3 SUMMIT. Design: David Calavitta. Copy Edit: Rachel Peñate Joel Stepanek

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2 WELCOME TO SUMMIT Welcome to Life Teen s newest resource for high school teenagers, Summit. This lectionary-based discipleship group is designed to help teenagers gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for Sacred Scripture and the Holy Mass. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture passages have been taken from the Revised Standard Version, Catholic edition. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotes are taken from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America (indicated as CCC), 2nd ed. Copyright 1997 by United States Catholic Conference Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Design: David Calavitta. Copy Edit: Rachel Peñate Joel Stepanek Writing Team: Amanda Grubbs, Lily Hannan, Mark Hart, Julie Lai, Sarah McMahon, Rachel Peñate, Joel Stepanek 2015 Life Teen, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including interior design, cover design, and/or icons, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher. The information contained herein is published and produced by Life Teen, Inc. The resources and practices are in full accordance with the Roman Catholic Church. The Life Teen name and associated logos are trademarks registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Use of the Life Teen trademarks without prior permission is forbidden. Permission may be requested by contacting Life Teen, Inc. at SETTING UP SUMMIT SMALL GROUPS Summit is designed to be used with small groups of six to eight teenagers. The discussions and activities are written for small group discipleship. Each small group should have two adult facilitators (called Core Members) there to lead, mentor, and guide the teenagers. These adults should be assigned to groups and not change throughout the course of the year (or, ideally, the life of the Summit Group). Place six to eight teenagers in each small group. There are several ways that your parish youth group can organize small groups: Teens Sign Up At the beginning of the year, invite teenagers to sign up for small group communities with their friends. Assign two Core Members to lead each small group (if groups are mixed genders, be sure to assign one male and one female Core Member to each group). Groups are responsible for establishing their own meeting times and days. As more teenagers sign up for groups, new groups form. Large Group to Small Group One night each week, gather all Summit groups at the parish for a social time. Then, divide into small groups for the Summit discussion. This allows teens to all gather at the same time, but grow in a set community. Post-Retreat Summit is a great resource to implement with small groups after a weekend retreat. Set small groups prior to the weekend, then continue to meet after the retreat in the same small groups for Summit sessions. 3 SUMMIT 4

3 Invitation Core Members build relationships with teenagers at Life Nights and invite six to eight to join their Summit group. These pre-existing relationships can allow the group to go deeper quickly. Summit works best in conjunction with a weekly large group gathering like Life Teen s Life Nights. The large group gathering allows teenagers a safe place to meet other teens and adults prior to getting involved with a Summit Group. MEETING IN SUMMIT GROUPS Summit Groups allow flexibility to meet in a variety of places that may be more comfortable for teenagers, in addition to your parish youth room. Summit Groups can meet at coffee shops, at restaurants during lunch hours, or even at a high school (if your school will permit the group to meet and adults from the parish to be present). Gather teenagers at parks or other public spaces, or even meet at your parish office. We do not recommend meeting at the homes of Core Members or host families, as it presents challenges for maintaining a safe environment and may violate child safety guidelines in many dioceses. HOW SUMMIT WORKS Every Summit session is modeled after key themes from the readings of the Lectionary. There is a Summit session for every Sunday of the liturgical year, so groups can choose to meet once each week to prepare for the upcoming Sunday readings or to process the readings from the previous Sunday. Additionally, if groups choose not to meet each week they can still reflect on the readings or dive deeper using the Summit Teen Journal. Each Summit session is designed around the four movements of lectio divina. This intentional design helps teach the invaluable prayer of lectio divina each week so teenagers can continue to meditate and reflect on Sacred Scripture long after they move on from their Summit Group. There are five parts to each Summit session: The Ascent The Ascent helps the Summit Group gather and introduces the theme for the session. It includes a welcome and game or activity to help the teenagers begin to focus on the main theme of the week while building community. Lectio During the Lectio, teenagers are presented with an opportunity to discuss questions relevant to the theme before watching a short Summit Reflection video. These videos can be found online at LifeTeen.com by logging into high school resources with an active subscription. Each video is short but challenging and offers content for continued discussion. Teenagers are given an opportunity to listen to one of the readings of the week proclaimed three times as they listen for God s voice resonating through Sacred Scripture. Meditatio After discussing a key theme and listening to the Summit Reflection and one of the readings, teenagers have an opportunity to silently journal and reflect. There is at least one journaling question found in every Summit session to help teenagers guide their reflection. This time of introspection allows for deeper small group discussion later in the session. Oratio The bulk of the session is spent in discussion during the Oratio. Teenagers break open key themes of the Sunday readings, share their Meditatio reflection, and are challenged to connect the Word of God to their daily lives during a discussion facilitated by the Core Members. Contemplatio The session closes in prayer. Sometimes this prayer is short, and other times it is longer and move involved. Sometimes the group will pray together out loud, and other times they may pray silently. A variety of prayer forms is provided so teenagers can grow in their relationship with 5 SUMMIT 6

