Small Group Leader Guide CT620 Discovering How Christ is Present

Small Group Leader Guide CT620 Discovering How Christ is Present

Small group leader guide CT620 Discovering How Christ is Present: Catholic Liturgy & Ritual A. This theme consists of 6 small group sessions with 3 supplemental handouts: 1 The Power of Ritual 2 The Meaning of Liturgy 3 The Symbols of Bread and Wine 3a (handout) More on Bread & Wine 4 Introductory Rites of the Mass 5 Liturgy of the Word 6 Liturgy of the Eucharist 6a (handout) The Communion Rite 6b (handout) Being a Eucharistic People B. In addition, there is some supplemental material within these notes. C. You should have on hand the following three resources as references: (1) A Bible. Lectionary readings are taken from the New American Bible, but any translation you have will work just fine. You may want to lay it open, alongside a lit candle or other symbols of faith. + (2) The Catechism of the Catholic Church and (3) the Growing Faith booklet set (which presents the whole Catechism in plain English or Spanish). The Index provided with Growing Faith will help you find topics in these resources quickly. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 2

To get the Growing Faith Index of topics (which also connects you to the Catechism), click the link below and it will open on your computer screen. If you re reading this off line, cut and paste this link into your browser to open the Index. The Index is free. http://pastoralplanning.com/growingfaith/gf_index.pdf The Growing Faith booklets for this theme include, in particular: D. Before each small group meeting, spend a little time setting up your space to be as welcoming and safe as possible for participants. Always begin on time. Gather folks and welcome them warmly. It s a good idea to have sacred music playing quietly as folks arrive. Offer a bit of coffee, wine, or a light snack. Keep the lights reasonably low to make the space more sacred. E. Prepare: Read through the entire participant worksheet for this session. Read through the entire portion of the guide marked for this session. If there is a supplemental handout, we will guide you on how to use it in these notes. Plan what form of prayer you will use for this session. You need not use the same form each time your group meets. See our notes below. Use your reference books to check any details on which you feel unclear. Use the Growing Faith Index to find topics quickly. We caution you, however, from adding too much material to what is already in the participant worksheets. Each session is designed to last about one hour. You don t want to swamp the boat. o Note that you can always give us a call for support, 8 AM to 5 PM, central time, weekdays. F. You can get copies of Growing Faith from the web site that supports this program: PastoralPlanning.com. Here s a link to the Growing Faith Center. If the link is not live for you, cut and paste it into your browser. http://store.pastoralplanning.c om/puabgrfahe.html 1. Our goal is to grow together into a deeper intimacy with Christ and a greater love for Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 3

the Church. Keeping this goal in mind will help you get there! 2. Confidentiality. What s said at group stays at group. 3. Start on time and end on time. It will be up to you as the leader to guide the group in sticking with this commitment. 4. Discussion involves everyone. Invite all even those who are naturally more quiet to take part. 5. Remember your manners. Avoid dismissing the thoughts of others, don t laugh at others when they ve shared (unless they ve just told a joke), and no putdowns of any kind. 6. It's OK to agree to disagree. It s just a fact of life that everyone has different opinions. If the group has differing thoughts on an issue, there's no requirement that everyone agree. 7. Turn off mobile phones before the group begins! Ask folks to put their electronic lives on hold for this short time. G. Pause quietly and turn your heart toward the divine Light I open my heart to you, O God of all goodness. Let my thoughts and words be guided by your loving hand as I lead this group to know and love you more. May I be an earthen vessel through whom you work to touch the lives of those in our group. By the light of your Spirit may I be earnest in my own search for truth and fair in how I treat others. Through Christ, the Light of the World. Amen. Congratulations! You re ready to welcome the guests and begin your session. Remember that we are keeping you in prayer throughout your season of Come to the Table. Be an earthen vessel in the hand of God. Trust that God will give you the words and gestures you most need. -- Bill and the Team Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 4

