THE APPOINTMENT A LIFE NIGHT ON ENCOUNTERING JESUS

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Virgil Gregory
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1 GOAL LIFE NIGHT OVERVIEW THE APPOINTMENT A LIFE NIGHT ON ENCOUNTERING JESUS The goal of The Appointment is to explore biblical accounts of people encountering Jesus and receiving mercy and healing, and to learn that we encounter Jesus and the same mercy and healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. KEY CONCEPTS In Scripture, people encountered Jesus in a variety of ways. Some people happened upon Him. Some people heard about Him and travelled a great distance to see Him. Some people even brought their friends to Him. Likewise, we, too, can encounter Jesus in a variety of ways: Mass, Adoration, Life Nights, prayer, in conversations with friends and family, moments of silence, etc. One of the more difficult appointments to make is an appointment to meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we approach Jesus and ask for healing in this Sacrament, we walk away healed. ABOUT THIS LIFE NIGHT The Life Night begins with a fun Gather game that has teens surprised by face-to-face encounters. The Life Night continues to a combined Proclaim and Break. The first part of the Proclaim/Break is a teaching on the face-to-face encounters people had with Jesus as recorded in Scripture, followed by a small group discussion. The second part of the Proclaim/Break is a teaching on our face-to-face encounter with Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, followed by a question and answer panel on Reconciliation. During the Send, teens write letters of contrition to Jesus and are reintroduced to the Act of Contrition. ENVIRONMENT Make the area comfortable for sitting and having genuine and relaxed face-to-face interactions. Have an assortment of snacks and drinks. Have different hang out spots set up: pillows in a circle on the floor, bean bag chairs, chairs and a table, etc. Play relaxing background music. See media suggestions. Instruct the Core Members to focus on quality conversations and encounters with the teens. MEDIA SUGGESTIONS Life Teen: Inside Out (Life Support: January 2015) Koala Kontrol: Timber l A Chill Mix (youtube.com) KEY TERMS: Reconciliation Penance Contrition Absolution SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:23 Matthew 8:1-4 Matthew 9:27-34 CATECHISM: ODB Films: How do I go to Confession? (youtube.com) hillsongunitedtv: Shadow Step Lyric Video Hillsong UNITED (youtube.com) Audrey Assad: New Every Morning-Audrey Assad (youtube.com) SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS: #LT_TheAppointment 36 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 37

2 AS YOU GET STARTED... For an alternate or additional Gather, play high energy games like Reverse Charades or the Blob. In Reverse Charades, the teens get into small groups and the whole group acts out the person, place, or thing, while one teen guesses. In the Blob, three volunteers link arms and tag the rest of the teens. As teens get tagged, they are joined to the blob. The last teen standing is the winner. HISPANIC INCULTURATION By Stephanie Espinoza For many Hispanic families, getting to Reconciliation is difficult. They many not have Spanish-speaking priests at a nearby parish, or Reconciliation may only be available at times that conflict with their work schedules (many immigrant parents work multiple jobs, or during nights and weekends). Be sensitive to this when talking about making time for regular confession, acknowledging that sometimes there are situations out of our control that might keep us from the sacrament. If possible, do some research and provide a list of parishes who offer Reconciliation in Spanish, noting their locations and hours, and provide those to families as they leave the Life Night. If needed, go above and beyond to help make appointments at more convenient times for them. During the Send, consider using the bilingual Act of Contrition handout, found on the LifeTeen January 2018 USB and online at lifeteen.com under Life Support: January Many Hispanic teens probably went through preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Spanish, and learned that prayer in Spanish. Let the teens know that most priests don t mind the Act of Contrition in Spanish, but encourage them to make the actual confession of sins in English, if English is the language they are most comfortable speaking. GATHER LIFE NIGHT: THE APPOINTMENT Welcome and Opening Prayer (5 min) Gather the teens into the meeting space, welcome them, and open in prayer. Invite up any teens that are at the Life Night for the first time. If there are no new teens, randomly select two to three returning teens. Ask them to introduce themselves by saying their name and answer the following questions: Out of the following ways to communicate, which do you prefer? Talking on the phone, texting, Facetime, or meeting face-to-face? Why? Have the group welcome them with applause or another form of affirmation. Behind the Curtain (15 min) In the middle of the main meeting space, have two Core Members stand on chairs and hold a curtain or sheet between them. Then, instruct the teens to line up on either side of the curtain, facing each other but not able to see each other. On the count of three, the Core Members drop the curtain. The goal is for the two teens at the front of the line to say the name of the person across from them before their name is said. Be discreet as to who is next in line. PROCLAIM/ BREAK The Appointment Teaching (45 min) The Proclaim Outline and Proclaim Details can be found on pages 42 to 50. This Life Night has a combined Proclaim and Break. Instruct the teens to get into small groups in the main meeting space and sit in a circle. Then, have them face the front of the main meeting space. The youth minister or assigned Core Member presents part 1 of the Proclaim. Next, the teens face each other in their small groups and have a small group discussion. 38 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 39