4 Christ while still growing as a community. Each session ends with a challenge for the next week. These challenges are important as they provide opportunities for teenagers to live out their faith during the week. It is advised that you follow up on each challenge during the opening of the next Summit session. FORMING TEEN DISCIPLES The goal of Summit, as is the goal of every Life Teen resource, is to help form teenagers as disciples of Christ. This is done primarily through intentional, Christ-centered relationships. Summit provides a context for evangelization and catechesis while growing in relationship with a teenager s peers and adult mentors. It is important that Core Members invest in the lives of young people outside of Summit Groups by attending sporting events, musicals, extra-curricular activities, and by meeting parents and praying for teenagers whenever possible. Forming Christcentered relationships provide teenagers with adult faith role models, as well as a safe community where their faith can develop. It is important to always attend teen events with another safe environment trained adult or Core Member. Not only does this promote healthy relationships and a safe environment, but allows Core Members to form friendships with each other. SUPPORT FROM LIFE TEEN Know that our staff at Life Teen is continually supporting your parish in prayer and is available to help you anytime. You can contact us via , phone, or by using the Live Chat feature on LifeTeen.com. If you need ideas for forming Summit Groups, building your youth ministry, or just need prayer, we are waiting to hear from you. We pray that Summit blesses your parish and helps you lead teenagers closer to Christ! WEEK: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 4th, 2015) THEME: A Perfect Pair MASS READINGS: FIRST READING: Genesis 2:18-24 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 SECOND READING: Hebrews 2:9-11 GOSPEL: Mark 10:2-16 KEY WORDS: Complementary, Sacrament, Unity, Blessing, Covenant, Indissoluble, Revelation. KEY THEMES: 1. Men and women are created to be complementary of one another. God created marriage to reveal this complementary nature. 2. Like Christ, marriage gives flesh to love. And that love creates life for the world. 3. Marriage reveals the love Christ has for the Church. 4. A hardness of heart often prevents man and woman from realizing (and experiencing) God s design for marriage. 7 SUMMIT 8

5 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. Sandwich Activity (10 min) The facilitator of the group begins by encouraging the teens to make a sandwich for themselves. Have the following sandwich ingredients out and ready to use: bread, peanut butter, jelly, turkey, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and tuna fish. Allow time to make and eat sandwiches as well as socialize. LECTIO Opening Prayer Jesus, we thank you for the gift of masculinity and femininity. We thank you for the ways that men and women complement each other. We ask for the grace to become the men and women of God you have created us to be and to love each other in a pure and complementary way. Come, Holy Spirit. Guide us in this reflection of God s Word. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Ask the teens what kind of sandwiches they made. The facilitator can expect answers like peanut butter and jelly, turkey, lettuce, and tomato. Ask: Why didn t you make a peanut butter and tuna sandwich or a jelly and mustard sandwich? Explain some things are better together because they complement each other. Clarify that we are not using the word compliment like an affirmation. For example, you look nice. But that complement also means that it completes or makes its partner better. Then ask: What other people, places, and things in your life complement each other? Reflection: A Perfect Pair (5 min) Play the Summit Reflection video, A Perfect Pair, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s Word. God s Voice (5 min) Read Genesis 2: The facilitator reads through the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to reflect silently and journal on the following questions: Do you enjoy being alone? How much alone time is too much? How much alone time is too little? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. Why is it not good for us to be alone? If we live alone, it is usually only for a limited period. Why do you think it is so rare for people to live in isolation? How have you seen men and women complement each other? 9 SUMMIT 10

