17th Apr 3rd Per XII Catechism

Good morning ! Happy Easter ! Welcome to this morning's class !

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Once again, a reminder that when you are on social media (and this interaction is the use of social media for education), we are reminded that this is a public space and that we are called on to be our best selves - so kindly communicate appropriately at all times - in doing so you are respecting yourself and all of us. Thank you!

This lesson is in 2 parts - in Part A our topic is Easter and we shall, over the next few classes be a reflection on the key experience of Easter for us Christians. In Part B, we're forging ahead on our catechetics course for the year. 

PART A
So what was the experience of celebrating Easter at home like for you?
In the preparation for Easter, I hope you were able to do the reflections I had suggested you do - in the last lesson's blog post!

Let's start with one of the Resurrection stories - it's from the Gospel of St Luke Ch 24 vs 35 - 43

Kindly read it from your Bibles or google it and read the passage from your phones.

Have you read it? Then, kindly click onto this link and watch the video of one of Jesus'appearances to his disciples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP3753Pc8-w

What does Jesus 'risen' mean for us today? Does this meaning have any effect on my life? Does it have any effect on the way I live?

Jesus had spent 3 years with some very close friends (whom we call apostles and disciples) of all the crowds of people who had followed Jesus when he worked miracles or preached to them - there were only a few 20 or 30 (even that number may be a bit much) who after his death were lost and kept together in this time of great confusion and tragedy. They were scared and hopeless! Then something happens - the disciples try to tell us what happened and made these scared and hopeless people such courageous people - who gave their lives to tell others about the Good News which Jesus preached.

We are all called to experience the resurrection of Jesus in our lives - how it will happen will be very different but appropriate for each of us - whether it will happen will depend if we, like those disciples, have become fascinated by Jesus whom we have / will learn to know - this is what we attempt to do in our catechism class - try and know the man Jesus - and having begun knowing him - become fascinated with Him and his message - a message which will should us how to live - Ï have come that they may have life and have it in abundance" Jn 10 : 10 and when he have experienced this fullness of life - we will want to share this Good News with others.

PART B
At the beginning of class XI we started the catechism course by you drawing the river of your life - your life from the time you were born to the present time. Now, we're going to look ahead - you are invited to dream about your future! Please follow the next few steps :

1. take an A4 sheet - a sheet of the size of a long notebook
2. hold the sheet in the horizontal (landscape) position
3. turn the right side of the sheet over to the left and fold it in half 
4. repeat the action
5. open the sheet - you have the sheet with three vertical lines.
6. at the top right-hand corner put done your present age - most of you should be 17 years
7. to the top of the first fold - add 5 years to your present age e.g.17 + 5 = 22
8. at the top of the second fold - add 5 years to the last number e.g. 22 + 5 = 27
9. at the top of the third fold - add 5 years to the last number e.g. 27 + 5 = 32
10. at the top of the edge of the page - add 5 years to the last number e.g.32 + 5 = 36

So, now the invitation is for you to vision what the next 20 years of your life are going to be. We will be doing this over a few classes.

• start with first considering the next 5 years : probably in the next 5 years you would have moved on from passing the CBSE XII Board Exam and have either nearly completed a professional degree of if you are doing a purely academic course you would have completed your Bachelor's degree and be commencing a Master's Degree or a professional course or specialization. You could ask your self - where do you plan to do your post-school studies? - you'll be leaving St Columba's and going to another center of activity. So you'll be leaving St Columba's where you have been for 13 years of your life and moving on - moving on from many persons you have known for a significant amount of your life. If you're moving out of Delhi for your higher studies, you'll be leaving home and family - and residing in a different place - different people - who would you hope those persons would be - wherever you are? How do you think it's going to be?
• Now go to your sheet and draw the river of your life as you see it in the next 5 years - add branches to your river - the width of the streams would depend on how much of your life is sent in that stream e.g.you might go out of Delhi for your studies - so that will be your wider stream, but you will not let the stream of your life e.g. with your family and friends dry up - you'll come back periodically, or you'll keep in touch.
• As you look ahead, how do expect the experience to be - how do you feel about it? how would you draw the river of your life?

You may not complete the above assignment during this class - you will have a few days before our next class - and you are stuck at home - so please try and do this work before our next class!

When you have completed it - or as you go through the different stages in doing it - Sit back and be aware of the feelings and thoughts you have!

As you are aware of your thoughts and feelings be aware that the Divine is with you listening and caring for your thoughts and feelings. Remember Jesus' words: "If you, then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven, give good gifts to those who ask him."  

You may like to end our Catechetics lesson by listening/praying again, the hymn of St Patrick.

Take care - and see you for the next class !🙏