Aims
Every journey requires planning. Planning our life journey requires that we map our lives, seeking the necessary guidance that will help us reflect where we have come from and where we may be going.

We consider the life of Jesus Christ, his own journey to holiness and wholeness as a map that directs us towards our true vocation in life.

We aim to understand our lives as journey’s to holiness and wholeness.

During this session we draw our own map of life to reflect the very uniqueness of our particular journey.

Exploration
Because our lives are free, we are not handed a map of our lives when we are born or when we are baptised. This does not mean, however, that we are not given any guidelines as to how to live our lives. The Gospel, the Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments together with the guidance of parents, teachers and spiritual leaders, and our knowledge of our own personal strengths and weaknesses provides us with many different maps of our lives.

Action
Group leaders are asked to draw a map of their own life. This can be done before or during the session. The group leaders should be ready to illustrate their map to the students.

The map portrays life from birth to the present day and should point towards today and tomorrow.

Group leaders then invite the individuals to draw their own map, which should reflect their uniqueness. Individuals are encouraged to reflect the significant moments on their journey and share the times they gained personal gifts and talents.

Using the art materials provided, individuals should draw a map of their lives - past, present and future. Remind them that no one can predict their own future with complete accuracy, but ask them to project a future and a vocation that they would consider ideal. Each should be encouraged to find ways of making a unique map.

Individuals are reminded by group leaders to include high points of their lives
(Birth, Baptism, Home, School, Siblings, Grandparents). On the future portion of the map, the leaders ask them to project themselves into a vocation as a married, single, teacher, priest etc. They must be allowed to create a map that is appropriate to them.

Group leaders then invite the individuals to share the content of their map with their group. However, there is no compulsion on anyone to do so.

Group Leaders should be aware that sensitivity and care need to be afforded to each individual as some parts of their life story may include painful memories. At the outset, individuals are informed that there is no need to reveal everything on the map. It is primarily a tool for their personal reflection on the Lord’s presence and guidance on the road of their lives.

Scripture
Group leaders may wish to use any of the following pieces of scripture to aid the session.

It is recommended that the passages are reflected on before the session begins. Leaders may wish to use commentaries to develop a lesson plan for the inclusion of these passages in the session.

It is important to avoid any homily style presentation of these passages. It would be better to use them for quick reflections or meditations to begin or to close the section.

Psalm 139
Jeremiah 1: 4-5
Luke

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National Office for Vocation   The Chase Centre 114 West Heath Road London NW3 7TX  United Kingdom
Tel: 020 8458 6017 Registered Charity No: 257239