LIFE NIGHT OVERVIEW THE SIGNS AND WONDERS OF LIFE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT GOAL The goal of this Life Night is to introduce teens to the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit and build faith in God s miraculous power. KEY CONCEPTS The Holy Spirit offers us spiritual gifts or charisms that are meant to be used for the good of others. These are sometimes called extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first followers of Christ used these gifts to build the Church and bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. These same gifts are available to Christ s followers today. Miracles, healings, and signs and wonders happen today. ABOUT THIS LIFE NIGHT The Gather is a fun game of tag where teens can be healed from injuries. The Proclaim explores the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, how they were and are to be used for the building up of others, as well as how faith is both a requirement and fruit of them. During the Break, the teens discuss the Proclaim in small groups. In the Send, a priest explains and invites the teens to a healing Mass. ENVIRONMENT Set up the clothesline timeline and galvanized metal buckets with clothespins from the previous Life Night and be ready to add to it. Invite teens to take a closer look when they have free time. Have pictures of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, St. Catherine of Sienna, and St. Teresa Margaret available to be hung in the Saints section. Have picture of teens from your youth group available to be hung in the Today section. These are to be hung in chronological order on the timeline as they are mentioned in the Proclaim. For a larger youth group, project these images as they are being hung. KEY TERMS: Extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit Charism Faith SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Ephesians 4:11-12 CATECHISM: 799-801 951 2003 MEDIA SUGGESTIONS Holy Spirit, Bryan & Katie Torwalt (Here On Earth, 2011, Bethel) 4PM Media: Gifts of the Spirit // The Wild Goose - Segment 5 (youtube.com) SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS: #LT_SignsofLife #ComeHolySpirit 42 VITAL 43
AS YOU GET STARTED... For an alternate Break, divide the teens into their small groups, which are led by Core Members. Allow the teens to take out their smart phones and / or provide them with a device they can use to do research on the Internet. Each small group will research and choose a testimony on a miracle of God and then prepare a two to three minute presentation on it. Have poster board and markers available. Assign a presenter from each group to present the poster board to the larger group. Core Members must help guide the choice and preparation of the presentation of the miracle. Help the teens stay focused on researching valid testimonies. Suggested terms to search on Google or Youtube are: miracle healings, healing testimonies, catholic healing testimonies, prophetic word testimonies, and charismatic gift testimonies. Be aware of the clips being watched to ensure theological accuracy and validity. For a Send based on testimony, invite a member or multiple members of the parish community to the Life Night to share a testimony about a miraculous healing they have received. Work with this person to craft and practice their testimony. Conclude the testimonies by inviting the teens to take a moment to identify a miracle that a friend or family member, or maybe even themselves need, and then pray for it. HISPANIC INCULTURATION By Christopher Martinez Most Hispanic teens have been taken to a prayer group by a family member where there was a lot of singing, raising of hands, and out-of-tune guitars. There was mostly likely a presenter speaking loudly and quickly into a microphone in Spanish making it seem more like a soccer match than a prayer meeting. The teen probably questioned what was going on and most likely brushed the experience off as crazy. Other Hispanic teens have not been exposed to charismatic prayer at all. When they go to Church they bow their head, clasp their hands together in prayer, and silently pray. Again, when they do run into charismatic prayer, they think it is crazy. It s important to emphasize that charismatic prayer may be different than what we are used to, but it can still bring others and ourselves to God. Invite them not to simply brush it off as crazy, but to be open to it. Notes: _ 44 VITAL 45
GATHER LIFE NIGHT: Welcome and Prayer (5 min) Gather the teens into the main meeting space. Welcome them to the Life Night and begin in prayer. Operation Tag (15 min) One person is it. Whenever someone is tagged by it they must hold a band aid (their hand) over the spot where they were tagged. When someone runs out of band aids (they get tagged three times) they are paralyzed. To be un-paralyzed, two other people must come over to them and operate. The two other people must tag the paralyzed person at the same time and count to five. Switch the person who is it often. To get the game started, have a fun Core Member be it. PROCLAIM Signs of Life Teaching (15 min) The teaching for this Life Night is found on pages 48 to 57. BREAK Small Group Discussion (20 min) Instruct the teens to get into their small groups. Have the Core Members begin in prayer and lead a small group discussion using the following questions: Have you ever experienced the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit or been to a charismatic prayer meeting? What was it like? What did you take away from that