\u2018Let us come before the Lord, giving thanks.\u2019 (Invitatory antiphon).<\/p>\n
Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813-53), founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (1833), in defining charity and justice said, \u2018Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveller who has been attacked. But, it is justice\u2019s role to prevent the attacks.\u2019<\/p>\n
Tr\u00f3caire, the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland provides, among many other initiatives, educational resources annually to enlighten people of situations of poverty in long-term developing countries.<\/p>\n
This year, the plight of a family living in northern Honduras was highlighted. The mother Angela and two of her children, Jocsan and Helen feature on the 2020 Tr\u00f3caire box. Angela is a farmer with a small plot of land. The story goes that, \u2018She and her husband built their home on ancestral land that has been in their family and their community for generations. They were living a quiet life working hard to put their children through school. Then a few years ago a logging company and a big mining company moved into the area. These companies are moving in on Angela\u2019s community and they want the families to leave.\u00a0 She has been beaten and tear gassed and told she will be killed.\u2019<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s first reading from the first Book of Kings and the Gospel (Mt 5:38-42) are proclaimed via the webcam or read from the Old and New Testament.<\/p>\n
In the first reading from the Book of Kings (1 Kings 21:1-16), the story of Ahab\u2019s efforts to desire and seize Naboth\u2019s vineyard, mirrors the story of Angela\u2019s family in Honduras.\u00a0 Just as Angela\u2019s home was going to be seized from her by the big company, so also Jezebel, in Ahab\u2019s name undermined Naboth to take his ancestral heritage.\u00a0 Jezebel, wife of Ahab went to the point of having Naboth murdered, in order to seize the heritage from Naboth\u2019s ancestors. The central point of both these situations is about ancestral heritage.<\/p>\n
In the Gospel today, God\u2019s people hear Jesus teaching the highest standards of love. It is a hard teaching, which is counter cultural. Jesus himself knew what it was to stand up for just causes. He gave his life which was the ultimate sacrifice.<\/p>\n
SEEK GOD\u2019S LOVE IN THE GROW IN LOVE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME<\/p>\n
The theme of justice is prominent throughout the Grow in Love programme. Based on the readings at Mass today, the children are familiar with the work of The Society of St Vincent de Paul. They are also familiar with the work of Tr\u00f3caire.<\/p>\n
It may be timely to return to the stories from the 2020 Tr\u00f3caire Lenten programme available on the Tr\u00f3caire website and read about the work of Tr\u00f3caire among people who are living in poverty. A discussion might be prompted on the relationship between charity and justice.<\/p>\n
Appeals are made locally at present for people to return their Tr\u00f3caire 2020 Lenten boxes to the Church. Families might like to read about Angela and her two children in Honduras from the Tr\u00f3caire box. Families might chat about the work of Tr\u00f3caire and justice for all.<\/p>\n
Also incorporated in this theme is the letter of Pope Francis\u2019 Encyclical letter to the people of Ireland telling them what is happening to our common home. He names out the challenges of pollution, destructive human lifestyles, contaminated water, global warming, climate change and loss of biodiversity. These issues are addressed throughout the programme and supporting resources are available on the VERITAS website.<\/p>\n
Children also explore the plight of the migrants and homelessness. In the Children\u2019s Grow in Love e-books at various class levels, children can engage in various journal activities. Human Rights are an important facet in all lives. Children are introduced to some of the articles of the Declaration of Human Rights. They are also introduced to the lives of the saints and Christian heroes\/heroines who worked and still work for justice today.<\/p>\n
