Thought for the week Week Commencing 1 st October 2018

1. Thought for the week Week Commencing 1st October 2018 “Be content and do your best even when things aren’t going your way.” Joel Osteen Pope Francis tells us: I would encourage you to keep in mind all those around us trapped in the cycle of poverty. They too need to be given hope.

2. Liturgical Theme for the week Week Commencing 1st October 2018 “it’s not Fair.” The aim of this weeks them is to encourage our students to think about the distribution of wealth and resources in our world and the choices we can make to bring about change. We are normally very quick to say “It’s not fair.” particularly if we feel that somebody is receiving more than us. Surely the millions of poor people in our world must think the same when they hear about all the luxuries that we in the rich nations have. It’s not just that we have more than them; it is also the unfair trading conditions that the rich nations impose. It is also the huge debt crisis that we create in the poorest countries in our world a their peoples struggle to survive. We should perhaps listen carefully to this weeks scripture reading.

3. Monday 1st October 2018 James 5:1-6 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

4. Monday 1st October 2018 Paired Speaking Question How often have you used the phrase “It’s not fair”? Class Speaking Challenge: What kind of situation do you find yourself in, when you think you are being unfairly treated? Class Discussion: Why is it that as human beings we simply want to put ourselves first, before everybody else? Exit Pass: When was the last time you put somebody else needs before your own?

5. Monday 1st October 2018 Today is the feast day of St Therese of Lisieux. Happy Feast Day if you are in “TL”. Therese was only 24 years old when she died in 1897 after being a Carmelite sister for nine years. She never went anywhere and few people knew her when she was alive, but today she is one of the most famous female saints. How? Because she learned how to make everything in her life a prayer, an act of love for God.

6. Tuesday 2nd October 2018 Kevin becomes a teenager. Is there something of Kevin’s attitude to life in each one of us, no matter what age we are? Today Father, Help me try and think of the needs of others and not just about the things that I want. Amen

7. Wednesday 3rd October 2018 Wealth and power in our world today is distributed so unfairly. Sometimes we wonder just how we can start to bring about change. Why not try and buy at least one item of Fair Trade products this week. Would you take time to help promote fairly traded items in college? Dear Lord, help us to make the right choices today, so that everyone in our world will have their fare share of this worlds resources Amen

8. Thursday 4th October 2018 Sometimes we may be tempted to exploit others. For example think about people who bring sweets and drinks into college and try to sell them during break and lunchtimes, to make a profit for themselves. This is not only against our college rules. But it is also wrong. Can you thinks of any other situations where people can find that they are being exploited so that others can make a profit. Why do you think it wrong to exploit other people to make a profit? God our loving Father, help me to always to remember to treat other people in the way that I would like them to treat me. Amen