Day 22

According to my boss it's Toilet Tuesday aka her "cleaning day".  So, Happy Toilet Tuesday?  

One of my students decided to pray today and she picked the prayer "Veni, Sancte Spiritus" which means, "Come, Holy Spirit!" because she recognized the title. It was beautiful.  And then she started singing it!  In Latin!  She then realized she sang it in the all-state choir last year!  I was amazed by her voice!  We then listened to her and hundreds of other high school students sing this song in unison.  You can watch it directly here!  She said she was all the way up on the top row.  So cool that she knew the prayer without even realizing it until she saw it in one of my prayer books.  

Today we wrapped up our lesson on the Anointing of the Sick by writing little notes to the people listed in the parish bulletin of people to "pray for."  I reminded them that healing comes through those who show Christ's love.  Check out how sweet the notes turned out:

I think these will bring a smile to the 20 people they wrote to!

We then moved to the Couch Room.  2 days in a row!  I'm telling you, they love me.  

Anyway, might as well get them comfortable in one way as we talk about how we're sinners and need God's love and mercy in the sacrament of Reconciliation!  Ammarite?!

We started off by reading the Prodigal Son.  I've prayed a lot with this story in the Bible and through discussions in Bible Study, my Grandma Buddy, and reading Grandma's copy of Henri Nouwen's "The Return of the Prodigal Son," I discovered the depth of this story and what Jesus was trying to get at:

-The younger son, "the prodigal" not only sinned by running off with his Dad's money and living a life of debauchery, but another sin was SELFISHNESS.  He needed to reform his actions and heart!  

-By asking his father for his inheritance was like him saying- "Dad, you are dead to me.  Give me my portion of the inheritance and see ya."  HARSH! If only the scriptures were scripted like that!  My students love when I create my own captions based on what is written already in Scripture.  It helps them understand and/or laugh.  Both usually because I'm such a dork.  But when I said that caption, you should have seen how big some of their eyes got. They never realized the gravity of the prodigal son's sin!

-The father is like God the father.  Endless is his love and mercy!  As long as our hearts are sincere!

-The older son is no better!  Sure he was obedient, but he expected a reward, and did not have love and joy for his brother's return and change of heart.  He too needed a change of heart.  They were both sinners in their own way, yet the prodigal son/little brother asked for forgiveness and got it!

Then we talked all about the sacrament, answered some of their questions, and before we knew it, it was time for them to go back over to the other school.  It was like that for both classes.  My earlier class only had 2 students again-so that just goes to show that the Scriptures gets people to talk!  It helps them reflect on their own lives and they become more talkative and/or reflective.  That has been my experience and my observation at least. 

Anyway, you're probably suspicious or at least curious as to why everything is going so well.  3 words: The Holy Spirit.  Not only that, but I come prepared, and then I realize that I'm not here to teach a curriculum (well kinda, yea), but I'm here to teach students, living/breathing young men and women.  It doesn't feel like a job or a daunting task.  It's a wonderful environment where we are able to not only learn more about God, but we are able to encounter him through our prayer and by conversing with one another.  I get to know them and know God through them.  They really are that great!

Anyway, I'll wrap this up.  I need to get myself fed and ready for the volleyball game.  Excited to see my students again! Go Hawks!