Witness Mercy: 40 Days of Grace 2016

PurposeThis youth ministry night focuses on preparing the youth individually and as a community for Lent with a special emphasis in participating in the diocesan initiative “40 Days of Grace.” This initiative encourages youth and youth ministries to engage in intentional acts of prayer, fasting, alms giving, and service during Lent. This session is appropriate for groups from 10 to 150.

GoalTo inspire youth individually and collectively to witness mercy through God’s grace in our lives and being a witness through the corporeal works of mercy.

Objectives To know what mercy means both to us and to others To value that we are called to be merciful to others, through the grace of God’s

mercy to us To commit to engaging in one or more of the corporeal acts of mercy this Lent

Catechism Connection1846-1848; 1458;

Scripture FoundationGod’s Mercy: Ephesians 2:3-5Call to Be Merciful: Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 3:36; Isaiah 58:6-12

Reflection from Pope Francis

“We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness…In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society: fringes which modern society itself creates. How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich! During this Jubilee, the Church will be called even more to heal these wounds, to assuage them with the oil of consolation, to bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care. Let us not fall into

humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism!” Papal Bull announcing the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2, 15

Session Overview 5:45 p.m. Pre-Gathering Hospitality 6:00 p.m. Welcome and Introduction 6:05 p.m. Opening Prayer 6:10 p.m. Ice Breaker: Make a Connection6:20 p.m. Community Builder: Build a Tower6:35 p.m. What is Mercy? Fishbowl Discussion6:45 p.m. What is Mercy Presentation and Videos7:55 p.m. Small Group Processing7:10 p.m. Mercy in the City Video7:13 p.m. Works of Mercy Brainstorm7:20 p.m. My Lenten To-Do List7:30 p.m. Large Group Project: Our Lenten Commitment7:50 p.m. Prayer8:00 p.m. End

Materials NeededPre-Gathering Hospitality

Name tags Markers Sign-in sheets Pens Music

Ice Breaker: Make a Connection One piece of paper per person One pen/pencil per person

Community Builder: Build a Tower Paper (can be scrap paper) Rolls of any kind of tape Colored markers Tape Measure

What is Mercy? Fishbowl Discussion 4-6 chairs in a circle

What is Mercy? Presentation and Videos Computer TV or Projector Sound for the room Video 1: Cardinal Louis Antonio Tagle “What is Mercy?” from Catholic Relief

Services (available at https://youtu.be/bc6xvUhsh5Q ) Video 2: Fr. James Martin “What is Mercy?” from Catholic Relief Services (available

at https://youtu.be/0kRYwGgK1b0 )

Small Group Processing Copies of Resource B: Small Group Discussion per group

Mercy in the City Computer TV or Projector Sound for the room Video: Mercy in the City (available at https://youtu.be/TZkfdHRAudw )

Works of Mercy Brainstorm 14 pieces of newsprint with one of the corporeal or spiritual works of mercy

written on each (see Resource C: Corporeal and Spiritual Works of Mercy)

My Lenten To-Do List One copy of Resource D: My Lenten To-Do List per person

Group Project One copy of Resource E and Resource F

Prayer One copy of Vessels of Mercy from Catholic Relief Services per person. (available at

http://www.crs.org/sites/default/files/usops-resources/vessels-of-mercy-5.pdf)

Prepare in Advance1. Review through this entire session with your adult/peer ministry team including

practicing unfamiliar games, doing all activities, and answering discussion questions.

2. Invite an adult or youth leader to MC the night. Be sure he/she is familiar with the schedule and the timing needs.

3. Think about 4-5 youth that participate regularly and are comfortable talking in front of others, answering questions, and are generally more extroverted. You will

invite them at the beginning of the evening to be part of a “Fishbowl” conversation.

4. Divide the supplies for the “Build a Tower” game unevenly. For example, one group should have a lot of paper but only 5 inches of tape. Another group could have five rolls of tape and 4 markers, and 5 pieces of paper. Make enough groups that for 5-8 youth per group. For example, if your average youth ministry night has 35 youth, you should make about 5-6 groups.

