Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE Dismissal Session The Dismissal Session is for catechumens only who are dismissed from worship before the Creed (RCIA #75.3). The Dismissal Session group may gather for the Catechetical Session at another time during the week. Catechetical Session When the Dismissal Session is immediately followed by the Catechetical Session, parents or other sponsors join the group after Eucharist. Baptized children preparing for confirmation and Eucharist may also join in the Catechetical Session (RCIA #254; Appendix III, #19). Select the session options that fit your time frame. Children s RCIA Resource CATECHIST S NOTES NOTES FOR THIS SUNDAY Sunday s readings Wisdom 9:13-18b Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17 Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33 Doctrine correlations Everyone is called into the unity of God s family, the Church (CCC #1). Family ties are important but not absolute in that the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus (CCC #2232). RCIA team notes The RCIA process helps people enter the way of faith (RCIA #1). Children with special needs Children with cognitive processing differences may have difficulty working in groups. Provide alternate activities. By Janet Miller. Copyright 2013, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved.

CATECHIST S NOTES GETTING READY FOR THE SESSION Items to prepare check-in sheet, nametag materials poster paper or white board, erasers, and erasable markers green cloth on table or counter for prayer, percussion instrument Bibles, one set to Luke 14, prayer cards cross, candle in a heat-proof holder, matches building toys prepared cards, cross Sharing Faith questions, copies of Faith at Home research materials, poster board, scratch paper, rulers, pencils, markers, mounting supplies Gathering Prayer Ritual Place a Bible, candle, and cross on a green cloth. Have cards with sentences for readers. Plan to collect cards after prayer. Singing option Use music from your faith community resources. The suggestion is a guide available in Gather Comprehensive from GIA Publications, Inc., or online. Bring songbooks or printed words and music in a player. Building Community Place pieces of building toys in containers, several for each group of catechumens. Snack option Send a reminder to the sponsor providing the snack this week. Engaging the Word Print each statement with its question on separate cards, one set for each small group or one set if doing the activity together. Sharing Faith groups Put the Scripture citation with the questions on cards for group leaders. Crossing the Ages Activity option: Away from Family, Toward Christ From the church or public library, obtain books or contact sponsors to bring online devices. On separate cards, print each name with brief information. Gather poster boards, scratch paper, rulers, pencils, and markers. Bring mounting supplies, and arrange to display posters. Friends on the Way - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 2

DISMISSAL SESSION GATHERING (15 MINUTES) Catechumens, having heard the Sunday proclamation of word, are dismissed from the Mass. Greet the catechumens as they arrive. Have everyone check in. Ask them to create nametags that represent Autumn and attach them to recycled lanyards. Distribute prayer cards to readers to prepare. GATHERING PRAYER RITUAL Chime a percussion instrument as a call to prayer. All stand around the prayer focal point. ( ) Light a candle. Teach the following response: God, you call and welcome us. Leader: Reader 1: Reader 2: Reader 3: Reader 4: God who invites us to the heavenly banquet, attentive to your word, we seek the truth. We search with eyes of love, not fear. (response) We open our ears to listen with understanding. (response) We direct our hearts in the way of forgiveness. (response) We let the Spirit of Wisdom lead us to you. (response) Invite everyone, when you lift a hand, to respond, O God, you are our refuge in every age. Prayerfully say the following verses inspired by Psalm 90. A thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, which is past. (response) Teach us to number our days according to what is right. (response) Fill us at daybreak with your kindness. May we shout with joy and gladness always. (response) Song Suggestion: Come and Follow Me. Extinguish the candle flame. Collect cards. Friends on the Way - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 3

CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER Invite everyone to sit in a circle. Introduce anyone new. Invite sharing about their experiences with the Faith at Home pages from the previous session. BUILDING COMMUNITY Building a Tower: Assign groups of four. Invite each group to choose several pieces of building toys. Ask them to construct towers. After five minutes, applaud all efforts. Discuss: What did you do first? (plan, lay foundation) Did your group have enough blocks to complete your towers? In this week s Gospel account, Jesus compares building a tower to preparing for discipleship. RECALLING THE WORD (10 MINUTES) Have everyone sit with Bibles in a circle. Use the following as a guide. For information, refer to Insight for the Catechist and the reflections on the Faith at Home page. Always affirm the catechumens responses adding comments to aid their understandings. Help the catechumens find Wisdom 9:13-18b. Mention: The writer of this ancient prayer asks for wisdom and believes that human planning without praying for God s wisdom can lead in the wrong direction. Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit that comes with baptism. In what ways are you catechumens beginning to know what God intends? How do you know what is given to you through wisdom and ideas that are not wise? Help the catechumens find Philemon 9-10, 12-17. Explain: In ancient times slavery was common. Saint Paul risked great criticism in teaching that followers of Jesus are all equal. In this letter, he appeals to Philemon, a slave owner, to receive back his runaway slave, Onesimus, and treat him like a brother. It took 1,800 years for Christians to take a full stand against slavery. Many people throughout the world continue to be held as slaves today, and Christian groups work to free all slaves. Why did Saint Paul teach that followers of Christ are all equal even though many people felt owning slaves was not wrong? (Possibly, love rules for followers of Jesus.) Friends on the Way - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 4

