Seventh Sunday of Easter Year C HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE Dismissal Session The Dismissal Session is for catechumens only who are dismissed from worship before the Creed (RCIA #75.3). The Dismissal Session group may gather for the Catechetical Session at another time during the week. Catechetical Session When the Dismissal Session is immediately followed by the Catechetical Session, parents or other sponsors join the group after Eucharist. Baptized children preparing for confirmation and Eucharist may also join in the Catechetical Session (RCIA #254; Appendix III, #19). During the Easter season, the Catechetical Session may be used both for the ongoing catechumenate and as postbaptismal catechesis with neophytes. Adapt your language and choose options appropriate for your group s stage of faith and adjust your time frame. Children s RCIA Resource CATECHIST S NOTES NOTES FOR THIS SUNDAY Sunday s readings Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 John 17:20-26 Doctrine correlations The priestly prayer (John 17) holds a unique place in the economy of salvation and reveals the ever present prayer of our High Priest (CCC #2604). We place our hope in the prayer of Christ for the reconciliation of all Christians in the one Church of Christ that transcends human powers (CCC #822). RCIA team notes If your diocese celebrates the Ascension of the Lord on Sunday, the Seventh Sunday of Easter may be omitted. Check with the liturgy committee, and choose the sessions compatible with the liturgy. The entire community helps the catechumens throughout the process of initiation including the period of postbaptismal catechesis (RCIA #9). Evaluate what is being done within the community to help the children neophytes feel at home (RCIA #9.5). Children with special needs For the closing prayer, check on any cultural prohibitions about touching. By Janet Miller. Copyright 2013, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved.
CATECHIST S NOTES GETTING READY FOR THE SESSION Items to prepare check-in sheet and nametag materials poster paper or white board, erasers, and erasable markers white cloth on table or counter for prayer, percussion instrument Bibles, one set to John 17 adorned crucifix, candle in a heat-proof holder, matches index cards Sharing Faith questions, chart materials, copies of Faith at Home paper slips, container, costumes and props (optional) Gathering Prayer Ritual Place a Bible, candle, and crucifix adorned with ribbons or flowers on a white cloth. Set chairs in a circle. Singing option Choose an Alleluia song from your faith community s resources or use Give Your Gifts, Melody Book, from GIA Publications, Inc. Bring hymnals or and music in a player. Building Community On separate index cards, print a prayer form on one card and a simple prayer on another. Keep pairs together. Make enough for each person to have one card. Snack option Send a reminder to the sponsor providing the snack this week. Sharing Faith groups Print the Scripture citations on recycled paper for group leaders. Bring poster boards or large sheets of paper and dark markers. Crossing the Ages Activity option: Gift and Glory Skits Print scenarios pertinent to the group on slips of recycled paper. Place in a container. Plan space for skits. Bring costumes and props (optional). Friends on the Way - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C 2
DISMISSAL SESSION GATHERING (15 MINUTES) Catechumens, having heard the Sunday proclamation of word, are dismissed from the Mass. Greet the catechumens as they arrive. Have everyone check in and put on nametags. For anyone new provide nametag materials. GATHERING PRAYER RITUAL Chime a percussion instrument as a call to prayer. All stand around the prayer focal point. ( ) Light the candle. Sing an Alleluia song from your faith community s resources or Word of Truth and Life (GIA Publications). Leader: Slowly take a few deep breaths. Relax. If you feel comfortable, close your eyes. Continue to breathe deeply and feel God s life-giving air flow into your lungs. Now hear the voice of Jesus speaking. Listen to Jesus praying for you. What is Jesus praying? (Pause.) Take a moment and imagine the scene, just you and Jesus. When you are ready, open your eyes. Invite those who wish to comment. Invite everyone, when you lift a hand, to respond, Alleluia. Prayerfully say the following verses inspired by Psalm 97. Let the earth rejoice. Let the many islands be glad. (response) Justice and judgment are the foundation. The heavens proclaim God s justice. (response) All peoples see the glory of God, Most High over all the earth. (response) Extinguish the candle flame. Friends on the Way - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C 3
CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER Invite everyone to sit in a circle. Introduce anyone new. Invite sharing about their experiences with the Faith at Home pages from the previous session. BUILDING COMMUNITY Ways to Pray: Count the catechumens. The leader plays if needed to complete a pair. Take out extra matching cards. Here are examples of prayer forms with their matching prayers: Praise: We praise you, God. Blessing: Bless this food for our use. Petition: Help me on my test. Intercession: Strengthen those suffering with cancer. Forgiveness: I am sorry I hurt my brother. Thanksgiving: Thank you for freedom. Shuffle and randomly distribute the cards. Challenge the catechumens to find and form partners so that each prayer form is matched with its corresponding prayer. Note: Petition is asking, while intercession focuses on asking for another. These two forms sometimes are combined. After the partners find one another, ask them to create another prayer with the same kind of form. Invite sharing. This week s proclamations focus on prayer. Saint Stephen prays for forgiveness for those who are killing him. Saint John gives us the prayer that asks Jesus to come. Jesus prays for all disciples throughout all time. RECALLING THE WORD (10 MINUTES) Have everyone sit with Bibles in a circle. Use the following as a guide. For information, refer to Insight for the Catechist and the reflections on the Faith at Home page. Always affirm the catechumens responses, adding comments to aid their understanding. Help the catechumens find Acts 7:55-60. Explain: Even though Saint Stephen was arrested for teaching in the name of Jesus, he refused to be silent. He continued to preach even in the middle of the trail. The prosecutors became furious and stoned him. Notice that the early Christians so strongly believed in everlasting life they referred to bodily death as sleep. I wonder: What do you think you would do if someone threatened to kill you unless you denied Jesus? I wonder: Do you think you would be as forgiving as Stephen was? Help the catechumens find Revelation 22:12-21. Explain: These sentences close Saint John s book, Revelation. Alpha and Omega mean that Jesus is the beginning and the end of all things. Right now you are the ones who thirst. You will grow in faith and when ready receive the gift of life-giving water. In baptism you will wash your robes or clothes in life-giving water. Friends on the Way - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C 4
What do you find interesting in this final message of the Bible? Have the catechumens find John 17:20-26. What desire does Jesus express in this prayer? I wonder: What does it mean to be one with Jesus and one with all believers? Affirm the members comments. Summarize: This week we hear that all who love are one with God and share God s glory. In Jesus last moment before dying on the cross, he offers a prayer for us, his friends and disciples. Prayer unites all the faithful through time and space. PRAYING INTERCESSIONS (5 MINUTES) We offer prayers for people everywhere. When I lift my hand, please respond, God who is one, hear our prayer. Forgive the sins of hurtful people. (Lift a hand for the response.) Be with all catechumens who thirst and prepare to receive the gift of life-giving water. (Lift a hand for the response.) Keep us one in your holy name as we love another. (Lift a hand for the response.) Invite the members to contribute intercessions. Conclude: You who are One, O God, remain with us, you in us and we in you. Hear the prayers we offer through Christ Jesus, who gave himself so that we might share in his glory, for ever and ever. All: Amen. Option: Break for a snack or social time. If the group disperses now and meets for catechesis later in the week, collect nametags. Friends on the Way - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C 5
CATECHETICAL SESSION The Catechetical Session follows the Dismissal Session either immediately or at another time during the week. The catechetical session is designed for catechumens and parents or sponsors to grow in faith together. The status of the catechumens never is to be confused with that of baptized children preparing for confirmation or Eucharist, who may join in this catechesis as supportive companions (RCIA, Appendix III, #19). GATHERING FOR CATECHESIS (5 MINUTES) Welcome the catechumens, parents, sponsors, and any baptized children arriving from liturgy. If this Catechetical Session is not following the Dismissal Session, allow an additional ten minutes and begin with the Gathering segment in the Dismissal Session. Have those arriving check in and put on nametags. PRAYING Invite everyone to stand around the prayer focal point. Use the ( ) prayer from the Gathering Prayer Ritual in the Dismissal Session, another prayer, or sing a gathering song from liturgy. OPTION FOR NEOPHYTES (10 MINUTES) Gather the neophytes in a circle. Pray the Apostles Creed together. Encourage each neophyte to respond to each question without interruption. Others ask clarifying questions or affirm. After everyone has an opportunity to respond to the first question, ask the next. Remind the neophytes: During liturgy this week, we heard Saint John tell that God s Holy Spirit has been given to us. During your confirmation you were anointed with Holy Chrism as a sign of being sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now, you have lived for more than a month as one sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. What