experience? What is your reaction to hearing about the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit? Since learning about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit at the previous Life Night have you been more aware of them working in your life? How so? Now that you know about the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, do you think you might be more aware of them working in your life? How can you be more aware of them? Where are you at with your faith? Do you believe in miracles? How might you be able to grow in your faith in miracles? What might God be doing when He isn t answering your prayers the way you would like Him too? What are you called to do in this scenario? Why? Which gifts are you interested in receiving? Why? SEND Healing Mass (10 min) Many parishes have a healing Mass on a monthly or quarterly basis. Invite your parish priest to come, explain, and invite teens to attend the next healing Mass at your parish or a nearby parish. Conclude by asking the teens to reflect on an area of their life, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, where they may need healing and to bring their intention to the Lord. Notes: 46 VITAL 47
KEY TERMS PROCLAIM OUTLINE Charism or Extraordinary Gift of the Holy Spirit : A grace of the Holy Spirit intended to be used for the good of others. Faith: Both a gift of God and a human act by which the believer gives personal adherence to God. TEACHING POINTS Charisms or extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit are graces of the Holy Spirit that are intended to be given away for the good of others. These gifts can be simple and humble like teaching, encouragement, and counsel. They can be extraordinary like healing, prophecy, and mighty deeds. Saint Paul writes instructions on how to use these gifts for the good of others to the Church in Corinth and Ephesus. Project and read 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 and Ephesians 4:11-12. The Catechism encourages the faithful today to operate in these same gifts saying, they make the faithful fit and ready to undertake various tasks for the renewal of the Church and that they are to be accepted with gratitude as they are a wonderfully rich grace for apostolic vitality. These gifts are signs of life in the Church. Through them God speaks, heals, and sets free. The signs and wonders of God bring life. THE EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS The gift of healing is when someone is healed with unusual speed or in situations where healing is medically improbable. Tongues is a spiritual language. Someone can be worshiping God in tongues or have tongues that are in need of interpretation. The gift of prophecy is when God speaks through one person to another person or the community. Discernment of spirits is the ability to immediately and intuitively understand the spiritual source of various actions, words, and ideas. SAINTS AND THE EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS Throughout the history of the Church, we have examples of saints operating with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit. Take a moments to share examples of saints operating with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit. FAITH Faith is both a requirement and fruit of miracles. It requires faith to pray over someone and ask for healing. It requires faith to ask for prayers. When these prayers are answered more faith is found. In Scripture, we see examples of faith being a requirement of miracles. To the woman with the hemorrhage Jesus said, Daughter, your faith has made you well. 48 VITAL 49
When the apostles worked miracles in Jesus name, it was with faith. They did not ask or pray for miracles, they had such great faith that they announced them and commanded them. To Aeneas, a man who had been bedridden and paralyzed for eight years Peter said, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed. If we are not seeing miracles today, it may be because we are lacking faith. We are not asking, let alone commanding them. Or maybe we have prayed, and our prayer seems unanswered? God knows what s best and God has a plan. Maybe what we were praying for is not what is best for us and God is working out what is best for us in His time? Maybe the miracle is not His will for us? Praying for a miracle means opening our needs to God but also making our will open to Him. If God chooses not to heal, then God is still going to bring grace and has a reason for it. Next time you have an opportunity to ask for a miracle from God, press into it. Delve deep for faith and ask, no command it, in Jesus s name. If it does not come they way you want it, look for the grace He is releasing. Notes: 50 VITAL 51
