Staff Spirituality Day 2019

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Bronte

Engage in both audio and reflective faith formation activities that amplify our understanding of our Catholic faith

Station One 

Most of us have experienced our baptism as infants. We have no memory of it ourselves and can only ask our parents to recount the experience for us. Nevertheless, imagine if you were there at your own baptism.

• What would you have seen and heard?

• Who do you think would have been there?

• What kinds of expressions would they have on their faces?

• What do you think they were feeling or thinking at that moment?

Now consider the Baptism of Jesus in relation to your own baptism. In baptism, we become like Christ, God's sons and daughters. Picture the priest pouring water over your infant head or dunking you in the baptismal font. Then at that moment, look up and imagine these words being proclaimed in silence, "This is my beloved (son/daughter) with whom I am well pleased."

Now, imagine these words being said to you, today, right now. God speaks directly and privately to you: "You are my beloved child with whom I am well pleased."

(Move to the edge of the water so that your feet are immersed - or to where you are comfortable with water touching your feet)

Consider reciting your baptismal promises that was recited at your baptism and at every other baptism you have been at or have been privileged to be a Godparent

Baptismal Promises

This is our faith. 

This is the faith of the Church. 

We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

What is your Baptismal Date ?

How could you celebrate your initiation into the Church of God on the anniversary of your baptism?

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This concludes Station One. Proceed to Station Two.

Station Two

Before this encounter at the house of Martha, St Luke describes Jesus teaching through story. He has just told the story of the Good Samaritan, a story in which religious and educated did not respond to the person in need. It was a foreigner, an outsider from Samaria who was filled with compassion, responded in the manner in which Jesus was endeavouring to form disciples.

In both scripture passages - Jesus calls us to mission, discipleship, prayer and service.

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Discipleship - The How ?

Jesus loved his disciples - 

How do we show love to the students at GSCC ?

Jesus knew them personally -      

How do we know our learners at GSCC ?

Jesus taught them -      

How do we differentiate to bring meaning ?

Jesus was the example-       

How do we model our College’s mission statement ?

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- By being a leader for them and commissioning them to do the same 

- By holding them accountable. 

- By apprenticing them.

- By challenging them. 

- By forgiving them. 

- By training them.

REMEMBER

Disciples are called….

Disciples will follow …..

Disciples are taught……

Disciples carry crosses…..

Disciples respond to Jesus' call …….

Disciples spend time with Jesus in prayer…….

Disciples love and serve God (and others).........

We are called in our professional teaching lives to true discipleship. Listen now to the College song and how the song reflects this Catholic universal mission

This concludes Station Two. Proceed to Station Three.

Station Three 

Three trees on a wooded hill were discussing their hopes and dreams. The first tree said, “Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. People could fill me with gold, silver and precious gems. They could decorate me with intricate carvings and everyone would see its beauty.”

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The second tree said, “Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the seas and sail to unknown places. Everyone will feel safe because of the strength of my hull.”

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Finally, the third tree said, “I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of a hill, look up to my branches and think of the heavens and God. They will remember me as the greatest tree of all time.”

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After years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One came to the first tree and said, “This looks like a strong tree. I can sell the wood to a carpenter.” After being cut down, the tree was happy because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

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At the second tree a woodsman said, “This looks like a strong tree. I can sell it to the shipyard.” The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

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When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down, his dreams would not come true. A woodsman said, “I don't need anything special from this tree so I’ll just take it back with me.”

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When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, they made it into a feed box for animals. It was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. They cut the second tree and made a small fishing boat. They cut the third tree into large pieces and left it alone in the dark.

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The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the feed box made from the first tree. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

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Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One man went to sleep. A great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man. He stood and said “Be calm” and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

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Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. Later, they nailed the man to the tree and raised him up to die at the top of a hill. On the third day, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible. Jesus had been crucified on it.

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When things are not going our way, know that God has a plan for us. God will do almost anything for us. Jesus reminded us through his teachings and his stories about how much God loves us. Place your trust in God and God will always give you what is best for you.

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We join in solidarity when we are at mass to recite the creed. Below is an opportunity to prepare ourselves as disciples to recite the Apostles creed recognising that we are a community of believers. 

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Quietly recite the apostles creed

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Apostles Creed

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

he descended into hell;

on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting. Amen.

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This concludes Station Three. Proceed to the Reflection section below.

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Look carefully at the 3D printing of the keyring you have been given.

What do you notice?

What symbolism do you think the fish represents?

What are the letters inscribed on the image of the fish?
 

Symbolism of the Fish - Will you make the symbol whole ?

(Staff to receive keyring symbol from Marissa Watson at Bronte)

As Catholics in the beginning we are baptised into God’s family and as we die we are committed back to the earth in the knowledge of being risen with Christ on the last day

The fish, originates from the Greek word for fish, “ichthys/ichthus.” This word is further defined in the acrostic IXNYy (with the N flipped) that translates to:

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I – Iota or Iesous (which means Jesus)

X – Chi or Christos (which means Christ)

N – Theta or Theou (which means God)

Y – Upsilon or Yidos/Huios (which means Son)

Y – Sigma or Soter (which means Savior).

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Basically, the fish represents the phrase of “Jesus Christ God’s Son is Savior.” 

During the times of persecution by the Romans in the first centuries, the fish symbol was used among Christians in hiding to display meeting places for everyone to meet and worship. They could be spotted on trees or doorways or even tombs

One story passed down about the fish symbol states that the fish was used as a way of communicating whether someone was a Christian or whether he/she was someone looking to persecute Christians. When two people encountered each other, the Christian would draw the first half of the fish in the sand. If the other person drew the remaining half of the fish, correctly, then the Christian knew he/she was with a fellow Christian. If it was drawn and the other person didn’t finish the fish, it would look as though an innocent person was just drawing in the sand.

Finally, references in the Bible to fish, such as Jesus feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish (Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:34-44; Luke 9:11-17; John 6:5-13). There is also Jesus calling His disciples to be “fishers of men,” where Jesus called these men to present the Great Commission to others so they know Jesus is their Savior (Matt. 4:19). The kingdom of heaven is described as a “dragnet” to gather those of all kind to the kingdom, conveying the example of fishing as well (Matt. 13:47). 

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Who could also forget that Jesus, after His resurrection from the grave, cooked fish for His disciples and proved He was their Lord and freed from the grave (John 21:9-14).

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What all of these scripture verses relay is the notion that fish represents a meaningful element of the Bible, where it was not only used to bring fellowship and the love of Jesus to all but also present God’s kingdom in a visual, powerful way to believers. The verses encompass the belief that when we display the love and grace of Jesus to others (like a net), we will draw lost people to us who need to know that Jesus loves them.