full, active, conscious The Mass Edge Night Outline SCRIPTURE Matthew 18:20 Luke 22:14-20 John 6:51-58 Acts 2:42 Catechism # 1088 # 1098 # 1324 # 1348 # 1391-1393 # 1396-1397 YouCat # 213-217 # 219 # 220 # 223 Supplies Needed Questions for opening trivia game for each small group (See page 58) Envelopes Pens Copies of the Handout on page 57 Markers Poster Board Note cards FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS outline Goal The goal of this night is to teach the middle school youth the necessity of full, active, and conscious participation at Mass. The night will include a brief overview of the Mass, emphasize Christ s true presence at Mass, and give the youth the tools and encouragement they need to fully enter into the Mass every time they attend. Edge night at a glance The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy from Vatican II tells us that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations and that such participation [ ] is their right and duty by reason of their baptism. This night breaks open the beauty and richness of the Catholic Mass for our young people. Middle school youth today have many things grabbing their attention friends, school, media, the newest app, etc. This night will give them the time and opportunity to intentionally focus on the Mass. It will enhance their understanding of the ways in which we encounter God s true presence in the Eucharist, and how grace and life flows from this source and summit of our faith. The Edge Night starts with a fun, interactive trivia relay game that will challenge the small group teams to see how much they know about certain aspects of the Mass. The Proclaim will give a brief overview of the parts of the Mass and explain how we encounter Christ in the Mass. The teaching will also challenge the youth to understand why Mass is essential to their faith and how they can and should participate fully. The Break of the night gives the youth the opportunity to reflect upon and rate their participation in specific aspects of Mass. Then, with their group members, they will discuss and come up with ways to work on having 52 Edge Semester planning guide
full, active, and conscious participation at Mass. During the Send the youth will be challenged to make a Mass Commitment by choosing one specific challenge to work on over the next four weeks. before the night Prepare the questions for the opening trivia game by cutting them into strips and putting them in an envelope for each small group (see page 58). Invite the First Communion students to make posters about the Mass to use as part of your environment for the night (you may need to do this a few weeks in advance so that they have enough time to prepare). The environment requires the set up of an altar to help teach the youth; ask your priest for permission to borrow the different supplies and ask him or a deacon to help you set everything up properly and name each piece. Environment Have a table at the front of the room set up like an altar including an altar cloth, chalice, ciborium, paten, etc. You can label these items and/or incorporate them into the questions for the opening game. Involve the younger religious education students at your parish (especially the First Communion classes) by inviting them to draw posters about what they are learning about the Mass in their sessions (be sure to contact the teachers well in advance to coordinate having these posters done in time for setting up for this Edge Night). Media Suggestions YouTube: Reverse Momentum by Spirit Juice Studios YouTube: Eucharist (how we receive) by Busted Halo Song: Remembrance by Matt Maher (Love In Between, Essential Records) Edge Video: "A Tour of the Father's House" (Edge Video Support 11) Edge Interactive Game: "Who's Coming to Mass?" (Edge Video Support 11) GATHER Welcome & Introductions (5 min) As the youth enter, have fun upbeat music playing in the background. The youth minister should gather all the youth together, welcome them to the Edge Night, and lead an opening prayer. He or she should introduce any youth at Edge for the first time and present a brief overview of the session. catholic mass trivia relay (15 min) Break the youth into their small groups and have them all line up single file at the back of the room, facing the front of the room. Have a Core Member stand at the front of the room facing their small group and give each Core Member an envelope with the trivia questions in it. When the youth minister says Go! the first youth in each line will run to the envelope, pick out a question, and give the correct answer to the Core Member in order to continue. If he or she does not know the correct answer they can pass. However, if he or she passes he or she must put the question back in the envelope for another teammate to answer. After the first youth has answered the question correctly or passed, he or she runs back to the group and tags the next person to go. The game continues like this until all the questions have been answered. The first group to correctly answer all the questions in their envelope is the winner. Sample trivia questions can be found on page 58. FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS outline edge semester planning guide 53
FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS outline Proclaim SCRIPTURE PROCLAMATION (5 min) Acts 2:42 full, active, conscious Teaching (10 min) Start by asking the youth how they did in the opening trivia game. Were they surprised at the information they did or did not remember from attending Mass? We have all been to Mass countless times, but it can be surprising what we may or may not remember from Mass when we are quizzed about it. Sometimes we can go to Mass and just go through the motions and not truly take time to reflect on what we are saying, doing, praying, and singing when we are there. However, as we were reminded in one of our trivia questions from the opening game, the third commandment tells us to Keep Holy the Sabbath. That means that Mass is a big deal to God! He commands us to join together with the community in worship at Mass every Sunday. If God commands this, it is worth our time and efforts to understand why Mass is so important. Take a moment with me now to think about the last time you went to Mass. (Pause for a moment to give the youth time to think about this.) We will not always remember every Mass we went to, but can you remember even an hour after Mass what the readings, the homily, or your prayer after receiving communion was? If this is something you struggle with and know that you cannot remember these things after you go to Mass, this is a great opportunity for you to reflect on how present you are at Mass and to think about the different ways you can improve your participation. Getting into the Mass Our journey to Mass begins before we even arrive in the church parking lot! We choose what to wear and we choose our attitude long before we get to Mass. Are we arriving dressed like we are going to the beach? Is our attitude resentful of this time commitment, bored, or disinterested? Or are we eager to encounter our brothers and sisters in Christ as we gather to worship our Lord? When we enter into the church we bless ourselves with the holy water, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, which commemorates our Baptism and reminds us that we belong to Christ. Do we do this out of habit or are we aware of what it means when we make the sign of the cross with the holy water? When you choose where to sit do you take the back pew, slumped over, secretly texting with your phone in your pocket?! Or do you sit up, grab a missal so you can read along with the readings, and pay attention to everything that is happening on the altar? Each of these choices we make before Mass even begins impacts our experience at Mass and our ability to enter in and pray. Mass Overview The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are the two main parts of the Catholic Mass. The Liturgy of the Word includes the readings from the Old and New Testament, the Gospel reading, the priest or deacon s homily, and the intercessory prayers. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist the bread and wine are offered and consecrated. The Eucharistic prayer is the high point of the Eucharistic celebration because during this prayer and consecration the bread and wine are transformed in to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This incredible miracle takes place even though we cannot see the physical change in the bread and the wine. The Eucharist the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ nourishes us on our faith journey. Receiving Christ in the Eucharist preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace we received during Baptism. It also separates us from sin, cleanses us from past sins, and keeps us from future sins. The Eucharist strengthens our charity, revives our love and enables us to detach ourselves from worldly things and root our lives in Christ. After the Body and Blood of Christ is distributed to the faithful at communion, Mass ends with meditation, thanksgiving, and a concluding prayer and blessing by the priest. There are four main ways that Christ is present at Mass. First of all, Christ is present in the priest who acts in persona Christi. Second, Christ is present in the congregation; in Scripture it says, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, 54 Edge Semester planning guide
there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). Jesus is also present in the readings during Mass for the Scriptures are God s words to us. Finally, and most importantly, Christ is present fully in the Eucharist, and as young Catholics it is important for us to know that the Church teaches us that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. The Eucharist is the source of life and grace for us; it is where Christ dwells to fulfill us who are hungry and thirsting for life everlasting. The Eucharist is the summit because it is the greatest of gifts that God has given us the life of His own Son to forgive us of our sins it is the summit of our faith and belief as Catholics. Digging Deeper Sometimes we may think it is good enough to just show up at Mass and sit there. However, think about the other activities in your life. If you are on a sports team can you just show up at a practice or a game, sit on the bench, and not say or do anything? Of course not! You have specific things that you need to do to participate. Similarly, would you show up at a friend s birthday party with no present, not talk to him or her, and not sing Happy