6 How have you seen a husband and wife complement each other in marriage? How can we do a better job of upholding members of the opposite gender? How can we do a better job of upholding members of our own gender? CONTEMPLATIO Prayer for Marriage (10 min) Invite each teenager to offer up prayers for a married couple or a couple preparing to be married. It could be their parents, relatives, or family friends. Ask each teen to state their intention out loud and then offer a Hail Mary for all the intentions. Closing Challenge Women and men complement each other in a unique way through marriage, but men and women can complement each other outside of marriage. When this happens, we call it disinterested friendship. The people in the friendship are not interested in having a sexual component of the relationship but still seek to support and care for the other person in a loving way. As you journey through this week, consider the men or women you are friends with and look for opportunities to care and support them while remaining disinterested. WEEK: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 11th, 2015) THEME: This or That? MASS READINGS: FIRST READING: Wisdom 7:7-11 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, SECOND READING: Hebrews 4:12-13 GOSPEL: Mark 10:17-30 KEY WORDS: Surrender, Burden, Worth, Purpose, Testimony, Attachment KEY THEMES: 1. Scripture is a scalpel in the hands of Christ, the Surgeon. 2. What earth called gold, heaven calls pavement. 3. Wisdom offers a heavenly perspective to earthly matters. 4. We may follow the commandments (The Letter of the Law) but do we truly give God everything (The Spirit of the Law)? 11 SUMMIT 12

7 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the youth to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point from their week or something they are looking forward to in the next week. If there are new teenagers at the group, be sure they introduce themselves to the other group members. Valuable Items (10 min) Instruct the group members to make a list of things they wouldn t want to live without. This list has to be made up of items (not people), and there should be at least ten. Think about things used every day like the phone, the Internet, shoes, etc. After each teen has their list, ask them to rank items (if they haven t already) in order from one to ten, with one being the most important. LECTIO Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we come before you as your children and ask for your grace as we dive into this time of reflection. We pray you may help us to see what we value the most and what we need to do to please you and come into your presence. We thank you for this opportunity to grow in love of you in safety and peace. We ask that you send your Spirit to be with us and open our hearts to understand your words. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: Reflect on the list of items you made at the beginning. What items do you think you truly couldn t live without? Could you give up one? Two? Five? All of them? What would it take to give up these things? What is worth it to you? Reflection: This or That? (5 min) Play the Summit Reflection video, This or That, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s Word. God s Voice (5 min) Read Mark 10: The facilitator of the group reads through the passage one time, then invites a teenager to read through the passage a second time. After the second time, invite teenagers to open their Bibles and read the passage a third time silently. Allow time to pause and reflect quietly in between the separate readings. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to reflect on the following questions: Reflect on the words of Christ Children how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God. Do you find it easier to place your trust in God or earthly comfort and security? What are some places you don t trust the Lord enough? What are some things you need to surrender? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. What things are you attached to? Why? What makes something valuable to you? Do you feel that your faith and your relationship with God are valuable? 13 SUMMIT 14

