Witness is the sharing of our faith with others. It is a way of testifying to the truth of Jesus Christ and the Gospel message. Our witness can be a way of celebrating the hope and joy that we have in Jesus and a way of powerfully sharing the good news with those around us.
Find one way to share what your faith means to you with someone else this week
Day 1 – Start with scripture
We start with the Sign of the Cross.
Have a read of this scripture passage. Think about what Jesus is telling us to do.
A Reading from the Gospel according to John
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
The Word of the Lord
John 15:1-8
R. Thanks be to God
Spend some time in pairs or threes and talk about the questions below. When you’re finished share them with the whole form and see where the dialogue takes you.
Discussion Questions:
How do you think this piece of Scripture links with the theme of ‘Witness’?
Share some ideas of how you, as a school, bear witness to God’s love in the world to the local community.
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to see.
Day 2
We begin by making the Sign of the Cross
Which of the below Catholic Social Teaching points do you think the theme of ‘Witness’ most links with?
Read through the explanations below of the Catholic Social Teaching points and see which one our theme this week most links with. Drop a comment in the box below and share your thoughts!
The Dignity of the Human Person
God made each of us; therefore, each of us is special. No matter who we are, what we look like, where we are from, or what we believe, all people have dignity and are special. We believe that every person is precious and that people are more important than things.
Rights and Responsibilities
All God’s people are entitled to food, work, clothes, a home, a school, and a doctor when they are sick. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to these things. Many people don’t have the things that they need. Jesus wants the people who already have what they need to help these other people. We call this a responsibility.
Preferential option for the poor
Jesus teaches that people who have less than others must be helped and given what they need. It is just and right to share your wealth with the poor, and Jesus instructs us to put the needs of the poor and the vulnerable first.
Solidarity
Because we are all God’s children, we are all brothers and sisters. We are connected, even though we may be different from one another, live in different places, or speak different languages. This connection through God makes all people our neighbours. We must love our neighbour as Jesus taught. By loving all of our neighbours in the world, we can help bring peace and justice to the world.
Care for God’s Creation
We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Caring for the Earth is not just an Earth day slogan; it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of action.
Day 3 -Hit the Headlines
We begin with the Sign of the Cross.
Have you ever seen the film ‘Pay It Forward’? It’s about a young boy, Trevor, whose class teacher gives them an assignment to come up with an idea to change the world for the better and put it into action. Trevor comes up with a plan to ‘pay it forward’ where you do one act of kindness for 3 people. He therefore creates a huge wave of human kindness. This film sparked a ‘pay it forward’ movement across the world. Other people witnessing acts of kindness are inspired to carry out their own acts of kindness is a beautiful thing. Acts of kindness are all examples of bearing witness to God’s love in the world.
2 options this morning, choose between reading a news article or watching a video below:
You might like to read the news article from last week about a lady inspiring others to pay forward an act of kindness: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgykd90pweo
Or
Watch the video below to see the a wave of kindness in action
We pray:
God of hope and courage, you call each of us to bear witness to your abundant love in a frightened world. All around us are signs the world is struggling and the future is unclear. Strengthen our confidence in your unfailing grace and grant us the courage to display acts of love, generosity and kindness evert day. Amen.
We end with the Sign of the Cross.
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