Goal of this Edge Night
The goal of this Edge Night is to help the middle school youth see that they have been created in the image and likeness of God. Because all people are created in God’s image, they have fundamental worth. This means that they have worth, regardless of image or weight.
Edge Night At A Glance
The topic of this Edge Night is eating disorders, specifically focusing on the dignity and care of our bodies. Our approach is to first talk about the dignity of the human person and how precious we are in God’s sight. We also want to debunk the myth that images seen on magazines are a depiction of beauty or perfection (in fact, they are often computer generated images or real people whose photos are completely retouched that it no longer looks like the original person). However, youth are often more vulnerable to the desire to “be perfect” and to “fit in” with others. This can lead to a low self-image that causes youth to resort to destructive behaviors to cope. Eating disorders are one way that a youth may try to cope with these feelings of inadequacy. Most researchers agree that eating disorders are not about food – they are about low self-esteem, feeling a lack of control in life, or depression and anxiety. Our Catholic Social Teaching reminds us of our dignity and also the dignity of human life. Middle school youth need to hear affirmation of their goodness so as not to fall into these negative behaviors.
The night will begin with a fun activity that will help them get to know more of the middle school youth and Core Members. The night will transition into the teaching with the Scripture reading from 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. Discussions for the Break portion of the night will be done in gender specific groups. This is a sensitive subject and should be addressed in a manner that will help the youth feel more comfortable. The night will close with an opportunity for the youth to affirm each other in small groups.