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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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Guided Meditation: Jesus Calms the Storm

As the weather turns from mild to severe, use this guided meditation to help your students reflect more deeply on Mark 4:35-31. After the students are quiet and settled, begin by saying “You are on the rough seas. Your boat is tossing and turning in the stormy waters. Think of the storms in your own life. Then . . . Relax. Quiet yourself in this space. Enjoy the silence. Let go of the distractions.   Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.   Be still. Relax. Let all your worries fly away.   Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.   Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.   Imagine . . .   What a great time you have had. You and your friends have been following Jesus for days now. You are dead tired, but still content as you find a place to rest in the boat. Look around at the friends you have made. Look at Jesus who is sitting at the stern. How you admire him! Feel the slow moving lull of the boat. Relax as the waves gently lull the boat back and forth. Back and forth. Relax.   Some of your friend fall asleep. Jesus falls asleep, too. The boat keeps moving across the lake. You think about the day. Your mind is just wandering.   The wind starts blowing. You can tell it is becoming harder to row now. The current is choppy. The sky is now black. Take your turn with the oars. Work hard. Feel the storm approaching.   The waves begin to take the boat. The water is coming in over the sides. Everyone is working. Someone yells out, “Wake up Jesus. We need his help. Now.” Move towards Jesus. Wake him up.   Jesus sits up and looks around. He yells out, “Quiet” to the wind. The wind stops. Just like that, the water calms down and the wind disappears. Jesus looks like he wants to go back to sleep. What just happened?   Jesus looks at all of you and says, “Why are you so terrified? Why are you lacking in faith?” A great awe overcomes you. You wonder, “Who is the man whom even the sea obeys?” Sit with this wonderment.   Crawl back over to where Jesus is resting. Approach him cautiously. Ask him your question, “Who are you that the sea obeys you?” Listen to his answer.   Tell him about something in your life that is raging, a storm in your world, a situation that could use Jesus’ touch. Be with him.   It is time to reenter this space. Say good-bye for now. Ask Jesus to lead your way to the rest of the day. Say thank you. Come back gently. Open your eyes. Remember. Sit up.   This Guided Meditation was originally published in Encountering Jesus: 20 Guided Meditations on His Care and Compassion by Patty McCulloch.As the weather turns from mild to severe, use this guided meditation to help your students reflect more deeply on Mark 4:35-31. After the students are quiet and settled, begin by saying “You are on the rough seas. Your boat is tossing and turning in the stormy waters. Think of the storms in your own life. Then . . . Relax. Quiet yourself in this space. Enjoy the silence. Let go of the distractions.   Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.   Be still. Relax. Let all your worries fly away.   Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.   Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.   Imagine . . .   What a great time you have had. You and your friends have been following Jesus for days now. You are dead tired, but still content as you find a place to rest in the boat. Look around at the friends you have made. Look at Jesus who is sitting at the stern. How you admire him! Feel the slow moving lull of the boat. Relax as the waves gently lull the boat back and forth. Back and forth. Relax.   Some of your friend fall asleep. Jesus falls asleep, too. The boat keeps moving across the lake. You think about the day. Your mind is just wandering.   The wind starts blowing. You can tell it is becoming harder to row now. The current is choppy. The sky is now black. Take your turn with the oars. Work hard. Feel the storm approaching.   The waves begin to take the boat. The water is coming in over the sides. Everyone is working. Someone yells out, “Wake up Jesus. We need his help. Now.” Move towards Jesus. Wake him up.   Jesus sits up and looks around. He yells out, “Quiet” to the wind. The wind stops. Just like that, the water calms down and the wind disappears. Jesus looks like he wants to go back to sleep. What just happened?   Jesus looks at all of you and says, “Why are you so terrified? Why are you lacking in faith?” A great awe overcomes you. You wonder, “Who is the man whom even the sea obeys?” Sit with this wonderment.   Crawl back over to where Jesus is resting. Approach him cautiously. Ask him your question, “Who are you that the sea obeys you?” Listen to his answer.   Tell him about something in your life that is raging, a storm in your world, a situation that could use Jesus’ touch. Be with him.   It is time to reenter this space. Say good-bye for now. Ask Jesus to lead your way to the rest of the day. Say thank you. Come back gently. Open your eyes. Remember. Sit up.   This Guided Meditation was originally published in Encountering Jesus: 20 Guided Meditations on His Care and Compassion by Patty McCulloch.

