The Mercy of God
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Notes for Teachers:
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You may want to use this as a stimulus for ideas in RE or run this through
Chaplaincy.
There will be many events going on during the year so please read the newsletters for
further information.
Pope Francis when introducing the Year spoke about the following: (the full text of
his letter can be found at
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papafrancesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html
1. The God we believe in is a God of mercy
2. In the life of Jesus we can clearly see the mercy of God in action
3. We need to constantly remind ourselves of the mercy of God
4. When faced with the gravity of sin, God responds with the fullness of
mercy. Mercy will always be greater than any sin, and no one can place
limits on the love of God who is ever ready to forgive.
5. The Holy Year will open on 8 December 2015, the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception. This is the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of
the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. This is important because the
council saw that there was a need to talk about God to men and women of
their time in a more accessible way. The walls which for too long had
made the Church a kind of fortress were torn down and the time had come
to proclaim the Gospel in a new way. A way that talked about Mercy.
6. Pope Francis uses the life of Jesus to look at how he reveals the Mercy of
God. Some of those examples I have used to base work around.
7. Quoting Pope John Paul II he reminds us that “The Church lives an
authentic life when she professes and proclaims mercy” and goes on to say
“It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her
message that she herself live and testify to mercy.”
8. We need to live out this message so that we are credible signs of the mercy
of God. “Lord asks us above all not to judge and not to condemn. If
anyone wishes to avoid God’s judgement, he should not make himself the
judge of his brother or sister. Human beings, whenever they judge, look no
farther than the surface, whereas the Father looks into the very depths of
the soul.”
9. Merciful like the Father, therefore, is the “motto” of this Holy Year.
10. We need to do something to help others. “In this Holy Year, we look
forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the
outermost fringes of society: fringes which modern society itself creates.
How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today!
How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice
because their cry
11. is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich!” (In England
for example we could look at refugees- the language used by many people
including those in government is a far cry from the mercy of God)
12. We need to “reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be
a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of
poverty.” There is some work based around these.
13. “The season of Lent during this Jubilee Year should also be lived more
intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s
mercy.” We have a day in January for staff called ‘Lent in the Year of
Mercy’ There will also be running worldwide an initiative called “24
Hours for the Lord,” which takes place in the 4th week of Lent. Please look
out for more details of this.
14. Experiencing the sacrament of reconciliation is important. We need to look
at how we offer opportunities for this in school and the way we can
involve parents and parish. You will find a reconciliation service in the
booklet that can be used with adults and pupils. The service should include
the opportunity for individual confession which means you may need to
organise extra priests.
15. The year is an opportunity to change our lives and to follow more closely
the way of living that Jesus modelled.
16. “The practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy Year, because
it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a
pilgrimage” In the unit we will look at one example of pilgrimage but you
might want to consider a pilgrimage for your pupils.
17. “I trust that this Jubilee year celebrating the mercy of God will foster an
encounter with these religions (He is talking about Judaism and Islam) and
with other noble religious traditions; may it open us to even more fervent
dialogue so that we might know and understand one another better; may it
eliminate every form of closed-mindedness and disrespect, and drive out
every form of violence and discrimination.” We need to look at our work
with pupils on other faiths and see if we can make this more meaningful
and to extend an invitation to parents to come and find out more as well.
Please note because this is not a unit of work from any syllabus and may be delivered through
chaplaincy to a whole range of pupils I have not approached this in the same way with stated
outcomes for the unit. I have where appropriate indicated the level the work might be aimed
at. You will not want to do all of these things but some may be useful to help think about the
year.
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The Mercy of God in the Old Testament
The Israelites in the Desert. (There is a PowerPoint to accompany this). This looks at how
God continues to help even though the Israelites never stop complaining. Probably Year3/4
L3 At1i & iii AT2i
The Prophet Amos
This next example is aimed at Year5/6 and explores how God’s mercy is there for those who
are poor and who others reject. Depending on response this would be L3 AT1iii or L4 AT1iii
also AT2ii again L3 or 4 depending on response. Besides the worksheet you will also need
magazines/newspapers/sugar paper/glue/scissors.
