Goal of this Life Night:
The goal for this Life Night is to have teens understand the Sacraments of matrimony and Holy Orders as Sacraments at the Service of Communion and to encourage teens to begin living the self-giving love encouraged by these sacraments.
About this Life Night:
Two weeks before the Life Night, invite all the married parents of teens as well as any priests or deacons at your parish to come for the end of the Life Night. Send out wedding-style invitations requesting the honor of their presence at a vow renewal ceremony and prayer service in honor of their chosen vocation.
This Life Night will explore the Sacraments at the Service of Communion – Holy Orders and marriage. The night begins with the teens participating in a game that demonstrates how willingness to sacrifice is ultimately more beneficial than being competitive or trying to win it all. After the game, the teens will review the Sacraments of Initiation and Healing and hear a teaching outlining the role of the Sacraments at the Service of Communion. The teaching explains how the communal nature of the Trinity serves as an example for us of self-giving love and sacrifice, and that these sacraments are unique in the grace they offer us to live out the divine love of the Trinity in relationship with others. After the teaching, the teens will have the opportunity to discuss the grace of self-giving love provided by these sacraments and how they can better live out selflessness in their lives. The night will end with a prayer that challenges teens to begin living out that selflessness by praying for others rather than themselves as they lift up the married couples and ordained ministers who have been invited to the night. The teens will witness the sacrament lived out in the renewal of marriage vows and ordination promises of these invitees, and the teens will have the opportunity to pray in thanksgiving for their example of faith.