Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 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). Select the session options that fit your time frame. Children s RCIA Resource CATECHIST S NOTES NOTES FOR THIS SUNDAY Sunday s readings 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 Doctrine correlations Lord, a title of address for Jesus in the gospels, testifies to the respect and trust of those who approach him for help and is a prompting of the Holy Spirit in recognition of the divine mystery of Jesus (CCC #448). Jesus often draws apart to pray on a mountain at night (CCC #2602). RCIA team notes Catechumens become familiar with the Christian way of life and learn to follow supernatural inspiration in their deeds (RCIA #75.2). Catechumens reflect on how they are inspired by Jesus to reach out to others. By Janet Miller. Copyright 2011, 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 green cloth on table or counter space for prayer Bibles, one set to Matthew 14:22 percussion instrument, vase with garden flowers cards for prayer readers candle in a heat-proof holder, matches Sharing Faith questions, copies of Faith at Home recycled newspaper, markers, scissors, double-stick tape, prepared cards Gathering Prayer Ritual Set a prayer focal point by placing a Bible, candle, and a vase of garden flowers on a green cloth. Have the readers parts printed on separate numbered cards. Singing option Use music from your faith community resources. The suggestion is a guide. Bring songbooks and music in a player. Building Community Plan to tell a personal frightening experience. Snack option Send a reminder to the sponsor providing the snack this week. Engaging the Word Plan the space for enacting the passage. Configure a boat shape by marking an area with masking tape or by turning upside down tables with study tops that will support weight. Sharing Faith groups Put the Scripture citation with the questions on cards for group leaders. Crossing the Ages Activity option: Plenty to Share Bake Sale Arrange for a faith community outreach representative to come and tell about Disaster Relief programs, or gather information from catholiccharitiesusa.org, clicking on Disaster Operations under Programs. On separate cards, repeating to have plenty for everyone, print actions: PRAY FOR VICTIMS, DONATE TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES, SEND GIFT CARDS FOR VICTIMS, SOLICIT FRIENDS TO HELP, DONATE A PREPAID GAS CARD, LEARN MORE AT CATHOLICCHARITIESUSA.ORG. Bring recycled newspaper, markers, scissors, and double-stick tape. Closing Prayer Plan space for private prayer, outside if possible. Friends on the Way - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 2
DISMISSAL SESSION GATHERING (15 MINUTES) Catechumens, having heard the Sunday proclamation of the Word, are dismissed from the Mass. Greet the catechumens as they arrive. Have them check in and put on nametags. For anyone new, provide nametag materials. GATHERING PRAYER RITUAL All stand around the prayer focal point. Chime a percussion instrument as a call to prayer. (+) Light the candle. Leader: Spirit of Christ, we belong to you. Be with us gathered here in your name. (Prayer adapted from the Veni, Sancte Spiritus sequence) Reader 1: Reader 2: Reader 3: Reader 4: Reader 4: All: Come, Holy Spirit, come. Shine forth from heaven. Come, Father of the poor. Come, shining Spirit. Light our hearts. Comfort us. Holy Spirit, come to us. Come, breath of God. Renew and strengthen your people. Holy Spirit, come to us. Amen. Invite the members when you lift a hand to respond with Justice and peace will kiss. Prayerfully say each of the following verses inspired by Psalm 85, and call for the response by lifting a hand. God proclaims peace. Kindness and truth will kiss. (response) Truth springs from the earth. Justice looks down from heaven. (response) Justice walks before God who gives all benefits. (response) Song Suggestion: Send Down the Fire from Give Your Gifts, Melody Book, GIA Publications, Inc. Extinguish the candle flame. Friends on the Way - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 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 Frightening Experiences: Share a frightening experience you once had. Invite volunteers to share about their frightening experiences. If they need starters, suggest: at night, after seeing a scary movie, or during a storm. Conclude: In the readings proclaimed this week, we hear about troubling experiences. Elijah had a fearful experience on the mountain. The disciples had a frightening experience on the sea. Though not fearful, Saint Paul s experience was troublesome. 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. Help everyone find the first Book of Kings 19:9a, 11-13a. What frightening experiences does Elijah have? How does Elijah finally experience God? (Affirm responses, if needed, point out whispering sound. ) I wonder, why does God appear as a whisper after all those frightening experiences? Have the catechumens find Romans 9:1-5. Who remembers who wrote this letter to the Romans? (Affirm responses. Pick up on Saint Paul. ) Yes, Saint Paul had been raised as a faithful Jewish person. As a child like you, he studied with the elders and learned many wonderful things about God. Look at verses four and five. What did the Israelites, Paul s people, receive from God? (Affirm responses.) Although all Jewish people did not understand, God s only son, Jesus Christ, came to fulfill the promise of salvation. What is troubling Saint Paul? (Affirm responses.) When Paul became a Christian, he struggled with having to leave his family and their ways in order to live according to the Holy Spirit. I wonder, how does Saint Paul s experience compare with the experience of becoming Christian for each of you? Friends on the Way - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 4
