Ask students to spend 30 minutes outside in a place they find beautiful. This could be a beach,
the forest, a trail behind their house, a pond, or anywhere where they can experience nature. If
there are woods or trails around your school, consider taking the class on a walk together.
Otherwise, assign this as a homework activity.
Once the students have found the place in nature that they will spend time in, they will complete
the following activity. You may copy and prepare the following as a student handout:
Look around you and take a few deep breaths. Slow your walking and remain
silent. As you walk, follow the steps below to help you notice and admire the
environment around you. Remember, this is not a race or a competition. Take
your time.
1. As you look around, what do you see? List five things that catch your
eye, taking time to really notice each of them.
2. What do you hear? Pause your walking and listen, listing four things that
come to your attention.
3. What can you feel? Reach out and touch the bark of a tree or the sand
beneath you. What does it feel like to your touch? List three feelings.
4. What can you smell? List two things that catch your attention.
5. What bodily sensations do you feel? Perhaps a shiver from the wind.
Maybe your feet are beginning to ache. List one sensation that you notice
within yourself, and then tend to it the best you can (such as putting on a
jacket or taking a moment to rest).
Now, take a moment to admire what you have noticed around you. What is
beautiful about your surroundings? Is there anything that surprised you? Do you
feel peace or clarity by taking a moment to connect with nature?
Ask yourself how you see, feel, or hear God in the environment around you.
What does he want to say to you? How has his glory and beauty been more
revealed to you through his creation?
When you are ready, say a prayer of thanksgiving, offering praise to God for his
glorious creation. Remember, too, that you are a part of his creation, made good
and beautiful in his eyes. As you pray, allow this reality to sink in, and thank him
for the gift of life that he has given you.
When students return to the classroom (either the next day with their completed homework
assignments or after the class trip altogether), lead a class discussion, encouraging students to
reflect on their experiences. Use the following questions and points to get started.
● Tell us about your experience in nature. How did it impact you?
● What location did you choose, and why?
● What was beautiful about the nature that you encountered?
● What did this experience make you feel?
● What did you notice first about the environment you were in?
● What surprised you?
● Was anything difficult about the exercise or experience?
● In your opinion, how are we as human beings connected to the rest of creation? Do we
have any sort of responsibility to care for creation? In what ways can we practically do
this?
Megan Neuman is an Editorial Curriculum intern at Ave Maria Press. She is a senior English major at Franciscan University.
Introduction: Created by St. Ignatius of Loyola, Ignatian contemplation engages the imagination and the whole human person to bring Scripture to life and to enter into intimacy with Jesus in the Gospels. The imagination is good and a gift from God! Because it is a gift from the Lord, we are called to return our imagination to Him by using it to grow in friendship with Christ.
In Ignatian contemplation, a person prays by imagining a passage from Scripture and becoming a part of that Scripture passage. He imagines all of his senses at work so that the story can become as vivid as possible and so that Christ is given permission to work through Scripture once more. There are no right or wrong ways to be in the Scripture passage. Sometimes in Ignatian Contemplation of the Passion, a person may imagine himself as John the Apostle or Mary Magdalen. Other times, he may imagine himself as Judas or Pilate. Trust that the Holy Spirit is working through your imagination and let Him love you as you offer Him yourself in this time of prayer.
Instructions:
Using the introduction as a reference, explain Ignatian contemplation to your students and explain that you are going to walk them through this form of prayer.
Begin with the Sign of the Cross, and a brief prayer for guidance. (Come, Holy Spirit, teach us how to pray. Through the intercession and example of Mary, guide us through this encounter with Jesus.)
Read the following Scripture passage aloud (Mark 5:21-43):
When Jesus had crossed again [in the boat] to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. ]He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
4. Read aloud the following questions, pausing after each bullet point:
Picture the scene. What does Jesus look like? What does the sea look like? How does it smell? Are you inside the crowd or are you watching from a distance? Are you Jairus, begging Jesus for a miracle? Are you the woman with the hemorrhage?
As the hemorrhaging woman, what has your suffering been like over the last twelve years? Because you are considered unclean in Jewish law, you are not allowed to touch anyone or be near anyone. What has it been like to be so isolated and alone for over ten years? How did you feel when you heard about Jesus for the first time?
What is it like to approach Jesus in the crowd? Are you afraid of people seeing you? Are you afraid that you will make others unclean?