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Faith Questions and the Letters of St. Paul

  After St. Paul traveled the Roman empire as a missionary, converting many Gentiles to Christianity and establishing local churches, he would later be confronted by these new Christians with questions of faith and practice. Since he could not return to these areas right away, Paul would respond by letter. Of the twenty-one letters or epistles in the New Testament, fourteen of the letters are either authored by or attributed to St. Paul. The letters addressed many of the issues of the early Church—for example, the second coming of Christ (Parousia), divisions in the Church, attitudes for worship—and others. Have your students read and reflect on the following questions. When Scripture citations are listed, have them look them up and read them. Have them write their answers to the questions. Also, call on students to share their answers as part of a class discussion. Questions How do you imagine Christ’s second coming, the Parousia? Describe what you think would happen if Christ returned to the world today? St. Paul says that Christians are not to live in darkness, but as “children of the light and children of the day” (1 Thess 5:5). How would you explain the meaning of these words to a new Christian today? Apparently some Christians awaiting the Parousia had stopped working and were depending on others for food. How would you respond to people doing this? How does your response differ from the one offered in 2 Thessalonians 3:16-15? Paul was critical of the Galatians for listening to bad advice and following the burdensome rules of the Jewish-Christian missionaries. Name someone you have accepted constructive criticism from? What was the advice he or she offered? What do you do to act on the advice? In dealing with the Corinthians, Paul faced the problems of division in the Church. What are some factions in the Church today? What do you know about the issues, beliefs, or people they support? In 1 Corinthians 1:27-34, Paul writes of the need for proper preparation before celebrating Eucharist. What attitude do you seek when you attend Mass? How do you prepare yourself to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist? Paul writes that our faith is worthless unless we believe that Christ is raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:14). Do you agree? Why is the resurrection the central belief of the Christian faith? Being free from the law does not allow Christians to do whatever they want. St. Paul asks, “How can we who died to sin yet live in it?” (Rom 6:2). If you knew for sure you were going to heaven after you died, how would this change the way you lived? St. Paul wrote: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). When was a time you have found this to be true in your life?

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All Souls’ Day and Why Catholics Pray for the Dead: A November Exercise

At the conclusion of most of our school-wide communal prayers at Bishop McNamara High School (Forestville, Maryland), we readily request “Saint André Bessette, pray for us! Blessed Basil Moreau, pray for us!” These two holy men of God (the first a humble Holy Cross Brother and the second the devout founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross) are powerful intercessors to whom the members of our high school community have a deep devotion, as we likewise do to Saint Joseph and Our Lady of Sorrows, in keeping with the charism of Holy Cross. Is your Catholic school named for any particular saint(s), or does it otherwise have a devotion to particular saints and/or blesseds? If so, do your students ever ask why you communally and collectively invoke their intercession to God in heaven? Similarly, does your Catholic educational institution pray for those loved ones within your extended school community who have passed away? November 1 and November 2 are two very special days in the liturgical life of the Church. On the one hand, we prayerfully ask the saints to intercede to God for us in a special way on All Saints’ Day (November 1), while on the other hand, we commemorate and pray for the souls of all of our faithful departed on All Souls’ Day (November 2). An interesting dynamic is that the latter of these two days likewise involves asking the saints in heaven to intercede to God for the dead whose souls might be in Purgatory. Beyond merely these two days, we can thus pray constantly throughout the year, although especially during the month of November. The theology teacher has the ability to rely on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day as key opportunities to explain to students why (and how) the Catholic Church advocates for both asking for the intercession of the saints and praying for the dead (whose souls could be in Purgatory). There are numerous commonly-occurring misconceptions regarding the Church’s teachings on these profound theological topics, and they deserve thorough clarification. Of particular note, both practices are based on the duality of the Deposit of Faith – Sacred Scripture (stemming from passages in both the Old Testament and the New Testament) and Sacred Tradition (having been Church practice for nearly two-thousand years [and even earlier if we consider the broader expanse of salvation history]). Since previous posts have focused on All Saints’ Day, below are some resources on All Souls’ Day in more particular terms, which the theology teacher can use for deepening his or her content knowledge, as well as to foster classroom discussions regarding the Church’s practice of praying for the dead. There are many resources available, but here are some prominent ones that can help guide your discussions especially throughout the month of November: “All Saints and All Souls” by Fr. William Saunders (Courtesy of the Catholic Education Resource Center) “All Souls’ Day” (Courtesy of the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia) “What Catholics Believe: 10 Truths about Purgatory” by Valerie Schmalz, writing for Catholic San Francisco (the publication of the Archdiocese of San Francisco) The Section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church Regarding Purgatory (Paragraphs #1030-#1032)

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Ten Assignments for All Saints' Week

