Conversion and Empowerment
Conversion and Empowerment
The gospels for the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of Lent this year all develop a theme of conversion. The woman at the well coming to faith, the man born blind (this week) coming to state, “Lord, I believe” and next week, Lazarus being brought back to life. All three gospels are replete with powerful symbols that express what occurs when a person encounters Jesus. The encounter with him is what leads to conversion.
Sometimes we think of conversion as occurring when a person who does not believe becomes a person of faith. In these gospels, however, the woman, the blind man and Lazarus are already people of faith. Rather, their faith develops and deepens and takes on new form as part of this encounter with Jesus. They experience in Jesus one who heals, one who gives life and who offers the gift of salvation. Our own conversion will similarly be an ongoing reality whereby our faith evolves and becomes a more defining characteristic of our lives.
What strikes me, in particular, in the gospel of the woman at the well and the man born blind is how the encounter with Jesus is an empowering encounter. The Samaritan woman and the man born blind seem to grow in stature in the course of their conversation with Jesus. They stand taller. They speak with greater conviction. They both embrace their God-given dignity. We pray that our own Lenten conversion will lead to us being empowered and emboldened as followers of Christ.
Fr Gerard
.
The gospels for the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of Lent this year all develop a theme of conversion. The woman at the well coming to faith, the man born blind (this week) coming to state, “Lord, I believe” and next week, Lazarus being brought back to life. All three gospels are replete with powerful symbols that express what occurs when a person encounters Jesus. The encounter with him is what leads to conversion.
Sometimes we think of conversion as occurring when a person who does not believe becomes a person of faith. In these gospels, however, the woman, the blind man and Lazarus are already people of faith. Rather, their faith develops and deepens and takes on new form as part of this encounter with Jesus. They experience in Jesus one who heals, one who gives life and who offers the gift of salvation. Our own conversion will similarly be an ongoing reality whereby our faith evolves and becomes a more defining characteristic of our lives.
What strikes me, in particular, in the gospel of the woman at the well and the man born blind is how the encounter with Jesus is an empowering encounter. The Samaritan woman and the man born blind seem to grow in stature in the course of their conversation with Jesus. They stand taller. They speak with greater conviction. They both embrace their God-given dignity. We pray that our own Lenten conversion will lead to us being empowered and emboldened as followers of Christ.
Fr Gerard
.
Kids Corner:
It is important to support younger children in developing deep and consistent prayer lives. Help them know that God lovingly calls us into a personal relationship
and always hears our prayers.
God want to be part of EVERY aspect of our lives not just when things are difficult.
Here are some fun ways to encourage you to be in relationship with God everyday and to bring all things to God in prayer.
Prayer Dice
A prayer dice can be used as a quick and way to have prayer in the morning. Each side of the dice will have a word on it, for example, family, grandparent, animals, teachers, siblings, the environment, people who are sick, people who are lonely, pets or animals, your choice. Whatever the dice rolls on is what we pray for. At prayer time, maybe roll the dice 2 -3 times.
Finish with a response e.g., “Merciful God hear our prayers”
Meditation Prayer
Write down your own prayer or think about something you want to pray about. Go outside or find somewhere quiet at home and find a space on their own. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes. Get everyone to lay down on their backs and do a mediation type of prayer. Encourage stillness and a return to your prayer if your attention wanders, but leave space to just be in God's presence.
Prayer Ball
Buy a small ball and write different things that you could use to spark prayer. Throw the ball to each other and stop every 5 passes. Wherever your thumb is pointing use that to create a prayer. Here are some examples of things you could use:
- Pop up and say one thing to praise God for something
- Ask God to help someone who is sick
- Shout out loud somewhere you can be like Jesus today
- With a friend
- Pray for a child who lives where there is war
- ask God to help you cheer up someone who is feeling sad
- Tell God about a fun day you have had and thank God for that day
- what makes you sad? Why? Ask God for comfort
- some children have no clean water , ask God to help them
- pray for someone you have seen on TV
- thank God for someone who is older than you
- shout out the name of someone who helps you
- put you left foot into the circle - then pray for those kids who don't have any shoes and warm clothes
- pretend to swim around the room and prayer for those people who live on island effected by climate change
- if you could email God .... what would you say? Tell God now.