8 Have you ever felt like you were doing all the right things but worried about giving everything to the Lord? What stopped you from surrendering to the Lord? Read Wisdom 7:9-11. What do you consider wealth? Read Hebrews 4:12. Do you believe the Word of God is living and active? What does that mean in light of what Jesus said to the rich man and the way we live our lives? CONTEMPLATIO Prayer of Surrender (10 min) Pass out copies of the prayer below from St. Ignatius of Loyola, and explain: Our closing prayer is from St. Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). He prays that we may remember God has given all to us and that we are called to give everything back to Him. We will pray it together, but I encourage you to continue to reflect on it this week. Then, pray together as a group: Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all of me. To you, O Lord, and I return it. All is Yours. Dispose of it wholly according to Your will. Give me Your Love and Your grace, for this is sufficient for me. Closing Challenge Challenge the teens to pick their top one or two most valuable items from the list they created at the beginning of the night and give them up for the week. While they fast from these items, encourage them to pray for the needs of others, perform acts of service, or spend more time in personal prayer. WEEK: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 18th, 2015) THEME: Simple Isn t Easy MASS READINGS: FIRST READING: Isaiah 53:10-11 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 SECOND READING: Hebrews 4:14-16 GOSPEL: Mark 10:35-45 KEY WORDS: Exaltation, Confidence, Compassion, Justification, Mercy KEY THEMES: 1. Our God knows human suffering; God weeps with us. 2. God invites us to approach His throne, made not of marble but mercy. 3. With glory often comes suffering, but in the end, suffering is the path to glory. 4. The only glory we ought to seek is God s. 15 SUMMIT 16

9 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. A Carbonated Conundrum (10 min) Ask for three volunteers. On your count, teens will compete to drink soda out of a baby bottle as fast as they can. Prepare these bottles before teens arrive. The first teen to complete their baby bottle of soda wins. Have a small prize for the winner. If your entire group will participate in the activity, be sure to have enough bottles and soda for all members. LECTIO Opening Prayer Lord God, we give you praise and thanks for today, for this opportunity to open up and read your Sacred Word. Please be with us today. Give us the enlightenment and courage we need when faced with a difficult task. May we always have the humility to ask for your guidance, and may we always trust the path you have given us to take. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: Many things look simple but are quite complex, like drinking soda from a baby bottle. What are some other things in life that appear to be easy, yet are difficult? What is it that holds us back from attempting and accomplishing these things? Reflection: Simple Isn t Easy (5 min) Play the Summit Reflection video, Simple Isn t Easy, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s Word. God s Voice (5 min) Read Mark 10: The facilitator reads through the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to reflect silently and journal on the following questions: Have you ever felt as though God didn t answer your prayers? What was it that you asked Him for? Why do you think He didn t grant that specific request to you? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. James and John asked Jesus to do whatever they asked of Him, and Jesus does not grant that request. Why is that? What is Jesus trying to teach the Apostles? When in our lives have we been like James and John? Why is it important to serve others? What can we do in our daily lives to better serve each other? At church? In youth group? At school? 17 SUMMIT 18

10 CONTEMPLATIO Feet Washing (15 min) Close the group by challenging teens to wash each other s feet. Explain that Jesus gave this as a sign to his disciples that they must serve each other. Such a simple act was incredibly profound. If your group is comfortable, ask them to remove their shoes and take turns washing each other s feet while they pray for that person. Have a bowl and towel ready for this dynamic. This prayer may be initially uncomfortable, but will provide a profound moment of prayer for your group. Closing Challenge Pass out a pre-created list of simple, but difficult challenges. Some examples are: Pray one decade of the rosary every day Before school, stop and pray in the Eucharistic Chapel at your parish Pray for one of your enemies every day Find ways that you can serve others without being recognized (e.g. washing the dishes without your parents asking, cleaning up after other people, paying for a person s lunch at a restaurant) WEEK: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 25th, 2015) THEME: Full of It MASS READINGS: FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:7-9 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 SECOND READING: Hebrews 5:1-6 GOSPEL: Mark 10:46-52 KEY WORDS: Gratitude, Joy, Invitation, Restoration, Consolation KEY THEMES: 1. God pours out His blessings on us abundantly; our attitude prevents us from seeing them. 2. In the same way that Christ, the eternal High Priest, offers sight to the blind, the priesthood of Christ offers sight to our spiritual blindness, in Christ s name. 3. Despite what others say or how others judge us, God always hears our cry. 19 SUMMIT 20

