Session 4

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“You are the salt of the earth

You are the light of the world.”

(Matt. 5: 13-14)

Contents of this session

[i]Structure Strategy – what this meeting might look like:

[ii]Materials needed for this first meeting and things to remember:

[iii]Pilgrimage Preparation Session Two – You are the salt of the earth

[iv]Opening Prayer

[v]Ice Breaker

[vi]Topic of the Night

[vii]Prayer Journal Activity

[viii]Reflections on Community and Social Service Project

[ix]Questions and Answers

[x] What to Bring List

[xi]Closing Prayer

[i] Structure and Strategy - what this meeting might look like:

1. Opening Prayer: The Lexio Novena is a very powerful prayer for some people. Do not rush the reflection time and be sure to give ample time for people to share a word or phrase that struck them.

2. Icebreaker: (First off, have each person fill out a name tag.) The icebreaker is an activity designed to let the group members get to know each other

3. The topic of the night: For this meeting, the topic is "You are the light of the world," which is the second half of the theme for WYD 2002. Please read through the material before the meeting so that you're familiar with it.

4. Prayer Journal Activity: Invite people to reread the passage in their Bibles and allow for reflection time in their journals.

5. Reflections on our Community and Social Service Project: During this time, the group members can discuss experiences they've had with their social justice project.

6. Questions and Answers: This is the part of the evening where the people in your group can field questions and concerns that they may have about the coming year and the activities in Toronto. If you don't know an answer, you

will have everyone's phone numbers and if need be, you can call people with answers.

7. What to Bring List: Because it's nearing Christmas, this would be an opportune time to let the group members know what they will need for their trip to Toronto and perhaps put some of those items on their Christmas list. It would be a good idea to brainstorm ideas with your group. Each person should write the “what to bring” list in his or her journal so that everyone has a copy.

9. Closing Prayer: This prayer remains constant throughout all 9 meetings.

[ii] Materials needed for this first meeting and things to remember:

1. Name Tags: Each person will require a name tag.

2. Candle, Matches, and Bible: To be lit and left on a table for the duration of the meeting. These are to help keep the minds and hearts of each person focused during the meeting

3. Avs: It would be neat if someone could take pictures of the group members in action with their social justice project. These could be brought to a meeting and put on the walls for everyone to see.

4. Announcement: Make an announcement in the church bulletin and/or phone people to remind them to come. Include the time, location, and duration of the meeting. Remind everyone to bring their journals and pens. (Be sure to bring extras, just in case.) Invite others to come as well.

5. Meeting Place: Be sure to book a room in the church (or hall) in which the meeting will be held. Arrive there early so that you can set chairs, tables, and such in the manner that you like.

[iv] Opening Prayer: Lexio Novena

The following passage is to be read three times. Read it once and pause for reflection at the end. Before you read the passage again, ask people to share a word or a phrase that struck them as significant. Read the passage a third and final time and pause afterwards for silent reflection:

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts in under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

-Matthew 5:13-16

[v] Icebreaker: Group Questions (From the “Card Questions” Worksheet”)

1) Divide everyone into 4 groups.

2) Give each group a list of questions to discuss and then present to the rest of the groups.

3) Here are the questions:

Group 1:

What were you doing in 1985? Be as specific as you can.

Where do you see yourself ten years from now? Explain.

Group 2:

Who are your two favorite people in the world?

What are your top six movies of all time?

Group 3:

What are your three least favorite things to do?

What is your favorite thing to buy at 7-Eleven?

Group 4:

What is your routine before you go to school in the morning?

How would you describe the perfect date?

[vi][vi] Topic of the Night: You are the light of the world

Light, without it no life can survive. It is with little wonder that it was a powerful symbol in the ancient world. To tell Christians that they were to be the light of the world was like a double-edged sword. It was paying them the highest possible compliment and yet warning them of their incredible responsibility. Jesus himself is the light of the world and its indispensable means of life. And so He warns Christians that if they become indistinguishable from those who do not love Christ, they will be like a lamp under a bushel basket, and will be condemning the world to darkness.