5. Invite an adult to give the presentation on What is Mercy? (Resource A: What is Mercy? Presentation and Videos)

6. View videos beforehand. 7. Assign adults or peer ministers to lead games and activities. 8. Create a prayer table. Place the items for prayer near it. 9. Invite a young person to read Isaiah 58:6-12 for the closing prayer.10. Find Isaiah 58:6-12 in a Bible and mark it.

Pre-Gathering Hospitality (15 minutes before session officially begins) Set an atmosphere for the evening. Make sure someone is greeting people at the door when they arrive. Play music in the background. Distribute nametags.

Welcome (5 minutes) The MC should be enthusiastic and excited to be there. He/she should welcome everyone by saying:

Hi, I’m (name) and this is (church youth ministry name), and we are so excited to have you here! We are going to take time tonight to listen, share, play, reflect, and plan by focusing Lent as an opportunity to witness mercy in our lives and in the lives of others...

Before we begin, I want to especially welcome anyone who is new.

Identify the new participants and thank them for coming.

Opening Prayer (5 minutes) Begin with a short opening prayer such as:

Lord God, we thank you for the day and allowing us to gather here tonight. We pray that all we say and do tonight truly glorifies your name. We ask this though Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen.

Ice Breaker: Make a Connection (15 minutes)The purpose of this game is for the students to get to know each other and to learn what connects them as a community.

Hand out a blank piece of paper and pen/pencil each person. Instruct participants to pair up with someone they do not know well – if this is not possible, just have them pair up. If the number is uneven, have an adult participate with one of the students.

Say, When I say “Go” you are to list 10 things you have in common that have nothing to do with being here (“We both love Jesus” or “We both go to St. …. Parish”) or being human (“We both have eyes”). The first pair to finish has to stand up and yell really, really loud, “We win! We win!”

Have the first winners introduce themselves and share two items on their list.

Now invite the participants to form groups of four by pairing up pairs. The goal is now to find 6 things the four of them have in common. The catch is that it cannot already be on someone’s list from the previous round. The first group to finish is to stand up and yell, “We win! We win!”

Have the first group of winners introduce themselves and share two items on their list.

Continue the rounds by doubling up groups.

The last group is to find one thing they have in common that is not one everyone’s list. NOTE: You will need to adjust the number of items in common depending on the size of the group. The number of commonalities should decrease with each round. (Example, 10-6-4-2-1)

Community Builder: Build a TowerDivide the youth into groups of 5-7 teens. Have them either sit at tables or sit in circles on the floor. Hand out the previously made supply packs.

Say, I need your complete attention. (pause until you have it) Here are my only instructions. Build tallest, most colorful tower you can in 7 minutes. It must be free-standing and self-supporting which means you cannot tape it to the floor or table or have any external support such as you or a chair. Oh and it has to have a creative flag on top. You can only use the supplies we have handed out. Neither I nor anyone else will answer any more questions.

After 7 minutes, measure the towers and then ask, Let’s see who was paying attention. How many towers did I ask you to build? (Answer: 1) How many towers are in this room? (Let them respond)Why do you think you did that?

Then, depending on if they shared resources or not, ask the applicable questionsWhy did (or didn’t) you share resources?

Why did you automatically default, if they did, to competition?

Finally, askHow is this game like life sometimes?

What is Mercy? Fishbowl (10 minutes)MC should say:

The last two games really focused on seeing ourselves as part of a larger whole. One game asked us to build something together, even if it isn’t the way we normally think. These games should remind us that we are part of the Body of Christ, Imperfect humans making a perfect body. For this to occur we need of mercy, but what is mercy?

Invite the preselected youth to sit in the chairs in the circle. Have one empty chair available. Invite the other youth to stand in a circle around the chairs

Address the youth in the circle, So, I am going to ask you to discuss the question, “What is Mercy?” Think about not only what it is, but who gives it and who receives it and why mercy is important. You can take turns answering but you can also build on each other’s answers.

Address the youth outside of the circle, I invite you to really listen to what they are saying. As you listen, if you feel you want to add something, jump in and sit in the empty chair. If someone is in the chair already, you can “tap out” anyone else in the group.