Prayer Options Option one: We encourage you to spend 10 minutes or so at the beginning of each session breaking open the word which was proclaimed in last Sunday s Masses. As Catholics, nothing is more central to our lives than our Liturgy. This prayer brings that Liturgy into your group and connects you to all the People of God. Use our annual resource as a starting point for this process. You can find it here, and it s always free: http://pastoralplanning.com/questionoftheweek.html. 1. The Call to Prayer Leader: My friends, let s pause to spend a few moments in prayer and conversation with each other. [Lead all in the Sign of the Cross] + In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 2. The Word of God Leader: May the Lord be in our hearts as we recall and re-listen to a reading from last Sunday s Liturgy of the Word. [Re-read all or part of one of the readings from the previous Sunday s Liturgy. If the readings are long, select a few verses to read.] 3. The Two Faith Sharing Questions Leader: As we consider this Sacred Scripture, I invite you to think about it in two dimensions. [You may wish to work in small groups if your number is large.] First, ask about the text itself, to draw attention to the Scripture. o What word or phrase in this text caught your ear? o What story did you hear, or what image did you get? o What touched you as you heard this reading? Second, when the first sharing is complete, ask about the people s lives. o How does this reading affect your daily life? o What lesson do you draw from it for your Christian journey of faith? o Use our Question of the Week (the link to them is above). 4. The Prayer. At the end of the sharing period, invite folks to pray together the prayer which is on this week s Small Group Worksheet. Option two: Simply use steps 1 & 4 above as your opening prayer. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 5

Session 1: The Power of Ritual 1. Begin by talking together, using these as your starting point. Start with topic one and invite each participant to respond. You may also wish to pose additional questions, such as: Why do you suppose the official Church felt so strongly about having everyone attend every week? 2. When topic one seems finished, move on to topic two. Here we want folks to identify personal rituals they may have, regarding prayer, daily habits, and so forth. We ll consider family rituals a bit later. For example, I have a little ritual of pausing before I speak or write to check in with God, and I do this by looking out a window or gazing at nature, and allowing my heart to open to the divine energy of love. I don t actually have a picture of a person s face in mind, but simply sense the presence of God around me and listen for the insights that might come from being in touch with God s Spirit. Notes: Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 6

3. Once you have drawn the opening conversation to a close, move on to the study portion of the session. Invite participants to read these faith statements aloud, using our usual method (rotate readers for each bullet). Be sure to encourage people to note any questions that arise as the reading moves along, any particular bullet that catches their ear. 4. Now we have two short conversations. In the first, let everyone respond, and encourage people to be really honest. There are no right or wrong answers here, only people s real experience. Life is complicated and can be tough. Liturgy doesn t always rank very high when demands of life are also high. In the second, we encourage people to remember the old Mass or what they heard about the old Mass from people who experienced it in those days. You may get memories such as: the priest faced the altar, not us; the whole thing was in Latin; we prayed from missals and devotional materials rather than praying the Mass; we put our hands under a communion rail cloth; we always had Benediction as soon as Mass ended; and so forth. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 7

5. This is the time to name family rituals and how they affect daily life. As people name rituals from their daily lives, you may hear answers such as: We always have a cup of coffee together in the morning, sitting at our kitchen table; For birthdays, we always bake a pie instead of a cake; Before supper every evening, we always pause and ask what happened in the day that merits a toast that night; and so forth. These will be plain, everyday rituals. Be sure to urge people not to name only the really big things, like what they do on holidays, but to be in touch with what happens in daily life. 6. Resume reading the faith statements aloud, using our usual method. At the bottom of page 3, pause and ask if anyone has questions or comments. You might ask this question, if time permits: What rituals do you see in society around you, in sport, government, commerce, or elsewhere? You might hear of things like: the national anthem, parades, gestures such as handshakes or embraces when public officials want to express certain sentiments, and so forth. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 8

7. Now continue reading the faith statements to the end. This is a powerful treatment of ritual and how it affects us. Be sure folks have a firm understanding that it is the rites themselves, the gestures and actions we do together, which have such power. Invite people to express their understanding of this in their own words. What does it mean to become bread for others? 8. We close this session with a conversation about what this means and how we take it home with us. It is good for us to be intentional about rituals in daily life. Rituals help ground us and they provide a way of speaking to each other that is beyond words. Just as the rituals in our liturgy express what words never could. For example, in our home, we always wait until everyone is seated for supper, with the TV off and a little music playing. We light candles and gather ourselves at the table. Only then do we name what is happening and bring that to a toast (you don t need wine to toast) which becomes part of our prayer. This ritual connects us and binds us. We never skip it, no matter how much in a hurry we may be. 9. Close with a brief prayer and perhaps some refreshments. If folks want to linger a while, that might be a good thing. You may find your small group developing certain rituals as you move along. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 9

