Jesus’ Healing Ministry
Discuss with students where they might find information about what Jesus taught or said about living in community, e.g. parables, stories, teachings in the New Testament
- Ask students if they know any stories about miracles performed by Jesus – create list
- Discuss with students how these healing or miracle stories show how Jesus taught about building a community of love
- Introduce students to healing/miracle stories: giving sight to a blind man (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43)
World behind the text
- Students access information on the cultural, historical and geographical context of scripture stories about Jesus. Students can access the resources below:
- Geographical: Where does the story happen? (use Land in the time of Jesus PPT and/or bibleatlas.org)
- Historical: Healing and touch
- Discuss with students where they might find information about what Jesus taught or said about living in community, e.g. parables, stories, teachings in the New Testament
- Ask students if they know any stories about miracles performed by Jesus – create list
- Discuss with students how these healing or miracle stories show how Jesus taught about building a community of love
- Introduce students to healing/miracle stories: giving sight to a blind man (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43)
World of the text
- Discuss the text features of the healing miracles in the New Testament (see teacher background on healing miracles)
- Students discuss:
- Who are the characters in each story?
- Does everybody in the story have a name?
- If some people do not have a name, how does the author refer to these people?
- What is the most important thing that happens in this story?
- Does the text follow the structure discussed?
- Students re-read text and identify any words or phrases that the author might have used to help give people in the community an important message about Jesus. Students add these words or phrases to their list
- Note for teachers: These words or phrases can be called ‘theological’ words. They would include: “Lord, Son of David”; “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”.
- Students share their list of words – add these to class display
- World in front of the text
- Discuss questions such as:
- Who are the characters in each story?
- Does everybody in the story have a name?
- If some people do not have a name, how does the author refer to these people?
- What is the most important thing that happens in this story?
- Does the text follow the structure discussed?
- Students re-read text and identify any words or phrases that the author might have used to help give people in the community an important message about Jesus. Students add these words or phrases to their list
- Students share their list of words – add these to class display
- Discuss questions such as:
- Can people be ‘blind’ in other ways, apart from not being able to see with their eyes?
- What might it mean to be ‘blind’ to something?
- How might the information we discovered about the medicine and healing in the time of Jesus help us understand the story?
- Students compare the versions of these stories of healing by using a compare/contrast chart to create lists of what is the same/different
- Students individually complete a 5Ws + H chart for one of the stories. Then in small groups or pairs students discuss what they think the message of the story might be for them or people today. Students share their ideas in a larger group (e.g. pairs move into groups of 4) and record their ideas. A representative from each group presents the ideas and the teacher leads a reflection on what was similar and different between the groups.
Sacraments
- Introduce students to the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church and the way the Sacraments are grouped together, e.g. Sacraments of Initiation, Sacraments of Healing and Sacraments of Commitment.
- Discuss with students how the Sacraments are the times when the Church community come together to celebrate God’s presence in the world and to mark significant times in the faith journey of believers.
- Remind students that Sacraments reflect key stories in the life of Jesus and continue the ministry of Jesus in the life of the community (e.g. Eucharist/Last Supper, Confirmation/Pentecost, Anointing of the Sick/Jesus’ healing ministry)
Anointing of the sick – Sacrament of healing
Discuss that the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is representative of Jesus’ ministry of healing people
CD = Make connections between Jesus’ healing ministry, including giving sight to a blind man at Jericho (Mark 10:46-52 // Luke 18:35-43), and the Church’s healing ministry in the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
- Students look at images of this sacrament (see Pictures of Anointing of the sick folder)
- Brainstorm what students saw about the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick using focus questions such as: What are the sights and actions of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?
- Students work in small groups to research the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Provide students with focus questions such as:
- When and where does the Sacrament usually take place? WHEN YOU ARE VERY SICK IN HOSPITAL OR AT YOUR HOME
- What stories of Jesus are reflected in the Sacrament? HEALING MIRACLES
- What are some symbols associated with the Sacrament? GLASS BOTTLE OIL, SIGN OF THE CROSS
- Who gives and who can receive the Sacrament? PRIEST OR BISHOP
- What actions occur in the Sacrament? SIGN OF THE CROSS, OIL ON HEAD AND BLESSING
- What special prayers or words are heard in the Sacrament? THROUGH THIS HOLY ANOINTING MAY THE LORD IN HIS LOVE AND MERCY HELP YOU WITH THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- What does the Sacrament mean for believers? JESUS IS BLESSING YOU AND LOVING YOU AND GIVING YOU STRENGTH
- Why do people receive this Sacrament? TO BECOME HEALED
- Students share information
- Discuss and research further with students the symbols used by the priest:
- stole
- oil
- Book of Prayers
- water
- crucifix
- Eucharist
- Review with students how the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick continues Jesus’ healing ministry in the life of the community
CD = Make connections between Jesus’ healing ministry, including giving sight to a blind man at Jericho (Mark 10:46-52 // Luke 18:35-43), and the Church’s healing ministry in the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
Optional
Students fill a ‘doctor’s bag’ with items used in the Anointing of the Sick. They describe the steps in the process and draw items the priest uses. They make connections to the healing story of Jesus giving sight to the blind man as one of the origins of the practice. On the back of the bag students respond to the question: How does the Sacrament of Anointing of the sick continue Jesus’ message of community in the Church today?
