All our life is your gift
Almighty God, we are the work of your hands which you will never abandon.
All our life is your gift; all your power is in our being. You spend yourself on each of us.
We thank you that our life is rooted in yours; we thank you for all the opportunities you give us,
and for the light that shines on our path, that warms our hearts.
We pray that gratefulness may prompt us to live life to the full, to remain always open to your surprising
ways, and to glorify you through the fruits we bear today and every day, for ever and ever.
Amen.
I Am Ready...I Accept
Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures-- I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul; I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so
need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Charles de Foucauld.
Faith
Choose a story from this week’s headlines. Is it TRUE or UNTRUE?
Why do you believe something even if it is simple?
In olden days Barbers used to practice medicine. You would not let your Hairdresser pull out a tooth, only a Dentist. Why?
---Things one has faith in. Write ideas down
What is Religious faith? HOW should it be?
---We have to live out our belief in our actions not just pay lip service to God.
Story: Farming community praying in church for rain during draught. Only a little girl brings her umbrella.
Find similar situations
Explain these: Fear; Mistrust; Lack of Faith.
Does faith mean we don’t question? Asking is the way we learn even about God.
How do we grow in Faith? Growth in faith is an ongoing effort of:
Spiritual reading; Prayer; Lifestyle; Community involvement
The Creed. (CREDO = I believe)
What is the Creed?
Why have a Creed?
Questions about faith in the early church. Council (explain) of Nicaea.
YHWH – Yahweh – I Am Who I Am.
Who is God for you? Sharing & writing on board.
God is: elicit responses like Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Eternal, Almighty, Infinite.
What is Trinity? Story of St Augustine & little boy by the seaside.
Faith & Mystery.
Scripture: Genesis 1:26; Matt 28:19.
Doctrine & Dogma.
Attributes: Father = Creator; Son = Redeemer; H. Spirit = Healer.
Person & Nature (Divine & Human).
Manifestation of Three persons: Baptism & Transfiguration of Christ.
What was the concept of God throughout the ages?
In the Old Testament. In the New Testament.
Hand out - APOSTLES’ AND NICENE CREEDS
Divisions of the Creed:
Father
How would you depict God the Father?
Direct creation and evolution - Discuss.
Son
What is the relation among the Three persons of the Blessed Trinity?
Why did the birth of Jesus happen in such a way?
He became Man for our Salvation from what?
Why did Jesus suffer so?
How could Jesus come back to life?
Where is Jesus now?
When will we see Him again? How?
Holy Spirit:
What words do you think fit the Holy Spirit best? Why?
How do we know about the Holy Spirit?
Four Marks of the Church:
One: SOURCE; FAITH Holy: UNITED WITH CHRIST Catholic: UNIVERSAL
Apostolic: TEACHING; SUCCESSION
Baptism & Forgiveness:
Why are we baptized?
Who can forgive? Who can forgive our sins?
Resurrection & Life everlasting:
Do you believe you will rise up again from the dead? Main belief.
How do you think Heaven will be? Or Hell?
“Amen.”
We meet with this word at the end of most prayers. What does it exactly mean?
Questions for discussion:
How did God work with His people in the Old testament?
What is the mission of each Person of the Blessed Trinity?
Can you compare the Oneness in Three Persons to something or someone else?
Is it necessary to understand the Mystery to see God in three facets?
Is God male or female?
(In this handout I print the different divisions of the Nicene Creed in different colours for better reference)
The NICENE Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation,
He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day
In accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
And one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
And I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
he ascended into Heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting.
Amen.