Whereas All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1, is a feast established by the Church to honor all the saints in heaven who do not have a special day on one of the other 364 days of the year, this is also a good season to emphasize Church teachings on canonized sainthood as well. Canonization is the process wherebythe Church officially declares that certain holy persons are saints. The process includes a detailed examination of the person's life, teachings, and works. The Church also investigates whether miracles took place through this person's intercession. After successful scrutiny, the process proceeds to beatification, which allows the faithful to call the person "Blessed." Finally, after the validation of further miracles, the cause of the holy person proceeds to canonization, the official enrollment on the list (canon) of saints. Today, the pope oversees the process of canonization. All Saints Day Assignments Write three paragraphs on your patron saint. Write three paragraphs about a saint born near your family's origins. Write three paragraphs about a saint with a feast day on your day of birth. Research the story of relics stored in your parish or in a church near you. Besides beatification and canonization, what are the other steps to sainthood? Include an explanation of the other titles besides saint and blessed. Research the life of St. Ulrich of Augsburg and tell why he is important. Research the story of St. Christopher in conjunction with the reform of the Roman Church calendar in 1969. Read the story of St. Stephen in Acts 6-7. Write three paragraphs explaining his significance in a discussion about saints. Write three paragraphs about a deceased family member who you hope has taken his or her place among the saints. Include the person's date and place of birth and death and significant accomplishments. Look up the Scripture readings for All Saints' Day. Write a three-paragraph homily that ties the readings and the theme of the feast together.

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Canonization of Sts. Louis and Marie-Azelie Guerin Martin

On Sunday, October 18, Pope Francis canonized Louis Martin and Marie-Azelie Guerin Martin, the parents of St. Thèrése of Lisieux. Here is information about St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azelie Guerin Martin, reprinted from Ten Christians by Bonface Hanley, OFM: Born in 1823 into a family of soldiers, Louis Martin spent his early years at various French military posts. He absorbed the sense of order and discipline army life engenders. His temperament, deeply influenced by the peculiar French connection between the mystical and the military, tended toward things of the spirit. At 22, young Martin sought to enter religious life at the monastery of the Augustinian Canons of the Great St. Bernard Hospice in the Alps. The blend of courage and charity the monks and their famous dogs manifested in rescuing Alpine snows appealed powerfully to Louis Martin. Alas, the Abbot insisted the young candidate learn Latin. Louis, whose bravery would have carried him to the heights of the Alps in search of a lost pilgrim, got lost among the peaks and valleys of Latin syntax. His most determined efforts failed. He became ill and dispirited, and abandoned his hopes for the monastic life. Eventually Monsieur Martin settled down in Alencon, a small city in France, and pursued his watchmaking trade. He loved Alencon. It was quiet place and he was a quiet man. A lovely trout stream nearby offered Louis the opportunity to pursue his favorite recreation. Most famous of Alencon’s 13,000 inhabitants were its lace makers. French people greatly admired the skill and talent required to produce exquisite lace known throughout the nation as “Point d’ Alencon.” Zelie Guerin was one of Alencon’s more talented lace makers. Born into a military family in 1831, Zelie described her childhood and youth as “dismal.” Her mother and father showed her little affection. As a young lady she sought unsuccessfully to enter the convent. Zelie turned then to lace making. Richly talented, creative, eager, and endowed with common sense, she started her own business and became quite successful. Notable as these achievements were, Zelie was yet to reveal the depth of strength, faith, and courage which she possessed. Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin eventually met in Alencon and on July 13, 1858, Louis, 34, and Zelie, 26, married and began their remarkable voyage through life. Within the next fifteen years, Zelie bore nine children—seven girls and two boys. “We lived only for them,” Zelie wrote; “they were all our happiness.” The Martins’ delight in their children turned to shock and sorrow as tragedy relentlessly and mercilessly stalked their little ones. Within three years, Zelie’s two baby boys, a five-year-old girl, and a six-and-a-half-week-old infant girl all died. Zelie was left numb and with sadness. “I haven’t a penny’s worth of courage,” she lamented. But her faith sustained her through these terrible ordeals. In a letter to her sister-in-law who had lost an infant son, Zelie remembered: “When I closed the eyes of my dear little children and buried them, I felt sorrow through and through…. People said to me, ‘It would have been better never to have had them.’ I couldn’t stand such language. My children were not lost forever; life is short and full of miseries, and we shall find our little ones again up above.” The Martins’ last child was born January 2, 1873. She was a tender plant and doctors feared for the infant’s life. The family, so used to death, was preparing for another blow. Zelie wrote of her three-month girl: “I have no hope of saving her. The poor little thing suffers horribly…. It breaks your heart to see her.” But the baby girl proved a much tougher plan than anyone realized. She survived the illness. A year later she was a “big baby, browned by the sun.” “The baby,” Zelie noted, “is full of life, giggles a lot and is a sheer joy to everyone.” Louis and Zelie named her Marie-Francoise-Thèrése Martin. A century later people would know her as St. Thèrése  and call her the “Little Flower.” Additional Resources News story on the canoinzation Biographical Information on St. Louis and St. Zelie Video of canonization Video of miracle attributed to St. Louis and St. Zelie