Session 2: The Meaning of Liturgy 1. We begin this session by recalling the last liturgy which participants experienced. Invite folks to simply name the symbols involved in that liturgy and what they express to each. (We are recalling here a bit of the work from the last session. Repeating is OK. It s a good way for us to learn more deeply.) For example, in the last liturgy I was at, I recall two little kids going up at the Offertory time to put food for the poor in a box we keep in front of the altar. They were obviously siblings. The older one took the hand of his younger sister and helped her up the stair and then walked with her all the way back to their pew. Very cute, but also very memorable. In the second part of this, people should have no trouble naming symbols they have in their lives. This is a time to name the things we keep that give meaning to our lives. You may hear about such things as: a picture of my late dad that I keep in my office; certain holiday trimmings we have had for many years; a pair of wine glasses we use only on our anniversary; a book given to me by a dear friend which I keep now as a memento; and so forth. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 10

2. When this conversation has come to a conclusion, move on to the study portion of the session. Invite participants to read the faith statements aloud, using our usual method ( rotate readers for each bullet). they see in this action as well. 3. For this conversation, we will focus on one sacred action. Invite everyone to tell what meaning this action, which is thoroughly Catholic, gives to their lives. If there are people present who are not Catholic, invite them to say what 4. Resume reading the faith statements now. For those who have regular ritual in their lives, these statements will be very familiar. Pause at the final statement: Ritual actions, music, words, gestures, and space comprise the ritual language that communicates the divine in our midst and forms us into God s people. We are transformed by the liturgy because of the power of the ritual. What is the transformation we experience? Try to help folks name and identify it. 5. (Next page) Without diminishing what others do about ritual, it does help to compare Catholic ritual with others. For example, last year we went to a funeral which was held in a mortuary chapel because the family did not belong to any church. The ceremony was led by someone from the staff of the mortuary, and it was cold and impersonal. We all came away feeling something was lacking. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 11

6. Resume reading the faith statements. At the end of page 3, check to be sure everyone understands the term paschal mystery. To some it may be a bit foreign. It simply refers to the dying and rising of Christ, but also to the way we die and rise as we embrace our faith on a daily basis. We all experience this mystery: when we give ourselves away in love, sacrificing ourselves for others, we get back a great treasure. This is a treasure that cannot be found anywhere else, a personal encounter with God which is deep and satisfying. 7. Before moving to the final page, if time permits, you may want to cover these additional points. If you do this, please be sure to keep it rather brief. This is theological material which helps to explain how ritual and symbol combine to create sacrament. For us Catholics, this isn t merely something we do casually. This is who we are as the Body of Christ and the People of God. Ecclesiology: Theology of Church The first sacrament we encounter when we gather for Mass is Christ himself who is present to us in four ways: Christ is present in community Christ is present in the proclamation of the word Christ is present in the body and blood of Christ, the Eucharist Christ is present in the person of the priest (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 7) The Church teaches that Christ is the first sacrament of God. What is a sacrament? A sacrament is a sign that makes that which is signified present. Thus, as a sacrament of God, Jesus is a sign. He is the reality of God s presence. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 12

When we gather for liturgy, we also believe that the Church is like a sacrament. In other words, the Church is a sign. It is the reality of God or Christ in our midst. The people of Israel in the Old Testament believed that the community itself was a sign of God s presence. We also believe the gathered community is a similar sign of Christ s presence. Jesus is present in the Church, the people of God, just as he is present in the sacraments. How are we incorporated into that community? We are incorporated into the community by our participation in the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. 8. Now turn to the final page of this session. Instead of using a coin for this exercise, you may want to have on hand a circle cut from paper. At the key moment, tear the circle of paper in half and put one part in your pocket. 9. In this final conversation, there are two key areas of focus. The first is to name the ways in which liturgy transforms us. How does it elevate and inspire us? What is the experience of the people in your group? The second focus is that question regarding what it is we bring with us to liturgy. Here is a way to rephrase this question: When you are sitting at Mass on the weekend and it comes time for the Eucharistic prayer, what do you offer to God? What memory, emotion, need, joy, joke, or other personal matter do they lay on the altar as the prayers get underway? For some, the answer may be none. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 13