3 Then, instruct the teens to face the front of the main meeting space and the youth minister or Core Member, or a different Core Member, presents part 2 of the Proclaim. Next, the teens, still in small groups, are handed notecards and a writing utensil, and are instructed to write questions for a panel to answer on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Jesus mercy. Meanwhile, the panel, made up of the youth minister, knowledgeable Core Members, the priest, the DRE, and other parish leaders, comes to the front of the main meeting space to answer the teens questions. Have chairs or stools for panelists to sit on. A Core Member hosts the panel discussion using the note cards with questions from the teens. SEND Letter of Contrition (10 min) Instruct the teens to spread throughout the main meeting space and find a quiet, comfortable spot where they can pray. Project Ariel Agemian s Painting From Shroud, which is an image of the face of Christ based on the Shroud of Turin. Pass out writing utensils and the Letter of Contrition handout, found on the January 2018 Life Teen USB and online at lifeteen.com under Life Support: January Play Gregorian chant. Instruct the teens to write a letter to God, expressing sorrow for their sin. After the teens have finished writing, conclude the Life Night using the following: The contrition you just expressed in your letter is summarized in the Act of Contrition, which we pray in the confessional every time we participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It can also be prayed whenever we want to express contrition to God. Every time you pray the Act of Contrition, we invite you to remember the contrition you just expressed and the abounding mercy of God. Then, pass out the Act of Contrition Prayer Card found on the January 2018 Life Teen USB and online at lifeteen.com under Life Support: January Conclude the Life Night by informing the teens that they won t be participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at this Life Night, but will at the next, and encourage them to process this Life Night so they are prepared to participate in the Sacrament at the next Life Night. Notes: 40 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 41

4 KEY TERMS THE APPOINTMENT PROCLAIM OUTLINE Reconciliation: The sacramental celebration in which, through God s mercy and forgiveness, the sinner is reconciled with God and also with the Church, Christ s body, which is wounded by sin. Contrition: Sincere sorrow for sin. Absolution: An essential element of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in which the priest, by the power entrusted to the Church by Christ pardons the sins of the penitent. Penance: Acts that include fasting, prayer, and almsgiving that help amend the disorders sin has caused. TEACHING POINTS PART 1 FACE-TO-FACE Like the face-to-face encounters we experienced in the Gather, Jesus had face-to-face encounters with His people. In Scripture, people encountered Jesus in a variety of ways. Some people happened upon Him. Some people heard about Him and traveled a great distance to see Him. Some people even brought their friends to Him. Project and read Matthew 4:23. Soon, instead of running into Jesus, people intentionally approach Him. Project and read Matthew 8:1-4. Soon after, two blind men, men who cannot see where they are going, follow Jesus as He passes by. Project and read Matthew 9: Then, people start bringing their friends to Jesus. Project and read Matthew 9:1-2 and Matthew 9: Where is it that you have encountered Jesus? Did you run into Him while attending Mass with your family? Did you run into Him while talking to a friend or Core Member? Did you approach Him in Adoration, wondering if He was real? Did you approach Him by attending a Life Night for the first time? APPOINTMENTS When we are sick, we make appointments to see the doctor to address our sickness. We can also have appointments with Jesus to address our spiritual sickness. We can make these appointments ourselves by scheduling Mass, Adoration, Life Nights, and prayer into our routines. Jesus can also make these appointments with us by revealing Himself in conversations with our parents, friends, and Core Members, or by revealing Himself in situations where we are forced into silence because the Internet is out or our smartphone is dead. TEACHING POINTS PART 2 APPOINTMENT WITH JESUS One of the more difficult appointments to make is an appointment to meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However, like the people in Scripture, if we approach Jesus and ask for healing, we can walk away healed. Here are some concrete steps you can take to participate in Reconciliation. Recognize. We need to recognize our sin and our need for forgiveness. We are human; we sin. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we meet Jesus Christ face-to-face, and He offers us mercy. 42 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 43