Have the catechumens find Luke 14:25-33. Clarify: In following the new way of Jesus, many disciples had to turn away from their family s old ways. Jesus taught that nothing and no person was more important than being a disciple. Although in English the word is translated hating, Jesus never promoted evil. The teaching means that we reject people, even family members, who would lead us away from Jesus. Why is this passage important for catechumens? How are you preparing to follow Jesus for your entire life? Affirm the members comments. Summarize: Holy Wisdom guides us on straight paths when we treat all people as equals. Sometimes people we love dearly do not have faith. Even though it is difficult, we put aside anything or anyone that keeps us from following Christ. PRAYING INTERCESSIONS (5 MINUTES) Following Jesus way, we offer prayers. When I lift my hand, please respond, God who is Wisdom, hear our prayer. Grant right counsel to catechumens and all your faithful ones. (Lift a hand for the response.) Correct us when we fail to treat all people as equals. (Lift a hand for the response.) Help us renounce things that do not help us to be your disciples. (Lift a hand for the response.) Invite the members to contribute intercessions. Conclude: Wisdom of God, send your Holy Spirit from on high to be our right counsel and to keep our paths straight. Hear our prayers that we offer through Christ Jesus who calls us to follow him, 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 - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 5

CATECHETICAL SESSION The Catechetical Session follows the Dismissal Session either immediately or at another time during the week. The catechetical session is designed for catechumens and parents or sponsors to grow in faith together. The status of the catechumens never is to be confused with that of baptized children preparing for confirmation or Eucharist, who may join in this catechesis as supportive companions (RCIA, Appendix III, #19). GATHERING FOR CATECHESIS (5 MINUTES) Welcome the catechumens, parents, sponsors, and any baptized children arriving from liturgy. If this Catechetical Session is not following the Dismissal Session, allow an additional ten minutes and begin with the Gathering segment in the Dismissal Session. Have those arriving check in and put on nametags. PRAYING Invite everyone to stand around the prayer focal point. Use the ( ) prayer from the Gathering Prayer Ritual in the Dismissal Session, another prayer, or sing a gathering song from liturgy. ENGAGING THE WORD (15 MINUTES) Distribute Bibles. Have everyone find Luke 14:25-33. Invite questions. Clarify as needed: Hating is a figure of speech. It means that we seriously avoid people, even family members, who try to turn us against Christian values. Throughout history, many people have been killed for following the way of Jesus. Becoming a disciple requires a serious commitment for life. The desire for possessions can interfere. Assign groups with the questions on cards, or do the following together by distributing cards to volunteers to read. 1. A tower must be built on a sturdy foundation. What is the foundation of our faith? 2. A builder must gather materials. What do we gather as we develop our faith? 3. Builders work together to complete a tower. With whom do we work as Christians? 4. A builder must calculate the cost. What is the cost of following Jesus? 5. Builders need to begin with enough materials for completion. What do we need to follow Jesus faithfully throughout our lives? TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C Wisdom 9:13-18b Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17 Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33 Insight for the Catechist Family demands and personal possessions can keep someone from persevering in discipleship. A follower of Jesus divests all encumbrances in taking up the cross. The term translated into English as hate is hyperbole, a way of expressing that nothing is more important than following Jesus. Christian families sometimes try to justify a lack of generosity by focusing on family wants. Saving for children s education or a couple s retirement too easily takes priority over caring for the hungry and downtrodden. Saint Paul implores Philemon to evaluate his attitude about the possession of a slave. Christians are all one family in Christ and should treat one another as beloved sisters and brothers. People, including those we love, are not our possessions. Jesus cautions to count the cost of being a disciple. Plan ahead in order to avoid leaving the job half-done. By Janet Miller. Copyright 2013, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved. 6

SHARING FAITH (15 MINUTES) Form mixed-age groups of four to six 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 LUKE 14:25-33 What types of things do family members sometimes do that would turn the family against Jesus way? In what ways is joining the church like becoming a member of a new family? What types of things must we get rid of so we can follow Jesus? Why is this passage important for people preparing to become baptized Christians? With the whole group conclude: Everyone is called into the unity of God s family. Members of the Church share the same values and support one another as we sacrifice to follow Jesus. CARRYING OUT THE WORD (5 MINUTES) SUMMING UP Invite everyone to gather around the prayer focal point. Encourage them to offer insights from this week s session. Say: Family ties are important but are never more important than following Jesus. Even though it is sad, we sometimes have to go in another direction when some family members do not follow Jesus. CLOSING PRAYER Encourage everyone to develop a one-sentence summary of this week s Gospel teaching. Say the following examples: Jesus says, Take up your cross, and come after me. Disciples offer personal possessions for the good of all. As a cross is handed from person to person, invite everyone to announce their message sentences in prayer. Those who wish not to speak, pass the cross to the next person. Pick up the cross. Hold it high while saying a message from this week s Gospel. Pass the cross around the circle. Conclude: Go forth from this place using your possessions for the good of all. And may the ever-living God bless us, (Make the Sign of the Cross on yourself as a model for everyone.) protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. All: Amen. Distribute the Faith at Home page. Collect the nametags. Friends on the Way - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 7

