May-June 2010 -Teachers' Guide

Dear Teachers,

Shalom!

It’s been years that we’ve been sharing life with you through Misyon and we are grateful for those years. But certain things must come to an end, and this too must end. This will be the last issue of Misyon in CD version. It is with positive outlook that better days are ahead of us as Misyon continues to be of service to the people maximizing the use of internet. The editor of Misyon expresses more on this in Pulong ng Editor.

Allow us to reflect on the words from John 12 verse 24, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’ This may seem as the last breath of Misyon but in every dying, a new life is born. To wherever it will lead us, let God be glorified. By grace, Misyon was born and by grace it will continue until grace allows it to.

We thank all of you who have been subscribing and supporting Misyon. We do hope to see you in our Misyon website www.misyononline.com and we welcome your comments in our forum http://www.misyononline.com/misyonforum/. That is where we shall continue with our sharing and bonding.

To God be glory and praise forever.

May the blessings and peace of Christ be with each of us.

Our cover features the Tinago Falls in Iligan City. It shows a man standing by the falls staring at the flowing water. The falls are comparable to God’s bountiful blessings flowing endlessly. The text from Revelations 21 verse 6, ‘To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life,’ tells of God’s reassuring love. It only takes humility for us to approach Him and drink from His spring.

Imagine yourself as the man before the falls. What could be in your mind as you stare at such beauty? Can you see or feel God’s manifestation in it?

STUDENTS' WORKSHOP

‘Compadre, alone we might lack many things but together we lack nothing.’

‘Compadre, alone we might lack many things but together we lack nothing.’ This is an article of reflection on the notable Chilean spirit of unity in times of crisis. With the recent major earthquake that hit their country on 27 February, Chileans busy themselves restoring their lives from the destruction of the calamity and the trauma it caused them. Their initiative of helping each other from the little that they have is enabling them to move forward.

Have your students read the article.

a. What value is highlighted in the article?

b. Can you also see the spirit of unity here in the Philippines?

Divide the class into groups of five. Recall a major calamity that hit the country (e.g. Ondoy).

c. Make a comparison between the people of Chile and the people of Philippines in their way of responding to a calamity. Ask the students to write their ideas on manila paper and let them present them to the class.

d. As a closing ceremony, let them sing the Pambansang Awit solemnly, internalizing the lyrics of the song. It is with hope that it will create in them even a little awakening of the spirit of patriotism.

ENVIRONMENTAL APPEAL

Pedaling to Live: The Journey Continues
The Heart that Pumps Water

Pedaling to Live: The Journey Continues updates us on the community program for tricycle drivers in Ozamiz City. It also stresses the advantages of tricycles as reliable and pollution-free means of transport.

The Heart that Pumps Water highlights the mining activities in Mindanao and the risks they pose to the people. ‘Creation is the basic sacrament that gives meaning to all the other sacraments.’ As Catholics, we learn to value and live the sacraments of the Church. And so must we value creation. Being stewards of God’s creation, we therefore should protect creation, our environment.

Have them read the articles.

a. Have a discussion on what they know about mining and its effects on the environment.

b. Stress the value of concern about our environment and how it affects humanity.

c. What can you do in order to help protect our environment?

d. How do you see God in all of creation?

YOUTH CORNER

Our Hideaway
Your Turn

‘Keep going! Don’t stop believing because God has his own purpose.’ These articles share to us the realizations of two young adults in the presence of God in their lives even in the midst of challenges. It is with conviction that they say that God is truly with us.

Our realities challenge us with our faith and trust in God. Yet we cannot blame anybody in their doubts because of our human limitations. What is important is that we get to learn and value God more in our own personal experience of Him as He also speaks to us according to where we are.

a. With these articles, bring your students to a moment of reflection.

b. Ask them to ponder on what struck them most in the articles.

c. Invite them to recall a similar experience wherein they had difficulty grasping for God. How was the experience?

d. Ask the students to journalize their insights and realizations.

PRACTICAL FAITH

To Search is to Find

Peace by Peace

Our To Search is to Find features two questions that must be playing in the curious minds of children – why does the Catholic Church baptize infants even though they do not yet understand what is going on, and why do we hunt eggs at Easter. This will help your students in understanding two important things as Catholics.

You can make use of the quotes in Peace by Peace as a motivation in starting a class and for values integration in your subjects.

FAITH SHARING

Fr Michael Sinnott: A Valentine with Faith

Fr Michael Sinnott: A Valentine with Faith is an article based on an interview with the kidnapped Columban priest Fr Michael Sinnott on 14 February. More than the facts gathered were the values that the writer learned in her encounter with Fr Mick. It is undeniable that many learned from his experience. The writer here emphasizes the lessons on faith, love and forgiveness as she reflected on the story of her interviewee.

God must be speaking to His people through the experience of another. The Bible itself is a compilation of stories from which we learn of God’s love, of His covenant with His people, and of many other things that help us in our living and in building our faith.

a. What lesson have you learned from the story?

b. What is God’s message for you today?

c. Resonating on the story, where do you think God is leading you?