Catholic school kids are really used to saying intentions to their teacher and either following it with a Hail Mary, we pray to the Lord, or some other response. What they are less used to is praying in their own words to Jesus for what they need, what they are thankful for, or simply just for what they want to say. It's something my students were a little awkward about at first. So, I decided we needed some practice. I knew once I introduced it they would eat it up, and that's exactly what happened.
I took my students down to the chapel in our school where we have Jesus present in the tabernacle. I reminded them that we were in front of Jesus, Himself. In some classes I had them close their eyes to picture Jesus and let the Holy Spirit enter into their imaginations. Then I explained that we were going to say what we wanted to pray about directly to Jesus. I reminded them not to say their petition to me and told them if they were struggling they could simply start out their prayer with, "Jesus, please..."
I started out with an example that blended things on my heart with examples of thanksgiving, random thoughts, and petitions so that my students felt comfortable saying whatever they wanted. We started out by going in order so that each student got practice talking to Jesus in this personal way. Then I let them keep going. Each class loved it. They talked to Him out loud asking Him to keep them close in the future, prayed for traveling relatives, the poor and more. They were truly bringing their whole selves into their prayers. I'll give you examples below. At the end I thanked Jesus for caring and hearing all of us and we left and went on with our class. It was incredibly powerful and I could tell all of my students had just had an encounter with Jesus. Even my students who struggle to take things seriously couldn't help but be wrapped up in awe at getting to speak like this in front of their class directly to Jesus. It definitely was an experience of heaven on earth.
The coolest part might have been that at the end of both classes one student in each asked if we could make this a weekly thing. It changed the whole dynamic of the rest of our class. Students seemed more united in the most Christian sense of the word. I could tell they all felt bonded in Christ...which is pretty hard to describe.
Here are some examples of their amazing prayers said outloud:
Jesus, please help us to remember that you want our happiness, so this Christmas when we open our presents help us to remember the happiness we feel makes you happy too.
Jesus, please help my mom who struggles to provide for me and my siblings on her own. Help her with money and with her stress.
Jesus, please help us to remember that you didn't make any of us equal but instead gave us unique gifts and we all deserve to be loved by you.
Jesus, please keep us united and close to each other and to you.
Jesus please help us in our finals and our stresses.
I could go on and on. The prayers were personal about members of our community suffering cancer, about grandparents they hope get to heaven, about recent deaths, they prayed for each other by name and put their hands on the backs of each other to acknowledge it. The coolest image we discussed afterward was how it was like we were the saints in heaven in front of God together praying for those who weren't with us...ya that struck me pretty hard since we are currently studying saints.
Grace was there!
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