\u2018The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.\u2019 (Invitatory antiphon)<\/p>\n
A number of people currently live and work in Ireland, and are now far from their homeland. Some are health care workers struggling on the frontline in hospitals, nursing homes and in private homes. Family life is difficult for them because they always live in fear of Covid-19. Quality of life deteriorates and families are challenged in such circumstances. These same families are worried about their own families \u2018back home\u2019. On coming to Ireland originally, they said goodbye to family and friends and promised to return. Please God they will return. Hope prevails.<\/p>\n
The opening words of the Gospel (John 14:1-12) proclaimed at Mass today are, \u2018Do not be troubled! Trust in God and trust in me! These words Jesus spoke to his apostles. He told them he would leave them and \u2018go to prepare a place\u2019 for them, but he would return again and he would \u2018take\u2019 them to him. He wanted them to know he would be always with them. Thomas claimed \u2018we don\u2019t know where you are going; how can we know the way?\u2019 Philip asked Jesus \u2018to show us the Father\u2019. They were slow to believe in Jesus\u2019 words.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis spoke recently about the way \u2018the Lord wants to comfort and console\u2019 God\u2019s people, by \u2018drawing near to them\u2019, by speaking \u2018the truth gently without wounding\u2019 and offering them \u2018hope\u2019. Pope Francis acknowledged that \u2018it is not easy to allow ourselves be comforted by the Lord.\u2019 Such was the situation for the apostles.<\/p>\n
Jesus gently tries to tell the disciples that he remains near to them. He asked them, \u2018Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?\u2019 He urges them to believe in him because he is doing the works of the Father (Jn 14:11). Those who believe in Jesus will do the same works. Jesus promises that, \u2018anything you ask in my name, I will do.\u2019 (Jn 14:14). Disciples are invited to believe that Jesus is the way and to follow him. Jesus is always with them.<\/p>\n
THE GROW IN LOVE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME AND FINDING THE WAY OF LOVE<\/p>\n
The Grow in Love Religious Education programme explores Jesus’ desire to show the way of love to the disciples. Jesus wants to remain close to each one and wants them to believe in him. Believing in Jesus means believing in God and doing God\u2019s work. He promises them the gift of eternal life.<\/p>\n
Jesus was a witness to God\u2019s love and surrendered to God’s will. In proclaiming the Good News, Jesus taught the apostles and the disciples about love, about being loved and about loving.<\/p>\n
The children always begin contemplating God\u2019s love by reflecting on the experience of love in their own lives among family, friends, parish and school. Gradually, they learn and experience God\u2019s love in their daily lives. God created the world from love for love. God sent Jesus to proclaim the Good News of God\u2019s love. On reading Sacred Scripture hearts and minds are opened through the Holy Spirit to the power of God\u2019s love. In time, children learn how to love God and others. They make choices about love and live the consequences of the choices they make. In prayer, they learn to communicate with God.<\/p>\n
In teaching the disciples about love, Jesus taught the new commandment, \u2018And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples\u2019 (Jn 13:34-35).<\/p>\n
The disciples heard the Great Commandment, \u2018Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and love your neighbour as yourself.\u2019<\/p>\n
(Lk 10:27)<\/p>\n
Jesus also taught them the Golden Rule, \u2018Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.\u2019 (Mt 7:12).<\/p>\n
The way of Jesus is love. The Holy Spirit teaches children to pray and give thanks to God for the gifts they have. They learn to use these gifts to bring joy and gratitude to their lives and to others. Children witness to and reflect on role models in life who lead lives of holiness.<\/p>\n