- with a friend pray for all the babies and mothers in the world
- what is stopping you from helping others? Ask God to help you be brave!
- What could you donate that someone else could use? Ask God to help you be more generous.
- what is your favourite thing about God? Tell your friend
- zoom around the room and tell God 3 people you are thankful for
- stand like a tree and pray that we can be more careful with our environment
- think of something you have done wrong. Silently tell God you are sorry.
- make the sound of a lion or wild animal - thank God for the amazing creatures we share this planet with
- find 3 people and tell each one something you are thankful for
Prayer Marbles
Choose between 3-5 marbles
Take turns to put the marble into the box saying one thing that you are thankful for.
Prayer Book
Writing down things you are thankful for to God for in the front of the journal. This can be family, friends, sky, grass, etc. anything that they love and appreciate about the world
In the back things that you want to asking God about: for example, 'Loving God please stop hunger and war.' or 'God of miracles please heal my cat who is feeling sick.’
M&M Prayer
5 colours
blue - family
green - friends
yellow - church
red - people of other religions
orange - leaders and teachers
The children get 3-5 m&m’s or counters which they have to pray for and take turn to share their prayers.
Prayerful playdoh
Think of something in your life you are struggling with or having problems with. Use the dough to create an image that represents this. Are you make the image listen to what God might be saying to you about the situation. Have a discussion with God and allow it to move back and forth, from talking to listening.
Once everyone has finished creating end the prayer with something like, God give us the courage to deal with things are Jesus would. Amen
Lego Prayer
Choose a piece of lego
Step 1: Hold your brick, pray for yourself. Thank God for the things you have been given. Ask God to bless you and to help you to bless others.
Step 2: Count the bumps on your brick.
For each bump on your brick, pray for a different person - friends or family members. Ask God to bless them this week.
Step 3: Find someone in the group who has a different colour brick to you. Thank God for something about this person. This could be a trait, attribute or skill. Thank God for making each person special and unique. Pray that we will learn how to celebrate, understand and include people who are different to us.
Step 4: Find someone with the same number of bumps on their brick as you.
Thank God for families and friends and all who care for us. Ask God to help us to be make an effort to be friends with those who are lonely.
Step 5: Swap your brick with someone.
Thank God for the person you swapped with and ask God to bless them this week.
Step 6: Put all the bricks together and build a structure or tower with them.
Thank God for the church and the communities we live in. Pray that God will help us to include others and to help people know that they are loved and valued.
5 Finger Prayer
To take home.
Thumb – for the ones we love (our thumb is closest to us.
1st finger – for the teachers (this is our pointing finger)
2nd finger – for out leaders (this is the tallest finger)
3rd finger – for the sick and vulnerable (this is our weakest finger)
4th finger – for me
THE PALM - Mother Earth who's future we hold in the palm of our hands.
and always hears our prayers.
God want to be part of EVERY aspect of our lives not just when things are difficult.
Here are some fun ways to encourage you to be in relationship with God everyday and to bring all things to God in prayer.
Prayer Dice
A prayer dice can be used as a quick and way to have prayer in the morning. Each side of the dice will have a word on it, for example, family, grandparent, animals, teachers, siblings, the environment, people who are sick, people who are lonely, pets or animals, your choice. Whatever the dice rolls on is what we pray for. At prayer time, maybe roll the dice 2 -3 times.
