22nd Apr, Per 3 XI Catechism

Good morning!😊

How are you? Are you getting used to your new subjects and new teachers in Class XI? These first few days are very important - please understand and know the basics of each subject - check up on bits of information you have learned in the past on which your present learning depends - set strong foundations! You can, and we want you to do brilliantly!

Reminder - if you haven't done so already - please enter your name in the "Comment" space - kindly do this each time you log into the blog post for the class - Thank you 🙏.
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 respecting yourself and all of us. Thank you!

Our lesson today is in 2 parts :

PART A
Over the last 2 classes, we have spent some time learning / trying to

• listen to ourselves - without judging ourselves
• listen to others - without judging others

Why did we do this?

• because these are key skills for life 
• learning how to be kind to myself, learning how to know myself
• learning how to know and relate to others

So, how about we start this class with listening to some soft instrumental music - you can link on the URL given below - and as you do this

• pause and listen to your self - try not to think - try to listen to your body - our feelings when we are not aware of them or when we don't listen to them - get trapped in our bodies - so let our bodies speak to us. Don't force a name on your feelings - if it comes to you - that's fine - this is another skill ! Please click onto the url
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ECUBrwy0U

Do practice doing this meditation and/or do practice listening to yourself and naming your feelings and/or noticing others and observing (not judging) how they are feeling.

PART B
Did you read the Bible passages on the Easter  - Resurrection experiences?
I hope you did!
If you didn't please read them!

As part of our Catechism, it's important that we know the stories of the resurrection experiences of the disciples of Jesus as given in the Bible

• Why?
• Because the Resurrection of Jesus is why we are Christian! as St Paul says in 1 Cor 15: 
• vs 14 Ïf Christ has not been raised, our preaching is empty and our belief comes to nothing" 
• vs 17 "If Christ has not been raised your faith gives you nothing, and you are still in sin" 
• vs 19 "If it is only for this life that we hope in Christ, we are the most unfortunate of all people."
• The resurrection of Jesus makes his life, suffering, and death meaningful and the way for us to follow : 
• In the letter to the Hebrews Ch 12 vs 2, the author tells us "For the sake of the joy reserved for him. Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame"
• But the best quotation which explains it is St Paul's quotation of an early Christian hymn in his letter to the Philippians Ch 2 vs 6 to9
• "Though he was in the form of God
• Jesus did not count equality with God something to be grasped
• but emptied himself - taking on the nature of a servant, being born in the likeness of men
• and being found in human form he was humbler yet by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross
• Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name"
• So, if we are Christian, we need to understand this - it's more than saying that "that I believe that Jesus died and on the third day rose again" - what difference does that make to the way I live my life?
• So, that's why you need to read and think about each of the resurrection stories - know them - so that you will remember them - then these stories will come to your mind when you need to be enlightened by them!

So before we end - think of 

• the people who affected with the coronavirus 
• those seriously ill dying in hospital; 
• of migrant labourers who are trying to get home,e - walking home - been misunderstood and beaten and hungry; 
• of people who have very small homes with many people and who find these days very difficult; 
• of poor people around the country and the world who are suffering from hunger; 
• of people losing their jobs and uncertain about their futures 
• all these are the sufferings of Jesus today 
• we can't explain this suffering 
• each of these suffering people is like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (sweating blood) or Jesus on the cross (crying out "My God, My God, why have your forsaken me ?")
• Understanding the resurrection will come after we stay with the pain of suffering. 
• Please join in praying for all these people- please pray that God's will be done and that God's kingdom may come" through all this suffering. 
• You might listen to the song by clicking onto the URL  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrlhn1H1EWw

Take care - see you at the next class 🙏