All these factors make our behaviour change, for example we will think before we do something bad again, like argue with our parents or swear or even hit somebody. This happens because we would have already of been in the situation of telling a priest what we have done and this takes courage and we will not really want to go back there again. Our conscience will be telling us this.
Penance can change our lifestyles, this is where the priest tells us what to do to make up for what we have done wrong. This can change our lives because it can make you feel that you have worked hard for forgiveness, also the next time you come close to a sin you will think twice because you will remember how hard you had to work for forgiveness. This then stops a person from hitting or verbally abusing another person.
During these festivals we can give alms, this is when we give money to charity, this type of thing occurs around advent and lent. In school we choose charities like CAFOD (Catholic aid for overseas development), Nugent care (local), Zoë’s place, shoe box appeal and food hampers for the elderly. Firstly, this type of thing affects us in a good way, it helps feel better about ourselves because we are helping others-sheep and goats “when I was hungry you gave me food…” To give to charity we have to sacrifice things like less dinner or not to buy a C.D. or don’t go to the cinema. This can change our behaviour because we might recognise what it is like to sacrifice something. In some cases we will find out what it is like to live in a poor state, for example we will find out the building of wells. We also do other things like fill boxes with necessities; we then send them to third world countries and the elderly. This can help improve the social divide between young and old.
Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit appeared to the disciples, they at this time were afraid and hiding in a room, they didn’t want to go out and spread the word of God. When the Holy Spirit appeared to them they were filled with courage, this meant that the disciples were able to go out and spread the word of God.
This changes our lives because we will go to confirmation preparation classes, we will also learn about how Jesus challenged the disciples to “go out and spread the word of God.” We will learn about other teachings like “love thy neighbour.” We will learn about the creed and how our vows are based on this prayer- This means we will find out what it is like to join together and worship as a group, also we will think about the holy spirit and how the seven gifts of the holy spirit effected the disciples and enabled them to “go out and spread the word.” This affects our behaviour because we can take encouragement to speak up against unjust things in society, for example, discrimination, drugs abuse, etc.
Ascension is the festival were we reflect on how Jesus ascended to heaven to go and sit at the right hand of the father. This will make us think about how death is not the end and that one day we will all go to heaven.
This should make us live our lives for the better. We have been taught on how we will be judged on three things: love and service to God, how we use our talents and how we treat others.