11 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. All For You! (10 min) For the opening activity, have teens walk in with music playing, leaders should greet teens with high energy, and have a large spread of food out on a table. Have the teens enjoy this. Allow them to socialize for a little while and explain later that this is like God s gifts to us. He gives to us without us asking. Bring out the parents who made the meal or the priest who made for it. Allow the teens to thank and praise them. LECTIO Opening Prayer Gracious Father, in the busy-ness of life we often overlook the abundant ways you give to us. Thank you for the all blessings you bestow on us, especially the blessing of your love. Holy Spirit, help us to be humble enough to recognize all the ways you bless us. Thank you for allowing us to be here as one family to dive into your sacred Word. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: What is something you are very thankful for today? What are some ways you can demonstrate gratitude towards others? Who are some people in your life that you need to thank more often? Reflection: Full of It (5 min) Play the Summit Reflection video, Full of It, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s Word. God s Voice (5 min) Read (or sing) Psalm 126:1-6. The facilitator reads through the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to participate in the following challenge: Make a list of the blessings that you thank God for every day Next to it, make a list of blessings that you overlook daily Reflect on which list was easier/harder to make Allow several minutes for the teenagers to journal and reflect on this activity before transitioning into a time of group discussion. ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. Why do we need to express gratitude for the gifts God gives us? 21 SUMMIT 22

12 Is it easier for you to be positive or negative, an optimist or a pessimist? Why? How does this impact your relationship with Christ? If we spend more time in thanksgiving, how do you think that will change our attitude? CONTEMPLATIO Prayer of Thanksgiving (10 min) Invite each teenager to look back at his or her journal, and offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God out loud. This prayer may include citing specific areas of thankfulness from their list. Closing Challenge Once a day, post on social media or a note on your mirror something you are grateful for that day. Do this for seven days. WEEK: Solemnity of All Saints (Nov. 1st, 2015) THEME: Upside Down MASS READINGS: FIRST READING: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 SECOND READING: 1 John 3:1-3 GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1-12 KEY WORDS: Perspective, Suffering, Mission, Mercy, Adoption, Salvation, Blessing KEY THEMES: 1. You can t become a saint by always seeking comfort. 2. God does not view us as mere creation but, by the grace of the sacrament(s), as children. 3. Worldly trials bring heavenly rewards. 4. We are created in the image of our Father; imitation of Him will draw us closer to Him. 23 SUMMIT 24

13 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. Upside Down and Backward (10 min) Instruct group members to get into pairs. One member of the pair is given the text from a popular children s story. This person is the reader. Prior to the session, print out several different stories and place them in envelopes for each reader. Instruct the reader to prevent their partner from seeing the story. Give the second partner paper and crayons. This person is the artist. Instruct the artist to write the word bottom on the bottom of their paper. The reader will read the story to the artist, who will be in charge of drawing out the story. Before teens begin, explain the rules. The reader must read the story backward, and the artist must flip their page upside down (so the word bottom is at the top) and draw their story upside down. Allow the groups several minutes to complete their challenges and then compare pictures at the end of the activity. LECTIO Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we want to take a moment to praise and thank you today for everything that is going on in our lives. We praise you for what we see as good things, and what we see as sufferings. God, help us to understand that in your eyes, everything can be used to make us saints and to bring you glory. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: Who is your favorite saint? What inspires you about their life? Reflection: Upside Down (5 min) Play the Summit Reflection video, Upside Down, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s Word. God s Voice (5 min) Read Matthew 5:1-12. The facilitator reads through the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to participate in the following questions: What suffering have you dealt with, or are you dealing with right now? How do you feel about it? If you were to turn that upside down, what is the opposite of how the world tells you to feel about your suffering? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. What would life be like if we only sought after comfort and avoided suffering at all costs? 25 SUMMIT 26

