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Slide Notes
Presider: Welcome. We are gathered for this service because we are seeking God’s love and mercy. We will be reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus who climbed a tree to see Jesus when he passed by. It took courage and faith for Zacchaeus to seek out Jesus and to respond to Jesus’ call to love. In courage and faith we too bring our prayers to our loving God.
Opening Song
“Sacred Silence” by Tom Booth and Jenny Pixler (spiritandsong.com)
Opening Song
“Sacred Silence” by Tom Booth and Jenny Pixler (spiritandsong.com)
Confirmation retreat.Rec service
Published on Apr 16, 2020
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Reconciliation
Gift of forgiveness
Presider: Welcome. We are gathered for this service because we are seeking God’s love and mercy. We will be reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus who climbed a tree to see Jesus when he passed by. It took courage and faith for Zacchaeus to seek out Jesus and to respond to Jesus’ call to love. In courage and faith we too bring our prayers to our loving God.
Opening Song
“Sacred Silence” by Tom Booth and Jenny Pixler (spiritandsong.com)
Opening Song
“Sacred Silence” by Tom Booth and Jenny Pixler (spiritandsong.com)
Photo by listentothemountains
Sacred silence, holy ocean, gentle water, washing over me: help me listen, Holy Spirit. Come and speak to me.
Photo by Kuyan Redman
God my Father, Christ my brother, Holy Spirit, sanctifying me; Lord, I’m sorry, please forgive me. Come and set me free.
Photo by Tim Marshall
Holy Mary, gentle mother, God’s pure vessel, praying for me; saints and angels, all in heaven, come and be with me.
Photo by Lawrence OP
Sacred silence, holy ocean, gentle water, washing over me: help me listen, Holy Spirit. Come and speak to me.
Photo by Sprengben
Untitled Slide
Opening Prayer
Presider: Lord our God, you are patient with sinners and accept our desire to make amends.
We acknowledge our sins and are resolved to change our lives. Help us to celebrate this sacrament of your mercy so that we may reform our lives and receive from you the gift of everlasting joy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Wisdom 11, 22-12, 1
A Reading from the Book of Wisdom:
Indeed, before you the whole universe is like a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for you would not fashion what you hate. How could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Ruler and Lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things.
The Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Presider: Lord our God, you are patient with sinners and accept our desire to make amends.
We acknowledge our sins and are resolved to change our lives. Help us to celebrate this sacrament of your mercy so that we may reform our lives and receive from you the gift of everlasting joy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Wisdom 11, 22-12, 1
A Reading from the Book of Wisdom:
Indeed, before you the whole universe is like a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for you would not fashion what you hate. How could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Ruler and Lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things.
The Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Photo by Andrew Seaman
Please respond: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven
Responsorial: Psalm 32, 1-2. 5. 11
Please respond: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is the one whose fault is removed, whose sin is forgiven. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Then I declared my sin to you; my guilt I did not hide. I said, “I confess my transgression to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; exult, all you upright of heart. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Please respond: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is the one whose fault is removed, whose sin is forgiven. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Then I declared my sin to you; my guilt I did not hide. I said, “I confess my transgression to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; exult, all you upright of heart. Response: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven.
Photo by Luca Upper
Untitled Slide
Gospel: Choral Reading of Luke 19:1-10
Presider A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
All Glory to You, Lord.
Narrator Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him,
Jesus “Zacchaeus hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”
Narrator So Zacchaeus hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said,
Crowd (3 to 4 voices) “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”
Narrator Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
Zacchaeus “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”
Narrator Then Jesus said to him,
Jesus “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
Presider The Gospel of the Lord
All Praise to You, Lord
Jesus Christ.
Watch Zacchaeus video
Presider A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
All Glory to You, Lord.
Narrator Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him,
Jesus “Zacchaeus hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”
Narrator So Zacchaeus hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said,
Crowd (3 to 4 voices) “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”
Narrator Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
Zacchaeus “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”
Narrator Then Jesus said to him,
Jesus “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
Presider The Gospel of the Lord
All Praise to You, Lord
Jesus Christ.
Watch Zacchaeus video
Photo by Martin LaBar
Reflection
• God’s love for us is so great that God sees us capable of change and able to grow in love. The crowd was self-righteous, meaning that they thought their relationship to God and their choices gave them power and the right to feel that they were better than others. The crowd saw Zacchaeus only as a sinner. Jesus knew better: Jesus saw Zacchaeus as capable of changing, growing and loving. Jesus sees all of us that way too.
• Like Zacchaeus we need to take courageous steps to see Jesus and to see ourselves more clearly. To learn and grow, to be faithful, healthy and happy we need to take the time to reflect on the hurts we cause and the ways that we can love more completely.
