40 Ideas for 40 Days – Lenten Activities: Justification – Being Aligned with God

Joe Paprocki Lent, Lenten Activities

Lent is a time to make sure that we are in a healthy alignment with God.

cereal-activity

  • Provide each participant with a fistful of Cheerios and a straight edge/ruler or popsicle stick
  • Invite them to “spill” the Cheerios on their desk/table top in front of them.
  • Show them the following image (either copy and paste into a handout or project it) and tell them to use their straight edge to arrange their Cheerios so that they LEFT ALIGN
  • Walk around to affirm that they arranged them correctly with the left edge straight.
  • Next, have them mix up the Cheerios again and then use their straight edge to arrange their Cheerios so that they RIGHT ALIGN.
  • Once again, walk around to affirm that they arranged them correctly with the right edge straight.
  • Have them mix up the Cheerios again and then use their straight edge to arrange their Cheerios so that they are JUSTIFIED.
  • Walk around to affirm that they arranged them correctly with both edges straight.

Based on that, invite them to define the word JUSTIFY/JUSTIFIED (to line up perfectly, to straighten out, to make a perfect fit, and so on). Be sure to write their suggested definitions on the board. Explain that, during Lent, we strive to align ourselves with God which St. Paul referred to as being ‘justified.” (Romans 4:1-8)

40 Ideas for 40 Days
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40 Ideas for 40 Days
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About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

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