Session 3: The Symbols of Bread and Wine 1. Begin this session with a conversation about bread and wine as it is used in daily life. You may want to prepare beforehand how you would describe this in your own life. For example, I was very moved by the scene from Les Miserables in which Jean Valjean stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving wife and child. The bread in that scene was a symbol of much more than baked wheat, oil, and flour. It was a symbol of both the wealthy (who had plenty to eat) and the poor (who were starving). 2. When this conversation rolls to a pause, move on to the study portion of this session. Read the faith statements aloud, using our usual method (rotate readers for each bullet). The final bullet in the first set at the top of this page is the key one. Use the conversation starter to move this into people s personal lives. Pouring ourselves out for others is not easy to do. Many people go from week to week without really ever making such a personal sacrifice. Yet, this is the heart of the Gospel and the paschal mystery on which our faith rests. If possible allow time for each participant to speak about this. It s such a key idea! 3. Resume reading the faith statements now. Be aware that we have a 5-page handout designed to expand and deepen this discussion. You may want to use it yourself, or print and distribute it to your group. You may also email it to participants. It is loaded with conversation and content, Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 14

so you won t be able to use it all, but you may find segments of it will add a great deal to your discussion. We recommend that even if this is too much material for the time allotted for your session, you use the final story and action questions on the final page. This will help to drive home the connection between Eucharist and everyday life. The question in this discussion is about bread once again and why it is so important to us Christians. Beyond the fact that Jesus broke bread at the Last Supper, we know that giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, comfort to those in pain, and company to prisoners is the way we will be judged. You may wish to have ready and read part of Matthew, chapter 25, where the final judgment is described in just this way. Bread figures into this because it is bread for the world which we are called to provide. The link between what we do at Mass and how we heal the world is very important. 4. Resume reading the faith statements aloud. Part way through this list of statements, we again find a reference to the paschal mystery. You may want to pause here, just to be sure everyone gets this. 5. Now we once again invite people to share about how they live the paschal mystery in their lives. If possible get people to focus on the past 7 days, just to link this to everyday life rather than to lifechanging moments which don t come along very often. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 15

6. Resume reading the faith statements aloud, reading all the way to the final one. Allow anyone who wishes to make a comment or ask a question. Then move into the final conversation, encouraging people to be very specific in their answers. Remind them, if needed, that this group is confidential. Often these matters feel very personal and private to people, but speaking of them in the group helps make them more real. You may want to ask people to reflect on their last celebration of Eucharist. How did these realities come home to them there? Or ask how their next celebration may be different because of this refreshed understanding. 7. Close with a brief prayer. You may wish to have refreshments available which could include various kinds of bread and/or wine or juice. Allow folks to linger. Often when people have shared deeply about their faith, bonds begin emerging which will be nourished by conviviality. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 16

Session 4: The Introductory Rites of the Mass 1. As part of your orientation to the topic in this session, you may want to use the material we are providing just below. This material is not in the participant worksheet for session 4. The Ritual Structure of the Mass There is a four-part ritual structure to the Mass. o In the Introductory Rites, week after week, we gather and are formed into God s people. (This week s topic.) o In the Liturgy of the Word, week after week, within the context of one complete liturgical cycle, we listen, proclaim, and encounter the living word of God. (Session 5 s topic.) o In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, week after week we remember and make present the actions of Jesus in the Eucharist. (Session 6 s topic.) o In the dismissal, we are sent as transformed people to go out and live as a new creation. The opening conversation here, then, is meant to be quite brief. We simply want to ground the opening rites of the Mass in how we all experience groups gathering. Think, for example, about how a baseball game gets underway: the organ, the announcer welcoming everyone, the singing of the national anthem, and so forth. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 17