Have everyone find Matthew 14:22-33. Ask: I wonder, why did Saint Peter step out of the boat? I wonder, why did Peter begin to sink? I wonder, how did Peter feel when Jesus caught him? Address the member s comments. Conclude: God is with us in many ways when we are frightened like Saint Peter or struggling like Saint Paul and sometimes in the quiet like Elijah. Jesus, our savior, reaches out a hand to us when we feel we are sinking. PRAYING INTERCESSIONS (5 MINUTES) Jesus hears our cries and reaches out to us, so we pray. When I lift my hand please respond, God, who comes like a whisper, hear our prayer. For all who suffer from violent acts of nature, may they find renewed life. (Lift a hand for the response.) Send your Spirit to support all whose conscience calls them to do something difficult. (Lift a hand for the response.) Reach out, O Jesus, to us when we cry and to all who are afraid. (Lift a hand for the response.) Invite the members to contribute intercessions. Conclude: O God, you come in the way of peace. Help us to be mindful when you whisper. Hear our prayers, those we have spoken and those we hold in our hearts. We join with those who say, Jesus truly is the Son of God who lives and reigns 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 - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 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. ENGAGING THE WORD (15 MINUTES) Distribute Bibles. Have everyone find Matthew 14:22-33. Assign roles for the entire group to act out the passage. Roles are the crowd, disciples, Jesus, and Peter. One person can be a director. (Option 1: If the group includes a large number of adults, the children may act while the adults are the audience. Option 2: Switch roles, and repeat the drama.) Show the designed boat. Encourage everyone to create dialogue for their parts. After preparation, have the group enactment. Then settle everyone and ask: What did playing your role feel like? What did you discover or notice in this Biblical enactment? NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 Insight for the Catechist After the miracle of healing and then feeding the thousands, Jesus has his disciples separate from the crowds. No doubt he feels drained and needs to renew himself in quiet prayer. Matthew tells the story of the miracle at sea as a confession by Saint Peter that Jesus is Lord. This account shows the disciples progression of faith. Beginning in outright terror, they reach the conclusion as a group that Jesus is the Son of God. Matthew underscores the role of Peter who is unable to remain steadfast on his own during troublesome times. Jesus is the source of empowerment for the community of believers who are not of little faith. Without faith in Jesus, fear leads to destruction. Jesus, whose ability to walk on water represents his power, reaches an outstretched hand to all believers and pulls us out of sinking spells. By Janet Miller. Photo courtesy of mnsc, via Flickr. Copyright 2011, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved. 6
SHARING FAITH (15 MINUTES) Form groups of four to six mixed-age participants with Bibles. (If there are only a few participants, lead the discussion as a whole group.) Print the questions on large paper or marker board, or distribute questions on cards for an adult to lead. Circulate to offer support as needed. CONVERSING ABOUT MATTHEW 14:22-33 Why, do you suppose, Jesus sent the disciples off into the sea alone at night? At what times do you go off by yourself to pray? What difficulties happened in the gospel story? Whom do you feel more like Saint Peter whose faith included doubt or the disciples who recognized Jesus as the Son of God or in some ways both? Call the attention of the whole group. Say: We learn how to pray from Jesus who often draws apart from the others to pray on a mountain at night. In the gospels, those who call him Lord testify to the respect and trust of those who approach him for help. It comes from a prompting of the Holy Spirit and is recognition of the divine mystery of Jesus. Crossing the Ages Activity (Optional activity: 20 minutes) Disaster Outreach Arms (Social Justice Activity, Charity Activity, RCIA #75.4) Introduce the outreach guest. The person tells how to reach out to help provide disaster relief. (Option: Present the information you gathered about disaster relief.) Arrange table space. Provide recycled newspapers, markers, and scissors. Assign partners. Partners trace each others arm including the hand onto the newsprint. Then, they cut out the arm and hand. Meanwhile, spread the prepared cards face down on the clean floor. Members put a piece of double-stick tape on the palm of the paper hand and take turns flipping the arms to catch a card on the tape. Encourage them to display the arms at home and prepare to do the outreach action when a disaster happens. Friends on the Way - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 7