What color is Jesus’ cloak? What is its texture? How does it feel in your hand? When you say, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured,” do you speak in a whisper? What does it feel like to be healed?
What is your reaction as Jesus looks for you? Are you afraid? Do you want him to find you and see you?
What is it like to tell Jesus the whole truth and hold nothing back? Do you feel fear? Relief? Love? What does His voice sound like?
When Jesus hears that Jairus’ daughter has died, he says, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” Do you have faith in Jesus? Or does it feel impossible to see how He can fix this?
What does the commotion and weeping sound like? Are you one of the people weeping? Are you the father or mother of the little girl? Are you one of the Apostles who is watching? Or are you the little girl who has died?
What does Jesus’ voice sound like? What is the look in His eyes as He speaks to the little girl? Now do you believe?
Now Jesus turns and looks at you. He has just healed the hemorrhaging woman and Jairus’ daughter. What is a way that you need Jesus to heal you? Is there a place in your life where you feel like you are constantly bleeding and never healed? Are you dead in sin, or is there a heavy grief that you carry? Tell Jesus what you are suffering. Do you have faith that He can heal you, if it is His will, and that if He does not heal you yet, it is only because He has an even more beautiful plan for you in the future? Ask Jesus to speak to you.
5. Discussion and Reflection: Invite students to share the following with the rest of the class:
Which character were you in the story?
Were there any details from the story or the setting that caught your attention?
When did you feel closest to God during this time of prayer? How did Jesus speak to you?
Larisa Tuttle is a 2024 Summer Editorial Curriculum intern for Ave Maria Press. She is a senior at the University of Dallas where she is a double major in English and Theology.
Begin by dividing the class into small groups of three to four students each. Next, instruct
students to share their “highs,” or positive things that have happened in their lives in the past
week. Encourage students to practice active listening while their classmates are sharing, such
as remaining quiet, nodding, maintaining eye contact, and commenting only when the speaker
is finished. Give students 7-10 minutes to share with one another.
Continue using the same format asking students to share their “lows,” or things that have been
negative or difficult in the past week. Again, remind students to practice active listening and to
respect whatever their classmates share. Give students 7-10 minutes to share with one another.
Tell the students that they will go around the group one more time, this time sharing about their
prayer life. To help them understand what this means, tell them they might address one or more
of the following questions (write them on the board):
What has my prayer looked like this week?
When did I pray?
Where did I pray?
How often have I prayed this week?
What did I struggle with while praying?
What went well when I prayed?
How do I prefer to pray?
Emphasize that they are welcome to share about their prayer life, no matter what it currently
looks like. Remind them that everyone goes through hills and valleys, and it is natural to have
seasons when it is more difficult to pray. Remind students that we are not here to judge each
other, but rather to lift each other up and to carry our crosses together. We are called to help
one another on our journeys to heaven, and by sharing where we are in our journey, we are
able to support and love each other more authentically and tangibly. Give students 7-10 minutes
to share.
When students are done sharing, explain the benefits of finding an “accountability partner”.
Basically, an accountability partner is a trusted family member, friend, or classmate who checks
in with us to see how often and how well we have been praying. The questions below can be a
great place to start. Print off the following questions and make copies for the students to give to
their accountability partners.
How is your heart?
When was the last time you spent time with the Lord in prayer?
Do you want to go to Mass and confession with me?
How can I pray for you?
Explain that with an accountability partner, we can check in every day, week, or month.
Prayer can be difficult, and living out our Catholic faith in a turbulent culture is often challenging
and disheartening. Yet, despite the difficulties, we were never meant to do it alone. Christ calls
us to live in harmony with one another and to build faith-filled communities as brothers and
sisters in Christ. By fostering Christ-centered friendships, we are able to encourage one another
as we learn, grow, and fight for our faith every day. Just as Simon helped Christ to carry his
cross, each of us are called to stumble with one another towards eternal life. Christ has gifted us
with community to enter the battlefield together so that one day, we may rejoice with one
another in the Kingdom.
“God sends us friends to be our firm support in the whirlpool of struggle. In the company of
friends we will find strength to attain our sublime ideal.” -St. Maximilian Kolbe
Megan Neuman is an Editorial Curriculum intern at Ave Maria Press. Megan is a senior English major at Franciscan University.
