12 Ways to Encounter Christ in Class

Every Day, Every Class, Every Student, an Encounter with Christ

That is the vision we aspire to at The Religion Teacher.

So much of what religious educators do, however, focuses almost entirely on education and not encounter. As a result, Christ becomes just another idea to learn like everything else in school.

As catechists and religion teachers, we can get distracted by curricula, textbooks, tests, and the many other things that make us think our role is only about education.

It is not. It is about an education that leads students into an encounter with Christ.

If our students spend their childhood in religious education classes and Catholic schools without forming a relationship with Jesus Christ, then we have failed.

So many of our Church’s youth simply drift away. They might identify as “Catholic” but unless they have an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ and recognize that they can have an intimate relationship with him, they are unlikely to stay active in their faith.

Pope Benedict XVI said it best when he wrote:

“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

Pope Benedict XVI
Deus Caritas Est, 1 

What kinds of encounters can we offer to our students in class? Here is a list to get you started. Read on to the bottom of the list for an essential step we must take to turn these opportunities into actual encounters.

12 Ways to Encounter Christ in Class

1. Scripture

Some books are inspiring to read. The Bible is an opportunity to read with the Spirit. By hearing or reading the word of God, we meet him. We can get to know him and let his Spirit touch our minds and hearts.

When you read the Bible in class with students, give them information about what they read but guide them to encounter Christ in his word.

Resources: Lectio Divina Steps

2. Sacraments

Frequently your students will be given the opportunity to encounter Christ in the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation during class time. Embrace these experiences as wonderful opportunities for the students to experience the love of Christ, not as distractions from your everyday lessons.

Resources: Catholic Mass Activities, Practicing Penance Activity

3. Music

Christian music, whether classical or modern praise and worship, can touch the heart and lead the students into a prayerful encounter with Christ.

Resources: 7 Ways to Use Praise and Worship Music for Class Prayer

4. Prayers of Petition

Give the students the opportunity to bring their needs and desires for themselves and others as petitions to the Lord.

Resources: Class Prayer

5. Prayer of Thanksgiving

As Christians we embrace gratefulness, but not as only a positive feeling with emotional health benefits. We give thanks to God. We direct our gratitude towards the living God.

Resources: Class Prayer

6. Prayer of Praise

God is good! All the time! Give the students the opportunity to tell God how great he is.

Resources: Class Prayer

7. Silent Prayer

Silence is so unique and often foreign to young people these days. The opportunity to sit in silence by itself can be efficacious. When sitting in silent recognition of the presence of Christ, it can be transforming.

Resources: Class Prayer

8. Memorized Prayer

We have a large collection of prayers as Catholics that when introduced to the students in meaningful ways, can have a profound impact on their lives. Plus, inviting the students to take ownership over these prayers, they could start to integrate them into their lives outside of class.

Resources: Class Prayer

9. Devotions

The Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Liturgy of the Hours, etc. All of these devotions are collections of prayers that enable us to enter more deeply into a relationship with Christ.

Resources: Class Prayer

10. Eucharistic Adoration

If possible, take the students to the church or chapel where you teach. Give them some time to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Even better, help them experience more deeply a connection with Christ with full Eucharistic Adoration.

Here are some ideas to make this experience meaningful to the students:

11. Testimony

Share your witness stories. Teach with testimony. When you teach, share why the teachings you share have a personal relevance and importance to your life.

Resources: Are You A Witness? Teach with Testimony!

12. Teachings

In reality, we spend the majority of our time passing on the teachings of the Catholic Church in the form of lectures, textbook readings, activities, and discussions. These, too, can be opportunities to encounter Christ if we help our students make personal connections between the teaching and their daily lives. We can also do this by integrating the teaching with the many other opportunities to encounter Christ in this list.

Resources: Lectio Divina Lesson Planning, The Rule of Three, 3 Ways to Keep Students Actively Engaged

Increase the Likelihood of an Encounter with This Essential Step

So, you have helped your students read the Bible, or presented them with a teaching of the Church, or introduced them to a new prayer, what’s next?

How do you make sure these experiences lead to actual encounters?

Meditation.

In meditation we make connections to our personal lives.

In lectio divina, for example, we ask ourselves, “What does the Biblical text say to us?” (Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, 87).

What is God saying to our students when they learn about a teaching, read the Bible, listen to a story, listen to music, pray, etc.?

The connection between what they learn and experience in class and what is going on in their lives at this present moment helps make the things you do in class become an encounter with Christ.

Don’t forget that the biggest threat we face as a Church is irrelevance. We cannot let Christ and the Church become irrelevant to the lives of the students we serve.

Therefore, we must always help students make personal connections to what they are learning so that they can have personal relationships with Jesus Christ.

I have tried to create activities and worksheets at The Religion Teacher to help religious educators bridge this gap between what students are learning or reading and what is happening in their lives.

There are more than 250 worksheets and graphic organizers available to members of The Religion Teacher that have this sole goal in mind: help students meditate on what they are learning.

Help Your Students Encounter Christ with Hundreds of Engaging Resources

Premium members of The Religion Teacher have access to hundreds of resources to help cultivate meaningful encounters with Christ in class. The more than 250 worksheets are based on the process of lectio divina and challenge students to think and pray about the lessons they are learning.

 

Learn more about how to become a member >