2. When this conversation comes to a pause, move on to the study portion of this session. Read the faith statements aloud, using our usual method (rotate readers for each bullet). When you get to this point, open up a conversation about welcoming people and feeling welcome ourselves. Invite folks to think back over the last year or two and respond. It s very important to consider this because many people do not feel very welcome with us these days, and some of them may be sitting in the room. 3. We move on now to treat hospitality per se. Open with this interesting question. Possible responses may include: We offer hospitality because we do so in the name of God; We offer it because this is how a family behaves toward members; We offer it because we would want to be treated the same way ourselves; and so forth. Notes: Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 18

4. Resume reading the faith statements aloud. The answer to the question we just discussed about hospitality is provided in these faith statements. come to visit or are not invited. 5. You may wish to have these readings marked in your Bible and ready to use. Help people focus on how we offer hospitality in our homes. In these days, many families r arely have guests because of the increasing isolation that comes with living in places where family, friends, and neighbors no longer 6. Resume reading the faith statements. Use the material provided just below to augment the points made in the participant worksheet. (Some of these points are included there.) Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 19

The Opening Rites of the Mass The Opening Song Gathers the people and helps the assembled community become a worshiping community. Helps the community listen to the word and to celebrate Eucharist. Fosters a sense of celebration. Expresses that we are called by God and gathered into one community of faith. Entry Procession The Church enjoys a long history of processions as well as a rich theology of why we process in the first place. People processed out of the desert behind the tribal banners. Processions express the theology that we are a people on the move, on the way, on a journey to the kingdom, the kingdom of God both now and not yet. Symbols of our faith are emphasized in the procession: people, cross, light, and the word. There is a greeting. The greeting expresses mutual acknowledgment of the presence of Christ in the midst of the people. This greeting sets the tone for the Mass of day and the season of the year. Penitential Rite First option: Rite of Sprinkling In the rite of sprinkling, we recognize that we are sinners. We prepare to receive Christ in Word and Sacrament. God is praised and thanked for saving us through the waters of baptism. Second option: Act of Penitence The Act of Penitence recognizes and acknowledges our sinfulness. It confesses the mystery of Christ s love. It is a litany of praise to Christ our redeemer. Kyrie eleison is Greek for Lord, have mercy. Gloria We praise God in song in order to open our hearts to more fully encounter him in the liturgy. Opening Prayer Through petition to God, the opening prayer sets the tone of the celebration and prepares the assembly to hear the word of God. In sum Thus, through the Introductory Rites we gather and are formed into God s people. The risen Lord is present in the midst of the gathered community. The gathered assembly becomes a visible sign of the Mystical Body of Christ. Thus, the assembly itself is the first encounter of Christ s presence in the liturgy. The function of these rites is to enable our communities who come from very diverse and varied life situations to become aware that they are gathered as one Body in Christ. The gathered community is united, poised, alert, and ready to hear and feast on God s word and sacrament. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 20

7. We bring this session to a close now with this final conversation. These are difficult and personal questions, but encourage people to speak their minds. who ve had abortions, and so forth. Don t be afraid to name the groups who feel least welcome in our churches on Sunday mornings. These might include: divorced, or divorced and remarried, those using contraceptives, gay or lesbian people, immigrants who don t speak the nation s primary language very well, people living with shame or disgrace such as former prisoners or sex offenders, women If asked why we would want to welcome such as these, your response might be that they are all beloved of Christ. He loves them very much. They belong to him, so they also belong to us. We don t own the Church and we did not set the agenda for the Reign of God. In fact, Gospel stories often point out that these will enter first, while church insiders who believe they have a corner on the kingdom of God stand outside the gate. 8. Close with a brief prayer and hospitality. People may want to hang around and chat awhile, and how you model hospitality yourself is important, especially after this session. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 21

Session 5: The Liturgy of the Word 1. As we begin to think about the Liturgy of the Word, we turn to the experience of human storytelling. This conversation opens up the question for us. Encourage people to tell these family stories to the group, but to be a little brief about it. Every family has stories, and many times they change slightly over time as they re told and retold. For example, in my family we tell the story of how our mom always baked the rhubarb pies for the parish summer festival and dinner. We belonged to a small rural parish and were all farmers. At first, we d say she had baked a dozen pies and used a dish pan for all the rhubarb. (We had lots of rhubarb on the farm.) But over the years that dish pan became two dish pans; then it became a 5-gallon bucket; and lately it s been a wash tub! The story is still true: Mom was the queen of rhubarb pies in our parish and generous in baking them every year. But the details are getting a little fuzzy. And that s just how stories are. Notes: Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 22

