Deus Caritas Est:
God is Love
By Tom East and Cheryl M. Tholcke
Purpose
In this session, participants talk about God and
love using Pope Benedict’s encyclical as a starting
point. This session is for high school youth and
works well with a group of 15-25 participants.
Session at a Glance
7:00 p.m.
Welcome and Introductions
7:05 p.m.
Images of God
Clip 1: “Oh, God!”
Clip 2: The Prince of Egypt
Clip 3: Bruce Almighty
Extend the Session: Additional Images of God (add 25 minutes)
7:25 p.m.
Coming to Know God is Love
7:45 p.m.
God’s Love and Our Response
8:05 p.m.
Closing Prayer
8:15 p.m.
Announcements and Refreshments
8:30 p.m.
Good Night!
Extend the Session: Additional Images of God (add 25 minutes)
Divide the participants into three groups (about 5-6 per group) to create a group
report of images of God. Assign each group one of the following categories:
God is Judge
God is Impersonal/Distant
God is Vengeful
Note to Leader: If you have a larger group, it is okay to have more than one group
work on the same image of God.
Give the small groups these instructions for their group work:
Begin by brainstorming words and images that come to mind when you think
of your assigned image of God. Where do you think this image comes from?
What media or stories support this image?
On a sheet of newsprint create a poster of images you discuss in your small
group.
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 1
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
Invite each group to provide a brief presentation based on their newsprint sheet
of images. Conduct a brief discussion with participants on how these images
affect our relationship with God and others.
Materials Needed
• Nametags, for each participant
• Pens, for each participant
• Movies, “Oh, God!” (Warner Bros. Home Video, rated PG), The Prince of Egypt
(Dreamworks, rated PG), and Bruce Almighty (Universal, rated PG-13)
• Television or projector and VCR or DVD player
Note to Leader: Your audio visual set up needs to be adequate for everyone to be
able to hear/see the movie clips.
• Handout 1, God’s Love and Our Response, for each participant
• CD player
• “I Will Lift Up Your Name” by Steve Angrisano and Tom Tomaszek (Spirit &
Song, OCP)
• CD of quiet, instrumental music
Prepare in Advance
1. Read the full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, in
preparation for the session.
2. Review the movie clips and become familiar with the context of each scene so
you are able to set it up for the participants.
3. Set up a prayer focus by covering a small table with a cloth. On the table, place
a Bible opened to Joshua 1:5-9 and a candle.
Session Outline
Welcome and Introductions (5 minutes)
Welcome the participants and provide a brief overview of tonight’s session:
On Christmas Day in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI issued his first encyclical, Deus
Caritas Est—God is Love. Tonight we’re going to talk about how God is love
and how God’s love calls us to love others. Let’s begin by taking a look at how
God has been portrayed in the movies.
Images of God (20 minutes)
In this part of the session, participants view clips from three different movies—
each providing a different image of God. After each clip, invite participants to
answer one or two questions while you (or another leader) switch from one DVD
to the next. The first two clips are from the movie, “Oh, God!”
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 2
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
Our first clip is from the movie, “Oh, God!” John Denver plays Jerry, an
assistant manager at a local supermarket who has been contacted by God to
come to an interview. He arrives at the location, and this is what happens …
Show the first clip (Chapter 4, “God via Intercom,” 12:44 to 15:47).
Invite the participants to find a partner and share their response to this question:
From this scene, how would you describe God?
When you’re ready to show the second clip, get the participants’ attention and
begin (Chapter 7, “Bathroom Visitor,” 23:21-25:00). Stop the movie and ask the
participants to share with their partner their response to this question:
In this second clip, we see an image of God. How is the image of God—as
portrayed by George Burns—the same or different from what you described
after watching the first clip? Now how would you describe God as portrayed in
this movie?
While participants are sharing their responses with a partner, change to the next
movie, The Prince of Egypt. When you’re ready to show the clip, offer a brief
introduction to the movie in case the participants have not seen it. Then show the
clip (Chapter 15, “Burning Bush,” 42:08-47:30).
