Sometimes a good villain makes a good point. Recall the Grinch’s hatred for all the noise on Christmas morning.
For many of us, it is in the build up to Christmas that we get annoyed by the noise, the pushy people in the mall, lineups at every store, commercials, endless TV reruns. How do you cope with “all the noise” in the buildup to Christmas?
In all the hubbub build up to Christmas, how can you hear “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight'”?
If relationships between peoples become so tense that war threatens, certain clear conditions for a legitimate defensive war must be maintained. For example, all other means to resolve conflict must have been exhausted before resorting to military force as a way to defend oneself.
Take a closer look at a current conflict in the world. Write about the conflict as an advocate of Peace or Just War.
Read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-10. Who are the people in your life who show you examples of each of these “Be Attitudes”? Write about how these people – and you – demonstrate how to live the Beatitudes.
Luke 5:12-14“He would withdraw to deserted places and pray.”
Response Idea #1:
Low tech (pencils, paper, bible, people): Divide class into 7 groups and assign a gift to investigate. First, investigate and explain what each gift is. Then, read and discuss each scripture reading accompanying that gift – summarize each story and tell how the gift is presented in the story. Then, write a complete sentence or two completing the phrase next to each gift.
Response Idea #2
High tech (computers, blogs): Collect words/phrases exploring a gift to create a Word Cloud: https://tagul.com/
Upload and embed your word cloud in a blog post with a write-up of Idea #1.
Create a hyperlink list of all 7 gifts (link to any 6 of your classmate’s completed posts on their gift).
Response Idea #3
High Tech: Listen to “Strong Enough?” by Matthew West. Read the lyrics from the google. Write a post discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. How do the gifts of the Spirit make us “Strong Enough”?
Response Idea #4
High Tech: Listen to “You Say” by Lauren Daigle. Read the lyrics. Write a post discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. How do the gifts of the Spirit make us “strong when I think I am weak”?
Response Idea #5
High Tech: Listen to “Even If” by MercyMe. Read the lyrics. Write a post discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. How do the gifts of the Spirit “give me the strength”?
Humanity holds a special place in this work for the world. We humans are not just statistics, we are creatures with an infinite dignity conferred on us by the Creator.
So much of the discussion of climate change and how our responsibility to the planet involves dry statistics that are easy to ignore. Less easy is ignoring statistics with faces: the poor at our doorstep, the workers in farms, fields, and factories whose standard of living is low because ours is high. Pope Francis calls on us all to remember the human part of this equation – we are all important in God’s eyes, and it is our responsibility to care for one another in new and more intentional ways.
Ponder
What does my local homeless shelter need for its guests? What can I provide?
Pray
God of creation, when riches for one mean poverty for another, help me seek the welfare of all.