5 Examine Conscience. When we examine our consciences, we look at our thoughts, words, actions, and omissions since our last confession. We see where we have pleased the Lord and where we have sinned and failed to love the Lord, those around us, and ourselves. Contrition. Contrition is the genuine sorrow we feel and experience for our sin. Confess. We can go to our parish during normal confession hours, schedule a time for confession with priest, or go during a Life Night or retreat to receive the Sacrament. When we confess our sins to a priest, he stands en persona Christi, in the person of Christ. This means we are confessing our sins to Christ Himself. What is said in the confessional stays in the confessional because priests are bound by the seal of confession, meaning they are not allowed to share or repeat what is said. In confession, we tell the priest how long it s been since our last confession. Then, we tell him what sins we would like to confess. The priest will probably give some advice, and then ask us to say the Act of Contrition. Absolution. Absolution is the cancellation of the debt or pardoning the punishment due to sin. It is in this prayer that Christ, through the priest, frees us from our sins. The priest prays the Prayer of Absolution over us at the end of confession. Penance. Penance is our way of making amends for our sins. Absolution takes away our sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sins has caused. Penance helps amend these disorders. There can be a variety of reasons why we don t make appointments to go to the doctor: we are too busy, we are embarrassed about what s wrong with us, or we think we can just live with whatever is wrong. Don t let these excuses keep you from your physical or spiritual doctor. Both your physical and spiritual health are worth a little discomfort. Transition to the Question and Answer Panel. Notes: 44 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 45

6 TEACHING PART 1 FACE-TO-FACE THE APPOINTMENT PROCLAIM DETAILS Transition to the Proclaim, expounding upon the following: Funny how long it took some of us to recall names. Like the face-to-face encounters we experienced in the Gather, Jesus had face-to-face encounters with His people. In Scripture, people encountered Jesus in a variety of ways. Some people happened upon Him. Some people heard about Him and traveled a great distance to see Him. Some people even brought their friends to Him. In Matthew 4:23, we see Jesus out in public teaching, proclaiming the Gospel, and healing multitudes of people. Soon, instead of running into Jesus, people intentionally approached Him. In Matthew 8:1-4, a leper approaches Jesus. Project and read Matthew 8:2-3. Soon after, two blind men, men who cannot see where they are going, follow Jesus as He passes by. How did they do this? They can t see. It s a crowded, public street that is likely very loud. Yet, they follow Jesus, and they approach Him and are healed from their blindness. Matthew 9:27-30 Then, people started bringing their friends to Jesus. People brought a paralytic lying on a stretcher to Jesus. People brought someone possessed by a demon to Jesus. Matthew 9:1-2, Matthew 9:32-34 Where is it that you have encountered Jesus? Did you run into Him while attending Mass with your family? Did you run into Him while talking to a friend or Core Member? Did you approach Him in Adoration, wondering if He was real? Did you approach Him by attending a Life Night for the first time? Did a friend bring you to Mass, Adoration, or a Life Night? APPOINTMENTS When we are sick, we make appointments to see the doctor to address our sickness. We can also have appointments with Jesus to address our spiritual sickness. We can make these appointments ourselves by scheduling Mass, Adoration, Life Nights, and prayer into our calendars. Jesus can also make these appointments with us by revealing Himself in conversations with parents, friends, and Core Members, or by revealing Himself in situations where we are forced into silence because the Internet is out or our smartphone is dead, or by revealing Himself in moments of mercy, like when someone was merciful towards you, covered for you, did your part, or forgave you. Small Group Discussion Use the following questions to lead a small group discussion: Was it hard or easy to recall the names of people in Behind the Curtain? Why or why not? How did you get here for this Life Night series? Did a friend invite you? Did the youth minister or Core Member invite you? Did you just show up? Or, if you attend Life Nights regularly, why do you keep coming back? If you had to choose a category of how you met Jesus, which of the following would you choose: - I happened upon Jesus. - I approached Jesus after hearing about Him. - A friend or family member introduced me to Jesus. - I have yet to be introduced to Jesus. Will you share more about the story of how you met Jesus? 46 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 47