does being sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit mean to you? How has being sealed influence the decisions you make? ENGAGING THE WORD Distribute Bibles. Have everyone find John 17:20-26. Explain: (10 MINUTES) I will say a statement. Look through the passage, and find a phrase that supports that statement. SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR C Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 John 17:20-26 Insight for the Catechist After praying for the disciples, Jesus concludes by praying for all who believe through the disciples witness. Jesus prays for loving unity among believers, one in God as Jesus is one in God. All believers are a gift to Jesus who prays for everlasting unity. Divine love gifted Jesus with eternal glory since before time. Since Jesus lives in his friends and God the Father in him, then God lives in them, all a mystical union in faith originating with God. For the Evangelist John, Jesus, the eternal Word, is the prophet who now reveals the just God s name to the fullest. This work will never cease. The world will only be converted by experiencing Christians who are one in the Father and in Christ. We join in prayer with Jesus, with all the faithful who have gone before us, and with all believers on earth. By Janet Miller. Copyright 2013, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved. 6
One at a time, say the following statements. Invite volunteers to read supporting phrases from the passage. Some phrases may be used more than once. Try to get as many members contributing as possible. Verses in parentheses are suggestions, only if needed. Affirm all efforts. 1. Jesus prays for all believers. (verse 17) 2. Jesus desires the unity of all believers. (verse 21) 3. Jesus is one with the Father. (verse 21) 4. God loves us. (verse 23) 5. Jesus was given glory in the Resurrection. (verse 24) 6. Jesus prays that the world may believe. (verse 21) 7. We are God s gift. (verse 24) 8. Jesus made God s name known. (verse 26) Invite those who wish to comment. SHARING FAITH (20 MINUTES) Form mixed-age groups of four to six with Bibles, and assign leaders. Mention that Jesus prays for all disciples throughout time. Ask them to find out what characteristics of disciples are told in the Gospel according to John. Give each group Scripture references, a poster board or large sheet of paper, and a dark marker. Ask a recorder to print the title Disciples at the top and develop a chart of disciple characteristics. Circulate to offer help, using the definitions in parentheses as needed. John 10:27 (Disciples follow Jesus.) John 13:34 (Disciples love.) John14:27 (Disciples are not afraid.) John 17:21 (Disciples are united in Jesus.) John 20:21 (Disciples are sent.) John 21:17 (Disciples care for others.) Have a representative from each group come up, and they hold the charts for everyone to see. Ask volunteers to point out characteristics of disciples they see among group members. With the whole group conclude: We, as disciples, place our hope in the prayer of Jesus who expressed a desire for the reconciliation of all Christians. Disciples together through all time form one church of Christ that is above all human powers. CARRYING OUT THE WORD (5 MINUTES) SUMMING UP Invite everyone to be seated around the prayer focal point. Encourage them to offer insights from this week s session. Say: The prayer that Jesus prayed for us and for all disciples is special and unique. As a priest offers prayers for everyone, Jesus is our High Priest who never stops praying for disciples. Friends on the Way - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C 7
CLOSING PRAYER (With Neophytes: Say the Lord s Prayer.) Assure that each member knows or can read the nametag of the person on the left. Explain that as the prayer goes around the circle, each person grasps both hands of the person on the left and says the prayer, inserting the word son or daughter and the person s name. Begin by grasping the hands of the person on your left and say: O God, give glory to your son/daughter, (name), so that your son/daughter, (name) may glorify you. After the prayer completes the circle, say: Go forth from this place making God s name known to all people through your love. And may the ever-living God bless us, (Make the Sign of the Cross on yourself as a model for everyone.) protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. All: Amen. Distribute the Faith at Home page. Collect the nametags. Crossing the Ages Activity (Optional activity for children and adults together: 20 minutes, minimum) Gift and Glory Skits (Catechumens follow supernatural inspiration in their deeds, RCIA #75.2.) Explain: As a gift to Jesus, we do loving actions so that God s glory shines through us. Christians seek to be one with Christ and one with each other. Through caring actions, we make God s name known to others. In small groups, we will act out scenarios that demonstrate loving others as Christ loves us for the glory of God. Appoint mixed-age groups of four to six members. Each group draws a slip of paper with one of the following