Gospel Sharing is at the heart of the MCCC units. Through these sessions, members find inspiration for their lives and gain insights into how to apply gospel values to their daily living, especially in carrying out activities that are consistent with being a follower of Jesus Christ. They also provide the focus of coming together for the members, to allow them to put the Word of God in a central position in their lives alongside the Sunday Eucharist, in order to bring about greater unity within the community and to act out appropriately, either as individuals or as a group, as a result of the insights gained from sharing together.
Members of each unit meet regularly to break open the Gospel Passage of each Sunday whenever possible, preferably weekly, on a day, time and place mutually agreed by members of the unit. There is no hard and fast rule as to when or where members should meet or when the best day or time should be. Rotating the venue of the meeting among the homes of a few willing members may not be a bad idea as it provides a more welcoming setting and gives a sense of ownership to the group members. A weekly session is preferred simply because it strengthens the bonds of friendship among the members as well as creates a sense of rythmn in their lives and provides an opportunity for interaction as a community. The length of each session depends on how much interaction occur among the members present. Normally it should not go beyond two hours.
The Gospel Reading for the Sunday is used at the sessions to provide consistency in the selection of readings used throughout the church's liturgical calendar as well as to provide a useful opportunity to expand on the Word during the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist. However, units have the freedom to use any selection of gospel passages as they deem appropriate for their use during the sessions.
The format of the Gospel Sharing session follows the following order: Opening Prayer, Reading of the Sunday Gospel passage of the week, period of silent reflection, breaking open the word, sharing on the questions, formulating a response to the gospel message, reporting on the previous week's gospel action, prayer of intercessions, any other business and annoucements, and finally, the closing prayer. A fellowship can take place immediately after, depending on the host of the meeting for that particularly week but it should not become a burden for any one person to arrange and provide for food and refreshment. Singing of songs appropriate to the theme of the gospel can be interspersed within the session as a way to unify hearts and minds.
The session needs a facilitator to ensure its smooth running and to allow each section to receive its appropriate time. The facilitator also maintains order and guides the unit out of any difficult situation that may arise. However, he/she is not required to provide the 'correct' answer to any questions. His/her role is to encourage greater participation and to ensure that the participants are focus on the tasks and objectives of the session. No member should be forced to say or do anything that he/she may not feel free to do so. Respect for one another must be maintained in order to create a relaxed and trusting environment. This means that anyone present should not feel threatened by remarks made by someone else present. Any disruptive behaviour or unruly remarks must be avoided at all times. The role of the facilitator can be rotated among those who are gifted or are able to do so. The facilitator does not necessarily have to be the host of the meeting. One of the most important duties of the facilitator is to make sure that the materials for use at the sessions are made available so that the session can run smoothly. Provide the printed reflection sheets and bibles if particpants do not bring their own.
For more information on how to facilitate the session, please refer to the facilitator's role in the formation section.
To view the Weekly Gospel Reflection and Questions for sharing please click below.
Format
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