7 TEACHING PART 2 APPOINTMENT WITH JESUS One of the more difficult appointments to make is an appointment to meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However, like the people in Scripture, if we approach Jesus and ask for healing, we can walk away healed. Here are some concrete steps you can take to participate in Reconciliation. 1. Recognize. First and foremost, we need to recognize our sin and our need for forgiveness. We are human; we sin. The good news is that Jesus is always ready and eager for us to take advantage of His mercy. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we meet Jesus Christ face-to-face, and He offers us mercy. 2. Examine. Then we need to perform an Examination of Conscience. This is when we look at our thoughts, words, actions, and omissions since our last confession. We see where we have pleased the Lord and where we have sinned and failed to love the Lord, those around us, and ourselves. Before confession, or when in line, we can pull up an Examination of Conscience on a phone, say a prayer to the Holy Spirit asking Him to help us examine our consciences, and then pray through the Examination of Conscience. 3. Contrition and Repentence. Contrition is genuine sorrow for our sin. It is motivated by our love for God the Father. When we sin against God the Father, we are choosing not to love Him, choosing to place impediments in our relationship. Contrition is a feeling that leads to the act of repentance. The word repent comes from the Latin word meaning to regret intensely. We are literally supposed to grieve for our sin. To repent means to turn away from our sin or to shed our attachment to sin. This is best achieved in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. CCC , Confess. Get to the Sacrament of Reconciliation; come to our parish for during normal confession hours, schedule a time for confession with a priest, or go during a Life Night or retreat. When we confess our sins to a priest, he stands in persona Christi capitas, in the person of Christ. This means we are confessing our sins to Christ Himself. Also, what is said in the confessional, stays in the confessional. Priests are bound by the seal of confession, meaning they are not allowed to share or repeat what is said. They can t even talk to us about what we said in the confessional once we leave the confessional. CCC 1441, When we first get into the confessional, or sit down with a priest, we need to remember to tell him how long it s been since our last confession. This helps him have context for what we are about to say. Then, we tell him the sins we would like to confess. 5. Advice. Next, the priest will probably give some advice, and then ask us to say the Act of Contrition. 6. Absolution. Absolution is the cancellation of the debt or pardoning the punishment due to sin. It is in this prayer that Christ, through the priest, frees us from our sins. The priest prays the Prayer of Absolution over us at the end of confession. CCC Penance. Penance is our way of making amends for or making satisfaction for our sins. Absolution takes away our sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sins has caused. Penance helps amend these disorders. CCC There can be a variety of reasons why we don t make appointments to go to the doctor: we are too busy, we are embarrassed about what s wrong with us, or we are afraid someone will find out what we are sick with. Don t let these excuses keep you from your physical or spiritual doctor. Both your physical and spiritual health are worth a little discomfort. 48 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 49

8 Question and Answer Panel Transition to the panel using the following: We are now going to welcome a panel to answer any questions that we might have on Sacrament of Reconciliation and Jesus mercy. Please take a notecard and writing utensil, and write down your questions. Pass out note cards and writing utensils to the teens. Give the teen a few moments to think of questions. Then, have a Core Member lead the Question and Answer Panel. Here are some sample questions: What if I don t feel that sorry or have sincere contrition for my sins? If we are absolved, why do we have to do penance? How am I speaking directly to Christ in the confessional? What happens if I forget to mention a sin? Notes: CORE TEAM OVERVIEW THE APPOINTMENT: A Life Night on Encountering Jesus GOAL: The goal of The Appointment is to explore biblical accounts of people encountering Jesus and receiving mercy, and healing and to learn that we encounter Jesus and the same mercy and healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. GATHER (20 MIN): Welcome and Opening Prayer: Behind the Curtain: PROCLAIM/BREAK (45 MIN): The Appointment Teaching: SEND (10 MIN): Letter of Contrition: Notes: 50 LIFE NIGHT SERIES: Rx 51

THE PRESCRIPTION A LIFE NIGHT ON RECIEVING JESUS AND THE GRACE HE OFFERS

THE PRESCRIPTION A LIFE NIGHT ON RECIEVING JESUS AND THE GRACE HE OFFERS GOAL LIFE NIGHT OVERVIEW A LIFE NIGHT ON RECIEVING JESUS AND THE GRACE HE OFFERS The goal of The Prescription is to inspire teens to receive Jesus and the grace He offers. KEY CONCEPTS When we are seriously