Just Teach Sheet Teens August Week 3

��️ Teen Track – Just Teach Sheet

Week 3: Listening to God
August Theme: Prayer & Personal Relationship with God
For Ages: 13–18 (faith formation)
Focus: God is not silent. He speaks through Scripture, Tradition, the Mass, the Magisterium, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Listening to Him means being ready to obey, even when it’s hard.

�� Weekly Goal

By the end of this week, you will:

Understand that God’s voice is real and active today, not just in the past.

Learn where the Catholic Church says we hear God most clearly.

See how listening to God is connected to living a sacramental life.

Be able to explain to others why Catholics don’t just rely on “feelings” to know God’s will.

�� What You’ll Need

This sheet

Bible (physical Bible preferred — show reverence for God’s Word)

Notebook or journal for reflection

Rosary (optional but encouraged)

A quiet, device-free place

��️ Opening Prayer (Say daily)

Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal Word of the Father,
You spoke the universe into being,
You spoke to the prophets,
You spoke in the flesh to Your disciples,
And You speak today through Your Church.
Open my ears to hear,
My mind to understand,
And my heart to obey. Amen.

�� Day 1 – God Calls You Personally

Teaching Script:
God didn’t just speak to Moses, Mary, or the Apostles. He calls you by name. Your life is not an accident — it is a mission. Just as God called Samuel in the Temple, He calls you now.

�� 1 Samuel 3:10 – “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”

Catholic Insight:
The Catechism says (CCC 2567) that God always takes the first step — He calls us, even when we forget Him. Listening is our loving response.

Mini Homily Reflection:
Samuel’s story is also about obedience. When God calls, we don’t just “hear” — we respond. Every vocation, every saint’s life begins with listening to God.

Apologetics Note:
Some say, “I’ll believe in God if He speaks to me out loud.” But God’s call is often quieter — because He wants faith, not just a forced reaction. Catholics recognise His voice in the same ways Christians have for 2,000 years: Scripture, Tradition, the Church’s teaching, and prayer.

Action:
Sit in silence for 1 minute and pray: “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” Write down any word, idea, or Scripture that comes to mind.

�� Day 2 – Silence is a Spiritual Weapon

Teaching Script:
We’re surrounded by noise: playlists, social media, constant notifications. Silence feels unnatural because we’re not used to it. But silence is powerful. The devil tries to distract us; God invites us to be still.

�� Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Catholic Insight:
In the Gospels, Jesus often withdrew to pray in silence before major events — before choosing the Apostles, before His Passion. Silence is where we become spiritually strong.

Apologetics Note:
Protestant “Bible alone” teaching sometimes overlooks the fact that silence and contemplation were normal for the early Church — before the Bible was even complete. Listening to God means allowing Him to speak through Scripture and the living Tradition of the Church.

Action:
Find two minutes without phone or music. Light a candle if possible. Say: “Jesus, I’m here.” Just be with Him.

�� Day 3 – Scripture as God’s Voice Today

Teaching Script:
The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit and cannot deceive. But it’s not a dead letter — it is alive. Catholics read Scripture with the Church, not in isolation, because the same Spirit who inspired it guides the Church to interpret it correctly.

�� Matthew 17:5 – “This is my beloved Son… listen to Him!”

Catholic Insight:
The Father commands us to listen to Jesus. Today, Jesus speaks in the Gospels and in His Body, the Church. That means when the Church faithfully teaches, Christ Himself is guiding her (Luke 10:16).

Apologetics Note:
If someone says, “I can interpret the Bible myself,” remember: Jesus never told individuals to go off alone and decide truth privately. He gave authority to the Apostles and their successors (bishops) to teach without error on faith and morals.

Action:
Read Luke 15:11–32 (The Prodigal Son). Ask: “What is Jesus revealing about Himself? About me?” Write your thoughts.

�� Day 4 – Listening at Mass

Teaching Script:
At Mass, the Liturgy of the Word is not just “preparation” for the Eucharist — it is Christ Himself speaking. When the lector says, “The Word of the Lord,” we are acknowledging that God just addressed us personally.

�� Hebrews 4:12 – “The word of God is living and active.”

Catholic Insight:
The same Jesus who speaks in the Gospel is the Jesus you will receive in Holy Communion. The Word prepares your heart for the Word-made-Flesh.

Apologetics Note:
Some say, “I can just read the Bible at home — I don’t need Mass.” But at Mass, Scripture is proclaimed in the context of the Church’s worship, with the Eucharist at its centre. That’s how the first Christians heard it — gathered together (Acts 2:42).

Action:
At Mass this Sunday, write down one line from the readings or homily that strikes you. Pray with it all week.

��️ Day 5 – Listening and Obeying

Teaching Script:
Listening is not enough — discipleship means obeying. If God says “forgive,” you forgive. If God says “follow Me,” you follow.

�� John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Catholic Insight:
Obedience is not weakness — it’s strength, because you are aligning yourself with God’s perfect wisdom.

Apologetics Note:
Modern culture says “follow your heart.” But your heart can be wrong if it’s not formed by truth. Catholics follow Christ through the Church, because the Church is protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching error in faith and morals.

Action:
Pray for 2 minutes: Speak to God, then listen. Write down one thing you believe He wants you to do this week.

�� Weekend Wrap-Up

Reflect or journal:

“Where did I hear God most clearly this week?”

“What truth did I hear that I need to act on?”

“What is one thing I will change to listen better?”

✍️ Prayer Prompt / Journal Space

“With Your help, I will…”

��️ Apologetics Summary

  • God speaks today — not only in the past.
  • Catholics hear His voice most clearly in Scripture, Tradition, and the teaching of the Magisterium.
  • Feelings aren’t enough — our conscience must be formed by truth.
  • Mass is unique — it is the fullest way to hear Christ’s Word and receive Him in the Eucharist.

�� Optional CCC Reflection

�� CCC 2653 – “Prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture so that a dialogue takes place between God and man.”
�� CCC 85 – “The task of authentically interpreting the Word of God… has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church.”