BEADS OF MERCY The objective of this session is to expose participants to the Divine Mercy Chaplet and give them an opportunity to have a prayer experience that makes Divine Mercy relevant to their lives. Review the entire lesson plan in advance so you are prepared to lead and discuss comfortably. Adjust the suggested time allotments as necessary. Time Section Session 10 minutes CONNECT Open your time with prayer and a conversation about evil acts. 65 minutes DISCUSS Read Matthew 21:18-35, learn about St. Faustina, and learn to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together. 10 minutes COMMIT Participants reflect on how they can show mercy to others and commit to praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet one time on their own in the next week. Bibles A Catechism of the Catholic Church A copy of The Divine Mercy or a crucifix if available Printed handouts explaining how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Rosaries for the participants (if they don t already have them) Participant Sheets Pens or pencils Snacks (optional) 1
Prepare a prayerful environment. Consider covering a table with a tablecloth and setting up the Divine Mercy image or crucifix, a candle, a Bible, and a Rosary. Send a quick message to participants in advance, asking them to bring Rosaries if they have them. Ask them to message you back if they need one. Go to your local Bible bookstore for pamphlets on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or search online and print out explanations of how to pray the chaplet. We found these two: o ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm o thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/praythechaplet.php Discipleship is about more than discussing the Faith and participating in a small group. Discipleship requires learning from the example of a rabbi in this case, the participants learn from your daily example. It is healthy for your group to do regular, everyday activities together because they will learn from your example and the example of their peers. As they grow in fellowship and deeper friendship through these activities, they will grow as disciples. Welcome everyone and invite discussion about how the week has been. Allow everyone to share a high and low point of the week. Acknowledge all responses. It s important that each person feels heard. 2
SAY: Let s open in prayer and ask God to be with us and guide our conversations. Merciful Father, we thank You for all of our experiences this past week. We praise You for all the ways You have blessed us. We thank You for this opportunity to grow in fellowship with one another and with You. Help us to seek You in our conversations and to truly feel and understand Your great mercy for us. We pray all this through Jesus Christ our Lord, and ask that His Mother intercede for us as we pray, Hail Mary The world has seen a lot of truly evil acts. Many have been committed in our country in your lifetime. What are some evil acts you remember that shocked the nation and were all over the news? Allow participants to share and elaborate on their memories for about 5 minutes. They may bring up events such as the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Boston Marathon Bombing, or something that happened in your area. Encourage conversation with questions about where they were when they heard the news and what they remember. Why do you think a person would commit such violent or evil acts? Do you think everyone has the ability to carry out evil acts like these, or is it some type of disorder or sickness? Allow time for several responses to each question. Let s look in the Catechism of the Catholic Church for an answer. Ask someone to read paragraph 387 from the Catechism: Without the knowledge Revelation gives of God we cannot recognize sin clearly and are tempted to explain it as merely a developmental flaw, a psychological weakness, a mistake, or the necessary consequence of an inadequate social structure, etc. Only in the knowledge of God s plan for man can we grasp that sin is an abuse of the freedom that God gives to created persons so that they are capable of loving him and loving one another. CCC 387 If sin is an abuse of free will, does that change what you thought about man s capacity for evil? Allow time for responses. 3
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Ephesians 2:4-5 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 DISCUSS SAY: Jesus was born into the world to save it, and ordinary people committed the most horrible crime of all time when they killed Jesus. So often we think that only bad people can commit horrible acts of evil, but even the small sins we commit caused Jesus to be crucified. Jesus was crucified for OUR sins. In light of this reality, how would you define mercy? Allow time for responses. Listen to these words of Jesus to St. Faustina: In the Old Covenant I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to My people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart. And here s more: While there is still time, let them have recourse to the fount of My mercy; let them profit from the Blood and Water which gushed forth for them. Before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the doors of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the doors of My mercy must pass through the doors of My justice... 4