Crossing the Ages Activity (Optional activity for children and adults together: 20 minutes) Away from Family, Toward Christ (Models help catechumens enter the way of faith, RCIA #1.) Introduce the activity: Throughout history, many believers needed to reject the ways of their parents or family in order to follow the way of Jesus. In small groups, you will focus on one Christian who did this. Create a poster, song, skit, or emblem that represents this person in Christianity history. Assigned mixed-age groups of up to six members. Have them choose one card printed with the person s name and information. Use the references cited for more information. Saint Columban in sixth-century Ireland decided to dedicate his life to God even though his mother objected. His followers built monasteries throughout Europe. (Columban, Saint, Monk, and Missionary, 539-615 A.D. by Clarence Wyatt Bispham) Edith Stein, though her mother was devastated, converted to Catholicism and became a nun. She came to be known as Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. (Saint Edith Stein: Blessed by the Cross by Mary Lea Hill) Florence Nightingale, in spite of family opposition, left a leisurely English life and trained as a nurse. She became a hospital superintendent and organized nurses to aid soldiers. (Florence Nightingale: Cassandra and Other Selections from Suggestions for Thought by Mary Poovey) Saint Francis of Assisi demonstrated his rejection of his family s wealthy lifestyle by publically stripping off and returning his magnificent clothing to his father. (Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi by Tomie DePaola) Saint Joanna left her husband, a steward in King Herod s court, to provide for and follow Jesus with the group of disciples. (Luke 8:1-3; 24:10) John D. Rockefeller, Jr., went against his father s practices after seeing the squalor that led to the Ludlow Massacre. He recognized the miners right to unionize. He took seriously the biblical teaching, To whom much is given, much is expected. (Luke 12:48 and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. by Raymond Fosdick) Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, after her immediate family died, was taken in by Mohawk uncles. They could not understand her commitment to Jesus and refusal to marry within the tribe. (Kateri Tekakwitha, Mohawk Maid by Evelyn M. Brown) Suggest they use books or online resources for further research. Offer poster board, scratch paper, rulers, pencils, and markers. Allow ten minutes for creating a poster about their person. Invite sharing. Display posters around the church facility. Friends on the Way - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 8

Faith at Home Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Remember Sunday s Word Wisdom 9:13-18b Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17 Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33 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 Luke 14 in the center. Begin with a moment of quiet. REFLECTING ON WISDOM 9:13-18B For the writer of this ancient prayer, wisdom is an attribute of God which comes as Holy Spirit. Wisdom sets those who are receptive on the right path; whereas, mortal reasoning is unsure. What is some wisdom that the Holy Spirit has given family members? Together compose a prayer asking for holy wisdom. One person writes the prayer on nice paper and places it near the family Bible. During family prayer time, take turns reading the prayer. REFLECTING ON PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17 Saint Paul challenged the customs of his time by insisting that in Christ there is neither slave nor free person. He emphasized total equality regardless of ethnic origin or being male, female, slave, or free. Paul petitions Philemon to welcome back his runaway slave, Onesimus. As converts to Christianity, both are equal. As Saint Paul challenged attitudes about slavery during his time, what prevailing attitudes might our family challenge? At a library or on the Internet, find information about Pierre Toussaint, a 19 th -century Catholic slave from Haiti. Search for the good works he did for his elderly owner after he became a famous New York hairdresser. REFLECTING ON LUKE 14:25-33 The whole family must be committed to following the way of the cross. Family members whose values conflict with Christianity must be put aside. Disciples plan spiritual resources for the future. Anyone wishing to follow Jesus must avoid selfish greed and use possessions for the sake of discipleship. What are some worldly attitudes that conflict with our Christian family values? Who, if any, of our extended family, object to our faithful ways of living? By Janet Miller. Copyright 2013, TeamRCIA.com. All rights reserved. Permission is given to reproduce this handout for family home use.

Planning for a beautiful future for everyone Jesus teaches us the importance of planning for the future. A firm faith foundation prepares for everlasting life. Christians also prepare for the future life of the planet Earth. This generation must keep oceans, lakes, and river waters clean. The third Saturday in September is Coastal Cleanup Day, celebrated in communities around the world. Plan how the family can participate in keeping a beach along a river, lake, or ocean clean. Choose from the following ideas: Find information at oceanconservancy.org. Take the pledge to help turn the tide on ocean trash. Learn about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program. Research and list the types of items that become trash of the sea. Put a checkmark in front of items the family uses and discards. Suggest alternatives. Join a local beach cleanup group, or plan a family outing to clean up a waterfront area. Gather reusable buckets, bags, water bottles, gloves, and tools to pick up trash. If the family is unable to go to the water, spend time online doing activities about ocean debris awareness. Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C TeamRCIA.com