SAY/Edge Session Plans
Revised: Jan. 2013
The Holy Spirit
The goal this night is to help the middle school youth understand
and encounter the power of the Holy Spirit. The youth will learn that earthly power and strength is fleeting, but the power of the Holy Spirit is eternal.
Preparation for tonight:
· Be sure to read the Overview and Talking Points Below
· In addition, read through the following scriptures: Luke 3: 21-22; Acts 2: 1-3 and Romans 8:26
· Also read the Catechism #731-741 and 1830-1832
· Pray for the youth leader who will be giving tonight’s Talk/Witnesses.
· Typically, this part of the Trinity is the most difficult for our youth to comprehend, so please make sure you read up on all of the above for tonight.
Materials SAY provides
· Gifts of the Spirit Match Game Handout
· Pens/pencils for exercise
Materials YOU provide:
· Your fun and enthusiastic self!
Administrative:
· Please remember to take attendance once you get into your group breakouts!
GATHER
1. Introduction & Announcements
2. Opening Prayer
PROCLAIM
3. Scripture Proclamation: Acts 2:1-13
4. Catechesis Talk/Witness: This talk will be given by one of our youth leaders.
BREAK
5. Discussion Questions.
Choose from the discussion questions below to discuss.
6. Gifts of the Holy Spirit Match Game (time permitting)
Give each youth in your group a pen/pencil and a copy of “Gifts of the Holy Spirit Match Game”. Allow them a few minutes to work on the match game
individually.
Ask the youth to take a moment or two to think about the question on the bottom of the handout. Encourage them to think about a specific way the Holy Spirit can work in their lives.
Take some time to give the correct answers to the match game. Have the youth share their responses to the question at the bottom of the handout as well.
SEND
7. Summary Challenge/Closing Prayer
Before the middle school youth are sent home they will be challenged to remember:
1. The Church began on the day of Pentecost when the apostles received the Holy Spirit and they received the power they needed to spread the Gospel to the entire world.
2. There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit that we receive though the Sacraments – specifically the Sacrament of Confirmation.
3. When we allow the Holy Spirit to take hold of our lives, we allow the Holy Spirit to transform our life and everyone around us.
4. This week, remember to ask the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance to live a Catholic Christian life. If there is a specific area you struggle with, ask the Holy Spirit for the Gift(s) you need to work through your struggle.
Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, counsel, courage/fortitude, understanding, reverence/piety, fear of the Lord/wonder and awe).
2. Ask the youth if they can name any of the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit (charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity). How can you experience the Fruits of the Spirit more in your life? (Through prayer, sacraments, doing Charitable deeds, etc.)
3. How is the Holy Spirit like fire? What does it mean to “set the world on fire” for Jesus?
4. How can the Holy Spirit help us to share our faith with our family and friends?
5. Is the Holy Spirit powerful enough to help the problems of your life? Keeping in mind the power of the Holy Spirit, how and when should we pray to the Holy Spirit?
6. When the apostles received the Holy Spirit, they literally preached to the entire world and conquered the Roman Empire for Christ. Why is it that Christians today have such a hard time living and sharing their faith? How can you live your
faith and spread it more in your everyday life?
Overview
The theme of the Edge Night is the third person of the Holy Trinity: the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides the power and strength for us to
live the Christian life. It is through the events of Pentecost, when the
disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit, that the world was transformed and changed forever. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Through his grace, the Holy Spirit is the first to awaken faith in us and to communicate to us the new life, which is to “know the Father and the one whom he has sent, Jesus Christ” (#684). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are also called to spread the Gospel in every area of lives – family, community and the world.
Talking Points
“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”
What are some of the common symbols for the Holy Spirit? (Allow the youth to give a few responses.) Dove, wind…FIRE! When we hear the
story of Pentecost, we hear about tongues of fire descending upon the
apostles and that they were so filled with the Holy Spirit they had to burst out of the upper room and spread the Gospel like wildfire.
You received that same Holy Spirit at your Baptism.The gifts of
the Holy Spirit that you received are strengthened in the Sacrament
of Confirmation. At your Baptism, you receive a candle that is lit from
the Easter candle and the flame is meant to represent the light of Christ
burning within you. However, Jesus did not come to give us a candle. He came to set the world ablaze and He wished that it was already burning (Luke 12:49). When the apostles received the Holy Spirit, they received the gifts necessary to change the world.
Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
So what are the gifts of the Holy Spirit? In Isaiah 11:2 the prophet
describes what the Messiah would be like, “The spirit of the Lord shall
rest upon Him, a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord.” Isaiah
describes Jesus as possessing these gifts through the Holy Spirit. The
Church teaches that we receive the same gifts through the Sacrament
of Confirmation. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom,
understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude/courage, piety/reverence
and fear of the Lord/wonder and awe.
These seven gifts of the Holy Spirit give us the power to live and witness
to the Christian life. We need the grace of the Holy Spirit to live a life of
love and faith. These seven gifts bring 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit into our
lives. The gifts are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.
Think about it this way: When you are at school and someone is making
fun of you for going to church, the Holy Spirit gives you courage to speak
truth. When we choose to stand up for our beliefs, we experience the fruits of the Spirit: joy, peace, patience, etc.
Sanctifier
It is the Holy Spirit that gives the priest the power to turn bread and
wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that gives
the priest the power to forgive sins, to baptize and bring us into communion with Christ and the Church. It is the Holy Spirit that heals us physically and spiritually. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the grace to live a Christian life in love and virtue. It is the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for us to pray and gives us the desire to pray to God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us; He makes us holy.
How can the Holy Spirit help to sanctify you? You are never too young to begin developing virtues and allowing the Holy Spirit to make you holy. To be made holy means to be set apart. As Christians, we cannot do this on our own. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. Think about some times when you could really use the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit: When your friends want you to cheat on a test, the Holy Spirit gives you the courage to stand up and say, “No!” When you are at a
party and you see people drinking, the Holy Spirit gives you right
judgment to know that it is wrong and why you shouldn’t be a part
of the party. If you have questions about your faith or about God, the
Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and understanding to find the answers
and develop a deeper relationship with Jesus. Your life may be filled with
a lot of noise from music, friends, family, TV, movies, etc. The Holy
Spirit helps you develop a spirit of Reverence so that you can be quiet
and hear God speaking to you. You may be caught up with the latest
band or TV/movie star and cry when you see him/her performing.
However, the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of wonder and awe to put God
first and see Him as our Almighty Father – the one who created all
things.
Being a Christian isn’t something you have to do on your own. The power
of the Holy Spirit is with each one of us to help us live boldly for God.
Through prayer and the sacraments, we too can “set the world ablaze”
with the love of God.
SAY 8th - Holy Spirit Page 1 of 8