Address the youth in the circle again, So, what is mercy? Think about not only what it is, but who gives it and who receives it and why mercy is important. You can take turns answering but you can also build on each other’s answers.

Allow the conversation to go on no more than 8 minutes. If the conversation lags, challenge some of the answers or just move on to the next activity. End by thanking everyone.

Presentation: What is Mercy? Presentation and Videos (10 minutes)MC should transition to the presentation by saying something similar to this:

I want to thank the fishbowl participants again. We heard different views on what mercy is and isn’t. I would like to invite (name) to share a little more about what mercy is and can be in our lives.

The presenter speaks using the outline from Resource A: What is Mercy? Presentation and Videos

Small Group Processing: (10 minutes)Divide back up into the same small groups that played Build a Tower. Ensure that each group has a copy of the Resource B: Small Group Processing.

Video: Mercy in the City (3 minutes)MC should transition to the presentation by saying something similar to this:

Mercy must be lived. Because we first experience God’s mercy in our lives, we must also be witnesses of mercy to those who feel are most in need of it. Such as those who are abandoned, afraid, and lost. Kerry Weber, a young adult in New York, wanted to live her faith. This is what she did…

Play the video. Try to stop at the two-minute mark. The rest is an ad for her book.

Works of Mercy Brainstorm (7 minutes)

While the video is playing have volunteers put the 14 pieces of paper on the walls with markers nearby them. If your group is less than 42 people, place one spiritual work right beside one corporeal work.

After the video the MC should say, As Catholics we identify seven corporeal works of mercy and seven spiritual works of mercy, Kerry Weber embraced living these works. I am going to break you into groups for us to brainstorm on practical ways we can live these works. The Corporeal Works of Mercy are how we help people with their physical/material needs. They are:

o feed the hungryo give drink to the thirstyo clothe the nakedo shelter the homelesso visit the sicko visit the imprisonedo bury the dead

The Spiritual Works of Mercy are how we help people with their spiritual/emotional needs: They are:

o counsel the doubtfulo instruct the ignoranto admonish sinnerso comfort the afflictedo forgive offenseso bear wrongs patientlyo pray for the living and the dead

Divide into either 14 or 7 teams depending on your group size.

Say, Ok, this time it is a competition. I am going to give you three minutes to come up with as many practical ways you can live your assigned work(s). Ready, Go!

After three minutes have the groups share their ideas.

My Lenten To-Do List (10 minutes)MC should thank everyone for their participation. Invite them to sit down and ask someone to hand out Resource D: My Lenten To-Do List to each person.

Say, You have heard all the ideas to live the works of mercy, to be witness mercy to this world. I invite you to now make a personal To-Do List for Lent. I invite you to make a commitment to live the works of mercy. Write down the practical ways you will witness mercy. You do not have to have something under each work.

Give them time to work on it by themselves.

Our Lenten Commitment (20 minutes)Gather everyone back together. Say:

As a youth ministry, we thought it would be powerful to engage in a work of mercy together for Lent. In the past, youth ministries around the Archdiocese engaged in canned food drives that have collected TONS of food for hungry people and donated to Feeding our Neighbor at New York Catholic Youth Day. We can participate in this and/or engage in a different project of our own design. What are your thoughts?

Give time for them to share. If they don’t say anything take a “temperature check” and by asking:

Raise your hands if you would like to do the food drive? (do a quick count)Raise your hands if you would like to do something else? (do a quick count)

If the group is STRONGLY leaning in one direction start planning on how you would do it. You can use either Resource E: Planning for a Food Drive or Resource F: Planning Other Form of Service as a guide.

Closing Comments (2 minutes)As MC, pay attention to what you heard all night. Take notes. Share the insights BRIEFLY and challenge youth to witness God’s mercy in their lives and be a witness of mercy in the lives of others. Remind them that Lent is forty days of grace that call us to not just do or not do things but about drawing closer to him and to each other.

Prayer (13 minutes)Gather the group in a circle.

Invite the group to sit in the quiet. Handout a copy of Vessels of Mercy to each person and as the prayer leader reads the opening prayer, have volunteers slowly put the items on the prayer table.

Begin: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pause.

Reading from the Book of Isaiah. (Invite student to read.)

