First set of lessons

1. First set of lessons

2. The Rich and the Kingdom of God Mt 19:18-29 The Rich Ruler A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother.’” He replied, “I have kept all these since my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” He replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” Then Peter said, “Look, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

3. Describe, attitudes, behaviour and characteristics of: Do you think Jesus liked this person? If so why? If not why? Was the man open to God? Explain.

4. For the following situations describe what: • The easiest thing to do to help would be… • The most difficult thing to help would be… • What would be the right thing to do do would be…

5. 1. 156 million children under five in developing countries suffer from protein energy malnutrition. 90 percent of all anaemic pre-schoolers and expectant mothers live in developing countries. Vitamin A deficiency is the primary cause of preventable eye defects and blindness in children.

6. 2. I'm struggling at the moment and it's like, "Right, what can I pay today?" And that's it; it's the bills and everyone's had their gas and electric bills go up. When mine went up they said to me "Sorry, we haven't been charging you enough for the last year, so you now owe us". I mean, they just sent me a bill for £423 because I was paying my gas and electric bills at £38 a month and they turned around and said "We should have been charging you over £70 a month". Their mistake, but now they're expecting it all.

7. On housing benefit, they'd worked it out over 12 months so I got £602 a month, which covered my rent which is £600 a month. Then they decided they were going to divide it over a 13-month period, I don't know how they're doing it, but my rent was £73 short a month, so I'm having to try and top that up which I'm really struggling to do. I'm on the housing list but they say I'm adequately housed – there's an eight to 10 year waiting list in this town. There's no council houses being built, or housing association places. A lot of the council houses around here have been bought.

8. 3. Newsagent: “I am on my own in the shop every night. I need to keep all of my customers happy, as the supermarkets make life difficult for me. Shoplifting is also reducing my profits. I like to keep the outside of my shop looking clean and welcoming. Sometimes customers, (especially the younger ones), think that I am grumpy and unpleasant.” • Underage boy“ I have nowhere to hang out with my mates and I want to be able to fit in. I see lots of lads having a good laugh and drinking cider. I would like to join in. Just because I am still 16 doesn’t mean that I’m not grown up enough to join in. John one of the older boys has asked me to join them I would like to but I know my parents would be upset. I don’t know what to do?

9. John“We really enjoy having a good laugh together at nights. We hang around the shops, as it is somewhere to meet up. There isn’t anywhere else for us to go. Having a drink helps us to relax and really enjoy ourselves. I have asked a younger lad at school to join us; he was telling me how bored he was. • Old lady “The boys who hang around the shop frighten me. I am not so steady on my feet now and I am easily knocked over. I can’t walk all the way to the supermarket these days. I wish the police would stop the boys getting drunk like that.”

10. Mother of underage boy.“I try my best to bring up my children to speak well and be polite. I can’t stand it when those lads use foul language in front of the kids. I also think that some day one of them might try to steal my purse because they act really rough. I wonder what their parents are thinking letting them do these things, destroying their young lives and damaging their health.”

11. 4. A new boy in your class is refugee. Your notice some pupils in different classes always making fun of him saying racist things to him, making fun of his English and telling him to go back home. 5. A group of kids in your class are spreading hurtful rumours about a girl in the class by sending text messages around. Lots of pupils around the school are behaving badly towards the girl.

12. 6. You have stumbled across a young woman who is upset and crying. You ask her what is wrong and she tells you she is single and from a poor family. Times were very hard and no-one in the family had a job, three weeks ago she answered an advertisement in a newspaper to the north of your country. The advertisement was for waitresses to work in Italy and she had applied for the job. She was interviewed and accepted, but part of the deal was that she had to borrow her fare to Italy from a man and pay it back from her first months pay, but she was assured that she would earn so much money that this would not be a problem. She was taken by a respectable looking man in a black Mercedes to a town in the south. There her passport and ID card were taken from her and all of your clothing and possessions.

