Take some time with your class to allow prayer and reflection on four courses of forgiveness: forgiveness of self, others, enemies, and reconciliation with God. If possible, seat the students in a comfortable setting away from their desks. Tell them to open a prayer journal for writing. When everyone is settled, follow these steps:
We Forgive Ourselves
1. Call on a good reader to read the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14).
2. In a journal, have them finish this sentence: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner for . . .
3. Allow a few minutes for writing. Then choose a reader to pray:
Dear God,
Have mercy on us in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out our offenses.
Thoroughly wash us from our guilt and of our sins.
Amen.
We Forgive Others
1. Tell the students to thin about friends, family members, classmates, acquaintances, merchants, etc. whom they are called to forgive. Tell them to write the initials of these people in their journals under the heading "I Forgive You."
2. Next, tell them to draw a symbol for peace to represent their efforts to reconcile with the persons whose initials they have written.
3. To symbolize their promise, have the students get up and share a sign of peace with their classmates. Say:
Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
We Forgive Our Enemies
1. Ask the students to recall a recent experience in which they needed to forgive someone who had hurt them or offended them. Tell them to write briefly about the situation and the results. Tell them they will be asked to share what they wrote with a partner.
2. Allow time for sharing with partners.
3. Call on two or three volunteers to share their experience with the entire group.
4. Choose a student to lead this prayer:
All-holy Father,
you have shown us your mercy
and made us a new creation in the likeness of your Son.
Make us living signs of your love for the whole world to see.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We Reconcile with God
1. Play a recording of a song that praises God's glory.
2. Choose a reader to read aloud the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15:1-7).
3. Ask the students to write a prayer expressing thankfulness for all of God's gifts, his blessings of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