Finish with a response e.g., “Merciful God hear our prayers”
Meditation Prayer
Write down your own prayer or think about something you want to pray about. Go outside or find somewhere quiet at home and find a space on their own. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes. Get everyone to lay down on their backs and do a mediation type of prayer. Encourage stillness and a return to your prayer if your attention wanders, but leave space to just be in God's presence.
Prayer Ball
Buy a small ball and write different things that you could use to spark prayer. Throw the ball to each other and stop every 5 passes. Wherever your thumb is pointing use that to create a prayer. Here are some examples of things you could use:
- Pop up and say one thing to praise God for something
- Ask God to help someone who is sick
- Shout out loud somewhere you can be like Jesus today
- With a friend
- Pray for a child who lives where there is war
- ask God to help you cheer up someone who is feeling sad
- Tell God about a fun day you have had and thank God for that day
- what makes you sad? Why? Ask God for comfort
- some children have no clean water , ask God to help them
- pray for someone you have seen on TV
- thank God for someone who is older than you
- shout out the name of someone who helps you
- put you left foot into the circle - then pray for those kids who don't have any shoes and warm clothes
- pretend to swim around the room and prayer for those people who live on island effected by climate change
- if you could email God .... what would you say? Tell God now.
- with a friend pray for all the babies and mothers in the world
- what is stopping you from helping others? Ask God to help you be brave!
- What could you donate that someone else could use? Ask God to help you be more generous.
- what is your favourite thing about God? Tell your friend
- zoom around the room and tell God 3 people you are thankful for
- stand like a tree and pray that we can be more careful with our environment
- think of something you have done wrong. Silently tell God you are sorry.
- make the sound of a lion or wild animal - thank God for the amazing creatures we share this planet with
- find 3 people and tell each one something you are thankful for
Prayer Marbles
Choose between 3-5 marbles
Take turns to put the marble into the box saying one thing that you are thankful for.
Prayer Book
Writing down things you are thankful for to God for in the front of the journal. This can be family, friends, sky, grass, etc. anything that they love and appreciate about the world
In the back things that you want to asking God about: for example, 'Loving God please stop hunger and war.' or 'God of miracles please heal my cat who is feeling sick.’
M&M Prayer
5 colours
blue - family
green - friends
yellow - church
red - people of other religions
orange - leaders and teachers
The children get 3-5 m&m’s or counters which they have to pray for and take turn to share their prayers.
Prayerful playdoh
Think of something in your life you are struggling with or having problems with. Use the dough to create an image that represents this. Are you make the image listen to what God might be saying to you about the situation. Have a discussion with God and allow it to move back and forth, from talking to listening.
Once everyone has finished creating end the prayer with something like, God give us the courage to deal with things are Jesus would. Amen
Lego Prayer
Choose a piece of lego
Step 1: Hold your brick, pray for yourself. Thank God for the things you have been given. Ask God to bless you and to help you to bless others.
Step 2: Count the bumps on your brick.
For each bump on your brick, pray for a different person - friends or family members. Ask God to bless them this week.
Step 3: Find someone in the group who has a different colour brick to you. Thank God for something about this person. This could be a trait, attribute or skill. Thank God for making each person special and unique. Pray that we will learn how to celebrate, understand and include people who are different to us.
Step 4: Find someone with the same number of bumps on their brick as you.
Thank God for families and friends and all who care for us. Ask God to help us to be make an effort to be friends with those who are lonely.
Step 5: Swap your brick with someone.
Thank God for the person you swapped with and ask God to bless them this week.
Step 6: Put all the bricks together and build a structure or tower with them.
Thank God for the church and the communities we live in. Pray that God will help us to include others and to help people know that they are loved and valued.
5 Finger Prayer
To take home.
Thumb – for the ones we love (our thumb is closest to us.
1st finger – for the teachers (this is our pointing finger)
2nd finger – for out leaders (this is the tallest finger)
3rd finger – for the sick and vulnerable (this is our weakest finger)
4th finger – for me
THE PALM - Mother Earth who's future we hold in the palm of our hands.