During our Webinar – Leading Prayer as a Catechist – we explored a formula to help us lead spontaneous prayer: remembering the words YOU, WHO, DO, THROUGH. Liturgical/Eucharistic prayer includes these 4 elements: YOU (we address God and praise him using divine titles), WHO (we describe the great things that God has done), DO (we pray for God to do something for us now), THROUGH (we pray to the Father, through his Son, Jesus, with the Holy Spirit).
I then invited participants to get some practice. First, I invited them to type in suggestions of how God can be addressed using various divine titles, some of which I shared here yesterday. Then, I invited them to type in a sentence that acknowledges WHO God is by stating something He has done for us – one of His marvelous deeds. Here’s a sampling.
- you gave us life and the desire to know you.
- You have created heaven and Earth for all of us to love and enjoy.
- You have called us together to help us in our ministry
- who holds the world in your loving hands
- You have created a beautiful day for our retreat.
- who created us all in his image
- You are kind and merciful
- through Your everlasting love You have given us Your only Begotten Son to lead us to You
- You know our hearts and minds and love us always
- you have called us as teachers of your faith
- who loves all of us with an everlasting love
- You have gathered us together tonight
- thank you for bringing us all together on the journey to bringing us closer to you
- you are all loving and forgiving
- You help us follow the path of Jesus
- You gathered these catechists here tonight to learn more about prayer.
- you lift us up during times of hardship
- thank you for all your wonderful blessings of love and knowledge you shower on each of us catechists
- you have sent your apostles into the world to spread your message of love and forgiveness
- Thank you for the bounty of the earth that you have given us
- You have taught us how to pray by your words
- Who leads sinners to Himself …
- You have filled your catechists with your spirit and all people with your love
- You gather us together in your name to guide and support one another in our journey as catechists
Dear Joe,
I used to be a catechist in my youth, then became a teacher and later on involved with spiritual direction and counseling here in my home county. I’ve been meaning to write to you but only got this opportunity. I simply want to thank you and commend you for your generosity in sharing your gifts through this website. I am fascinated at how my past strategies as teacher and catechist find semblance in many of the things you do now. There isn’t much our local church is doing with regard to professionalizing catechetical work but a seed is being quietly sown at the moment. All our catechists are volunteers and most of them are either retired or full-time home-makers. Your website is an excellent resource for all catechists in the world. More power to you and all catechists! God bless you.
Venus
Venus, you know what they say, “great minds think alike!” 🙂 Seriously, though, thanks for the kind words and for your take on catechesis in your neck of the woods.