Birthday? Of course not! Just as we would not show up at these other places and assume that our mere presence is good enough, we cannot just show up at Mass and say, Here I am God. What else do you want? There is a richness and depth to what happens at Mass, and we as Catholics have a beautiful opportunity throughout the course of our lives to learn more about what is going on at Mass. Break Mass Inventory Activity (15 min) Break the teens into small groups and have each youth complete the My Mass Inventory worksheet (see handout on page 57). When the youth are done have a small group conversation based on the answers everyone has given on their surveys. Use the following discussion questions as a jumping off point for the conversation: In which of these five areas did you rate yourself the highest? How could you help someone who struggles in these sections? In which of these five areas did you rate yourself the lowest? How could you improve your participation in these sections? Is there anything specific that helps you fully participate at Mass? What is your greatest obstacle for fully participating in Mass? What parts of Mass would you like to learn more about or understand better? Group Brainstorm (15 min) The Church calls every member to full, active, and conscious participation in the Mass! This includes paying attention, re-focusing ourselves if and when we get distracted, praying all the prayers and learning what the words mean, singing the songs (whether we sing well or not!), and ultimately bringing our whole hearts and our very lives before God. Close the teaching with a brief testimony about what helps you to enter into full, active, conscious participation at Mass. Have the youth remain in their small groups and pass out to each small group a poster board and markers. Instruct the youth to come up with different ideas on how they could improve their participation at Mass and write them down on the poster board. Once they have all shared several ideas offer some of the following suggestions (if they have not already been mentioned): Read the Scripture readings ahead of time Sit up front Choose clothes that are modest and appropriate for church FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS outline edge semester planning guide 55
Get to church 10 minutes early to allow for quiet prayer time before Mass begins Decide on Friday afternoon with your family which Mass you will go to so that it becomes a priority among your weekend activities After all of the groups have created their lists gather them all into a large group and allow each small group to share their ideas. If some of the groups mention the same ideas point out that these must be especially valuable ideas that can help all of us. send Individual Process and Closing Prayer (10 min) Jesus Christ is truly present in the Eucharist The Church calls every member to full, active, conscious participation in the Mass. TO THE PARENTS OF Our session focused on the Mass. We discussed the importance of full, active, conscious participation at Mass. We also discussed the ways that our faith and life are nourished when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist. We have a tremendous opportunity as Catholics to learn more about the Mass each time we attend throughout the course of our lives. As part of our small group time we talked about ways to better prepare for and participate in the Mass. Here are some questions to help start a conversation with your youth about what he or she learned during Edge: FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS outline Hand out a pen and a note card to each youth and instruct them to spread out around the room and not to sit by someone who will distract them. Dim the lights and have prayerful music playing in the background. Instruct them to take some time to reflect on the ideas that each small group came up with in the Break activity and to pick one thing they could do to improve their participation at Mass. Have them write down this one thing and encourage them to do this for the next four Sunday Masses. Also encourage them to hang on to this card and to put it somewhere they will see as a reminder of their commitment. The youth minister should close the session with a prayer asking for God s help for everyone in his or her Mass commitments. SUMMARY CHALLENGE Before the middle school youth are sent home, they will be challenged to remember: Christ is present in four ways at Mass In the person of the priest In the congregation In the Scriptures In the Eucharist What is one new thing you learned about the Mass tonight? What is your Mass Commitment for the next four weeks? How can our whole family support you in this commitment and/or participate alongside you? ADAPTATION IDEAS Plan with your parish priest in advance to have a teaching Mass as a follow-up to this Edge session. Invite the Edge youth, their families, and the entire parish community to join in this valuable learning experience. Instead of a plain note card for the Mass Commitment have pre-printed cards with the readings listed for the upcoming Sunday Masses. Also include the Mass times at your parish on this card. Instead of playing the Mass Trivia, or in addition to it, during the Gather section play the Interactive Edge Game from Video Support 11 called "Who's Coming to Mass?" 56 Edge Semester planning guide