TEACHING PROCLAIM DETAILS At the previous Life Night, we learned about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also gives another type of spiritual gifts called the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit or charisms. Charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit that are intended to be given away for the good of others. When we use these gifts, we become capable of making the Church stronger, building up the people around us, and serving those in need. They can be simple and humble like teaching, encouragement, and counsel. They can be extraordinary like healing, prophecy, and mighty deeds. CCC 799-800, 951, 2003 The apostles served in the power of the Holy Spirit. After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter preaches to a crowd, they are cut to the heart, and three thousand people are baptized. This is the charism of evangelization at work. Peter and John, as they were walking to the temple, crossed paths with a beggar who had been crippled since birth. Peter says, I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Peter then takes the beggar by the hand and pulls him up. As he is being pulled up, his feet and ankles grew strong. This is the gift of healing at work. Acts 2:14-41, Acts 3:1-19 Signs and wonders such as these continued. The people even carried their sick out into the street so that when Peter walked by, his shadow might touch them and they would be healed. Acts 5:12-16 It was commonplace for Christ s followers to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit. So common that Saint Paul writes instructions on how to use these gifts for the good of others to the Church in Corinth and Ephesus. Project 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 and Ephesians 4:11-12 on the projector and slowly read. It should not be surprising that Christ s followers today, by our baptism, can operate in the same power of the Spirit. In fact, the Catechism encourages it saying, they make the faithful fit and ready to undertake various tasks for the renewal of the Church and that they are to be accepted with gratitude as they are a wonderfully rich grace for apostolic vitality. CCC 798, 800 These gifts are signs of life in the Church. Pope Francis in his homily at Pentecost Mass in May of 2013 says the Holy Spirit is a great source of wealth. Through them God speaks, heals, and sets free. They renew God s people. The signs and wonders of God bring life. THE EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS Some of these gifts are familiar; a gift of teaching, a gift of evangelizing, a gift of understanding. Some of them are more extraordinary; a gift of prophecy, a gift of tongues, a gift of healing. The gift of healing is when someone is healed with unusual speed or in situations where healing is medically improbable. Peter healed Aeneas, a paralyzed man, as well as brings Tabatha, a woman filled with good deeds that fell sick and died, back to life. Acts 9:32-42 Tongues is a spiritual language. Someone can be worshiping God in tongues or have tongues that are in need of interpretation. Tongues is first seen at Pentecost, the bystanders remarked yet we hear them speaking in our own tongue of the mighty acts of God. Acts 2:1-13 52 VITAL 53
The gift of prophecy is when God speaks through a person to another person or the community. They might have a vision and an explanation. They might have a message to be delivered verbally. They might receive an interpretation of tongues. Peter had a vision that instructed Christ s followers to lift the ban on eating unclean animals that was required of the Jewish people. Prophecy is not to be understood as telling the future, but communicating God s message. Acts 10:9-15 God s message is consistent. What He teaches through His Church, He will teach through prophecy. The Holy Spirit inspires both. A prophecy may speak God s message to someone personally in the moment that they need to hear it, but it is the same message that can be found at all times in the Church. If any prophecy contradicts the teaching of the Church, it is not of God. Which is where discernment comes in. Discernment of spirits is the ability to intuitively understand the spiritual source of actions, words, and ideas. This gift helps the community stay true to the Holy Spirit because there can be various influences that affect the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The correct inspiration is God. God uses the Holy Spirit and those who are docile to the Holy Spirit to build up His Church. The incorrect influence, the influence to be wary of, is the evil one. He desires to tear down and divide the Church. Another influence to be aware of is the flesh or human efforts. This is when someone wants to operate in a gift but by their own will not God working through them. This gift is helpful in discerning if a prophecy is of God, of the flesh, or of the evil one. Maybe someone really wants to operate in the gift of prophecy so they tell you God has a message for you, but it doesn t sit right with you? It doesn t bring you peace. Then, it was probably just this person trying to be helpful, but not God s message to you, and therefore you can let it go. These gifts are subject to the authority of the Church, like priests, other Church leaders, and Church teaching. For example, someone may believe they are receiving a prophecy from God, but that prophecy goes against Church teaching. Then, we can conclude that it is not of God and should be stopped. Or someone may be praying loudly in tongues at a prayer meeting and it is distracting to the rest of the community. A priest or church leader may ask them to pray more quietly and the person should obey. The charisms of the Holy Spirit are gifts from God to us. If we are in need of healing, we can ask for it. If we desire to worship God, but don t feel we have the right words, we can pray in tongues. If we want to hear God, He can speak to us through prophecy. We have been given these gifts through Baptism and Confirmation. The Holy Spirit is in us. If we are not using these gifts or choose not to use them, it does not mean the Holy Spirit is not in us. SAINTS AND THE EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Throughout the history of the Church, we have examples of saints operating with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit. Saint