• When Zacchaeus was cheating others as he collected the taxes, his actions affected many people: families that became poor and hungry, people who became discouraged. His actions affected the community. When he changed and responded to Jesus’ invitation to love, his actions had a loving, positive effect. Fairness was restored. People were probably inspired by his acts. We can only imagine others in his position who might have had a change of heart because of Zacchaeus’ witness to God’s love. Our actions affect many people: we can choose to hurt or to love.
• Zacchaeus experienced forgiveness and he made things right – he fixed what he had broken and repaid those whom he had cheated. Like Zacchaeus we are called to share our love and repair the damage that is caused by our actions. We are also called to forgive others in the same way that we have been forgiven.
• Like Zacchaeus we need to take courageous steps to see Jesus and to see ourselves more clearly. To learn and grow, to be faithful, healthy and happy we need to take the time to reflect on the hurts we cause and the ways that we can love more completely.
• When Zacchaeus was cheating others as he collected the taxes, his actions affected many people: families that became poor and hungry, people who became discouraged. His actions affected the community. When he changed and responded to Jesus’ invitation to love, his actions had a loving, positive effect. Fairness was restored. People were probably inspired by his acts. We can only imagine others in his position who might have had a change of heart because of Zacchaeus’ witness to God’s love. Our actions affect many people: we can choose to hurt or to love.
• Zacchaeus experienced forgiveness and he made things right – he fixed what he had broken and repaid those whom he had cheated. Like Zacchaeus we are called to share our love and repair the damage that is caused by our actions. We are also called to forgive others in the same way that we have been forgiven.
Photo by Jessica Sysengrath
Examination of Conscience
Lector/Presider: In response to the care and challenge we have heard today in the Gospel story, we take a moment to reflect on God’s call to love and our actions. This is called an Examination of Conscience. It means that we look back at what we have done by reflecting on questions that guide us in recalling both God’s love and our choices. I invite you to follow along with the questions on your Worship Aid.
Reader 1: Loving God, Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see you pass by. We, too, seek you. Like Zacchaeus, we need to change and grow and learn to love. Sometimes we build a wall that separates us from you and others in our community. Guide us as we reflect on those times when we have not followed your love.
[pause]
Reader 1: Loving God, Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see you pass by. We, too, seek you. Like Zacchaeus, we need to change and grow and learn to love. Sometimes we build a wall that separates us from you and others in our community. Guide us as we reflect on those times when we have not followed your love.
[pause]
Photo by antonychammond
Have I been selfish?
Reader 2: Have I been selfish? Have I ignored people around me and only cared about myself? Have I chosen what I wanted even if it hurt others?
Photo by Jagz Mario
Have I been dishonest?
Have I been dishonest? Have I been untruthful with myself or others? Have I lied to anyone on purpose? Have I taken something that wasn’t rightfully mine?
Photo by Taras Chernus
Have I been greedy?
Have I been greedy? Have I been unwilling to share what I have with other people, especially those in need – such as my time, my money, my love? Have I only wanted more for me?
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Have I been disrespectful?
Have I been disrespectful? Have I been disrespectful to others – to my family, friends, people in authority, people who are different than me?
Photo by marsupium photography
Have I been uncaring?
Have I been uncaring? Have I been too busy to care when people needed me – when they needed someone to listen to them, care about them, share with them? Have I been insensitive to the people around me?
Photo by Alan Stanton
Have I been jealous?
Have I been jealous? Have I been jealous of other people or their possessions and not appreciated the gifts I have in my own life?
Photo by Kikishua
Have I been hurtful?
Have I been hurtful? Have I put people down and made fun of others just to feel better about myself? Have I hurt others physically or through violence in my words?
Photo by Chapendra
Have I been untrustworthy?
Have I been untrustworthy? Have I broken trust with anyone and not done what I said I would? Have I shared something that was told to me in confidence?
Photo by Matthew Almon Roth
Have I been unforgiving?
Have I been unforgiving? Have I really forgiven those who have hurt me or do I still hold a grudge against them? Have I prevented reconciliation with others?
Photo by bobosh_t
Untitled Slide
Loving God, your mercy and love guides us to your peace. You have called us, and your law of love is written on our hearts. Strengthen us as we continue to pray.
Photo by REM Photo
My God, I am sorry for my sins
With all my heart, and I detest them.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you,
Whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
To do penance, to sin no more,
And to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.
Untitled Slide
The Lord is merciful. He makes us clean of heart and leads us out into his freedom when we acknowledge our guilt. Let us ask him to forgive us and bind up the wounds inflicted by our sins.