Doctor’s bag
http://looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/reviewing-sacraments-anointing-of-sick.html
Students fill a ‘doctor’s bag’ with items used in the Anointing of the Sick. They describe the steps in the process and draw items the priest uses. They make connections to the healing story of Jesus giving sight to the blind man as one of the origins of the practice. On the back of the bag students respond to the question: How does the Sacrament of Anointing of the sick continue Jesus’ message of community in the Church today?
Doctor’s bag
http://looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/reviewing-sacraments-anointing-of-sick.html
- Students are asked to think about those people in our community who are unwell.
- Discuss that we can offer prayers of intercession asking God to help these people get well.
- Revisit the basic You Who Do Through structure of prayers (see worksheet) and use this structure to construct prayers requesting help for these people.
- Students participate respectfully in a class prayer using the constructed prayers.
- Students explore the words of Andrew Chinn’s I Light a Candle (PPT) as a symbolic way of praying for others (Prayers of Intercession).
- Students light a candle (either digitally or literally) as part of their class prayer, as a way of engaging in prayers of intercession
What does God ask of us?
- Ask the students to discuss what they like about themselves.
- Revisit the idea that there is nobody else in the world quite like them.
- Ask the students to think of their unique gifts and abilities – something that God has given to each of us.
- Introduce the idea that God has given us the gift and ability to have a relationship with him and with other human beings. One of the gifts that God has given us is the gift of choice. God gives us this gift because he loves us. Choices are something we have to make all day and everyday.
- Brainstorm a range of choices that we make and record the information.
- Discuss some of the differences between right and wrong choices.
- What effect do right or wrong choices have upon ourselves and others?
- Why do we make certain choices at certain times?
- What influences the choices we make?
- Remind students that the Bible provides the main source and foundation for Christians’ moral understanding of right and wrong and how to live a good life
- Explain that Jesus sometimes used parables to help people understand the consequences of their choices and about the love and forgiveness of God.
- Ask students if they can recall any parables that Jesus told
- Share the parable of the prodigal son.
- Explore through discussion the different stages of the parable and the different attitudes of the characters involved at each stage.
- What choices did the two sons make? Why?
- What choices did the Father make? Why?
- Explore with the children the consequences of these different choices – create a table or grid to record findings.
- Discuss what the parable might teach about God.
- In what way could the parable help followers of Jesus think about their own need for forgiveness and offering forgiveness to others?
- Use children’s literature such as Enemy Pie
Video – Enemy Pie
http://www.storylineonline.net/books/enemy-pie/#YouTube
to explore the concept of forgiveness. Some focus questions could include:
- Have you ever had to forgive someone for something that person did or caused?
- How did forgiving make you feel?
- How do you think your forgiveness made the other person feel?
- Model a simple story of somebody seeking forgiveness and the different ways that the person who has been wronged could respond (could use ‘We can forgive others scenario’)
- Explore the meaning of the word ‘forgiveness’.
- Discuss what it is like to be forgiven and what it is like to be able to forgive others.
- Is it always easy?
- What is it like when it is difficult to forgive?
- When have you needed to receive forgiveness?
CD = Explain how wrong choices harm oneself and one’s loving relationships with God, with others and with all creation.
Summative assessment
Students form groups and act out responses to scenarios such as finding a wallet on the ground; breaking a window, observing bullying behaviour; littering; not protecting the environment. They state why they responded in the way they chose.
- As a whole class revisit the You, Who, Do, Through structure for creating prayer
- YOU - begin by addressing God or naming God.
- WHO - name ‘WHO’ God is for us.
- DO - we ask God to ‘DO’ something (forgive).
- THROUGH - We pray to God in and THROUGH Christ.
- Discuss that when we seek forgiveness from God using this structure, we are making a prayer of petition
- Teacher to model this process using the You Who Do Through to create a prayer of petition, for example:
- YOU – God of welcome
- WHO – You love me even when I make bad choices
- DO – Forgive me when I lose my way
- THROUGH – Through Christ our Lord…Amen
- Students create their own prayer of petition to God asking for forgiveness for something they have done wrong
- Students design and make a prayer heart. On one side of the heart children write about how it feels to know God always loves and forgives them. On the other side they write their prayer and decorate.
Discuss that another form of prayer that is recited as a petition is a litany. This is a prayer that consists of a series of petitions and responses. Generally, the first part of each petition is said by one person or group and then the second person or group responds.
Show students an example of a litany (the Litany of Mercy would be relevant to the GA context being a Mercy school – this was written for the Year or Mercy in 2016 by Mary Wickham, a Sister of Mercy from Melbourne. - Students prepare and participate in a prayer celebration.
- Create a sacred space using coloured cloth, candle, Bible.
- Gather in a circle with each student holding their prayer heart.
- Light the class candle and make Sign of the Cross.