Full, active, conscious handout my mass inventory Instructions: Take a few minutes to quietly answer the following survey. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the lowest, 10 being the highest) how much effort do you put into the following at Mass: Saying all the prayers and responses: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Singing: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Paying attention to the readings and the homily: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Receiving the Eucharist reverently by remembering we are truly receiving Jesus, Our Lord when we consume the bread and wine: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Accepting the mission at the end of Mass to Go Forth to love and serve the Lord : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS Handout edge semester planning guide 57
Full, active, conscious handout sample trivia questions Trivia Questions (use the questions below for the opening game or have the Core Team create their own for use with your group): How should we respond when the priest says, The Lord be with You? A: And with your Spirit. What do we do every time we enter a pew or when we pass by the tabernacle? A: Genuflect Where do we place the extra consecrated hosts after communion? A: The tabernacle Where does the priest prepare for Mass? A: The Sacristy Complete this prayer from Mass: I am not worthy that A: you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. What is process in which the bread and wine becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? A: Transubstantiation Which of the Commandments talks about Mass, and what does it say? A: The third commandment, Keep Holy the Sabbath. FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS handout 58 Edge Semester planning guide
Full, active, conscious Checklist Edge night Checklist Core Planning Team: Date of Edge Night: One month prior to the Night: Two Weeks Prior to Edge Night: Turn in your notes for the Edge Night to the youth minister. Allow the youth minister to give feedback and make necessary changes. Create a list of needed supplies and materials. Assign a person to be responsible for collecting and/or purchasing the items needed. Discuss with the youth minister who will be giving the Proclaim/witness for the Edge Night. Be sure that this person is given the script and/ or teaching. Inform them of any practices, time limits, and/or deadlines. Give copies of the Edge Night to each of the members of the planning team. Each person should read the Scripture, Catechism, and YOUCAT references as well as review the planning guide before the brainstorming meeting. Have the planning team meet for a brainstorming meeting (this should last no longer than 1 hour). The team prays and discusses where the youth are in their faith journey in relation to this topic. Using this planning guide as a starting point, the team adapts the Edge Night to meet the needs of the youth and the parish. Assign the person responsible for the following: Environment Before the Night (when needed) Audio/Visual Needs Opening Prayer Scripture Proclamation Proclaim (discuss with YM) Summary Challenge Week of the Edge Night: Person giving Proclaim checks in with youth minister. Check that all supplies have been obtained/ purchased. Create/collect items for environment. Have volunteers ready to help if needed. Email Core Team an overview of the Edge Night. Day of the Edge Night: Set up the environment. Make sure the room is clean and presentable. If needed, set up audio/visual equipment. Test the video clips to make sure both picture and sound work. Pray! Pray for the youth attending the Edge Night. Pray for God s will to be done through the night. Pray over those involved. FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS checklist edge semester planning guide 59
Full, active, conscious! EVALUATION Edge night evaluation Instructions: Use the following questions to discuss and evaluate your Edge Night. 1. On a scale of 1-10, how well did this Edge Night accomplish the goal we set? Explain. 1. On a scale of 1-10, how well did this Edge Night accomplish the goal we set? Explain. 2. What was the strongest aspect of this Edge Night? 2. What was the strongest aspect of this Edge Night? 3. What kind of follow-up do we need to do after this Edge Night? 3. What kind of follow-up do we need to do after this Edge Night? 4. What can we improve for future Edge Nights? How can we accomplish this? 4. What can we improve for future Edge Nights? How can we accomplish this? 1. On a scale of 1-10, how well did this Edge Night accomplish the goal we set? Explain. 1. On a scale of 1-10, how well did this Edge Night accomplish the goal we set? Explain. FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS Evalutation 2. What was the strongest aspect of this Edge Night? 3. What kind of follow-up do we need to do after this Edge Night? 4. What can we improve for future Edge Nights? How can we accomplish this? 2. What was the strongest aspect of this Edge Night? 3. What kind of follow-up do we need to do after this Edge Night? 4. What can we improve for future Edge Nights? How can we accomplish this? 60 Edge Semester planning guide
Notes FULL, ACTIVE, CONSCIOUS notes edge semester planning guide 61