Catch the Spirit
To print, download this activity as a Word document.

For a group of 5 to 25 people. If more, break into groups of 10 or so.

Before You Gather:

Invite three people in your group to search through their music collections and each bring a song that speaks about "spirit" in some way. Don't explain much more than that--let them interpret what this means and choose accordingly.

You'll need:

a boom box or MP3 player with speakers to play the music that the three people bring

a dictionary

Bibles for all

seven large poster boards and magic markers. Write one of these words at the top of each poster board:

FIRE

CLOUD

ANOINTING WITH OIL/SETTING A SEAL

HAND

FINGER POINTING

DOVE

Copies for all of the section from the Catechism of the Catholic Church titled " Symbols of the Holy Spirit " (paragraphs 694-701).

Step by Step

1. Discuss: What is "school spirit"? How do you know when someone has school spirit or not? Do you see the spirit itself, or is the behavior and attitude a sign of the spirit?
2. Listen to one of the songs.
3. Discuss: What does this song tell us about "spirit"?
4. Listen to another song. Discuss: Does this song tell us something different about "spirit" than the first song? If so, what? If not, what do the two songs agree is true about "spirit"? Listen to the third song.
5. Discuss: Does this song tell us something different about "spirit" than the other two songs? If so, what? If not, what do the songs agree is true about "spirit"?
6. Discuss: After Jesus rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, whom did he send in order for the church to be born and launch a new beginning in human history?
7. Break into seven groups. Give each person a Bible and each group a poster.
8. Spend about five to ten minutes brainstorming about scripture stories in which the Holy Spirit comes under the sign written at the top of the group's poster. Tell the groups that this is a difficult exercise, and no one should feel bad if they group can not think of any stories.
9. Pass out the handout titled " Symbols of the Holy Spirit "
10. Tell each group to find and read the right paragraph and then to jot down a few words to describe the Bible stories listed in that paragraph. Use the dictionary if there are words that no one understands in the paragraphs.
11. The final step: Each group writes on the back of the poster why this particular symbol is a good one for showing the Holy Spirit, whom otherwise cannot be seen or heard, touched or tasted or smelled.
12. Have each group present their work to the large group.
13. If you have time: Break up the presentations to the large group this way. Have two small groups present their posters, then play again one of the three songs. Then two more small groups, and the second song. Then the final three small groups and the final song.