Catherine of Sienna healed plague victims and raised her own mother from the dead. Saint Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart healed a sister whose chronic mouth pain had prevented her from participating in community life. Healings and miracles flowed from saints such as Francis Xavier, Martin de Porres, John Bosco, Andrew de Basset, and Mother Frances Xavier de Cabrini. Saint Pio is a contemporary saint who is well known for ministering to others with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, specifically the gifts of prophecy, wisdom, and counsel. For example, there was a poor woman who regularly volunteered to sort through donated items at a charity. One day she saw a nice piece of cloth, and since she was also poor, she decided to take it to make herself a dress. Soon afterwards she went to confession to Padre Pio. Padre Pio said to her, You have got dirty hands! She did not understand what he was referring to and she replied, But father, I have washed them! Padre Pio replied, And what about that material that you kept for yourself? The young woman was stunned and wondered how he could have known this. She replied, But father, it was 54 VITAL 55
from the things that were donated for the poor, and I am poor! Padre Pio responded, Yes, but you should have asked. FAITH Some us may be wary. We may be thinking all this sounds crazy or why haven t I heard of this before or seen this before? Or we may be thinking, Oh, I have seen this before. It was with all those crazy people waving their hands around and singing. This is not for me. This is for you. The Holy Spirit is for you. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead. We believe a man who had died rose from the dead. If God can make a man rise from the dead, why can He not work other great miracles? Faith is both a requirement and fruit of miracles. It requires faith to pray over someone and ask for healing. It requires faith to ask for prayers and pray for healing ourselves. We don t want to be made a fool if a healing doesn t happen. It requires faith to pray for a miracle, or tell someone you have a message for them from God. But when these prayers are answered and messages are delivered, more faith is found. In Scripture, we see examples of faith being a requirement of miracles. To the woman with the hemorrhage Jesus said, Daughter, your faith has made you well. To the leper who returned to give thanks for his healing He said, Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well. To the Canaanite woman with the demonized daughter He said, O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire. Luke 8:48, Luke 17:19, Matthew 15:28 When the apostles worked miracles in Jesus name, it is with faith. They did not ask or pray for miracles. They had such great faith that they announced them and commanded them. To the cripple begging at the gate Peter says, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. To Aeneas, a man who had been bedridden and paralyzed for eight years Peter said, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed. To a slave girl who had a spirit of divinization Paul said, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. Acts 3:6, Acts 9:34, Acts 16:18 If we are not seeing miracles today, it may be because we are lacking faith. We are not asking, let alone commanding them. Or maybe we have prayed, and our prayer seems unanswered? Here are some things to think about when this harsh reality sets in. God knows what s best for you. Maybe what you were praying for is not what is best for you and God is working out what is best for you in His time? God has a plan for you. Maybe the miracle is not His will for you? Praying for a miracle means opening our needs to God but also making our will open to Him. If God chooses not to heal, then God is still going to bring grace and has a reason for it. Our job is to be open to that grace and reason. Next time you have an opportunity to ask for a miracle from God, press into it. Delve deep for faith and ask, no command it, in Jesus s name. If it does not come they way you want it, be open to His will for you, and look for the grace He is releasing. Notes: _ 56 VITAL 57
CORE TEAM OVERVIEW : The Signs and Wonders of Life in the Holy Spirit GOAL: The goal of this Life Night is to introduce teens to the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit and build faith in God s miraculous power. GATHER (20 MIN): Welcome and Prayer (5 min): Operation Tag (15 min): PROCLAIM (15 MIN): Signs of Life Teaching: BREAK (20 MIN): Small Group Discussion: Have you ever experienced the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit or been to a charismatic prayer meeting? What was it like? What did you take away from that experience? What is your reaction to hearing about the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit? Since learning about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit at the previous Life Night have you been more aware of them working in your life? How so? Now that you know about the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, do you think you might be more aware of them working in your life? How can you be more aware of them? Where are you at with your faith? Do you believe in miracles? How might you be able to grow in your faith in miracles? What might God be doing when He isn t answering your prayers the way you would like Him too? What are you called to do in this scenario? Why? Which gifts are you interested in receiving? Why? SEND (10 MIN): Healing Mass: Notes: 58 VITAL 59