Welcome to this week’s Living Word! We’ve got loads going on this week and as ever, please keep your suggestions coming in about what we can do to make this time with your form better – it’s really appreciated!
This weeks word of the means we’ve taken our video on location…
Day 1 – There is always hope…
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
This week scripture helps us to think a bit more about Mary, Mother of Jesus. She was amazing person, who was probably only in Year 9 (about 14 years old) when she was visited by the Angel Gabriel and told that her life was going to change forever.
As we heard in the video the Rosary takes us through different decades – key events in Jesus’ life – and one of the most important, is the moment that Mary found out that she was going to be a mum:
A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to Luke
R./ Glory to you O Lord
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!”[c] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Gospel of the Lord.
R./Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
So what’s that got to do with us today? Mary heard that news as a young person, in a world where there was conflict, where there were struggles and where there wasn’t much hope. The life of Jesus was about to change the world as we know it but it started with a teenage girl, who had amazing courage. It’s why when we pray “Hail Mary” in the Rosary – we are asking for some of the same strength and courage in our own lives too.
This last week we’ve seen some really difficult things in the news, people using violence, and the Jewish community in particular, suffering and grieving. In our world right now we need the courage to be good, and the bravery to face challenges with hope.
Discussion Questions:
What situations in the world or in our community need our prayers at the moment?
How can we as young people be an example of hope, as Mary was, to others?
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to see or add them to your form scrapbook if you have one!
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Day 2 – The Hail Mary…
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
A ‘Hail Mary’ is the prayer at the heart of the rosary. When you pray a Rosary you say the prayer over and over again whilst thinking about the life of Jesus. The Hail Mary is not just something we pray in church however, in sport the ‘Hail Mary’ is now a term used to refer to a last chance effort when there seems like there is no hope take a look at this…
It’s not just American Football that has the Hail Mary Pass…
Athough these videos a bit of fun, they remind us of a serious point – when all seems lost, there is alays hope.
Today we’re going to pray a Hail Mary for a situation that needs a little hope.
Use the music below or spend some time in silence, bow your heads, get comfortable, close your eyes and have a think about what you can pray for before praying again together.
This week on Friday it’s World Mental Health Day. Taking time to think and pray can be a really good way to support your well being.
Before you finish today think about something you could do as a form to spread the well being and support each others Mental Health. It could be as simple as saying a kind word or saying a prayer for others or just checking in with those people we know who are in need.
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Day 3 – Begin the journey…
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
You will need a set of Rosary beads that can be collected from the Chaplaincy hub this morning – just send someone down!
Today’s mission is a simple one.
Starting with a brave volunteer, you’re going to create a chain of prayer throughout the whole month. For those who wish to join in, you will take it in turns to look after the form’s Rosary, one day at a time.
Please work out a rota (and a plan!) for taking the Rosary home each day, all the way up until half-term. Each person who takes it home is tasked with taking a photo of its journey. This could be at home, on a trip out, or anywhere at all! The form that manages to take the set of Rosary beads on the most exciting journey will win a whopping 50 chocolates (that’s one for every Hail Mary in the Rosary) at the end of the month.
We’ll be sharing updates throughout the month, and staff can send in photos from now until the end of the term.
The Rosary—just like our faith—is something we need to take out into the world. How far will you go?
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
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