scenarios: Be a good listener: Someone tells an important event. The others listen using reflective listening skills. They ask related questions and give affirming remarks. Apologize: Someone does something hurtful and apologizes using a complete sentence. They state what they did wrong, how it hurt someone, and how they will make up for it. Avoid substance abuse: Say no and do an alternative. Share wholesome food: Avoid junk food with empty calories and offer an alternative. Defend another: Defend the person and refuse to go along with a group that is talking badly about someone. Offer time to help: Change plans in order to help someone in need. Explain they have seven minutes to prepare. Provide costumes and props (optional). Then have each group present its skit. Applaud all. Friends on the Way - Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C 8
Faith at Home Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C Remember Sunday s Word Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 John 17:20-26 At a convenient time for the family, gather around a dining table or in the living room. Silence all electronics. Place a Bible opened to John 17 in the center. Begin with a moment of quiet. REFLECTING ON ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 7:55-60 After being arrested for teaching in the name of Jesus, Saint Stephen refused to be silent but even preached in the middle of the trial. The prosecutors became furious, took him outside, and stoned him. While becoming the first Christian martyr, he cried out for God to forgive his killers. The early Christians, strongly believing in everlasting life, used the term sleep for anyone who died. How do we each feel about Saint Stephen s willingness to be stoned to death instead of keeping quiet about Jesus? Learn about a modern-day martyr who refused to remain quiet. Research Oscar Romero or find uscatholic.org/oscar_romero. Consider viewing the movie Romero with mature family members. REFLECTING ON REVELATION 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 Chapter 22 ends Saint John s vision and the Bible. The tree of life has supplanted the tree of knowledge of good and evil described at the beginning of the Bible. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things, the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star who will come again. Let those who thirst come forward and receive the gift of life-giving water. What metaphor for Jesus do we each prefer? How are those in our family preparing for Baptism thirsty to enter life-giving water? On a large sheet of paper draw a Tree of Life. On leaf shapes print or draw an illustration of things people do who have washed their robes with Jesus. Cut fruit shapes from color paper and glue on pictures of people who come to Jesus. REFLECTING ON JOHN 17:20-26 The Evangelist John records the priestly prayer that Jesus said before he died. Jesus links his exaltation in glory to being raised up on the cross. In this prayer Jesus proclaims his unity with the Father and the unity of all believers with one another and with God. The faithful are a gift to Jesus, all together in love. In our family, how does our unity with God affect the way we treat one another? How does it affect the way we treat others? By Janet Miller. Copyright 2013, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved. Photo by Matthew Cua, via flickr, CC BY 2.0. Permission is given to reproduce this handout for family home use.
Praying Together Building on the example of Jesus who prayed continually, Christians developed prayers called Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Contrition. As part of family prayer time, choose one prayer and say it together for a week. Each week practice saying a different traditional prayer. Act of Faith O God, I firmly believe that you are the one and only God, sovereign of heaven, infinitely great and infinitely good. I believe in the truths you have revealed through Sacred Scripture and passed down through your holy Church. By your grace, continue to strengthen my faith all the days of my life. Amen. Act of Hope Gracious God, through Jesus Christ, you have promised every blessing for those who keep your commandments. Relying on your infinite power, goodness, and mercy, I hope with complete trust in you that you will forgive my sins, grant me grace in this world, and lead me to everlasting life. Amen. Act of Charity O God, I love you with my whole heart and soul and above all things, because you are infinitely good and most worthy of all my love. For your sake, I love my neighbor as myself. Mercifully grant, O gracious God, that having loved you on earth, I may live and share in your glory for ever in heaven. Amen. Act of Contrition O my God, I am sorry with my whole heart for all my sins. Because you are all goodness and constant love, grant me your mercy. Wipe away my sins that I might live in sincerity and truth. Create a chaste heart in me, O God, and give me a pure and loyal spirit. Lead me not into temptation, and help me avoid the ways of evil. Amen. Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C TeamRCIA.com