Objective:
The middle school youth will develop a deeper awareness of the need to be creators of peace in all aspects of their lives modeling their actions on Jesus Christ.
Overview:
In the bible, Matthew tells us:
When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you (6:6)
For many people, especially middle schoolers, piety, or religious reverence, might seem like a lost art. With the busyness of our lives, taking time to be quiet and listen to God can seem like a nice idea, but not realistic. However, everyone’s faith needs a personal, devotional expression that brings that person in God’s presence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
In addition to the liturgy, Christian life is nourished by various forms of popular piety, rooted in the different cultures. While carefully clarifying them in the light of faith, the Church fosters the forms of popular piety that express an evangelical instinct and a human wisdom and that enrich Christian life (1679).
The gift of piety helps to bring us into a deeper intimacy with God. When we spend time in solitude, in devotion to God, it will begin to promote a child-like trust in God through the emotions and sentiments, and we find ourselves more able to help others. We must remember that our faith is made up of both Scripture and Tradition. In order to grow in our faith and deepen our relationship in both of these areas, we must spend time in community, but also alone in the quiet of our hearts.
As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, “does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence” (82 CCC).