The Psalms Year 5/6 At1 1 &iii and ATii L3 &L4
Psalm136 (5) This psalm is quoted by Pope Francis in his introduction to the Year of Mercy.
Please note some translations use the word love instead of mercy. I am using the Knox
translation here and the psalm is numbered 135. The word love in English ha a variety of
meanings often used to mean like. ‘I love chocolate’ for example. I have therefore kept to the
version using mercy as this is the stronger word. Psalm 145 here is also from Knox
translation.
Table for Works of Mercy Years 3-6 One example shown on PowerPoint They complete
worksheet. To complete this you may want to refer to the sheet attached to the September
Chaplaincy Newsletter.
The Corporal works of Mercy: There is a PowerPoint to accompany this. Some of this
unit might be suitable for work years 5 and 6 but most of this is aimed at KS3. The work on
the psalms and the Old Testament prophets would work with years 5 and 6. This together
with the first part of the powerpoint would be L3/L4 At1i &iii and AT2 ii. If you are a
secondary teacher/chaplain and wish to extend the work on refugees you could use
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF1HGfg2bSo This is a fable told in animation about
the experience of being a refugee. You could ask questions relating it to the experience of
Mary and Joseph as refugees and what life is like in the UK for refugees. There is a resource
from teachers TV on refugees https://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/teachers-tv-refugeekids-6047898 but you would need to make your own call about the suitability for your pupilsthis may worry younger children. For older pupils if you go to the website of St Nicholas of
Tolentino you will find out about their work with refugees and their Borderlands charity
however this does contain information about those who have been trafficked for sex and
therefore you would need to select your information very carefully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9bKyL_Celw is a YouTube piece on the works of
mercy set to ‘Where is the love by the Black eyed Peas (this is the radio edit). As you watch
the clip you could ask pupils to identify the situations they see and the responses people
make. I have included some of the words from the song in this booklet with some possible
questions to go with it.
For Chaplaincy could you identify an action(s) to go with some of the works of mercy and
ask pupils to commit to at least two actions during the year?
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Holy Doors
A very important symbolic act performed by each pilgrim is to pass through the Holy Door in
the Vatican or in one of the other designated places.. Christ identified Himself as “the door.”
The Pope says it will become “a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will
experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instils hope.” Is it possible to create a
‘holy door’ in school? Pupils could decorate this with images and symbols from the Gospels
reflecting God’s mercy and the way Jesus showed compassion to all. There could be an
understanding that passing through this door meant you had to leave all quarrels and anger
behind.
A Service of Reconciliation
Ideally you will be able to involve parents and parish by involving pupils and running the
service at night either in the church itself or the school. There are several suggestions at the
end of the booklet. (if you have younger pupils doing this you may want to take out certain
words or phrases)
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Look at these images which are all taken in the UK. How do they make you
feel? What do think each picture is about?
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Each of these phrases is from the Old Testament. Read them carefully.
Explain what they mean in your own words. How is God telling people to
behave? How might that effect the way we treat people in the pictures?
“If there is among you a poor man, one of
your brethren, in any of your towns within
your land which the LORD your God gives
you, you shall not harden your heart or
shut your hand against your poor brother,
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but you shall open your hand to him, and
lend him sufficient for his need, whatever
it may be.”
“Give justice to the weak and the
fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and
the destitute.
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Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the
wicked.” Psalm 82
Deut 15:7-8
The world in which the prophet Amos lived was a very unjust one. Some people
had lots of money but there were also some very poor people. Amos felt that the
rich not only didn’t care about the poor, but treated them really badly forgetting
that they were people too. Amos decided to speak out. He knew that everyone
was created in the image of God and therefore everyone mattered. These are
some of the things Amos said.
“they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes—
they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth,
and turn aside the way of the afflicted;”
“For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your
sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the
needy in the gate.”
“Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the
land to an end”
“Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice”
Do you think the words of Amos apply to our world today? Can you create a
poster with images from newspapers to illustrate these words? Why do you
think we still treat people badly?
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This is a quote from Pope Francis. How is Francis behaving like the prophet
Amos? When Pope Francis looks at the world what do you think he sees as the
major problems?
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Psalm 135:
Which phrase is constantly repeated? What do you think this tells us about
the way the people who wrote this understood God? Why do you think they
wanted to include this on all their feast days?
Give thanks to the Lord for his goodness,
his mercy is eternal;
give thanks to the God of gods,
his mercy is eternal;
give thanks to the Lord of lords,
his mercy is eternal.
Eternal his mercy,
who does great deeds as none else can;
eternal his mercy,
whose wisdom made the heavens;
eternal his mercy,
This is part of another Psalm. Psalm 146
Praise the Lord,
My soul; while life lasts, I will praise the Lord;
Of him, my God, shall my songs be while I am here to sing them. …..
The God who keeps faith for ever, who redresses wrong, and gives food to the
hungry.
The Lord, who brings release to the prisoner, the Lord, who gives sight to the
blind.
The Lord, who comforts the burdened, the Lord, who befriends the innocent!
The Lord, who protects the stranger, who defends orphan and widow,
who overturns the counsel of the wicked!
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Can you rewrite this in your own words using examples from our world today to
show you have understood the psalm?
Why do you think Pope Francis is using these two psalms when he talks about
God’s mercy?
God is so merciful
toward us. We too
should learn to be
merciful, especially
with those who
suffer.
Looking at the words of Psalm 146
how can we be merciful as Pope
Francis asks?
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Work of Mercy
Explanation
Actions
To Feed the Hungry
People can be hungry for:
actual food- think of Missio and their work or
Cafod
They can also be hungry for acceptance/
Friendship
If we feed the hungry we need to try to make the
work a more equal place but also look at how we
react to others.
Organise events to
raise money for
organisations like
Missio and Cafod.
Make sure no one is
left out
Try to share what we
have with others.
To Give a drink to
the Thirsty
To Clothe the Naked
To harbour the
harbourless;
To visit the sick;
To ransom the
captive
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Where is the Love Black Eyed
Peas
What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world's addicted to the
drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you
trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But if you only have love for your own
race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to
get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and
operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it
straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all,
y'all
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach?
Or would you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me
questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With the on goin' sufferin' as the youth die
young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I can ask myself really what is goin'
wrong. In this world that we livin' in
people keep on givin' in
If you never know truth then you never
know love
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I feel the weight of the world on my
shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets
colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' the wrong
direction
Wrong information always shown by the
media
Negative images, is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than
bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the
cinemas
Yo', whatever happened to the values of
humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness and
equality
Instead in spreading love we're spreading
animosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away
from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm
feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is
found (now ask yourself)
Where is the love
We only got
(One world, one world)
That's all we got
(One world, one world)
And somethin's wrong wit it
Possible Questions:
What according to the song are the kinds of things that are wrong with our
world? Can you identify real life situations that match the words?
What are the consequences of these things?
How is asked for help? If you look at the Gospels can you identify ways in
which we are told to live?
Is it true most people care only about money? What do the Gospels have to say
about money?
How do you keep Faith alive? Is it important that people do?
Write your own rap about the world and how we should live.
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Refugees: The Words of Pope Francis
“Large numbers of people are
leaving their homelands, with a
suitcase full of fears and desires, to
undertake a hopeful and dangerous
trip in search of more humane
living conditions. Often, however,
such migration gives rise to
suspicion and hostility, even in
ecclesial communities, prior to any
knowledge of the migrants’ lives or their stories of persecution and destitution.
