Stage 3
Justice
Module Focus
In this module students will identify just and unjust situations in the contemporary world. Students will explore the concepts of rights and responsibilities, and the right of all people to a fair and just share of God’s gifts. Students will examine ways that being a Christian is synonymous with living and working for justice for all people.
OutcomesGRHD S3.1a: Identifies and expresses ways in which God calls all to share in the work of creating and renewing the Kingdom of God.
J S3.2b: Identifies those for whom Jesus shows particular concern
Learn About:
/ Learn To:GRHD S3.1a:
· the concepts of Kingdom of God and Servant Leadership
· equality in the eyes of God
· God’s call to reconciliation
· The Holy Spirit inspiring Christians to create and renew the world
· The responsibility to promote justice and peace in the world.
J S3.2b:
· The marginalised in Jesus’ time
· The marginalised today
· Teachings of Jesus in relation to the marginalised / GRHD S3.1a:
· Identify manifestations of the Kingdom of God
· Read and critically respond to a variety of Scripture passages
· Develop and communicate an understanding of ‘Kingdom of God’
· Identify ways the Holy Spirit inspires Christians to be peacemakers, bringing justice to the world.
· Identify and discuss ways the Kingdom of God is revealed through Jesus’ ministry
· Become critically focussed in their judgements
· Research and identify issues related to Reconciliation in Australia
· Develop school based action plans to achieve Reconciliation
J S3.2b:
· Determine and define characteristics/profile of a ‘marginalised’ group or person in Jesus’ time
· Determine and define characteristics/profile of a ‘marginalised’ group or person in today’s society
DISCIPLESHIP CHALLENGE
· Students are challenged to act responsibly in response to God’s call
· Students are challenged to reach out to others in love as Jesus did
Catholic Discipleship
The values we find espoused by Jesus not only challenged the world of his day, but they continue to challenge society. Many of those values may well contradict the worldview encouraged by some parents who send their children to Catholic schools. This has almost always been the case. The Gospels show us that some people are called to explicit heroic discipleship. Others, though, are called to witness in more subtle ways, penetrating the world quietly but effectively.
Duration
This module is designed to support learning experiences of approximately SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS
Core Scripture
Matthew 25: 34-46 Come and Possess the Kingdom
Associated Scripture
Luke 10:29-37 The Good Samaritan
Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes
Scripture in Context
This passage presents the teaching of Jesus as confronting. Participants or non-participants may not even be conscious of their inclusion in the activities of the Kingdom. The focus for students, though, is on reaching out to the needy. The friend of Jesus is the one actively engaged in his work.
Catechism of the Catholic Church for teacher reference
nn.1943-1948 Linking the realisation of the Kingdom to social justice activity.
Background for the Teacher
Introduction
The concept of the Kingdom of God has been open to a range of interpretations through the ages and continues to be a difficult concept for adults – let alone children - to come to terms with.
Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God confused many of the people with whom he came into contact. The words and images he used were chosen from the Messianic literature of the Hebrew Scriptures. For those around him contemporary expectations were dominated by the political situation within the Roman Empire. Despite Rome’s tolerance of local custom, and indeed its encouragement of nations to retain their religious integrity many in 1st century Palestine felt that the presence of pagan rules in their land was a profanity. The Messianic literature of the time was generally given an overtly political interpretation. Evidence in the Gospels indicates that Jesus’ use of the term Kingdom of God led both his followers and his enemies to a similar interpretation.
Even the early Christians expected an immediate demonstration of the power of the “new order” in a very temporal way. (1 Thes 4: 13-17) In some cases this led to members of the early communities waiting around passively, expecting things to “happen”. St Paul warned against this and stressed that the Christian life is one of participation.
Through the early years of persecution and through the harshness of the Middle Ages many Christians fixed their sights on the “heavenly kingdom” where the sufferings of this world would be wiped away, and they would be rewards for enduring the trials of this life. Sometimes this led to a quietism that allowed injustices to be perpetrated. Since the 19th century, when the western world began to recognise injustice in the world for what it was the Catholic Church has challenged Christians and society in general to recognise that human society is part of rather than separate from God’s work in creation.
God’s Creation
As part of the universe, humankind is an expression of God’s creative love. All people are equally precious in the eyes of God, and through faith in Jesus we share in the wonder of this mystery. In living out our faith we acknowledge our responsibilities as stewards of creation with control over many of the earth’s resources. This stewardship is not something we deserve, nor is it something we earn. In the life of the Catholic disciple of Jesus such stewardship is lived out when we strive to ensure that all people have an equal opportunities to share in the riches God has given us through creation.
No person has any more right to part of material creation than any other. It is God’s gift to all, and through it we come to know his greatness, his love, his generosity. That gift extends beyond our own generation. Our appreciate of the communion of all through Jesus should, therefore, ensure that we act responsibly so that future generations also share in these riches and come to know God’s glory through them. (see also Co-Creators with God, Stage 3)
The Gospel and the marginalised
Jesus proclaimed in his words and actions that the reign, the Kingdom of God was at hand. His specific attitude to the poor, the outcast, the sick and the marginalised indicated not just concern for others but a dismissing of the values of the world and an option in favour of all people as being created in the “image and likeness of God”. A contemporary understanding of this message throws the responsibility for extending the Kingdom, for offering others an experience of what it means to live within the “reign of God”, squarely at the feet of the disciple of Jesus. As was the case with Jesus, the disciple is expected to work for justice, spread peace, and leads others to experience the Kingdom of God through service.