CARRYING OUT THE WORD (5 MINUTES) SUMMING UP Invite everyone to stand around the prayer focal point. Encourage them to offer insights from this week s session. Summarize: We grow closer to Jesus by spending time in private prayer. Faith enables us to do things that we might not otherwise attempt. With faith, we reach out to Jesus, who offers us a supportive hand in our times of need. We, in turn, reach out to help others. CLOSING PRAYER Explain: You will have an opportunity to spend some quiet prayer time. Reflect on ways Jesus reaches out to you. When you hear the instrument, gather back into a circle. Invite the members to go off to various places in the room or, if possible, have them sit outside apart from one another. After several minutes, chime a percussion instrument for them to come into a circle. Pray: Go forth from this place confident that Jesus reaches out to us in our times of distress. And may the ever-living God bless us, (Make the Sign of the Cross on yourself as a model for everyone.) protect us from the winds that blow against us, and bring us to everlasting life. All: Amen. Distribute the Faith at Home page. Collect the nametags. Friends on the Way - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 8
Faith at Home Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A Remember Sunday s Word 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 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 Matthew 14 in the center. Begin with a moment of quiet. REFLECTING ON 1 KINGS 19:9A, 11-13A Acts of nature can be terrifying. Environmental forces, such as, strong winds, earthquakes, and fire do replenish the earth but can cause problems for all living creatures, including us. Although many ancient people worshipped these forces of nature, Elijah realized that God Omnipotent, a unique type of power, is present in peaceful, unexpected, and ordinary ways. When has God been with each family member during frightening times? In what ways have we noticed God in the little, the ordinary, and the unexpected? REFLECTING ON ROMANS 9:1-5 The Israelites are the chosen people of God who have received the promise of salvation and passed the teachings through the generations. In fact, Jesus is born into this people of faith. Then, a great division occurs. The Jewish people continue following the Mosaic Law, while Christians practice the new way of love through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To follow one way means to leave the other, along with family attachments, behind. Saint Paul wrestles with a dilemma. Born and raised in the Jewish faith, Paul discovers Christ, and his world turns upside down. What difficulty does Saint Paul have? Which way of living does he choose? Many people who convert to the Christian way of life look to Paul as their personal patron saint. It certainly is not easy to turn from childhood influences and the teachings of one s parents. It may be helpful to do as Paul did identify the values and traditions that contributed to conversion. If the whole family is on the conversion journey together, what life-long values and traditions of the parents upbringing are compatible with the Christian way? If just a child or the children are being initiated, what sparked the conversion process? What must be left behind in order to live the Christian way? By Janet Miller. Copyright 2011, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved. Permission is given to reproduce this handout for family home use.
Each family member shares a time when following personal conscience meant doing something different from another family member or from what someone else thought was right. REFLECTING ON MATTHEW 14:22-33 Matthew s version of the storm at sea can be viewed as an allegory for the early church. After Jesus Ascension, the disciples might have felt that they were left adrift with turbulent forces buffeting their efforts. As time passed Peter, who had taken the helm, probably battled his own frightening moments of doubt that gave him a sinking feeling. Community members who truly believed Jesus to be the Son of God kept the ship sailing. Christ continues to appear to disciples tossed on the waves of life and reaches out with a supportive hand. When does each family member get personal prayer time? What kinds of buffets in modern society might cause faith doubts? With many surrounding distractions, what helps each family member to keep focused on Christ? Together, brainstorm types of boats. Then, talk about ways each type of boat might represent the church. For example, a cargo ship makes sure people have the goods they need, or a tugboat provides power during difficult times. In the boat draw figures to represent your family with other members of the Christian community. Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A TeamRCIA.com