Make sure everyone has a Bible. Ask for a volunteer to read aloud the parable of the talents, Matthew 18:23-35: Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, Pay what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, Have patience with me, and I will pay you. He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. Based on this parable, how does Jesus define mercy? Allow several responses. The Catechism defines mercy as the loving kindness, compassion, or forbearance shown to one who offends. What does this definition say about mercy? Allow several responses. In 1935, St. Faustina had a vision in which she was taught to pray the prayers in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The prayers are said using the Rosary to keep place. Saint Faustina had many visions in which Jesus encouraged her to pray for God s mercy for the world on behalf of His Passion and death offered for the sins of man. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is especially appropriate to use after having received Holy Communion at Holy Mass. It may be said at any time, but our Lord specifically told St. Faustina to recite it during the nine days before Divine Mercy Sunday (the first Sunday after Easter). He then added: By this Chaplet, I will grant every possible grace to souls. 5
It is likewise appropriate to pray the Chaplet during the Hour of Great Mercy three o clock each afternoon (recalling the time of Christ s death on the cross). In His revelations to St. Faustina, our Lord asked for a special remembrance of His Passion at that hour. Hand out the instructions on how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. SAY: Jesus says in Matthew 5:7, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Like the servant who was forgiven his debt, so must we show mercy to those who offend us, because God first showed us the greatest mercy by forgiving us, who offended Him, and by dying for us. Jesus told St. Faustina that by praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy we can merit many graces and blessings for ourselves and for whom we pray. This is from St. Faustina s diary, the words of Jesus: Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Savior. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed using a Rosary. It is quicker than praying a Rosary, though, and has very simple prayers. This handout will help you catch on quickly. Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together. 6
SAY: On May 13, 1981, St. Pope John Paul II was in a vehicle riding through crowds of people gathered in St. Peter s Square in Rome to see him. A man drew a pistol and fired several shots at the Pope, critically wounding him. He was rushed to the hospital and barely survived. The attacker was sentenced to life in prison. Turn to a partner and talk about these questions: How would you have felt toward that man, if you were the Pope? How do you react or respond when someone offends you or wrongs you in some way? When someone hurts us, it s not easy to respond in a loving and forgiving way. Yet we are given an example of just that in this story: St. Pope John Paul II later asked people, Pray for my brother whom I have sincerely forgiven. In 1983, the Pope met with his attacker in jail and forgave him personally. Pope John Paul II s response shocked many, but it also was a living example of what Christ has asked of us how He wants us to extend mercy to others. Take a few minutes and write your responses to these questions on your Participant Sheet: What does your response to someone who hurts or offends you say to others particularly people who aren t Christian? How can you show the mercy of God to those who offend you? When you extend mercy to others, how do you think it will affect you personally? When everyone is finished writing, review the Tips for the Week ideas on the handouts together. Challenge participants to use these ideas to live out what they learned this week. 7
PRAY: Merciful Father, thank You for coming to earth and dying on a cross for us. Help us realize the magnitude of what You have done for us. We deserved death, but You sent Your Son to bear our sins and die in our place. Help us to show the same mercy and compassion to all our neighbors that You have shown to us. For the sake of Your sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. OR At the end of the meeting, ask one of the participants to close the evening in prayer. 8
BEADS OF MERCY PARTICIPANT SHEET For more details on how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, check out your local Bible bookstore, or search online. Here are two options: ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/praythechaplet.php But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Ephesians 2:4-5 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 As you are cleaning up, answer the following questions in your discipleship group: What does your response to someone who hurts or offends you say to others particularly people who aren t Christian? How can you show the mercy of God to those who offend you? Copyright 2013/2016 Augustine Institute. 1
