74. The Soul
We’re back! It’s Term 4 - the ‘home stretch.’ Hopefully you’ve had a fulfilling and restful holiday with friends and family. As you start the last term of this year, we hope that you can already see the fruits of your work with your students.
In this edition of ‘The Soul’, we will be discussing our identity in Jesus, and discovering who God is calling us to be.
In Moana, an animated movie from 2016, a daring teenager sets out on a quest to save her people. Along the way she finds the one thing she is looking for, her own identity. How many of us can liken this to our own lives?
I have crossed the horizon to find you
I know your name
They have stolen the heart from inside you
But this does not define you
This is not who you are
You know who you are
Moana, 2016
There is no doubt about it, we live in a fast-paced world. Often we barely have time to take a breath between completing one task and beginning another. Our identity is often wrapped up in what we do, not who or whose we are. While what we do has a place in our lives it should not define us. Think about it for a moment. If we meet someone new, one of the first questions we might ask is, “What do you do?”
The world expects us to be noted by what we do, not by who we are. What if we looked at things from a different perspective? What if we asked a different question? Perhaps asking as many Indigenous Australians do, where are you from? Or what are you passionate about? Do these not reveal more about you as a person than what do you do?
Terry Hershey, an American author and minister says, ‘Life isn’t a contest but an invitation: to pause, to pay attention, to be astonished, and to share. Who knows? You just may find a new You. Or, you might rediscover the You who has been buried under the clutter and press of the hectic - the one who is more aware, present, energised, real, and authentic. One who is fully alive.’
Is this not who God created us to be? An aware, present, energised, real, authentic and fully alive person who reflects God’s goodness and beauty.
Bishop Barron put it this way, ‘There is a cacophony of voices calling out to you; there are a thousand influences pulling you this way and that. What’s the one necessary thing? It is to listen to the voice of Jesus as he tells you of his love and as he tells you who you are.’
We invite you this week to pause, take a breath and think about who you really are.
- Beautiful (Hulvey) - May we come to know how good God really is.
- One Heart At A Time (Matt Maher) - In our conversations this week, give us the courage to be bold and talk about God with one another, sharing stories of encounter and praise.
- You Know My Name (Tasha Cobbs) - Heavenly Father, as we reflect on this week’s theme, help us see ourselves the way You see us.
- Know (Jeremy Riddle) - “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.
Where is your burning spirit to make a difference as an educator? Have you always had it? Have you misplaced it? Or have you temporarily allowed others to hold the torch?
Has the excitement and newness faded? Are you feeling the pull of the fast paced society in which we live?
As you start Term 4, consider what you can do this term to reignite your passion as an educator.
When you lose your burning spirit to be an educator, it is easy to become pessimistic and see everything through a negative lens. Consider if this may have happened to you. If so, make an effort to reframe your thoughts. Reframing is a great way to reduce your negative thoughts and see things from a healthier mindset.
Make this term one to remember for your students. Spark their interest in a new topic and help guide them in developing the important skill of learning and experiencing success.
It is important to remember that while you think you are teaching a subject, what you are really doing is sharing yourself and your contagious passion for that particular subject and your students.
Find your fire, your passion or spark this term.
Just like every individual, every family has an identity too. And family identity is a powerful factor. Research shows that children from families with a strong and positive identity experience stronger feelings of acceptance, belonging, and wellbeing. But in this fractured world, families need as much support and encouragement as our schools and churches can provide. We can help them respond to God’s call to create a family identity based on selfless love and the Christian values of patience, generosity, empathy and service.
These two simple family engagement activities can be incorporated into units of work to encourage families to consider their family identity and values:
Family Crest: Ask students to take home a simple outline of a crest and with their family create a family crest that communicates their beliefs and values.
Family History: Assign older students a task to interview a family member about an aspect of their family history that has shaped their beliefs and values.
You may also like to share this prayer resource with your students’ families.
- Fr Rob Galea Ignite Interview: Fr Rob shares four simple ways students can stay close to the light. Don’t miss a great opportunity to unpack this short interview with your students.
- Why God Loves You: God wants our brokenness. He wants everything that makes us imperfect in the eyes of the world. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz offers a relieving truth about God's paradoxical love for us, how He loves us, not in spite of our weaknesses, but because of them.
- Knowing Who(se) You Are: Cassie from ‘Life Teen’ explores how we’ll never truly discover who we are if we just look within ourselves. By asking, “Who am I?”, we’re almost asking the wrong question. Turn the questions into “Whose am I?”
- Power in the Bible: Modern Catholics are encouraged to forgo the pursuit of power and serve. As with the example of Jesus in the New Testament, humility is key (Luke 14:11). Because power in the Bible is received and comes from God, 'human power is never absolute'. This article explores true power and how it, ‘must be turned towards promoting unity among the members of society.’
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