Objective: Opening our minds and hearts at the beginning of the new scholastic year to see what God wants to do in us.
Introduction (2 mins):
- The animator introduces himself to the students and then introduces the year theme, Sowing Hope.
- The animator leads students to quiet down, starting with the sign of the cross and a simple thanksgiving prayer.
Sharing (5 mins):
- The animator suggests that to sow any seeds is to have hope that they will grow and asks about the kind of fruit students would want to achieve this year (allowing time for suggestions).
- The animator suggests some fruit would be growth in understanding, character/personality, and our relationship with God and each other, for example.
Video (5 mins):
- The animator explains that we need to prepare the ground to receive the seed of hope, but first, we also need to appreciate/understand the ‘ground’ that we have, where we find ourselves today.
- The animator introduces the Parable of the Sower (Mk 4:1-8), with which Jesus wants to tell us more about the subject and shows following clip (3:15 mins).
Reflection (5 mins):
- The animator asks reflectively about the meaning for us to be like the “good soil”, the one ready to receive the seed and produce much fruit.
- The animator proposes that we’d need to prepare/open ourselves to the new scholastic year and to what God wants to do in us and through us by being grateful and attentive to the promise of good things.
Prayer (3 min):
- The animator hands a ploughing template
- The animator leads students to write a personal prayer to God on the template.
- The animator prays the following or similar:
Dear God, thank you for this new year and the new opportunities to learn and to grow. Help me to trust you with this process and to hope always in your promise that I’d produce many fruit. Amen
- The animator plays optional song Build my Life