Goal for the Life Night:
The goal of this night is to help the teens receive the unconditional love of God and understand how the presence of suffering and evil does not mean that God has stopped loving us. This night will address the scandal of evil and how we are called to face evil and suffering with hope and faith. Finally, it will help teens understand how the sacrifice and suffering of the cross reveals the depth of real love.
Life Night at a Glance:
This night will help teens understand that the love of God and the reality of suffering are not in opposition with each other, but come together in the Cross. The first half of the night will allow teens to see the presence of God’s love and blessing in their lives. They will also see how evil is real and often it can overshadow blessings. Both of these realities will come together in a discussion on the beauty of the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. The teens will understand that the greatest act suffering is also the greatest act of love. The second half of the night will give teens the opportunity to spend time in quiet prayer and reflect on and write down the areas of suffering in their lives. They will then be invited to join their sufferings to the cross by nailing them to a cross.