Say, We have heard the “fasting” God desires from us. He desires us to experience his mercy and live mercy in the world. I invite you to quietly ask God to bless the to-do lists that you have made.

Pause for a few moments.Say,

I invite us all to pray together Vessels of Mercy.

Close the prayer with: And now let us praise God together by saying: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, in a world without end. Amen.

End with the Sign of the Cross.

MC should thank everyone for coming.

RESOURCE A

What is Mercy? Presentation and Videos

I. Transition from the activitya. Remark on some of the answers you heard from the group about what

mercy isb. Introduce yourself.

II. Explain the purpose of this talka. Mercy has two sides to it

i. One we receiveii. One we give

b. Both of these mercy’s gives hope, i. Cardinal Tagle shares the hope of mercy so well. Cardinal Luis

Antonio Tagle is the Archbishop of Manilla in the Philippines and is also the President of Caritas—the federation of Catholic relief organizations from around the world.

III. Show Cardinal Tagle video

IV. Witnessing God’s Mercya. Cardinal Tagle says that mercy means making everyone feel and know that

“no one is a hopeless case” b. Pope Francis says that mercy is “a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace…

the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us...the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness…” (Papal Bull on Jubilee Year of Mercy)

c. We witness God’s amazing mercy to us through the grace of his forgiveness and his deep abiding love

d. Share how this experience of mercy impacts your life

V. Transitiona. And these two sides of mercy have two levels also:

i. We receive mercy:1. We receive the merciful forgiveness of God2. We are recipients of mercy through the love and care of

others to usii. We share mercy:

1. Through reminding others of hope in God2. Through helping alleviate the suffering of others

VI. Show Fr. Martin video

VII. Being a Witness of Mercy to Othersa. Pope Francis writes, “In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience

of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society: fringes which modern society itself creates. How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice …the Church will be called even more to heal these wounds, to assuage them with the oil of consolation, to bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care. … Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme” (Papal Bull on Year of Mercy)

b. Share a story of someone you know who lives a life of mercy to others.

RESOURCE B

Small Group Processing

1. Cardinal Tagle said that no one is a hopeless case. What would make someone feel like a “hopeless case?”

2. Fr. Martin says that mercy is getting into the chaos of others. How can poverty make life chaotic?

3. Who are people you know who help others find hope in their lives? How do they do it? Are there ways in which we can emulate them?

RESOURCE C

Corporeal and Spiritual Works of Mercy

The Corporeal Works of Mercy are how we help people with their physical/material needs. They are:

o feed the hungryo give drink to the thirstyo clothe the nakedo shelter the homelesso visit the sicko visit the imprisonedo bury the dead

The Spiritual Works of Mercy are how we help people with their spiritual/emotional needs: They are:

o counsel the doubtfulo instruct the ignoranto admonish sinnerso comfort the afflictedo forgive offenseso bear wrongs patientlyo pray for the living and the dead

RESOURCE D

My Lenten To-Do List

Corporeal Workso feed the hungry

o give drink to the thirsty

o clothe the naked

o shelter the homeless

o visit the sick

o visit the imprisoned

o bury the dead

Spiritual Works o counsel the doubtful

o instruct the ignorant

o admonish sinners

o comfort the afflicted

o forgive offenses

o bear wrongs patiently

o pray for the living and the dead

RESOURCE E

Planning for a Food DriveReason:

How can we ensure that Christ is at the center of why we do this drive?

When:

Method:How and when will we advertise?

How will we collect?

How will we sort?

How will we deliver?

Supplies Needed:

People Needed:

Action Plan:If time allows, flesh out the who, what, when, and how to accomplish this activity.

RESOURCE F

Planning Other Form of ServiceWhat are needs in our community that we can address?Brainstorm, discuss, and choose one.

What acts of service can address this need?Brainstorm, discuss, and choose one.

Reason: How can ensure that Christ is at the center of why we do this project?

When:

Method:How and when will we advertise?

What preparation needs to occur?

What will we be doing?

What follow-up needs to happen afterward?

Supplies Needed:

People Needed:

Action Plan:If time allows, flesh out the who, what, when, and how to accomplish this activity.