2009 LENTEN PROGRAMME
LENT – WEEK 4: The MASK of IDENTITY
Music:
Pet Shop Boys - “Too Many People” or “Single Phial” – by Skyclad.
Centring Prayer: (have a few moments of silence)
Lord, let me put my worries and busy schedule to one side
and help me to focus on listening to You
speaking to me through the Holy Spirit,
who animates and touches each member of this group.
If appropriate, say the Our Father, slowly!
Gospel:
Jesus in the Temple (Mk 11:15-19, 11:27-11:33)
The expulsion of the dealers from the Temple
11:15 So they reached Jerusalem and he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling and buying there;
he upset the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling pigeons. ...
11:19 And when evening came he went out of the city.
The authority of Jesus is questioned
11:27 They came to Jerusalem again, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests, scribes & elders came to him,
11:28 and they said to him, 'What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?'
11:29 Jesus said to them, 'I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this.
11:30 John's baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.'
11:31 They argued it out this way among themselves: 'If we say from heaven, he will say "Then why did you refuse to believe him?"
11:32 But dare we say from man?' - they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet.
11:33 So their reply to Jesus was, 'We do not know'. And Jesus said, 'Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this'.
Discussion Points:
1. Explore with students the concept of identity. What is it that makes up our identity – our physical
appearance, our giftedness, our emotions, our family circumstances, religious beliefs, cultural heritage...
2. Give each group member time to talk about how wonderful they are.
Give permission to boast, but also responsibility to listen and be awestruck by the other members.
3. Who was Jesus 2,000 years ago? Has the “image” Jesus changed over time? Who is Jesus for you?
4. Have you changed over time? Have you really changed? Or is the real you emerging from the masks?
5. What defines people as poor? Is it simply a question of money?
Or are people poor, also, because they lack appreciation for their goodness, their talents, etc?
Mother Teresa said that the greatest poverty in the world is Loneliness.
In our own western world, this is also related to Father Hunger among young people –
especially males – who grow up in broken homes, or with emotionally distant fathers.
6. Reconciliation is a sacrament of maturity. Reconciliation helps us face (externally) the truth of what we
do and think. By facing our lives in the presence of a priest we can no longer hide behind our masks,
which hide the “real me” which is trapped by our ego. Discuss if Reconciliation is necessary?
Encourage people to Celebrate the Sacrament of Penance over the next week.
7. Reflect on ways you are challenged to be like Jesus.
Write a prayer that expressed awe and gratitude for who you are, and who you hope to become.
Task for the week: reach out to the poor.
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord, in whom we live and move and have our being,
guide us in the ways of mercy and truth
that in all the cares and pre-occupations of life
we may keep cool heads and loving hearts
as we walk the way of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
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2009 LENTEN PROGRAMME
LENT – WEEK 4 – A REFLECTION
The Mask of IDENTITY
A personal reflection: Are You With Me God?
The road is unknown and seems quite rough.
What did you expect?
I expected that You'd be there, seeing it was Your idea in the first place.
But you agreed to it.
Yes, But I didn't expect it to be this hard.
All wildernesses are dry places.
Don't talk to me about wildernesses - You know how familiar they are to me.
Maybe that's what threw me - I thought I knew all about desert spaces.
I like teaching you new things – You get so self-assured at times, Too self-contained,
You had forgotten Me for a while, hadn't you?
Not so much YOU but who You are.
What do you mean?
As a God, you're too comfortable at times.
I like to be comfortable, Am I comfortable now?
No definitely not, Although I did hear Your voice today. That was comfortable.
You said something about wanting peace, not disaster. Of course I laughed.,
Didn't you believe Me?
It wasn't that, I had just forgotten that you are that sort of God,
I've been feeling so broken, so useless, so lost—That to speak to me of peace seemed a bit arrogant.
I can be arrogant too, if it is what is needed at the time.
Well! You hit me right between the eyes. I needed to hear You, needed the reminder.
You forget about Me at times
Maybe I do, but I know You're always around somewhere.
What's the point of being around if you don't speak to me?
You are supposed to know everything!
But I like to hear it first hand, from you.
Sometimes there's nothing but tears, And I fear I can't face this task - Your task – alone.
Tears are good, too, I cry often for my anawim.
Perhaps we could cry together.
Yes, let's cry together
Acknowledgement Î this programme is a modified version of the work by:
Rina Wintour, Sacred Celebrations for Lent, (Mountjoy Enterprises, Bris, 1999).
Permission is given by the author for the purchaser to reproduce...
The purchaser is The University of Notre Dame Australia.
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