13. She was kept in a locked room and not allowed out or to telephone anyone. She was then taken hidden in a van across the border into the next country and again kept in a locked room in a house. She had been told that she must work as a prostitute to pay back the money that was loaned to her to pay for her fare and when she refused she was beaten. She was also told that if the police found her, she would be raped and beaten by them before being given back to the man who took her and he was the Chief of Police in the area where she is now. If she tried to escape she would be told that her family would have to pay for the debt and may be killed or beaten as well. She had managed to escape from the room by climbing out of the window, and had no idea where she was. It was cold and had just been snowing and she did not have a coat. She had come into a park and was sitting on a bench wondering what to do. She was lonely and very frightened.

14. Martyrs Watch the DVD about • Max Kolbe • Manche Masemola • Oscar Romero • Take notes of dates, names, places and important events. • Write a fact file on one of the people.

16. Fact File Oscar Romero Date of birth: Family background: Place of birth: Occupation:

17. Answer the following questions: • What choices did they have in their own situations? • What action did they take? • Why do you think they were able to take that action? Think of a time when you were able to do something brave. And/Or Think of a time when you would have liked to have had the courage to do something brave. Write a list of words for each occasion describing how you felt .

19. Next set of lessons

20. Scripture in People’s Lives • Deuteronomy 5: 1-22 The Ten Commandments • Matthew 5: 1-12 The Beatitudes • Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is tempted • Luke 10:29-37 Parable of the Good Samaritan • Psalm 6 Prayer in ordeal • Mark 10:46-52 Bartimaeus

21. Give a response to your scripture include reflection on the following points: • Why would communities keep these texts for future generations? • What is it that is worthwhile for these communities to hear? • Describe a situation where the words you have read might apply, i.e. Where people might appreciate hearing them.

22. Scripture in the Church’s life Discuss with you partner how do you think the Church understands the following sayings? 1. “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the underworld will never hold out against it.” (Mt 16: 18)

23. 2. And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Lk 22:14-20)

24. 3. One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: ‘“Father,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come.Give us each day our daily bread.Forgive us our sins,for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.And lead us not into temptation.”’(Lk 11:1-4)

25. Match the scripture to the issue

28. Answers A=ABORTION H=FORGIVENESS B=PRAYER I=ENVIRONMENT C=REVENGE J=LYING D=DRUGS K=SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE E=EQUALITY L=EUTHANASIA F=TORTURE M=UNEMPLOYMENT G=POVERTY N=MARRIAGE

29. St. Vincent De Paul Society • Read pages 24-25 in ‘Religion For Living’ by C. Duffy Answer the questions of knowledge and understanding and add at least three scripture passages that could be associated with the SVDP. Use Matthew 5,6,7,10 and 25 • Design a poster for the SVDP using the scripture references you have chosen.

30. Next set of lessons

31. God speaks in the Scriptures • God speaks to Peter in a dream • God speaks at the Baptism of Jesus • Paul is struck down and Jesus speaks to him • God speaks to Samuel • God speaks to Moses from the burning bush..

32. Read each of the stories and: • Summarise the scripture passage • Explain what the message/instruction was from God • Describe what impact did the story have? • Present your response to the passage.

33. Summarise Explain Describe Respond

34. 1. God speaks to Peter in a dream Peter’s Vision Acts 10:9-48 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 1Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, threemen are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

35. Peter at Cornelius’s House The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues[ and praising God. Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

36. 2. The Baptism of Jesus 3:13-17; 4:1-11 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 4:17Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,and they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

37. 3. Saul’s Conversion Acts 9:1-17 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

38. 4. 1 Samuel 3 :1-22 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.” “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

39. 5. Moses and the Burning Bush Exodus 3: 3-22 3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[b] will worship God on this mountain.” 13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[d] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever,the name you shall call mefrom generation to generation. 16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. 21 “And I will make the Egyptians favourably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbour and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

40. Investigation Pupils will now investigate a holy person creating a power point of their life: • summarising the saints story; • identifying what message or call they received from God; • describing the challenges they met; • describing the impact on their lives and on the lives of others; • outlining their own personal response to the holy person.

41. Holy People • St. Ignatius of Loyola • St. Francis of Assisi • Mother Teresa • St. Vincent • Saint Louise • Frank Duff • Fredrick Oznam • Brother Roger • St. Mary McKillop • Queen Margaret of Scotland