Jesus’ message was unambiguous: "This is the time of fulfilment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1: 14-15) That gospel, or Good News, is specified in Luke 4 where Jesus proclaims the nature of his ministry as the fulfilment of prophecy:
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." (lk 4: 16-19)
Jesus recognised in those who were marginalised, through sickness, poverty and discrimination the brokenness of humanity, the state where dependence on God and openness to his goodness is most likely. In the history of salvation this state was exemplified by the “anawim” or the “remnant of Israel”, those who were left when the worldly greatness of the nation collapsed.
The marginalised in society are readily recognisable. They are the poor, discriminated against in a society that measures individual worth accord to individual success. They are the sick and dying who suffer not only physically but psychologically as society shuns the realities of mortality, by glamorising the young and the beautiful. They are the immigrants who struggle to communicate in and understand the customs of a new land. They are the refugees who arrive on our shores full of fear and hope, and are met with fear and suspicion. They are our own indigenous people, for whom we can offer so few solutions to the problems caused by the arrival of a European culture alien to their experience of existence on this continent. They are the emotionally and physically scared, the criminally insane, the anti-social, the depressed and anyone else whom society shuns.
Justice and the Disciple
The justice proclaimed by Jesus is not merely a matter of economic balance nor is it prompted by humanitarian sentiment. Nor is it simply a matter of being “fair”. Its motivation is founded in the belief that we are all equally God’s children, and that God’s desire is for us experience his love here and now.
In Jesus the Kingdom of God enters into history, transforming the world in which we live. It is through faith, freely given to us by God that we participate in that Kingdom. Through faith we become instruments in the healing and reconciliation of the broken world. We become agents of justice and bearers of the power of the Kingdom.
The disciple proclaims the kingdom through similar words and actions, continuing the work of Jesus completed in the “fullness of time”. This work is continued through many of the works of the Church but particularly through the Church’s teaching that social justice is a core element of the gospel. Social justice exists when society “provides the conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and vocation.” (CCC 1928)
In Brief for Students
· God’s creation is for all to share
· Jesus calls all to act with justice and love
· As Christians we are called to work together to make a just world where the value and dignity of each individual is recognised and appreciated and all people have a share of the world’s resources
Student Context
How can I meet the needs of these students at this time using these strategies and resources?
Developing the Partnership
How can I make connections between the learning in this module and parents and the wider community?
Curriculum Links
Indicate outcomes from other Key Learning Areas to be covered in this module.
Suggested Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategies
· Depending on the time of year develop/review classroom rights, responsibilities and rules. Discuss how they reflect fairness, cooperation and justice. Write a reflection on why these issues are important to us as Catholics.
OR
· Create a mind map, word search or crossword of “What Justice Means to Me” and review/develop classroom rights, responsibilities and rules.
· Build a classroom sacred space which reflects the content of the unit.
· Create a liturgical movement to “On Holy Ground.” Movements should symbolise key themes in the song.
· Collect pictures and articles that represent justice issues both locally and globally. Use chosen articles to complete a ‘Seven Strips’ strategy. The Thinking Platform, p. 93.
OR
· Suggest examples of contemporary music that depict justice issues, list and discuss such issues.
· Explore Matthew 25:34-46 (The Kingdom of God) choosing activities from the following: (ASSESSMENT)
a) Summarise the main points of the scripture passage using the ‘Triple Play’ from Into the Deep,
b) Complete the classification activity and choose one action to reflect on (e.g. the detention of refugees) using a ‘Perspectives Wheel’ Expressions Book 7, p.82 students identify the viewpoint of a range of characters in relation to this issue.
c) Make graffiti charts to show the key issues contained in this scripture passage. Into the Deep, p.122.
d) Write the script for Liquid Pictures or an Echo Mime to illustrate an understanding of the Kingdom of God. Just Imagine 1 and 2, or the Dramatised Bible.
e) Write a rap/ song with lyrics relating to justice, injustice and the Kingdom of God.
f) Choose a text which is related to an issue of injustice today (newspaper article, picture book, novel, website etc). Research your issue and record relevant findings (Reporter’s Triangle, PowerPoint presentation, pamphlet etc) and decide upon a method of presentation to the class.
g) Write about a personal experience of injustice or complete a Y chart on own understanding/ experiences of justice.
h) Collect photographs and pictures from the media that show injustice. Use these photos as stimulus to script a morning television news report.
Many of these strategies could be completed during the Literacy Block/Learning Centres.
· Explore the scripture stories of the Good Samaritan and The Beatitudes in Rina Wintour’s Just Imagine pp. 22, 2739, 59, 96. Students participate in a guided meditation on either or both of these.