14 How did the saints deal with suffering or trials and what can we learn from them? How can we all help other people see the blessing of suffering? How can we inspire others? How do you think it affects us only to see the highlights and good times of everyone s lives on social media? CONTEMPLATIO Closing Challenge So often we refer to our parish name as though it is a second home. Do we take the time to get to know our parish s patron saint? WEEK: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Nov. 8th, 2015) THEME: My Two Cents MASS READINGS: Before teen s leave, tell the story of your parish s patron saint, talk about that saint s attributes, and if possible, why your parish took that saint on as patron. Challenge teens to live out one of those attributes and hold each other accountable. End with a prayer asking for that saint s intercession. FIRST READING: 1 Kings 17:10-16 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 SECOND READING: Hebrews 9:24-28 GOSPEL: Mark 12:38-44 Note If your parish isn t named after a specific saint, it is likely that your parish has chosen a specific saint as an intercessor. Ask around, and if all else fails, have teens come up with a saint to assign as a patron. KEY WORDS: Hospitality, Worth, Sacrifice, Tithing, Abundance, Generosity KEY THEMES: 1. Heaven s glory transforms and transcends earthly appearances. 2. The devil subtracts and divides, the Father adds and multiplies. 3. It is more generous to have little and give much than to have much and give little. 4. The spiritual and material things that we are the most attached to are the most pleasing sacrifices to God. 27 SUMMIT 28

15 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. Widow s Might (10 min) As teens arrive, give them each a handful of coins. These can be of various sizes and values. Set up a large cup, a medium cup, and a small cup on a table in your meeting space. On the floor, mark three lines one next to the table, one several steps back from the table, and one across the room. Allow each teenager to take turns trying to toss their coins into the cups while standing behind one of the lines. Assign points based on the size of the coin and the distance thrown (e.g. a large-sized coin thrown into a large cup thrown from close would only be one point, but a small coin thrown into a small cup from across the room might be 100 points). Tally up the point total and award the winner all of the coins. LECTIO Opening Prayer Lord God, we come before you humbly today. We know that sometimes we have made a prideful show of our acts of faith and for that we beg your forgiveness. Look instead at the times we have given everything humbly, at great personal cost. Lord, increase our desire to give you everything we have so that in your great generosity, you can give us yourself. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: Where and how do you spend most of your money? How much of your money, time, and talent do you give to others in a way that isn t self-serving? Reflection: My Two Cents (5 min) Play the Summit Reflection video, My Two Cents, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s word. God s Voice (5 min) Read Mark 12: The facilitator reads through the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to participate in the following question: What do you struggle to let go of and give to Him? Is it your popularity? Your desire for wealth or fame? Is it your trust? Your pride? What are you afraid will happen if you gave that one thing to God? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. Can anyone share what they just wrote about? What s the one thing that is the most difficult to give to God? How do you think challenging yourself to tithe and give money to the Church each week helps you to give Him other parts of your life? In what ways do you seek affirmation for your good deeds and why? What are you hoping to gain from 29 SUMMIT 30

16 other people seeing the good things you do? What would you gain from being discreet about your good deeds? CONTEMPLATIO Give It Away (10 min) Close the group by inviting the teens to pray about what they give to others and how they serve. Challenge them to write down a way they can tithe more of their monthly income, a way they can offer some of their time in service to others, and a way they can use their gifts and talents to help their local parish. Share each of these areas and then ask God for the grace to live them out in the next month. WEEK: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Nov. 15th, 2015) THEME: Don t Judge Me MASS READINGS: Closing Challenge Challenge the group to commit to tithe a certain percentage of money every week and begin their tithing resolution right away. If they don t have a job or any money coming in, how can they tithe of their time and talent in the service of the Church? FIRST READING: Daniel 12:1-3 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11 SECOND READING: Hebrews 10:11-14, 18 GOSPEL: Mark 13:24-32 KEY WORDS: Justice, Hope, Mercy, Restoration, Fulfillment KEY THEMES: 1. Christ has the authority to judge us, and His perfect justice is balanced by His perfect mercy. 2. Our preparation for tomorrow must happen today! 3. Those who are alive in Christ reflect His glory and radiate the Spirit, now and forever. 4. Urgency in prayer is proof of our humility and fuels our hope. 31 SUMMIT 32

