who has the ability to heal the man spiritually, He heals the man physically. Notice Jesus came into the world during a time when people lived that the people are left in awe and say that they have seen with expectant faith in the promises God had made. As a “strange things” (Luke 5:26). people, they had experienced years of exile and hardship. Each day they lived with the reality of their broken relationship It is really easy to get caught up in the glamor of miracles and with God, a relationship that God worked to restore through lose sight of their point. An interesting and sobering detail many covenants. They believed in the promises God had we must remember is that all of the people who witness or made to them and were awaiting a savior who would bring receive personal miracles still experience death (even Lazarus, about God’s Kingdom. who was raised from the dead). The reality of death does not mean that miracles are not important, that we should not ask Jesus was more than any savior they could have ever imagined for them, or that we should not be amazed by them. Miracles because He did not just come back to win an earthly, political can and should strengthen our faith in Jesus, but the miracles Kingdom, but a heavenly one. He did not just come to restore we experience in this life point to the ultimate miracle that we the lives of a specific group of people, but every individual are all promised — resurrection from the dead and eternal life person. He came to restore humanity’s relationship with God. with God. He could do this because, through the Incarnation, He was both God and man. Jesus came so that we can have life, a life with purpose, meaning, and happiness. At times, it might seem that we Throughout the Gospels, Jesus’ miracles are referred to as have more experiences of death than we do of life. We can “signs and wonders.” They demonstrate that Jesus is who He feel broken from our imperfect relationships. We can feel says He is, the Son of God. He carries with Him the power paralyzed by our fears and anxieties. We can feel dead and of the Father. He heals people physically to show that He hopeless as we anticipate what life has in store for us. can make us whole spiritually. We can only be whole if our relationship with God is restored. Outside of a relationship Jesus can and will restore the broken, paralyzed, and dead with Him, we are broken. All of Jesus’ miracles are signs and parts of us, and sometimes that will result in the physical wonders, meant to inspire awe and point to that reality. healing of our bodies. Either way, if we turn to Jesus, relying on Him and trusting in His power, He will restore us from the

62 SIGNS AND WONDERS 63 inside out to live an abundant life of healing that begins now ______and goes beyond death. In all of Scripture, Jesus is the only ______person to every perform miracles in His own name. Jesus ______is asking us to believe in more than just the message He proclaimed, He is asking us to believe in Him. ______John 10:10 ______John 10:38 ______Notes:______

64 SIGNS AND WONDERS 65 CORE TEAM OVERVIEW ______DEMONSTRATE: Miracles of Jesus ______GOAL: The goal of Demonstrate is to present the miracles ______of Jesus so teens know that He has the power and desire to ______make them whole by restoring their relationship with God. ______GATHER (15 MIN): ______Welcome and Opening Prayer:______Just Roll With It:______PROCLAIM (10 MIN): ______“Demonstrate” Teaching:______BREAK (25 MIN): ______Rise and Walk Lectio Divina:______SEND (15 MIN): ______Signs Prayer Activity:______Notes:______

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