2. When all these stories have been told, move on to the study portion of this session. Read the faith statements aloud, using our usual method (rotate readers for each bullet). 3. The conversation here centers on how Christ is present with us when we read from Scripture. Many Catholics are not very experienced with Scripture (but many Protestants pray with it every day). Encourage people to be honest in responding to these questions. Coming to grips with our relationship to the Word of God is vital if we are to appreciate the Liturgy of the Word. Notes: Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 23

4. Resume reading the faith statements. If you used Breaking Open the Word at the beginning of this session, then you should have last Sunday s readings in mind. Nonetheless, it would help to have them at hand to remind everyone what they were. Take a moment here to return to each one, and then invite people to say what they believe God is telling them or us through these readings. Give plenty of time for this conversation. 5. Resume reading the faith statements once again and read all the way to the end. We are providing a bit more material (just below) to add to what is in the participant worksheet. You can print this as a handout if you wish, or simply use the notes to add points in your gathering. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 24

6. Conclude with this conversation. Remember that when we speak of sharing the good news we are referring to how we die to ourselves in love, showing forgiveness, charity, and generosity. End with a brief prayer and hospitality. Notes: Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 25

Further reflection on the Liturgy of the Word Participants read these faith statements aloud: All the readings are found in a book we call the lectionary. We honor that book as it is a primary symbol in our Church. The stories of the gospel are so revered that they are in a separate book we call the Book of Gospels. We sit to hear the first and second reading proclaimed. It is a posture of receptive listening, just as the people sat to listen to Jesus on the hillside. We stand to greet Christ in the gospel acclamation and to honor his presence in the proclamation of the gospel. We sit during the homily as a sign of our receptive listening. We stand during the Creed and the Prayers of the Faithful. We listen to God speak to us in the Liturgy of the Word. The word teaches, convicts, challenges, invites, instructs, transforms and evangelizes. We are called to go out and bring God s word to the world. Pope Paul VI said: The Church exists in order to evangelize (On Evangelization in the Modern World, 14). We are called to go out and share the good news. Alexander Schmemann said that when we gather for Eucharist on Sunday we are praying for the coming of God s kingdom. We pray for the kingdom yet to come as we work toward establishing his kingdom on earth. Schmemann tells us that the liturgy is the most perfect example on earth of the future heavenly kingdom, of what God s kingdom in heaven will be. Conversation: What does it mean that we pray for the kingdom to come while we work to make the kingdom a reality all at the same time? Resume reading the faith statements: The prophets tell us that in God s kingdom there will be perfect harmony. The lion will lay down with the lamb. There will be no more war. Enemies will be no more. All will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth. This is what the Eucharistic gathering intends to echo. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 26

We gather to worship our heavenly Father, to become his body, to become the perfect kingdom of God on earth. Petty animosities and hatreds will be left behind. In spite of the diversity of the worshippers: o Republicans sit next to Democrats. o Gator fans sit next to FSU fans; Giants with Patriots. o Africans, Europeans, Asians, Latinos we are all equal brothers and sisters in God s community. o All enmity and hatred is left at the door. All people come together, and together we are given a foretaste of God s kingdom as we work to establish his kingdom here and now. o We rehearse for heaven Sunday after Sunday. The faithful are strengthened to be hearers and doers of the word. The faithful are strengthened to become the word, to let their lives be a book of faith. Conversation: Who in our world needs to hear the good news of God s love? How does the Eucharist commit us to the poor? Why did Christ tell us we must sell everything and give it to the poor? Why did Jesus proclaim the good news to lowly, the unclean and those on the bottom of society s ladder? Jesus took his message into the highways and byways he did not simply take it to the good churchgoing folks of his day. He took it to the least of my brothers and sisters. In summary: In the Liturgy of the Word: The faithful enter dialogue with God. This dialogue is sealed in the sharing of Christ s body and blood, sharing of the Eucharistic meal. In this dialogue with the Lord, the people: o Listen to God s holy word. o Reflect on it in silence. o Respond to it in song. o Make appropriate application for their lives. o Touched by the word, profess their faith. o Intercede for the needs of the Church and world. Ultimately, God s word is alive; God s word is active. We are called to be hearers and doers of the word. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 27

