CHRISTIAN SERVICE: WITNESSING TO GOD’S JUSTICEArmando Herrera

Confirmation Class

St. Andrew’s Church

CONFIRMATION SCHEDULE REVIEW

OVERVIEW

Justice and service is the outward focus of morality; that is, action for justice is necessary for individuals who are committed to living morally.

The social-justice teaching of the Catholic Church is based on Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself” Mt 19:19

If we are followers of Jesus, we are accepting the responsibility to love all our brothers and sisters, including those who seem the least significant

OPENING PRAYER

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

REMEMBER: A CHALLENGE FOR US

Become the person God intended you to be

Grow in your faith Build a “relationship” with Jesus

Christ Be proud to be catholic Open your heart to the

teachings of the Catholic Church (Christ teachings)

INTRODUCTION

Volunteer to Read Luke 4:14-21 Jesus’ choice of scripture and his words

following the reading announce that he is the anointed one who will bring justice to the world

In order to live faithfully in the Holy Spirit We must cooperate in God’s work of bringing

about a more just society through service to others

Especially to the poor and vulnerable Volunteer to read Matthew 25:31-40

REIGN OF GOD

Justice helps us to achieve God’s dream for the world

Morality is concerned with personal choices Christian morality is concerned with living

out Jesus law of love Justice is concerned with organizing the world

so that every person is able to experience God’s love without the handicaps of poverty, hunger and hate

REFLECTION Invite the young people to quiet themselves and be alone with their

thoughts for a few minutes. When they are quiet, lead them through the following brief reflection on visualizing the Reign of God:

Imagine what the world would be like if everyone lived their life according to Jesus’ law of love.... What if everyone's first concern was for the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful, and the outcast? . . . What if everyone chose to forgive rather than seek revenge? ... What if everyone made a choice to possess only as much as they truly needed to survive comfortably? . . . What if every person decided to live more simply? . . . What if no one turned their back on the victims of acts of injustice, but rather worked for change? . . . What does the Reign of God look like?

Ask them to call out some of the significant words, phrases, or images that came to mind during the reflection. For example, someone might say "peace," "no hunger," "enough of everything for everyone," or "no war." Ask them to include some thoughts on what might be different in their own lives, in their community, and in the world if everyone lived the law of love

REFLECTION DISCUSSION

We must ask why injustices persist and figure out ways to create change. Direct action and social action are sometimes called the two feet of Christian justice because progress toward a more just society is dependent on people carrying out both types of service.

The call to work for justice can be overwhelming. Human sin contributes to misery and injustice throughout the world. It can be helpful to remember that God does not expect us to transform the world by ourselves.

Ultimately, at the end of time, God will bring about justice and peace for all when he fully realizes his Kingdom. Our responsibility as members of the Body of Christ is to cooperate with God's plan and to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us so that the world can become a more loving place.

REFLECTION DISCUSSION-CONT It is helpful to distinguish between two different types of service-direct

action and social action-and to recognize that both are necessary in the work against injustice. Direct actions are the things we do to address the immediate needs of

another person. Working at a soup kitchen, organizing a canned-food drive, buying Christmas gifts for poor families, and donating clothing etc

Social actions are the things we do to eliminate the causes of injustice. This type of work for justice is aimed at changing some aspect of society-its laws or policies regarding such things as affordable housing, labor, literacy, racial equality, or the environment-so that individuals will be able to live the full, dignified lives that God intends for all of us.

Effective social action involves analyzing unjust situations to determine the causes of the injustice and to identify the best ways to respond.

A person's work for justice often begins with direct action because it involves clear, concrete steps that help people directly. The work of trying to meet the immediate needs of poor and suffering people is very important. But it can be frustrating if the underlying causes of the injustices people suffer remain unchanged.

CLEAN JOKE OF THE WEEK An old Irishman, McDougal, had a loyal and

faithful dog who died. McDougal went to his parish priest and asked, "Father, could you say some prayers in Mass for my dog?" The old pastor said, "McDougal, you know very well that we don't pray for animals at Mass. Why don't you go down to that Baptist church and ask them? I'm sure they'll do it." "Well, ok, Father, I think I'll do just that. Oh, by the way, do you think they'll be offended if I offered them $5,000 to pray for my dog?"

Father exclaimed, "Why, McDougal, you never said your dog was Catholic!"

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS

It is easy for someone to become discouraged about injustice in the world

However, knowing some basic principles about justice can help clear up some of the problems.

But the principles only make sense if we understand the obstacles that stand in the way of the ideal world, or the Reign of God.

Ask for examples of Obstacles

7 THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person. "Human life is sacred and ... The dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.“

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation. "People have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.“

3. Rights and Responsibilities. "Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities-to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.”

4. Option for and with the Poor and Vulnerable. "A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Matt. 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.”

7 THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers. "Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected-the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.”

6. Solidarity. "We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they live. We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means learning that 'loving our neighbor' has global dimensions in an interdependent world.”

7. Care for God's Creation. "Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's creation."

GROUP EXERCISE - SCRIPTURE SEARCH: EXAMPLES OF ACTION STEPS Assign each group one Gospel. Each group is to look in its assigned

Gospel for three situations in which Jesus took some kind of action for justice.

Write on the paper the citation and a short description of what Jesus did. example: In luke 19: 1-10, Jesus tells Zacchaeus to come down from the tree and invites

himself to dinner at Zacchaeus's house. In Matt. 10:1-40, Jesus summons the Apostles and sends them out to preach and

heal.

How might this situation be an example for us? What does Jesus‘ example tell us about how to act more justly in our own life? For example, in Zacchaeus‘ situation, the message for us might be not to overlook

those who seem insignificant or not to make judgments about other people‘s worthiness.

In the Apostles' situation, the message might be that even Jesus could not do the work alone.

Allow about 10 minutes for the small groups to work with their Gospels. Share your examples with the rest of the group.

CLOSING PRAYER - PRAYER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE BY: POPE PIUS XII

Almighty and eternal God, may your grace enkindle in all persons a love of the many unfortunate people whom poverty and misery reduce to a condition of life unworthy of human beings.

Arouse in the heartsof those who call you Goda hunger and thirst for social justiceand for fraternal charity in deeds and in truth.

Grant, O Lord, peace in our days, peace to souls, peace to our community and peace among nations.

Amen.