The lights of a faraway city, sitting on a hilltop, guide people home through the dark. The life of the humble Jewish home would halt with the onset of night unless the little oil lamp was lit and set high up where it might benefit the entire family. By means of these metaphors Jesus is insisting on a visible community with a manner of life marking it beyond all doubt as His, because it carries on His mission. Those in the dark, those who have not yet found their way home, must be able to see our "good works" and so come to know the goodness of the Father and join His children in His praise. (John M. Sherlock. Bishop of London (Editor). Journey: The way of Discipleship #28. London, Ontario, 1980. Page 19)

Two lights of the world who lived and died for their faith were St. Stephen and St. Lawrence, two deacons. Stephen is the patron of stonemasons. Stephen's name means "crown," and he was the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr's crown. Stephen was a deacon in the early Christian Church. The apostles had found that they needed helpers to look after the care of the widows and the poor. So they ordained seven deacons, and Stephen is the most famous of these.

God worked many miracles through St. Stephen, as well, he spoke with such wisdom and grace that many of his hearers became followers of Jesus. Saint Stephen spoke about Jesus, showing that He is the Savior God had promised to send. He scolded God’s enemies for not having believed in Jesus. At that, they rose up in great anger and shouted at him. But Stephen looked up to Heaven and said that he saw the heavens opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Angry, those who did not believe, lied about Stephen's faithfulness to God and these false witnesses succeeded in having Stephen stoned to death.

While dying, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then he fell to his knees and begged God not to punish his enemies for killing him. Saint Stephen's feast day is December 26th. ( http://saints.catholic.org/saints/stephen.html )

During the time of Pope St. Sixtus, Saint Lawrence was one of the seven deacons in charge of giving help to the poor and needy in Rome. A persecution broke out and the Pope was condemned to death. As he was led away to be executed, Lawrence followed him weeping, "Father, where are you going without your deacon?" he said. "I am not leaving you, my son," answered the Pope. "in three days you will follow me." Full of joy, Lawrence gave to the poor the rest of his money and possessions.

The Prefect of Rome was a greedy pagan and thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. So he ordered Lawrence to bring the Church's treasure to him. The Saint said he would, but needed a few days to gather it together. Then he went through the city and gathered all the poor and sick people supported by the Church. In three days, he showed them to the Prefect and said: "This is the Church's treasure!"

Embarrassed and very angry, the Prefect condemned Lawrence to death. The Saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire that roasted his flesh little by little. However, Lawrence had so much love for God that he had the strength to say to the judge at his execution, "Turn me over, I'm done on this side!" And just before he died, he said, "It's cooked enough now." Then he prayed that the city of Rome might be converted to Jesus and that the Catholic faith might spread all over the world.

Saint Lawrence's feast day is August lOth. (http://saints.catholic.org/saints/lawrencemartyr.html)

[vii] Activity: Prayer Journal

1) Read the following passage and have people reflect on it and write their reflections in their journals.

(Jesus said to his disciples, “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.... In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.") Matthew 5:14, 16

Before the age of electricity, gas lamps lighted city streets. Lamplighters lit these lamps with a flaming torch. One night an old man stood looking across a valley to a town on a hillside. He could see the torch of a lamplighter lighting lamps as he went. But because of the darkness, he could not see the lamplighter. He could see only his torch and the trail of lights he left behind. The old man said to a friend standing next to him: “That lamplighter is a good example of how Christians ought to live. You may never have known them. But you know that they passed through the world by the trail of lights they left behind.

What trail of lights am I leaving behind? (Link, Mark S.J. Challenge 2000: A Daily Meditation Program Based on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius. Tabor Publishing, Korea, 1993. Page 70.)

[x] What to bring list:

Planning ahead for Toronto. These are some of the things which you will need. (possibilities for Christmas presents)

· sleeping bag

· pillow

· clothing for hot and cold weather

· raingear

· sunscreen

· bug repellent

· comfortable shoes

· hat

· pins and such to trade with other pilgrims (from your city, BC, Canada)

[xi] Closing Prayer:

Prayer for World Youth Day 2002

Heavenly Father, bless us as we patiently await World Youth Day 2002. Help us make our hearts and minds open to your love as we prepare. Lord, give us strength and ingenuity to serve and make way for the visit of the Holy Father.

Make us ready for the challenges and sacrifices of this pilgrimage over these next months.

Allow us to grow in our love for you and as a community journeying together in hope.

Guide us, Lord, so that by your teachings we may be ready to prepare worthily. Bestow upon us your light so that we may follow your path and receive all your blessings.

Let us be filled with the Holy Spirit as we share our faith and love with our friends, families, communities, and all the people of the world.

Grant us the grace that we will forever be dedicated to you and follow you always.

Amen.

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