This movie, The Prince of Egypt, tells the story of Moses from the Book of
Exodus. In the story, Moses has left the Pharoah and gone to live with Jethro,
the high priest of Midian, and Jethro’s family. Moses married Zipporah,
Jethro’s daughter, and works as a shepherd.
Stop the movie, and ask the participants to find another pair and form a small
group of four. Invite them to share their response to this question:
What is the image of God you see in this clip? How would you describe God
based on this clip?
As the participants are sharing in their small groups, change to the next movie,
Bruce Almighty. When you’re ready to show the final clip, offer a brief
introduction to the movie in case the participants have not seen it. Then show the
clip (Chapter 7, “The Man in Room 7,” 25:16-32:40).
In Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey plays a TV reporter who gets passed over for a
news anchor position. He blames God for everything that goes wrong in his
life. He receives several pages asking him to call 555-0123. When he does
call, he’s invited to come to a building for a meeting. Here’s what happens …
At the end of the clip, ask the participants to talk about the image of God from
this movie clip.
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 3
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
How is the image of God similar or different from the other images of God
we’ve seen in the other movies? Why do you think there are many different
images of God?
Gather the participants together in a large group. Ask several to share some of
the images of God they saw (or heard) in the various movie clips. Get several
responses then continue by offering the following points:
Given the various images that we’ve talked about, is it possible to love God?
What about these images makes it possible for us to love God? What types of
images would make it difficult for us to love God? Get some examples from
the participants.
Get a few responses from each of the following questions:
How does our image of God impacts how we see ourselves?
How does our image of God impact our spirituality—our relationship with
God?
How does our image of God impact the relationships we have with others?
Introduce the image of ‘God is love’ using this quotation from the document:
“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him”
(1 John 4:1).These words from the First Letter of John express with
remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian faith: The Christian image of God
and the resulting image of mankind and its destiny.”
Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love, p. 1
Coming to Know God is Love (20 minutes)
Provide a brief presentation on eros and agape love using the following points:
In his encyclical, Pope Benedict XVI introduces three Greek words for love:
eros (human love between a man and a woman)
philia (the love of friendship—used in St. John’s gospel to describe the
relationship between Jesus and his disciples)
agape (selfless love felt for others)
The encyclical focuses on eros and agape love. The Holy Father describes
them as two parts of a whole—both giving and receiving—not opposites of
each other. Both eros and agape love reflect God’s love—free, total, faithful,
and fruitful.
When the encyclical came out, the Holy Father wrote a letter to readers of
Famiglia Cristiana, a weekly magazine in Italy, about his encyclical. In coming
to know that God is love, he offers some questions for our consideration.
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 4
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
First, is it possible to love God? We just talked about that in connection to
watching the film clips. Pope Benedict says that God is not “at an unreachable
distance” from us but is part of our lives—through the sacraments, the faith
of the Church, in and through creation, and in the people we meet. God’s love
is freely given, and “we may learn to love him ‘with our whole heart and our
whole soul’.”
The second question he poses for us is: Can we really love our neighbor? Yes,
because of God’s love for us and our love for God and Christ, we live by
criteria other than that which appears in our modern society. “If … friendship
with God becomes for us something ever more important and decisive, then
we will begin to love those whom God loves and who are in need of us.”
Note to Leader: The text of Pope Benedict XVI’s comments about his encyclical
may be found at the Zenit News Agency website:
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=84108
Divide participants into five small groups. Give each small group one of the
following Scripture passages and ask them to talk about how this passage
demonstrates agape love.
Luke 15:11-32 (the prodigal son)
Luke 10:30-37 (good Samaritan)
John 8:1-11 (woman caught in adultery)
Mark 5:25-34 (woman with a hemorrhage is healed)
Luke 15:3-7 (parable of the lost sheep)
Invite the small groups to give their reports to the large group.
God’s Love and Our Response (20 minutes)
In this part of the session, participants will look at the three calls mentioned in
the encyclical by addressing common situations that call for a loving response.
Pope Benedict says that our love of God and love of neighbor cannot be
separated. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all
your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your
neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
Within our relationship with God, who is love, there are three calls:
(1) The call to love our neighbor
(2) The call to be part of the community of love—the Church
(3) The call to justice and charity
Optional: Use the quotations on Handout 1 to present key ideas about these
calls.
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 5
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
Give each participant a copy of Handout 1, God’s Love and Our Response, and
a pen. Allow 10 minutes for participants to reflect individually. Play quiet
instrumental music in the background. When they have finished, invite each
person to find a partner and discuss their answers to the reflection questions.
Closing Prayer: Praying with the Saints (10 minutes)
Invite the participants to gather in the prayer space. Light the candle on the
prayer table.
Gather
Sing “I Will Lift Up Your Name” by Steve Angrisano and Tom Tomaszek (Spirit
& Song, OCP) or another song with the theme of God’s love for us.
Prayer Leader:
Loving God,
You love us and show us how to love.
Help us to love each other.
Guide us to be part of the community gathered in Your name.
Strengthen us to respond in love and justice to all who are in need.
We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Listen
Invite the reader to proclaim Joshua 1:5-9. Allow a few moments for quiet
reflection.
Respond
Prayer Leader:
Many men and women have gone before us as examples of charity and
service to others. Some gave their lives. Please join in the following litany of
saints by responding “Pray for us” after each name.
Francis of Assisi
Clare of Assisi
Ignatius of Loyola
Martin of Tours
John of God
Giuseppe Cottolengo
Luigi Orione
Camillus of Lellis
Vincent de Paul
Louise de Marillac
John Bosco
Dorothy Day
Oscar Romero
Teresa of Calcutta
Mary, Mother of God
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
Pray
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
for
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
us.
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 6
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
Go Forth
Prayer Leader:
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
you have given the world its true light,
Jesus, your Son—the Son of God.
You abandoned yourself completely
to God’s call
and thus became a wellspring
of the goodness which flows forth from him.
Show us Jesus. Lead us to him.
Teach us to know and love him,
so that we too can become
capable of true love
and be fountains of living water
in the midst of a thirsting world.
Amen.
Invite the participants to offer one another a sign of God’s peace.
Announcements and Refreshments (15 minutes)
Make any necessary announcements and invite the participants to enjoy some
refreshments.
The website mentioned in this session was accessed successfully on June 1, 2007.
This session was written by Tom East, director, Center for Ministry
Development, Gig Harbor WA, and Cheryl M. Tholcke, coordinator of youth
ministry services, Center for Ministry Development, Sacramento CA.
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 7
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
Handout 1
God’s Love and Our Response
Directions: Read each situation below and answer the two reflection questions. Be prepared to
share your response with a partner.
The call: To love our neighbor
“Then I learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings,
but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. His friend is my friend…Seeing with the
eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can
give them the look of love which they crave. “
Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love, pp. 23 and 24
The situation: A new student has come to your school mid-way through the first
semester. This person has just moved to the U.S. from another country and is having
trouble fitting in with the student body. This new person is very different from the rest
of the students at school—accent, clothes, etc.
What would be a selfish or self-centered response to the situation?
What would be a loving response?
The call: To be part of the community of love—the Church
“Love of neighbor, grounded in the love of God, is first and foremost a responsibility
for the entire ecclesial community at every level: from the local community to the
particular Church and the Church universal in its entirety. As a community, the
Church must practice love.”
Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love, p. 28
The situation: The parish is getting ready for its annual BBQ Dinner and Festival. It’s a
large event requiring the help of many volunteers. Each year, Youth Ministry is asked to
help—but it’s always clean up after the event. Most young people feel like they’re being
used as slaves for the parish. The chairperson of the event has come to a youth group
meeting to ask for Youth Ministry’s help once again.
What would be a selfish or self-centered response to the situation?
What would be a loving response?
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 8
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.
The call: To justice and charity
“The Church is God’s family in the world. In this family no one ought to go without
the necessities of life. Yet at the same time caritas-agape extends beyond the
frontiers of the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love, p. 33
The situation: More and more people approach you on the street asking for help—
money, food, etc.
What would be a selfish or self-centered response to the situation?
What would be a loving response?
“Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image
of God. (We are invited) To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God
to enter into the world…”
Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love, p. 54
Deus Caritas Est: God is Love, p. 9
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2007. All rights reserved.