The Christmas season continues, even as you return to school. Have your students meditate on the humanity of Jesus and his mission. Share these words of Pope Benedict XVI. Have them complete the assignment that follows.
The real novelty of the New Testament lies not so much in new ideas as in the figure of Christ himself, who gives flesh and blood to those concepts—an unprecedented realism. In the Old Testament, the novelty of the Bible did not consist merely in abstract notions but in God’s unpredictable and in some sense unprecedented activity.
This divine activity now takes on dramatic form when, in Jesus Christ, it is God himself who goes in search of the “stray sheep,” a suffering and lost humanity. When Jesus speaks in his parables of the shepherd who goes after the lost sheep, of the woman who looks for the lost coin, of the father who goes to meet and embrace his prodigal son, these are no mere words: They constitute an explanation of his very being and activity.
—Pope Benedict XVI (Deus Caritas Est, 12)
Do the following:
Research the meaning of the term anawim. How are the anawim another way to describe the poor in spirit? Who are anawim in your community? How can you serve them? Write a one-page essay that describes them.
The following Christmas meditation is adapted was written by Sr. Kieran Sawyer, SSND. Read it to your class in a moment of quiet meditation. See the assignments below as possible follow-up.
The Christmas Star: A Meditation
Imagine that is a beautiful Christmas Eve. You decide you need some space and fresh air, so you go for a walk by yourself. Imagine yourself walking along. Snow is falling gently, and the flakes float down lazily, resting on your cheeks and eyelashes. You scuff your feet as you walk cutting a new trail in the snow. It feels good to be alone. The stillness of the night seems to still your mind and your heart. Silent night, holy night, you think, humming he ancient melody softly in your mind. Continue this imaginary evening walk, sensing as deeply as you can the calm and peace of the true Christmas spirit. (Pause)
You’ve been so lost in your thought you haven’t paid much attention to where you were going. Suddenly you realize that you’ve left the city behind. You look around, trying to get your bearings. You see that you are out in the countryside, walking through gently rolling hills. It has stopped snowing and the sky is filled with stars. You look up into the sky. The stars are magnificent! One star in particular captures your attention. It’s shaped like something of a cross, and it glows with a long trail of light that seems reach all the way to earth. You think this is crazy; this is not the first century. This is [your state], not Bethlehem. But you follow the star anyway; more out of curiosity than anything else, just to see where it will take you. And sure enough, the star leads you across the field to a little cave in the side of the hill. You’re beginning to feel shy now, wondering what you’ll say to Mary and Joseph if you find them in the cave. But as you near the cave, it appears to be empty and dark. You look again at your star. Yes, it’s still pointing to this cave. You follow the star with your eyes. It moves slowly down the sky and right into the empty cave. The star fills every corner of the cave with light. You enter the cave cautiously. Everything is here the way you remember it from your childhood. Christmas books—the stable, the manger, the straw—but no animals and no Holy Family. The star hovers like a gentle light over the empty manger. You have a sense that something mysterious and holy is taking place. Somehow, God seems to be here in that cave with you. And then you realize that the empty cave is really your heart and that the star is God, waiting to be invited in. Slowly, almost fearfully, you open your arms to the star, knowing that you are opening your life to God. You feel the light lf the star flooding over you. You are in the light, and the light is in you. Your heart is filled with the gentle presence of God. (Pause.)
Spend the next few moments with Jesus, the first Christmas star, the one whose name is Emmanuel, God-with-us. God is with you. Try to let the mystery penetrate your mind. God is with you. God lives in your heart. You are the Christmas star. Know that the light of God’s love is filling your whole being, flooding your mind, your body, and your heart. (Pause.)
Think now of what it means to be a star. You have a job to do. There is a dark world out there that needs the light of god’s love. Imagine yourself leaving the cave behind and walking out into the night, back across the field toward home. Imagine the real world to which you will be returning—your family, your friendship groups, your school or work place. How can you bring the light of God to the people in that world? How can you bring true Christmas peace to your loved ones, your friends, your acquaintances? (Pause.)
As you imagine yourself getting close to home, remember that God is with you. God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. Today, God so loves the world that he sends you. Ask Jesus to be with you to help you to be a Christmas star.
Possible Follow-up Activities
On paper heart cutouts, print the initials of anyone you have hurt (embarrassed, disappointed, made fun of, etc.). Also print the initials of people who have hurt you. Spend some time in quiet reflection praying for both groups of people.
Write handwritten, thoughtful Christmas cards expressing your appreciation for five people you know. With a stamp and an envelope, put the letters in the mail.
Sing Christmas carols together as a class.
Two Marian feast days will be celebrated by the Church in the coming days.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 commemorates that Mary, from the first moment of her conception was preserved immune from Original Sin. This also means that from the first moment of her existence Mary was full of grace, that is, free of any alienation from God caused by Original Sin.
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 marks the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Juan Diego in 1531 in Mexico City. Mary’s appearance was instrumental in the conversion of thousands of Native Americans.
Working individually or in small groups, have the students create presentations on one of these two feast days related to what they unearth for understanding about Mary. Allow time for two sessions for sharing their findings. Have the students use the following questions as the basis of their presentations:
How did the special date associated with this doctrine arise?
Is there a scriptural reference associated with this doctrine?
What are particular Church documents that explain this doctrine?
What does this doctrine teach us about Mary?
What does this doctrine teach us about Jesus?
What does this doctrine mean to the Church today?
What are some particular ways the Church celebrates this doctrine?
What is one additional interesting piece of information you discovered about this doctrine or about how the feast day is celebrated?
As the semester winds down, share these prayers for student life with your own students. All are taken from Day by Day: The Notre Dame Prayerbook for Students (Ave Maria Press).
Before Study
Creator of all things,
true source of light and wisdom, lofty origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of your brilliance
penetrate into the darkness of my understanding
and take from me the double darkness in which I have
been born,
an obscurity of both sin and ignorance.
Give me a sharp sense of understanding,
a retentive memory,
and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.
Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations,
and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and
charm.
Point out the beginning, direct the progress,
and help in the completion;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
--St. Thomas Aquinas
Open My Mind
Lord Jesus,
you were once a student like me.
You studied God’s law, the history of your people
and a trade by which to earn a living.
You lived in a human family,
made steady progress in understanding
and yearned to discover your vocation in life.
Open my mind to the truth of things,
make me humble before the awesome mysteries of the
universe,
make me proud to be a human being and a child of God
and give me courage to live my life in the light your
gospel.
Amen.
Prayer Before Examinations
Lord,
It seems as though our lives
are one test after another,
weighing us in somebody’s balance.
Save us from taking the coming tests
too seriously or too lightly,
but grant that we may reflect
the best of the work we’ve done
and the best of the teaching we received;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
--John W. Vannorsdall
Another Prayer Before an Exam
Dear Lord,
Sometimes I feel a little strange praying to you because
of an exam.
It doesn’t really seem all that significant when you consider
the “big picture.”
But right now, the test looms so large that it is all I can
see before me.
I pray to you for three things:
--the strength to handle the pressure I feel
--the confidence to feel secure in my knowledge and preparation
--and the ability to keep an appropriate perspective on it all.
Help me to keep in mind what is really important,
even as I focus all of my time and energy
on this test in the immediate future.
Amen.
--Dana Parisi