In such cases, suspicion and prejudice conflict with the biblical commandment
of welcoming with respect and solidarity the stranger in need.”1
“Jesus Christ is always waiting to be recognized in migrants and refugees, in
displaced persons and in exiles, and through them he calls us to share our
resources, and occasionally to give up something of our acquired riches.”2
“Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity. They are
children, women and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for
various reasons”
“We pray for the many brothers and
sisters who seek refuge far from
their native lands, who seek a home
where they can live without fear:
that they might always be respected
in their dignity. I encourage the
work of those who bring help to
those in need, and it is my hope that
the international community should
act in a fitting and effective way to
prevent the causes of forced migration.
And I invite everyone to ask forgiveness for those persons and institutions that
close the doors on these people who are searching for family, that are searching
for safety.” 3
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MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE 101st WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES (2015)
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As above
Pope Francis address in June 2015 in advance of UN day for refugees.
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A Service of Reconciliation
Hymn: Prepare ye the way of the Lord. (Or anything you think appropriate)
For this service you need a paper cross and a small candle for everyone
attending
Introduction:
(Setting: You need a rope or ribbon laid out on the floor. One pupil (B) pretends
to be walking a tightrope. Another pupil (A) comes to question them).
A
What are you doing?
B
Living- what does it look like?
A
It looks complicated, even dangerous.
B
It is very, but then you see I'm a Christian.
A
Forgive me- I mean I don't know about this- but shouldn't that make
it easier?
B
Easier - you must be kidding,
A
Why?
B
Well there's so many temptations around, to be good you've got to
avoid them.
A
Such as
B Well, there's drugs, alcohol, of course anything to do with sex, you can't
be jealous, you mustn't miss church, oh there's loads of thingsA (points downwards)
them.
Those people lying down there, what happened to
B
Them- (tone of disgust and looks downwards as well) well obviously
they failed, her marriage broke up, they never go to church, he can't keep a
job, always in debt, as for what they say about her, well!
It
wouldn't be so bad if they thought they'd done something wrong- but they
don't.
A
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You seem to be doing OK.
B
Well just about, but even I have to work at it, being good doesn't
come easily you know.
A
I'm glad you're staying on the right lines, it's just that ...
B
What?
A
Well, isn't this Christianity stuff supposed to be about Jesus?
B
Of course it is.
A
Well then- Jesus where is he?
B
What?
A
Jesus- isn't that him down there, with the ones who failed.
Reading
A rabbi went to the prophet Elijah and said, 'Where will I find God?' Elijah
answered 'You'll find him in the city'. So the rabbi went to the city and searched
but to no avail. Eventually he went back to Elijah and told him that God as no
longer in the city. 'Where did you look?' said Elijah, 'I looked in the temples, I
looked amongst synagogues, I looked amongst the leaders, I looked for
someone powerful, someone upright and good'. Then Elijah said, 'Go back to
the city and look again. But this time look on the streets, amongst the homeless,
the lepers, the lost'.
'What would God be doing there?' exclaimed the rabbi.
'Sharing their lives', said Elijah.
B
I don't understand, why would God want to be there?
A
Because they needed him!
Reading from God of Surprises by Gerard Hughes
Repentance means to change your heart and mind. It means to entrust
your whole being to God. It is to let God be God and not build him
in your image. Sin is the refusal to let God be God; the greatest sin
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we are capable of is not to do with controlling our passions, our
humanity, it is to think we can manage by ourselves. We build up
our defenses and secure within them we can look with disapproval at
others. We declare anyone different than us to be wrong or evil. In
God's name we threaten those who challenge us. We become
selective in our morality. We emphasise the individual, we protect
our property rights, but forget about human rights. We think about
sexual morality, condemn abortion, but remain blind or silent about
the destruction of human life through financial greed or false
patriotism. If we let God be God in our lives, then we find a God of
compassion. What my appear to us as reasons for despair: some
failure, loss of a job, or reputation, persistent moral weakness,
physical or mental illness, failure in a marriage or a religious vocation
- all of these can become a moment of grace and the beginning of a
new life. If only we acknowledge that we fail and that we need God.
(Priest or Leader) The call tonight is to turn our whole selves around, to face
God, to accept that we fail, to accept we need God. The paper crosses represent
us and our failures, we invite you to put your first name on one side and on the
other some sign of your own failure, it could be a word like pride or temper or
lack of trust, or it could be a symbol like a broken heart. You are now invited to
go to experience the Sacrament of reconciliation. Please bring your cross with
you. As you come to reconciliation please place your cross in the baskets and as
you leave please collect a small candle.
( People go to confession you will need music here)
After individual confessions end we light everyone’s small candle and sing
‘The light of Christ’
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Reconciliation Service 2
Opening Hymn
Priest:
Today we are going to think about our relationships with others. Most of us are
not perfect; we have problems with our relationships. But it is difficult to admit
that we may be in the wrong, it’s easy to imagine that it isn't us who need to
change .
Readers:
A.
I am so bored; I don't need this reconciliation stuff .Anyway I won't know
what to say. I mean it’s not as though I've done anything wrong is it? Mind you
B. There was that row last week with my mum. But that's because she tried to
tell me what to do. I'm too old for that, so it's all her fault really.
C.As for my sister, well it’s not my fault if she is stupid enough to let dad blame
her; I'm not going to own up, it’s all her own fault for being such a wimp.
D. I can't help it if he's unhappy. I saw him crying the other day because he
hasn’t got any friends. Anyway everyone makes fun of him not just me, so it
can’t be my fault can it?
E. I hate that teacher they’re so boring and they pick on me. They think they are
so perfect. It’s not my fault we don't get on, everyone hates them, not just me,
so I can't be to blame can I?
F. I saw a picture on TV last night of a kid dying of starvation. Now that can't
be my fault. I can't do anything can I? I'm not the Pope am I? Anyway it’s their
own fault - they should run their country like we do. I'm not going to give up
my time or money or anything to help some foreign kid. The world might be a
mess but it’s not my fault is it?
Priest:
How many things are not our fault? How many times do we blame others? How
many times do I put myself and my needs before everyone else's? If we are
going to grow, if we are going to become complete people, then we need to look
at our own lives as honestly as we can. We need to recognise that we are not
perfect that we do need forgiveness, only then will we be able to reach out and
forgive others.
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Reader:
Forgiveness is what we need,
for the grudges we hold, for the thoughts we think, for the words we say,
for the things we do.
Forgiveness is what we need,
for the earth destroyed by greed, for the guns and the bombs,
for the child left to die.
Forgiveness is what we need.
Gospel:
Mt.5:14-16.
Homily
Priest:
Sometimes we allow our light to dim or even to go out. This happens when we
don't treat other people properly. Instead of reaching out to others, we allow our
fears, our anger, our selfishness, to rule our lives. We become self-centred
instead of God centred. Let's consider what areas in our relationships with our
friends, family and God keep us from becoming the light of the world.
Examination of Conscience
Have I refused to take the time to listen to others?
Have I broken promises I made and let others down?
Have I been quarrelsome with others?
Have I been unable or unwilling to forgive someone who hurt me, even
someone I say I love?
Have I not been open to the ideas or feeling of others?
Have I been selfish, thinking my way is right and everyone else's wrong?
Have I failed to say I'm sorry when I've hurt others?
Have I treated others differently because they are a different colour or race
Have I failed to show love for my family?
Have I failed to offer help when I know it’s been needed?
Have I spent most of my time with my friends and forgotten my family?
Have I not taken the time to pray?
Have I refused to listen to God?
Have I turned away from what I believe to be right because of the influence of
others?
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Most of us are guilty of some of these things. Our light is diminished; we stand
in need of forgiveness.
Individual Confessions
Blessing (Priest)
God our Father, everything we have comes from you,
You love us more than we can imagine,
You sent your son not to condemn, but to save the world,
He will be merciful to us,
He will forgive our sins,
Go therefore in peace ,
Bring reconciliation where brokenness exists,
Bring comfort to those wh o we ep
Bring new hope where there is bitterness,
May God bless us with his love,
May he shelter us from evil,
May he send his Spirit that our world will be renewed.
In the name of the Father, Son and Spirit.
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