Session 6: The Liturgy of the Eucharist 1. We begin this treatment of the Liturgy of the Eucharist with a conversation about people who really die to themselves out of love for others. This is a very personal conversation, one that people don t hold very often. There are some very public examples that people might mention here: Mother Teresa, Popes John XXIII or John Paul II, Martin Luther King, and police or firefighters who risk or give up their lives to save others, among others. But we also want people to name individuals from their own lives. For example, I can t help but think of my own dad. He lived to be very old, but he was generous and giving to the very end. When my mom got Alzheimer s (before we knew much about this disease) he cared for her with patience (most of the time) and endless love. He loved her to her death. Notes: Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 28

2. Once this conversation has wound down and everyone has had a chance to speak, move on to the study portion of this session. Begin reading the faith statements aloud, using our usual method (rotate readers for each bullet). 3. In this conversation, invite people to speak about what they bring to Sunday Mass each week to offer to God. We mean to lead people beyond the obvious: the collection envelope! For what projects in their lives do they seek wisdom? With what people do they ask God to guide them? In what situations with others do they hope to become an earthen vessel through whom God can work? These are all things we might bring with us and place on the altar at the Offertory time. 4. Resume reading the faith statements now. The next conversation leads us to the question of thanks. Beyond asking for God s presence and power at Mass, we also come to thank God. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 29

5. Resume reading the faith statements and read all the way to the end of the session. The conversation here is meant to deepen our understanding of the power of remembering (anamnesis) and its role in making present and keeping alive the realities of our faith. Note that we encourage you to hold the second part of this conversation in pairs, to save time and allow everyone to tell the Jesus story in their own words. 6. Close with a brief prayer and genuine hospitality. 7. Note that we are providing two additional sets of notes, both really excellent. One deals with the Communion Rite and the other with being a Eucharistic people. Here are some ideas about how to use this material. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 30

The Communion Rite This is a 6-page handout. Follow the notes for the leader which are quite extensive. This handout reviews all our theology of real presence, but goes on to deepen our understanding of what it means to participate in the Eucharist. This handout is designed to be used in about one hour. Your group may wish to schedule a separate meeting to do this. The Talk segment on the bottom of page 5 is a review exercise on the material just above it. Be sure to conclude this with a conversation about concrete ways to live this teaching. Becoming a Eucharistic People This is a shorter supplement, only 3 pages. Again, follow the leader notes as you use this. Many groups schedule a group Mass, or a Mass for several groups from the parish, and conclude with this as a form of mystagogia. If you use it in this context, you can omit the reading from 1 Kings 19 which is suggested on page 2. Also if you use this option, you may want to choose among the elements of this handout and use only those for which you have enough time. You may also choose to email this to your group members and not treat it as part of your group work. Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed Come to the Table CT620 Discovering Christ Page 31

To order or for more information go to: www.pastoralplanning.com Or call us at toll free at 877.944.5844 We answer live 8-5 CST weekdays!. The themes and topics of Come to the Table CT632 Catholic Beliefs that Guide You A basic understanding of Faith CT672 How God Speaks to Us A basic understanding of Revelation CT684 The Mystery of God Considering Trinity, Creed, and Cross CT648 Living a Deeply Fulfilled Life Understanding Catholic Morality CT620 Discovering how Christ is Present Catholic Liturgy and Ritual CT664 The Amazing Gift of Prayer Talking and Listening with God CT702 How We Become the People of God The Story and Promise of Vatican II Acknowledgements Excerpt from the English translation of Rite of Baptism 1969, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.(ICEL); excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal 1973, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Penance 1974, ICEL; excerpt from the English translation of Eucharistic Prayer I for Reconciliation 1975, ICEL; excerpt from the English translation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy from Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979: Conciliar, Papal, and Curial Texts 1982, ICEL. All rights reserved. Illustrator: Mark Hakomaki Copy editor: Mike MacDonald Come to the Table A ministry outreach of PastoralPlanning.com PastoralPlanning.com, 2012. All rights reserved 9980 Wildflower Rd Pine City, MN 55063 612-220-6943