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How Catholic Schools Can Address the Sinful Nature of Bullying

Over the last few decades, there has fortunately arisen a greater awareness of the scourge of bullying within school settings throughout the United States. To be clear, the awareness is the fortunate aspect, while the prevalence is the obviously deleterious one. In other words, bullying is being exposed for what it is, while the sheer quantity of its occurrence remains stunning. In a digital age ever more categorized by the trappings of the realm of virtual reality afforded by the Internet and social media, bullying now has an altogether uncharted dimension whereby much of it takes place even outside of a school’s walls. Worthwhile initiatives such as StopBullying.gov and the Social Work License Map have brought the dilemma of bullying and its proposed remedial measures to national prominence, leading schools and other administrative societal frameworks to address the issue and seek possible solutions. Catholic schools, while unfortunately hardly immune from the effects of bullying, are actually in a position to positively contribute to this significant dialogue, yet with an even greater ethos: that of the theological dynamic inherent to the consideration of the sinful nature of bullying, which is opposed by way of a call to virtue as its true alternative. Listed below are four ways that Catholic school teachers, administrators, and other personnel within the school community can encourage their students to not only stop bullying or condoning the behavior of [would-be] bullies, but to likewise deter and dissuade students from otherwise contributing to such inappropriate comportment by encouraging them to seek justifiably righteous demeanors instead. These suggestions are not necessarily programmatic or systematic, but they will reliably help to confront the heart of the matter of bullying: the requirement that we recognize that our neighbor is likewise made in the image and likeness of God (cf. Genesis 1:26-27). As such, these recommendations may initially appear to be fodder for cynicism, but an uplifting and optimistic approach imbued with Christian principles is due for consideration, and can yield highly affirmative results in order to facilitate enduring peace in our schools. Familiarize yourself, and share with your students, scriptural passages related to the Christian way to approach others. Have your students reflect on these, perhaps in written form, such as in a prayer journal or within the context of a more extensive essay. A few (of the many) passages to consider, in canonical order, include the following (courtesy of the New American Bible, Revised Edition):             Leviticus 19:18: “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Proverbs 10:12: "Hatred stirs up disputes, but love covers all offenses." Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you... plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” Matthew 5:7-9: 30: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:43-45: "'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.’” Matthew 25:40: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." John 15:12: “‘This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.’” Romans 12:16-18: “Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14: “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Your every act should be done with love.” Galatians 5:22-23: “In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Ephesians 4:29-32: “No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” James 4:11: “Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. Whoever speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. ” 1 John 2:7-11: “Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in him and among you, for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.  Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” Jude 1:19-21: “These are the ones who cause divisions; they live on the natural plane, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” Remind your students of how school is meant to be a safe place. This statement may seem trite, but students must recall that being at school implies being in a secure location, both physically and socially. Feeling isolated, whether through intentional exclusion, is not a normal condition, and there are many support networks available for them, including your school’s guidance office, campus ministry, or another outlet that will allow them to express their concern and to build up positive relationships with others. If you notice that a student is, or has become, particularly withdrawn, emotional, sensitive, or similarly out of his or her typical character, speak to his or her guidance counselor or to a school administrator. Your student might be dealing with a considerably concerning situation, either within or outside of school, that deserves attention. Pray. Jesus taught us the need to pray consistently, particularly during a trial or set of difficult circumstances: “Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary” (Luke 18:1). Bullying has been a disordered specter within humanity for a multitude of generations, yet we must steadily recall that Jesus himself knew revulsion and mistreatment at the hands of his tormentors, and he of course has provided us with the epitome of a Christian response – one laden with prayer (read Matthew 27:46 [and Mark 15:34] in light of the extent of Psalm 22 [often denoted as the “Prayer of an Innocent Person”]). Bullying can ultimately only be counteracted with the love which must typify our Catholic educational institutions. After all, as Jesus reminds us: “‘Do to others as you would have them do to you’” (Luke 6:31). And just how seriously does Jesus take our expectation to treat everyone else in a Christian manner? In comparison to this passage from Luke’s Gospel (6:31), how fitting that the version in Matthew’s Gospel, the great “teaching Gospel,” features the added attestation that the Lord holds this Christian outlook to be so crucial that he further asserts that “‘this is the law and the prophets’” (Matthew 7:12). In other words, against injustice, God commands us to have love for others.