Photo by Zoran Kokanovic
Response: Guide us to your love, O God
Reader Our response today is: Guide us to your love, O God.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader Your mercy is our hope: welcome us to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader Give us the will to change our lives, and the lives of others, by charity, good example and prayer.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation may we grow in your peace and seek to spread it throughout the world.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader In this sign of your love you forgive us our sins: may it teach us to love others and to forgive their sins against us.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader When we stray from you, guide us back into the way of holiness, love and peace.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader Your mercy is our hope: welcome us to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader Give us the will to change our lives, and the lives of others, by charity, good example and prayer.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation may we grow in your peace and seek to spread it throughout the world.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader In this sign of your love you forgive us our sins: may it teach us to love others and to forgive their sins against us.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Reader When we stray from you, guide us back into the way of holiness, love and peace.
All Guide us to your love, O God.
Photo by Bart LaRue
Reflection
- Review the examination of conscience & quietly reflect
- Write down your sins - the times when you have chosen to do wrong
While we cannot celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Catechism teaches us that at those times we cannot make it to the Sacrament of Confession, we can sincerely pray an act of contrition and as long as we sincerely plan on going to confession as soon as it is possible, our venial sins are forgiven
Photo by Alesa Dam
You are invited to now rip up your "sins"
Photo by Andre Manik
Let us pray
All-holy Father,
you have shown us your mercy
and made us a new creation
in the likeness of your Son.
Make us living signs of your love
for the whole world to see.
We ask this through Jesus our Lord.
All Amen.
Presider May the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come upon you and remain with you for ever.
All Amen.
Presider The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in Peace.
All Thanks be to God.
you have shown us your mercy
and made us a new creation
in the likeness of your Son.
Make us living signs of your love
for the whole world to see.
We ask this through Jesus our Lord.
All Amen.
Presider May the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come upon you and remain with you for ever.
All Amen.
Presider The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in Peace.
All Thanks be to God.
Photo by Amaury Gutierrez
Great is your faithfulness, O God; you wrestle with the sinner’s restless heart.
You lead us by still waters into mercy, and nothing can keep us apart.
Photo by Steve @ the alligator farm
So remember your people, remember your children, remember your promise, O God. Your grace is enough, your grace is enough, your grace is enough for me.
Photo by Nitish Meena
Great is your love and justice, God of Jacob; you use the weak to lead the strong. You lead us in the song of your salvation, and all your people sing along.
Photo by Jo Jo
So remember your people, remember your children, remember your promise, O God. Your grace is enough, your grace is enough, your grace is enough for me.
Photo by Kirill Pershin
Your grace is enough, your grace is enough, your grace is enough for me.
Photo by john curley
Small groups
- How did it feel to write down your sins?
- How did it feel to rip up the paper?
- When was the last time you went to confession (be honest!)?
- Why do you think people have a hard time going?
- Why is it important to confess your sins to a priest?
I am thankful for...
Prayer Leader:
Good and gracious God, we come together towards the end of our retreat to give you thanks for the gifts that you have showered upon us. We are your servants, your chosen, the ones you have called by name. We pray that you will send your Spirit to us so that we might continue to walk forward in faith to proclaim your goodness to the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.
We are all part of the Body of Christ. We share in the same Spirit. Earlier, we reflected on gifts that we are in need of. Now, as we close our time together, we will share a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts we have received. If you feel comfortable doing so, share with the rest of the group a gift for which you are thankful. For example, you might say “I am thankful for the gift of having loyal friends.”
Good and gracious God, we come together towards the end of our retreat to give you thanks for the gifts that you have showered upon us. We are your servants, your chosen, the ones you have called by name. We pray that you will send your Spirit to us so that we might continue to walk forward in faith to proclaim your goodness to the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.
We are all part of the Body of Christ. We share in the same Spirit. Earlier, we reflected on gifts that we are in need of. Now, as we close our time together, we will share a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts we have received. If you feel comfortable doing so, share with the rest of the group a gift for which you are thankful. For example, you might say “I am thankful for the gift of having loyal friends.”
Photo by Pete Pedroza
Untitled Slide
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
A Reading from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
A Reading from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Photo by &y
Affirmation circles
- Share with each small group member the gifts you see in them
- Include your leaders!
Photo by caruba
Letters from parents
- Read letter(s)
- Write return letter to parents
- Zoom open 30+ minutes
Photo by Álvaro Serrano
We pray...
Prayer Leader:
Gracious God, we stand in your presence, ready to go out into the world to proclaim the Good News. Send us your Spirit, that we may be strengthened in body, mind, and soul to be living witnesses of your love to all those we meet. We offer this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Gracious God, we stand in your presence, ready to go out into the world to proclaim the Good News. Send us your Spirit, that we may be strengthened in body, mind, and soul to be living witnesses of your love to all those we meet. We offer this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi
