22nd Apr, Per 6 X Catechism

April 22, 2020

Good morning !😊

I hope that the day's going well for you! our teachers tell me that they're doing very important work with you! Please cooperate with them - you have a great opportunity to focus - of course being locked in at home and studying so much is challenging - but, believe me, if you work at this - it will be a very positive experience for your life.

Of course - please make sure you get exercise - you need to spend that energy - so climb stairs (if you can); do stretching exercises; jog in one spot - but exercise! To create breaks between your studies - help out at home at something! And do something which destresses you - like listening to music!

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!

Sorry, that at the time of this class, today - I need to be at an online meeting! I shall record your attendance later - but please do go through this blog post. Thank you.

So the last time - we had 2 parts to our catechism lesson and today we are again having 2 parts - again our themes are

the Resurrection of Jesus
choosing life-giving behaviours

PART A
During the last class you listened to one story of the resurrection (and saw the movie) and I had asked you to read Jn 20 : 19-31 at home - did you read it ? I hope you did - but whether you did or not - click on this link and watch a dramatization of the incident

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPBTIRkf1cY&t=87s

What do we hear/see

Jesus appears - not as a ghost but as a real person - but he suddenly appears - but he could be touched and he is the same Jesus who was crucified
and this is the importance of the doubt Thomas raises - we are asked to believe in the resurrection of experience of Jesus and for ourselves - even though, unlike Thomas we have not seen and felt the risen Jesus.
The risen Jesus keeps telling us "Do not be afraid" and he blesses us with his "Peace" - he reassures us in all the ups and downs on our lives - because He is risen - He is with us - that is the meaning of his name "Emmanuel - God with us" Jesus, risen is proof to all living beings that God is with us - not a distant God! Am I willing to believe and the proof that I believe is - am I willing to let God be with me - will I let God walk with me in my life ? will I lean on him? If I believe in the resurrection of Jesus I will experience the presence, assurance, peace and power of Jesus in my life.
Jesus gives us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is more than God with us. God is with us - this is a reality that Jesus helped us realise - this was the purpose of Jesus being born a human like us. The Holy Spirit blesses us and enables us to grow to be like Jesus was when he was on earth - that is why Jesus breaths the Holy Spirit onto the apostles. We pray that we will always be open to the continuous pouring of the Holy Spirit into our lives - The Holy Spirit wants to come to us - we need to give the Holy Spirit the "okay" to do so - we pray that we be continually one to the Holy Spirit - more on the Holy Spirit in the next few weeks!

How many stories of the resurrection can you remember? How many stories of the resurrection can you tell - look at your bible and find them and list them! We'll list them in the next class !

PART B

In the last class, I requested you to think on the following questions :

What is going to be my personal code of behaviour as a Christian this year?

as a member of my family
as a friend
as a student
as a member of society
as a member of my church community

As you answer - please don't think only of formal prayers or acts of worship - please think about them - but think more than them e.g.If Jesus was with me, how would He ask to behave with all the above groups?
What is going to be my personal code of behaviour for being myself - Jesus is with me - how would Jesus want me to relate with myself?

Why ?

remember - I told you why I choose to teach Catechism.... if you don't go back to the blog - please read it and know it - it's not about me - I'm here to support you as you grow into life!
How does a Christian behave?

a Christian behaves like Jesus Christ

How did Jesus Christ behave?

we have just - over the last 10 to 14 days remembered the suffering and death of Jesus - how did Jesus behave when things were really difficult for him (when things are going well for us, we can all behave well - but when things don't go well - then how do I behave? Do I behave like Jesus)

Most often we know how we should behave - we have been taught from when we were very young - but it's sometimes very difficult to behave as I know I should - can we pray like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane - "Father, not my will but yours be done"
Can each of us choose some challenge I face to behave the way Jesus asks me to behave - particularly take it in the way you relate to someone possibly at home, or someone who annoys you - Jesus taught us to behave non-violently - Peter drew his sword - Jesus told him to put it away ! When people cursed and treated him horribly he said "Father forgive them they don't know what they do !"

Can we as Christians in society show the Jesus way of relating to others?

Let's end this lesson by making 2 prayers - one for those whom we don't understand - for someone who doesn't treat us very well. The second prayer is that we learn from Jesus to behave to live as he lived in such circumstances. Click onto the link below - it will help you pray this prayer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajMqhFz3FIk

God bless you - see you son the 27th 🙏