Tradition and Prayer

YR 9 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TERM 3

INTRODUCTION
LEARNING GOALS FOR THE TERM
 To understand the different ways that people pray and how it enriches their life.

 To learn about some of the different prayer traditions within the Catholic Church
e.g. the Franciscan tradition, the Mercy tradition.

 ASSESSMENT: Assignment: Research Report on various Christian Spiritual Traditions.

What is prayer?
 Write down what you think prayer is.
 Share your definition so the teacher can create a class list.

 Does prayer always use words?

ONE DEFINITION OF PRAYER

Prayer is our presence with God and God’s presence with

us.
Different ways people pray:
Brainstorm the different ways people can pray. (Aim for at least
5 ways.)

Make a class list.

Do you think that many people today still pray?

Why do Christians Pray?
 To develop their relationship with God
 To become more aware of and connected to our world
and its people

Your ideas …………..

Discovering the “paw-mark” of God
In the Congo in Central Africa there is a proverb:

If you know how to scan the ground

You will discover the mark of God;
If you know how to see your brothers and sisters
You will see the face of God everywhere.

What does the proverb suggest that a person needs to do to

get in touch with God?
Poem:
All the earth is holy ground
and every common bush afire with God.
Only those who take off their shoes
The rest sit around and pluck berries.
(Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

What is the poet trying to convey?

Touching God: Personal Reflection
 Have you ever had some kind of experience that made you think deeply about life or
when you felt ‘fully alive”?
 It might have been in nature, poetry, art, music
 It might have been through something exciting, adventurous or dangerous such as
flying, surfing, mountain climbing …..
 It might have been through an accident, an illness, a death or a terrible disappointment.
For many people God is discovered in events, things, people and life “moments”.

Spend a few minutes describing in words or pictures a time when you felt “fully alive”.

Discussion: Do you think many people have “a religious experience” in life?

Praying with the Taize
Community in France

Images of Taize
http://www.last.fm/music/Taiz%C3%A9/+images/83424867

YouTube clip:
http://youtu.be/iVK0839t3tA
Experiencing Taize Prayer
The prayer is a chant where the same words are sung over and over.

Sit up straight on your chair and gently close your eyes. Be aware of you breathe
moving in and out of your body. You may want to think of the words “We adore you
Lord”.

Taize Chant: Adoramus te Domine (We adore you Lord)

http://www.last.fm/music/Taiz%C3%A9/+videos/+1-R1UOt3kMkF4
Christian Meditation
Br Laurence Freeman, a Benedictine Monk and Director of World Community for
Christian Meditation

http://youtu.be/67gWpBAgK0U

Why would people meditate?

What might be the benefits of meditation?
Prayer of Petition or Intercession
ACTIVITY: In groups of 3 create a prayer of petition/intercession
that reflects a current world or local concern.
Use the Internet News or your own ideas.

Some ideas: human greed, racism, refugees, victims of natural

disasters, the elderly, environmental disasters or problems….

Use the You-Who-Do-Through Structure (on the next slide)

You
(A description of God to whom the group is praying)
What kind of God is needed to solve Compassionate God,
This problem and/or give the people strength

Who
(A confirmation of the relationship between God and
humankind) you know that our hearts are heavy.
What have these selfish actions/problems
caused God to think of humankind?
Do Give us strength to face the future and wisdom to
(What God is asked to do) know how to act.
What do we need to overcome the problem?

Through We pray in the name of Jesus our loving saviour.

(The prayer is made through Jesus Christ or the Holy Amen.
Spirit)
Prayer of Petition for people of Dadaab
Refugee Camp
An estimated 9 million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in
March 2011, taking refuge in neighbouring countries or within Syria itself. According
to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 3 million have
fled to Syria's immediate neighbours Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. 6.5 million are
internally displaced within Syria. Meanwhile, under 150,000 Syrians have declared
asylum in the European Union, while member states have pledged to resettle a
further 33,000 Syrians. The vast majority of these resettlement spots – 28,500 or 85%
– are pledged by Germany.
From: “Syrian Refugees” http://syrianrefugees.eu/
Syrian Refugees
Prayer of Petition
YOU: Generous, ever-giving God,
WHO: you suffer with the people of Syria who are forced to leave their
homes because of violence and war.
DO: Open our hearts to be more aware of our brothers and sisters in need
of a home and safety. May we be mindful of welcoming others and be
grateful for all that we have.
THROUGH: We ask this prayer through Jesus who has shared our human
life with us.
AMEN