When you extend mercy to others, how do you think it will affect you personally? Use a Rosary to help you pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily. Remember that 3:00 pm is traditionally a time to remember Jesus passion and death; try to pray the Chaplet in the late afternoon (maybe after school) or early evening (before dinner). As you pray, think about people you should extend mercy to, and commit to putting mercy into action in the upcoming month. During the week, look for some tangible ways that you can extend mercy to others. Here are a few suggestions: Journal Mercy: Sometimes we can hold a grudge for a long time and lose contact with a person that we should extend mercy to. If you know someone you need to show mercy to but have no way of doing that in person or even over the phone, use a journal to write out what you would say to that person. Then pray for the individual that they may come to know and understand the grace found in God s mercy, too. Prison Ministry: Those who are confined to prison cells often don t get a chance to experience mercy. Look into local prison ministries and see if there s a person you can write to and encourage in prayer. Most prisons won t allow teens to participate in prison ministry, but even if you re not an adult you can share God s mercy to those who are incarcerated. Write to teens serving time in a juvenile detention center and share with them about God s love and forgiveness. You may want to send your letter with an inexpensive devotional book or New Testament. Start at Home: Sometimes the hardest place to extend mercy is at home. The next time you and one of your siblings have a disagreement, practice extending mercy to the other person. Likewise, you can show mercy to your parents when they need it. Your reaction of forgiveness and mercy will speak volumes to how Christ s grace has impacted your life. Copyright 2013/2016 Augustine Institute. 2
BEADS OF MERCY PARENT SHEET Every YDisciple session has three parts: CONNECT, DISCUSS, and COMMIT. The CONNECT section is designed to build trust, transparency, and community in the group. The DISCUSS section introduces topics of the faith, engages critical thinking, and facilitates valuable conversation. And the COMMIT section helps students take ownership of their faith and put it into practice. Use this Parent Sheet to take a glimpse at our most recent session so you can have a follow-up conversation with your teenager about his/her experience in the small group and encourage spiritual growth. The objective of this session was to expose your teen to the Divine Mercy Chaplet and give them an opportunity to have a prayer experience that makes Divine Mercy relevant to their lives. In this session we grappled with one of the most scandalous qualities of God His mercy. We also learned about the Chaplet of Divine Mercy that Jesus encouraged St. Faustina and the whole world to pray. We all need the mercy of God because we have all sinned against God and caused Him to be crucified. Because of God s great mercy in dying for us, we should show mercy to those who offend us. Teens learned about St. Faustina, who had visions of Jesus encouraging her to pray for mercy for herself and for all those in the world who have offended God, on behalf of Jesus passion and death. Using a Rosary, teens then learned how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy a powerful prayer through which Jesus dispenses great graces to us. Here are some conversation starters for this week. Remember to share your perspectives as well. Share about a time you extended mercy to someone was it easy or difficult? How did your gesture change your relationship with that person? How did it affect you personally? Why is it important to show mercy to others? Why do we all need the mercy of God? 1
Teens were challenged to seek tangible ways to extend mercy to others throughout the week. Here are the suggestions we shared: Journal Mercy: Sometimes we can hold a grudge for a long time and lose contact with a person that we should extend mercy to. If you know someone you need to show mercy to but have no way of doing that in person or even over the phone, use a journal to write out what you would say to that person. Then pray for the individual that they may come to know and understand the grace found in God s mercy, too. Prison Ministry: Those who are confined to prison cells often don t get a chance to experience mercy. Most prisons won t allow teens to participate in prison ministry, but even if you re not an adult you can share God s mercy to those who are incarcerated. Write to teens serving time in a juvenile detention center and share with them about God s love and forgiveness. You may want to send your letter with an inexpensive devotional book or New Testament. Start at Home: Sometimes the hardest place to extend mercy is at home. The next time you and one of your siblings have a disagreement, practice extending mercy to the other person. Likewise, you can show mercy to your parents when they need it. Your reaction of forgiveness and mercy will speak volumes to how Christ s grace has impacted your life. Jesus invites sinners to the table of the kingdom: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. He invites them to that conversion without which one cannot enter the kingdom, but shows them in word and deed his Father s boundless mercy for them and the vast joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The supreme proof of his love will be the sacrifice of his own life for the forgiveness of sins. CCC 545 Witness to the power of mercy this week. Be intentional about asking for mercy or showing mercy in front of your teen. Use the word mercy in conversation and try to remember to pray for mercy, wherever you are, at 3pm by saying For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. 2