Conversations With God, More Mass Q&A, & A Prayer for Priests
Father George is enjoying answering the questions you have sent to him. Keep them coming! Here are 2 more:
Q. Why are Stations of the Cross in each church?
A. The Stations of the Cross devotion is very old, beginning when early pilgrims to Jerusalem tried to walk the same route that Jesus walked on Good Friday. But travel was dangerous so Europeans tried to recreate at home the places they had visited in the Holy Land. The Franciscans and several popes have encouraged the spread of this devotion. By 1731 all churches were allowed to have the 14 Stations of the Cross that we see in churches today. The Stations of the Cross are a powerful way to think of the sufferings of Jesus.
Q. Why are there so many Old Testament readings if the Mass is supposed to be about Jesus?
A. The whole bible is the inspired word of God and is divided into the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament prepares us for Jesus and promises salvation in him. The New Testament is the fulfillment of these promises. So the Church uses the Old and New Testament readings to teach us the entire story of our salvation.
Try the following prayer activity with your family from Center for Ministry Development's Fashioning Faith. This will help children think and talk about how they currently pray. Then they will take turns answering prayers for God, in order to think more carefully about how they pray. Finally they will talk about how God listens to them and answers their prayers. Feel free to adjust to your family's needs, as there are way too many questions for young children. I imagine teens may give silly answers to their siblings prayers in step 7, but the point is for them to experience prayer requests from God's perspective.
Prayer Styles
Purpose Family members will be able to describe prayer as a conversation with God, recognize different ways to pray, and be affirmed in their own prayer style as they explore new prayer styles.
Time: 30-60 minutes. With young children or for households on a tight time schedule the material could be used in more than one session.
Session Outline
1 Gather the family into one room, and invite everyone to sit comfortably. Include an extra chair for a later activity. (If you will be using the suggested or another appropriate video you will want to gather so all can see the computer screen.)
2 Explain that you are going to lead them through several activities and faith sharing about prayer.
3 Tell them that you would like to play a video about family prayer called The Family Prayer Song. (Go on to #4 below if you are not using the video.) After the video take time to share what was seen and heard in the video. Use the following or similar questions. Then go on to #6 below.
-What did you see or hear in the video that affirmed your understanding about prayer?
-What did you see or hear in the video that challenged your understanding about prayer?
-Did you learn anything new about prayer? If so, what?
4 If you are not using the video, tell them that you would like to reflect with them about how and when they talk or listen to God. Tell them you are going to ask some questions and they can respond on paper by writing words or phrases or by drawing images or pictures. Ask the following questions slowly so they have time to think about and then write words or phrases or draw their response.
-Where do you like to pray? Is there a special place you pray or many places?
-Do you use certain words or memorized prayers or make up your own? Do you ever pray without words?
-When do you pray? Examples: when you need help, have a special request, when things go wrong, at certain times of day, on special occasions, when you feel like it, etc.?
5 After a few moments invite members to share their responses. Allow for differences and affirm the diverse ways that members pray. Invite reflection on what they share in common about prayer as well as how they are different.
6 Extend the sharing by asking some of the following questions:
-Why do you pray?
-What do you believe about prayer? What does prayer mean to you?
-Are you happy with the way you pray or would you like to make some changes? If so, what would you like to change?
-Do you ever feel like it is hard to pray? When and why?
-Do you feel like God hears your prayer? Why or why not?
-When, how do we pray as a family or household?
-Does our prayer together have meaning? Why or why not?
-Is there something we could do to make our prayer together more meaningful?
7 Tell them that you would like to engage them in an activity about prayer. Give the following directions for the activity.
-Explain that the empty chair is for God.
-Anyone can pretend to be God by sitting in the designated chair anytime during the activity. The pretend God will speak in response to participants.
-The activity begins with God’s chair empty. It stays empty until someone speaks to God. Then, whoever feels inclined to respond moves to God’s chair and responds in the manner they think God would respond to the person. After God’s response, someone else may speak and God returns to his/her seat. (Note: The leader might need to monitor the movement so that one person does not dominate the role of God but all have a chance should they so desire. Also, monitor that all have an opportunity to talk to God.)
8 This activity may continue as long as the group seems satisfied or all have had turns that desire one. Then ask the following questions.
-What was it like to play God?
-When you were God did you listen differently than you would have otherwise?
-If you spoke to God did you feel like God heard what you said? Why or why not?
-Did God respond the way you would have expected?
9 You could extend this discussion by selecting appropriate scenes from the movies, Bruce Almighty or Evan Almighty. Each movie invites us to consider our prayer relationship with God in new ways.
10 After your discussion move to prayer. Invite someone to light the candle. As the candle is being lighted, remind them that the candle is a symbol of God with us. Tell them something like:
God is always with us but when we pray we make a conscious effort to remember God’s presence and take time to be with God. Sometimes when we pray we use words and/or gestures. Sometimes we just sit and be quiet.
11 If incense is available, ask someone to light it. Then say something like: “Incense has been used for many centuries by many cultures as part of prayer. Incense reminds us that as the smoke rises, so our prayers rise before God.”
12 Invite them to be quiet for just a moment, focusing on the candle (and incense). Invite them to speak silently to God and in their heart to tell God that they want to spend a few minutes listening to God.
13 Invite someone to read Luke 11:1-13.
14 Invite them to pause for a few moments of quiet to think about what they think God might be saying to them in the reading and what they would like to say to God.
15 Then invite them to express their thoughts aloud as a prayer. The group may respond to each prayer with, “Lord, hear our prayer” or some other appropriate refrain.
16 When prayers seem to be finished, invite them to hold hands and pray the Our Father and/or sing a favorite hymn together.
17 Thank them for their participation and enjoy a snack together.
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