FORMATION
FORMATION 2000
THEME NO. 8
“Looking to the future”
1. Opening Prayer
(To be introduced by the leader then
prayed by all present.)
Leader:
My brothers in Christ, gathered here together as sons of God and in the name
of the Church, let us prepare our minds and hearts and pray to the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ for the renewal of the Church and the salvation of the world.
All:
God. our heavenly Father, as we begin the new millennium, we ask you to
continue, through us, the work which your Son began; to make you know to all humanity.
Give us the courage to acknowledge your presence in a world where many have turned away
from you.
Enlighten our minds and open our
hearts to embrace all people. Enrich our lives with your love so that we may be your
disciples in bringing peace, reconciliation and justice to our families, our communities
and the world.
Heal the brokenness of your people:
the oppressed, the abandoned, those who are cast out of their own land or rejected by
others. Deepen our understanding of the Eucharist, the sacrament of love and
reconciliation.
May the Spirit, who dwells within each
one of us give us right judgement and show us the way to everlasting peace. We ask this
through Jesus your Son and our brother. Amen.
Prayer written by
Rachael Bongiorno, Catholic Secondary School student, NSW
2. The Focus
(Read by the discussion leader or member
nominated by him.)
The Third Millennium is:
A time of Personal Renewal and Service, a
time to be Disciples of Jesus.
This Year of Great Jubilee is not only an
occasion for the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches to rejoice in the great gift
it has received from God, the gift of Jesus Christ, and two thousand years of Christian
history. It is also an occasion for us to reaffirm our commitment to serve our brothers
and sisters in Australia and to pray to be renewed by the Holy Spirit so that we may serve
them with greater integrity and greater generosity. We approach this anniversary with real
humility. We make no claim to be perfect, and indeed we have never been. On an occasion
like this, we become even more conscious of our responsibility to live the gospel we have
received and to celebrate joyfully the great gift we have been given in Jesus Christ.
We commit ourselves at the turn of the
millennium, in the Year of the Great Jubilee, to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, to
strive for personal holiness, to live and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to promote
the unity of all Christians, and to work with all Australians for peace and justice and to
protect the world that God has created, a world so loved by God that the Son took flesh
two thousand years ago and dwelt among us - Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and
for ever!
From
"The Coming of the Third Millennium" Catholic Bishops of Australia.
This reading is followed by five
minutes of silent reflection on the following:
• Over the past
months, the themes of the Great Jubilee have called you to reflection, prayer and action.
Issues of repentance and reconciliation, of justice for all and care of God's creation, of
unity with all Christians call all to conversion and a renewal of discipleship and the
following of Christ. How can we heed the words of the Bishops?
3. The Word
– Matthew 28: 18–20
(The Word of God gives us our context
for reflection and action. This read by one member.)
A reading from the Gospel of Matthew
Jesus drew near to his disciples and said
to them: "I have been given all power in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to people
everywhere and make them my disciples: baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything I have commanded of you. And I will be
with you always, to the end of time."
For a few minutes, all silently reflect
on these words of Jesus and on what they place before us.
4. The Sharing
(During this time (10 minutes) members
share insights gained from reflection on the Focus and the Word of God.)
Consider particularly the following:
• What aspect of the
Jubilee impressed you most strongly?
• What talents, time
and abilities am I willing to commit to making the call of the Jubilee a reality in the
lives of all Australians?.
5. The Action
What, in 2001, will show that you, as the
Knights of the Southern Cross, have heard the call to live Jubilee? What will be your
agenda for action?
6. Closing Prayer
(Prayed by all members.)
Leader:
As our final prayer in these Jubilee reflections, let us make our own the
final words of the document from the Bishops.
All:
Almighty God, we commit ourselves at the turn of the millennium, in the Year
of the Great Jubilee, to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ: to strive for personal
holiness, to live and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to promote the unity of all
Christians, and to work with all Australians for peace and justice and to protect the
world that God has created.
In this way, may we always reflect
your love, choosing the values of the gospel and serving others until we come to our
fulfilment in Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and
ever. Amen.