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Theology Teacher Resource: RelEdNewsletter

Mr. Charles Beech, a theology teacher at Christian Brothers High School in St. Louis, prepares RelEdNewsletter a monthly update of lessons, resources, and activities that are a very helpful supplement to a theology teacher's library. You can view this month's collection and information on how to subscribe to the RelEdNewsletter here.

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Celebrating God's Creation

In thankfulness for Pope Francis' journey to the United States and his reminders of the need to love, appreciate, and care for God's creation (especially in his recent encyclical Laudato Si) share these poems by Anne Sexton and e e cummings with your students. Background information on the authors, the reading, and follow up assignments are taken from The Catholic Spirit: An Anthology for Discovering Faith Through Literature, Art, Film, and Music. Welcome Morning Anne Sexton Author Background Anne Sexton (1928–1974) continually struggled with depression. Several times she attempted suicide and underwent many treatments to help improve her mental illness. Writing poetry helped her deal with her emotions in a creative way. Her poems reflect the joys, sorrows, and struggles of her personal life. Anne Sexton was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1967. Near the end of her life, she was drawn to Catholicism, and her religious interest is seen in many of these later poems, especially those found in the collection The Awful Rowing Toward God. Before the Reading “Welcome Morning” is one of the most joyous poems in American literature. Like Gerard Manley Hopkins, Anne Sexton experienced God’s presence in the simplest pleasures, as is represented in the verses that follow. Welcome Morning There is joy in all: in the hair I brush each morning, in the Cannon towel, newly washed, that I rub my body with each morning, in the chapel of eggs I cook each morning, in the outcry from the kettle that heats my coffee each morning, in the spoon and the chair that cry “hello there, Anne” each morning, in the godhead of the table that I set my silver, plate, cup upon each morning.   All this is God, right here in my pea-green house each morning and I mean, though often forget, to give thanks, to faint down by the kitchen table in a prayer of rejoicing as the holy birds at the kitchen window peck into their marriage of seeds.   So while I think of it, Let me paint a thank-you on my palm For this God, this laughter of the morning, Lest it go unspoken.   The joy that isn’t shared, I’ve heard, Dies young.   i thank you God for most this amazing e e cummings   Author Background e e cummings (1894–1962) is known for his unique use (and non-use) of capitalization in grammar. He was born in Massachusetts to a middle class family who had great appreciation for the arts. His father was a Unitarian minister. Cummings was educated at Harvard and then served as an ambulance volunteer in France during World War I. Cummings was an enormously popular as both a poet and a painter during his lifetime. Before the Reading Familiarity often prevents us from seeing. Try to remember your excitement about first seeing the ocean, or flying in a plane, or tasting an ice cream cone. Compare those experiences to your experiences of the same events today. Why has the sense of wonder and joy gone? By using grammar and the lack of capitalization in his own idiosyncratic way, e e cummings takes the worn phrase, “thank you, God,” and makes us see that act of gratitude in a new and explosive way.   i thank you God for most this amazing i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes (i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth) how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any—lifted from the no of all nothing—human merely being doubt unimaginable You? (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened) Reading for Comprehension How is God known to Anne as she grooms herself upon awakening? As she eats her breakfast? What does Anne feel called to do when she realizes that God is present everywhere? What does the poet feel called to do with the experiences that she has had? What are the only words that are capitalized in e e cummings’ poem? Reading for Understanding How does the choice of capitalization provide a clue for getting at the main idea of Cummings’ poem? Philosophers and theologians tell us that God reveals himself through our senses. Give four examples of how this is expressed in the poems by Sexton and Cummings? In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear” (Lk 8:8). What lines in Cummings’ poem refer to this biblical text? Is it possible for one to look without seeing or to hear without listening? How are racial, religious, and gender prejudices examples of this? Ecstatic joy is a common phenomenon among saints. What is it about their “seeing” that causes this joy? Activity In many ways, Anne Sexton’s poem is a modern version of the Magnificat, the Blessed Virgin Mary’s song of praise found in the Gospel of Luke (1:46–55). Read the Magnificat and Sexton’s poem, and then compose your own “song of praise,” listing several things for which you are grateful to God.

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