Children are taught the call of justice to look after those who are in need in our society and those who live in poverty because of war and famine in other countries. They engage in the work of Tr\u00f3caire and the Society of Missionary Children, the mission where \u2018children help children.\u2019<\/p>\n
Social justice is a very important part of GIL and children explore the values of justice, charity and mercy.<\/p>\n
They also explore the letter from Pope Francis, Laudato Si\u2019, On the Care of our Common Home\u2019.<\/p>\n
Resources on the theme of love and working for social justice are accessible on the VERITAS website. From the e-books and the Bible, the children read the Scripture passages about Jesus and about how he shared the Good News by loving, healing, teaching and forgiving.<\/p>\n
Logon: www.veritas.ie<\/p>\n
Email: trial@growinlove.ie<\/p>\n
Password: growinlove<\/p>\n
A Sample of resources that may help are: \u2018A Vox Pop with Young Travellers\u2019, a vimeo on \u2018The Good Samaritan\u2019, An Interactive Activity on \u2018Human Rights\u2019, \u2018Climate Change Stories\u2019, \u2018Climate Justice Explained\u2019, a vimeo on \u2018Greta Thunberg, Climate Activist\u2019, a slideshow on the \u2018Rescue of Migrants\u2019, a poster on \u2018A map of Israel\u2019, and a vimeo on \u2018Working Together for Social Justice\u2019.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SONGS related to the theme of love include: \u2018Whatsoever You Do\u2019, \u2018God Has Given Us the Earth\u2019, \u2018The Summons\u2019, \u2018Love\u2019 \u2018They\u2019ll Know We Are Christians By our Love\u2019, \u2018The Great Commandment\u2019, \u2018Where Your Treasure Is\u2019, \u2018Make A Good Choice\u2019, \u2018Whatsoever You Do\u2019, \u2018Use What You\u2019re Given\u2019. All are available as \/lyrics video lyrics.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SING from the song \u2018The Summons\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018Will you come and follow me<\/p>\n
if I but call your name?<\/p>\n
Will you go where you don\u2019t<\/p>\n
know and never be the same?<\/p>\n
Will you let my love be shown; will you let my<\/p>\n
name be known;<\/p>\n
Will you let my life be grown<\/p>\n
in you and you in me\u2026?\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
PRAY with Grow in Love\/I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/p>\n
PRAYER ON OPENING THE BIBLE<\/p>\n
Bless me, O God, so that<\/p>\n
in opening this Bible<\/p>\n
I may open my mind and heart<\/p>\n
to your Word.<\/p>\n
May it nourish me<\/p>\n
as it nourished Jesus. Amen.<\/p>\n
PAIDIR AR AN MB\u00cdOBLA A OSCAILT<\/p>\n
Beannaigh m\u00e9, a Dhia, ionas<\/p>\n
nuair a oscla\u00edm an B\u00edobla seo<\/p>\n
go n-oscl\u00f3idh m\u00e9 m\u2019intinn agus<\/p>\n
mo chro\u00ed<\/p>\n
do do Bhriathar.<\/p>\n
Go gcotha\u00ed s\u00e9 m\u00e9<\/p>\n
faoi mar a chothaigh s\u00e9 \u00cdosa.<\/p>\n
\u00c1im\u00e9an.<\/p>\n
PRAYER ON CLOSING THE BIBLE<\/p>\n
Bless me, O God, so that<\/p>\n
in closing this Bible<\/p>\n
I may enclose your Word<\/p>\n
in my heart and in my mind<\/p>\n
as Jesus enclosed it in his. Amen.<\/p>\n
PAIDIR AR AN MB\u00cdOBLA A DH\u00daNADH<\/p>\n
Beannaigh m\u00e9, a Dhia,<\/p>\n
agus an B\u00edobla seo a dh\u00fanadh agam<\/p>\n
go gcoinneoidh m\u00e9 do Bhriathar<\/p>\n
i mo chro\u00ed agus i m\u2019intinn<\/p>\n
faoi mar a rinne \u00cdosa.<\/p>\n
\u00c1im\u00e9an.<\/p>\n
\u2018Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty, says the Lord, alleluia.\u2019 (Benedictus antiphon).<\/p>\n
\u2018I give you a new commandment: love one another, as I have loved you, says the Lord, alleluia.\u2019 (Magnificat antiphon)<\/p>\n
\u2018May your love be upon us O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.\u2019 (Psalm 32:22)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sr Anne Neylon<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2018The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.\u2019 (Invitatory antiphon) A number of people currently live and work in Ireland, and are now far from their homeland. Some are health care workers struggling on the frontline in hospitals, nursing homes and in private homes. Family life is difficult for them because they always live in fear of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5150\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}