17 THE ASCENT Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. True or False? (10 min) Ask the group to listen to a series of statements read by the group leader. If members think the statement is true, they stand up. If the entire group is in agreement, move on to the next statement. If the entire group is not in agreement, invite members to argue why they think the statement is true or false. If someone changes their mind mid-way through the arguments, he or she may stand or sit to reflect their new position. After each statement is read and there is time for discussion, the group leader reveals if the statement was true or false. Here are some examples to get started add your own based on the culture of your group: The first person to land on the moon was Neil Armstrong (True). During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools (True). Sharks have 147 teeth (False). The Atlantic Ocean is the largest in the world (False). The Titanic was the first ship to use an SOS signal (True). The University of Wisconsin in the United States is the only place in the world that has a dog translator in their research facility (False). Your ability to hear high-pitched noises increases as you get older (False). Transition out of the game using the following: All of these facts are either true or false; our discussion or opinion didn t change that reality. In our lives, there are matters of opinion and matters of fact. Knowing the difference is critical to living lives that are happy and full. LECTIO Opening Prayer Holy Spirit, you are the revealer of all truth. Help us to understand how to recognize and judge truth from falsehood. Help us see the places where our bias and opinions cloud the truth, and the places where we are called to uphold it. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: How do we define whether something is true or false? What criteria do we use? Is this the best way to determine right and wrong? Why or why not? We may have heard the phrase, Don t judge me. Is there ever a time that it is right to judge a person? When? What is the difference between judging people and judging actions? Is it possible to judge someone s actions while still caring for them? How? What gives a person the authority to be a judge? Reflection: Don t Judge Me (5 min) Play the Summit Video Reflection, Don t Judge Me, found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s word. God s Voice (5 min) Read Mark 13: The facilitator reads the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. 33 SUMMIT 34

18 Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to participate in the following questions: At the end of time, Jesus returns to judge humanity. What do you think of this image of Jesus? Is it easy or difficult for you to imagine? How does Jesus great mercy also require Him to be just? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. What images of Jesus are you most comfortable with? What feeling does the image of Jesus as Judge give you? Why does Jesus have the authority to judge us? (For a deeper discussion, read Hebrews 10:11-14, 18 and then ask the question again.) Is it easier for you to judge the actions of others or to be judgmental of your actions? Why? If Jesus returned today, would you be excited or nervous? Are there areas of your life you need to change so you would be excited to see Him rather than anxious? What are they? CONTEMPLATIO Examination of Conscience (10 min) Transition into the examination of conscience using the following: Every person has sinned and fallen short of God s glory (Romans 3:23). We all deserve judgment, but Christ died for us so we would also experience His mercy and forgiveness. We experience the grace of God s healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. One of the ways we can prepare for the Sacrament is by making an examination of conscience. We judge our actions by recalling our sin, but we then trust in God s mercy and confess those sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Pass out or read through an examination of conscience for teenagers. A sample is on page 41. Ask them to journal and reflect during this time on the areas where they need healing and forgiveness. Closing Challenge Before the group leaves, provide a schedule of the times your parish offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Challenge the teenagers to receive the Sacrament sometime before your next meeting. 35 SUMMIT 36

19 THE ASCENT WEEK: The Solemnity Our Lord Jesus Christ (Nov. 22nd, 2015) THEME: Says Who? MASS READINGS: FIRST READING: Daniel 7:13-14 RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5 SECOND READING: Revelation 1:5-8 GOSPEL: John 18:33-37 KEY WORDS: Authority, Kingship, Witness, Truth, Majesty, Glory KEY THEMES: 1. Our King is like no other. Therefore, His kingship is like no other. 2. Our lives bear witness to who our King truly is. 3. Long after those who mock the faith are silent, the Name of God will echo into eternity, resounding His glory. 4. To claim Christ as your King necessitates forsaking all other kings and false kingdoms. Welcome and Introduction (5 min) Welcome all of the teens to the discipleship group and invite them to share one high point and one low point from their week. If there are new teens, invite them to introduce themselves. Ruler for a Minute (10 min) Begin by playing a simple dice game. You will need two dice and a cup. The group leader begins by explaining simple rules: Every person can shake the dice once. After everyone shakes, the person with the highest dice roll wins the round. He or she then explains that, after one minute of playing, a new group member will be able to add rules, remove rules, or change rules to the game. He or she will be in charge of the rules for one minute, and then a new group member will be in charge. The process continues until everyone in the group has an opportunity to exert authority over the rules of the game. Eventually, the game will become a mess as people change, add, and subtract rules. When too many people exert authority, the game is no longer enjoyable. Transition to the opening prayer once the game is complete. LECTIO Opening Prayer Jesus, you have all the power and authority in heaven and earth, but you chose to become like one of us and die for us. Thank you for the gift of your love and your mercy. You are our Great King, help us to submit our lives to you so that we can experience the incredible reality of your Kingdom. Amen. Our Voice (10 min) Use the following questions to begin a discussion with the group: 37 SUMMIT 38

20 Where does authority come from? How does someone get to be in charge? What responsibilities do people in authority have? Do they always fulfill these responsibilities? How do people in positions of authority use it for good? How do they use their authority for evil? What are a few examples you can think of for both? Describe the qualities of a good leader. Who do you know that fulfills these qualities? Reflection: Says Who? (5 min) Play the Summit Video Reflection, Says Who? found online at LifeTeen.com. Use this video to provide a thematic overview to the session before entering into God s Word. God s Voice (5 min) Read John 18: The facilitator reads the passage aloud and then invites a teen to read through the passage aloud. Encourage teens to actively listen. After the second read through, invite the teens to open their Bibles and silently read the passage a third time. Allow time to pause and reflect in between read-throughs. MEDITATIO Reflecting on God s Voice (10 min) Invite the teenagers to take a few minutes to reflect on the following questions: How do you respond to authority in your life? Are you obedient? Do you rebel against it? Do you question it? Think about a time you were obedient to authority and another time you rebelled what was the outcome of the situations? ORATIO Discussing God s Voice (30 min) Following the silent reflection, guide the teenagers in a time of discussion. The following questions are a great starting point for the discussion, but be open to where the Holy Spirit may guide it. Is it easy or difficult for you to be obedient to authority? Why? Who do you listen to or follow in your life? What makes you want to listen to and follow them? What makes Jesus a good leader and good king? How does His submission to death prove his authority and kingship? If Jesus walked into the room today, would you follow Him without knowing where you were going? Why or why not? What would it take for you to follow Him? CONTEMPLATIO Submitting to Authority (10 min) Close the group by inviting each teenager to offer up an area of their life that they need to give Jesus authority over. Each person offers their intention out loud, and the rest of the group prays for that person, either silently or out loud. Every member of the group receives prayer and then ends by praying the Our Father together. If this is your first group or the group does not know each other well, invite group members to offer up a prayer petitions. Challenge the group to pray for each other s petitions through out the week. Close the group with a prayer of thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit or a Glory Be. Send teenagers home with the closing challenge for the week. Closing Challenge As the season of Advent begins, challenge teenagers to wear one outward sign of their faith in the coming week, whether it is a faith-based t-shirt or a cross necklace. Challenge them to wear the sign of their faith as a representation of their submission to the authority of Jesus. 39 SUMMIT 40

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