Children continue to read the Scripture internalising the gospel values and Jesus\u2019 teaching on love. They take time to pray collectively and personally for prayer intentions for themselves and the world. They are guided to reflect on Scripture and to examine their daily lives through praying the Examen.<\/p>\n
Children pray in thanksgiving to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They also pray for guidance to make good choices for their lives. They ask the Holy Spirit to help them to listen to God\u2019s voice to help them live in a just way so to build the Kingdom of God. They explore what it means to respect human dignity in daily life circumstances and treat themselves, every person and all God\u2019s creation with justice and respect<\/p>\n
Resources are accessible, through all the Grow in Love Programme to support the theme of justice including the Children\u2019s Grow in Love e-book.\u00a0 Online videos and interactive activities may be helpful. The Tr\u00f3caire website will give the full story of Angela and her family, with accompanying slides and activities and links to the appropriate lessons in the Grow in Love programme.<\/p>\n
Logon: www.veritas.ie<\/p>\n
Email: trial@growinlove.ie<\/p>\n
Password: growinlove<\/p>\n
INVITATION TO:<\/p>\n
READ from Grow in Love\/I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/p>\n
\u2018The New Commandment\u2019 (Jn 13:34), \u2018The Beatitudes\u2019 (Mt 5:3-13), \u2018The Woman Caught in Adultery\u2019 (Jn 8:1-11), \u2018Jesus and the Woman at the Well\u2019 (Jn 4:7-15), \u2018The Spirit of the Lord\u2019 (Matthew 3:13-17), \u2018The Story of Creation\u2019 ( Gen 1:1-31).<\/p>\n
SING:\u00a0 \u2018The Beatitudes\u2019, \u2018God has Given Us the Earth\u2019, \u2018Where Your Treasure Is\u2019, \u2018Make A Good Choice\u2019, \u2018Christ Be Our Light\u2019, \u2018Dayenu\u2019, \u2018Christ Be Beside Me\u2019, \u2018Spirit-Filled Day\u2019.<\/p>\n
PRAY with Grow in Love\/I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/p>\n
MISSION PRAYER<\/p>\n
May all the children<\/p>\n
In the world<\/p>\n
Share love<\/p>\n
Share friendship and live<\/p>\n
In the peace<\/p>\n
Of God\u2019s love<\/p>\n
Now and forever.<\/p>\n
\u00c1R BPAIDIR MHISIN<\/p>\n
Go rinne<\/p>\n
Gach p\u00e1iste ar domhan<\/p>\n
Gr\u00e1 agus cairdeas,<\/p>\n
Agus go maire siad<\/p>\n
I s\u00edoch\u00e1in ghr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/p>\n
Anois agus cho\u00edche.<\/p>\n
ACT OF FAITH<\/p>\n
O my God, I believe in you<\/p>\n
and in all that your holy Church teaches<\/p>\n
because you have said it<\/p>\n
and your Word is true.<\/p>\n
You are the Christ,<\/p>\n
the Son of the living God.<\/p>\n
Lord, I believe; increase my faith. Amen.<\/p>\n
ACT OF HOPE<\/p>\n
O my God, I put my hope in you<\/p>\n
because I am sure of your promises.<\/p>\n
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and<\/p>\n
grant us peace in our day,<\/p>\n
as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour,<\/p>\n
Jesus Christ, Amen.<\/p>\n
ACT OF LOVE<\/p>\n
O my God,<\/p>\n
I love you with all my heart,<\/p>\n
with all my soul, and with all my strength.<\/p>\n
Lord, increase our love.<\/p>\n
Help us to love one another. Amen.<\/p>\n
\u2018Blessed be the Lord our God.\u2019 (Benedictus antiphon).<\/p>\n
\u2018My soul magnifies the Lord, since God has had regard for my humble state.\u2019 (Magnificat antiphon).<\/p>\n
\u2018Give heed to my groaning, O Lord.\u2019 (Psalm 5:2).<\/p>\n
\u2018Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home.\u2019 (LS no.13).<\/p>\n
‘O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.’<\/p>\n
Sr Anne Neylon<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2018Let us come before the Lord, giving thanks.\u2019 (Invitatory antiphon). Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813-53), founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (1833), in defining charity and justice said, \u2018Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveller who has been attacked. But, it is justice\u2019s role to prevent the […]<\/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-5245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5245","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=5245"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5245\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.growinlove.ie\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}