- Invite each student to share their prayer about forgiveness and place their heart in the sacred space saying ‘God loves me and forgives me’.
- Recite all or part of the Litany of Mercy to conclude
Penance – Sacrament of healing
- Create activities exploring the mending of something broken, e.g. a plate, a torn page
- Discuss the process of bringing parts together and mending them.
- Role-play situations of breaking up and making up.
- Students share stories of their own experiences of breaking and mending relationships and reflect on questions:
- What happened?
- Did the person say sorry and were you able to accept the apology?
- How did you feel?
- How did they feel?
- What words and gestures were used?
- Lead children through a reflection using a Y-Chart to assist – what does forgiveness feel like, look like, sound like?
- Students create statements to describe forgiveness, e.g.
- Invite students to paint or illustrate their responses and write their statement to go with their painting (these could be scanned or photographed and made into a PowerPoint for a future reflection time).
Revisit the story of The Forgiving Father (Luke 15:11-32)
- Show pictures of moments of reconciliation or making of peace from everyday life and society in general, e.g. the shaking of hands, hugs.
- Brainstorm ways of showing reconciliation.
- Discuss the steps needed to reconcile:
- Admit the wrong
- Say sorry
- Seek forgiveness
- Make up
- Discuss these steps in relation to the story of The Forgiving Father
- Students complete the Steps to reconciliation retrieval chart
- Explain that for Catholic Christians reconciliation is celebrated in the Sacrament of Penance. It is a time when we seek God’s forgiveness for our sins or wrong choices. Explain that the priest celebrates the Sacrament of Penance in the place of Jesus.
- Explore the Sacrament of Penance using the big book ‘Reconciliation and Eucharist’.
- Discuss that before we participate in the Sacrament of Penance, we need to think about the things we have done for which we may need to seek forgiveness (this is called examination of conscience – see list for ideas)
- Use Penance Storyboard to outline and discuss the liturgical story for the Sacrament of Penance.
- In groups, have students design a simple flow chart outlining the steps of the Sacrament of Penance.
- Watch the video showing a child participating in the Sacrament of Penance (First Reconciliation).
- Students complete the Sacrament of Penance worksheet by illustrating the main parts of the celebration in sequence and matching text to the appropriate sections.
- Learn some ‘forgiveness’ songs or songs about making peace.
- Introduce students to the Act of Contrition and discuss the various parts of the prayer
- Students complete a sequencing activity for the Act of Contrition by making a paper chain
Summative Assessment
Students complete a three-column sheet with headings of Anointing of the Sick / Jesus / Penance. They make connections between the practices of the sacraments and Jesus’ mission and ministry. Students refer to scripture passages such as Giving sight to the Blind Man and the Forgiving Father.
Above – How might these sacraments assist a community of believers?
- Students further investigate the concept of blessing (see Blessing Prayers resource)
- Discuss how during the Sacrament of Penance, the priest blesses you
- Students consider how they can bless others – discuss the use of the You Who Do Through structure for a prayer of blessing
- Teacher to model the creation of a prayer of petition, for example:
- YOU – God of love and hope
- WHO – You show us how to love others
- DO – Bless our friends and family with your goodness
- THROUGH – We make this prayer in Jesus’ name…Amen
Summative assessment
Students create a prayer of blessing for Father’s Day using the You Who Do Through structure. They state why prayers of blessing are important for believers. (Christians believe that prayer strengthens their relationship with God, comfort and peace is found in praying for others and themselves, blessings shows care for others…)
CD = Communicate an understanding of the features (e.g. language, purpose, structures, gestures, context) of prayers of blessing, including Psalm 148.
CD = Create a prayer of blessing for a particular purpose (e.g. grandparents’ day, mothers’ day, fathers’ day, sick class member) using an appropriate prayer structure
- To conclude the unit, briefly discuss with students that everything that happens in our Church community is modelled on the mission and ministry of Jesus, which includes the ideas of caring, praying and forgiving that we have been discussing throughout the unit.
- Ask students to list some of the things that happen in the Southport Parish that demonstrate the mission and ministry of Jesus.
- During class prayer create a sacred space using coloured cloth, candle, Bible.
- Sing a suitable song about peace or forgiveness.
- Welcome the students and make the Sign of the Cross.
- Remind children about ‘reconciliation’ meaning to bring together to make peace.
- Each student around the circle is invited to share one idea about why it is important to say sorry to those we have hurt, and to God.
- close their eyes and still their bodies, hands resting on their laps (10 seconds)
- become aware of their own breathing (30 seconds)
- notice their breathing in and their breathing out (30 seconds)
- imagine as they breathe in they are breathing in God’s love and forgiveness
(1 minute) - imagine as they breathe out they are breathing out all the things they would like to say sorry for (1 minute)
- listen to their breathing again (15 seconds)
- listen to all the sounds they can hear inside and outside the room (15 seconds)
- open their eyes on the count of three
- Say the Act of Contrition together.
- Sing a suitable song about peace or reconciliation or God’s love.
- Self-assessment
Students self-assess their respectful participation in class prayer, including mercy moments. - Play some quiet music and invite students to: