What's Happening In RE

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist; but others Elijah; and still others that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” He said to them “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God”. (Lk 9:18-20). The question Jesus puts to his disciples is one that everyone must ultimately answer, probably many times throughout life. 

In Year 9, students examine a range of images of Jesus, represented in art, literature, music, films and prayers, as well as the cultural and historical influences upon them. They consider how their own understanding of, and relationship with Jesus is influenced by particular images that they have seen. Students evaluate to what extent these images reflect the Jesus of the Gospels. 

The following poem by the mediaeval mystic Teresa of Avila inspired our students to draw images of Jesus to reflect how they see Him in their day to day lives.

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now but yours,

 by Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

My image shows Jesus with no body but his footsteps showing in the sand. In my drawing I am trying to show what we teach at Kildare that Jesus is supporting you.

My drawing shows Jesus with no body but as only footsteps walking alongside you on your journey. It also shows Jesus' footsteps ending, representing times in your life were you think Jesus is not with you. People in Kildare can be like Jesus by supporting others.

My Image represents all the words that symbolise his love and how the Kildare community demonstrates the love of Jesus.

In this picture I have tried to show the words that describe the Christ.

By showing the words means you show the qualities and values that the Christ shows. Having the heart with KCC inside means that us as a school community try and show these qualities and values in our everyday life. One feature on my picture that shows “Christ has no body but yours” is the words KCC inside the heart. Having this shows that the community of KCC always are loving. But also having the words surrounding it means that the KCC community shows these qualities as well.

A second feature of the picture that shows ‘Christ has no body but yours” Is the words inside the cross. Having the cross shows the relation that we are talking about Christ/Jesus. The words being inside the cross show that Christ shows these qualities so should we.

The ways people in the community Of KCC can be more like Jesus is displaying these qualities in their everyday life. For example being Honest, Loving, Compassionate, Respectful and Loyal.

I'm trying to show that CHRIST helped people no matter what the cost was. Other people would find it impossible to share 5 loaves and 2 fish with 5000 people but CHRIST made it possible to do so, but CHRIST made it possible because he was their Lord and saviour.

The teacher giving a schoolchild bread and fish. It shows how CHRIST helped people by sharing 5 loaves and 2 fish to 5000 people.

The eye represents another person seeing this teacher help the child who is in need.

They should start helping each other no matter how hard it would be to help that person in need. And also being kind to each other.

My drawing of Jesus standing behind a Kildare student shows how Christ uses us as his body to do his work on earth. In my drawing, I am trying to convey that we at Kildare try to show all of the values and aspects of Jesus all the time. Whether it be his kindness, compassion, selflessness, and many more of his characteristics that we as his followers try to imitate.

One feature in my artwork that helps to communicate the theme is Jesus standing behind a Kildare student. This represents that Jesus is always with us and that we try to represent his values and what he did. We try to emanate his kindness through our actions every day. Another feature of my artwork is Jesus having no facial features. This helps to show that we are Jesus’ eyes, ears and mouth. So everything we do Jesus can see and hear.

This is to show how we need to consider if how we treat others is how Jesus would have treated them and if we show Christ’s characteristics.

This is how my artwork shows how we are used as Christ’s body and how we are a representation and a reflection of Jesus on earth. To be like Jesus in the Kildare community we can help out others and show kindness and compassion to everyone.

I believe that my image represents the theme in the way of showing that Jesus could be anyone of us, and even though he isn’t here he is still watching and taking care of us. My Image is trying to show that Jesus can be anyone of us, he could be anywhere, and how we as a school should try to be like Jesus.

Jesus is a student helping another student who has hurt themselves playing football, this shows that any of us can do the simplest things to bring out our inner Christ.

Jesus wearing the kildare uniform shows that all of us here at kildare can, and are like Jesus in all different ways. Even as little as helping others when knocked down. We can all be like Jesus, by doing the simplest things as helping others, or being a role model, a leader, just like Jesus was and still is.

My drawing displays the meaning “ yours are the hands, with which he blesses the world”, because the world ( which represents the kildare community) fist bumps a person.

My image represents the theme by relating to kildare and the poem. 

An aspect of Jesus’ story is when he would teach the people his ways and teachings. I show this through my image by including young students listening to Jesus teach them. I am relating to the ‘Christ has no body but yours’ poem by including 6 teachings of God underneath the students. 

A feature of my artwork that I have chosen to represent the theme is the words of the teachings of God. I have 6 words underneath the students, happiness, faith, kindness, love, joy and compassion. Compassion, Love and kindness are mentioned in the poem. Joy, faith and happiness are related to some of the sentences. 

Another feature in my artwork that helps communicate the theme is the uniform on Jesus. If my artwork was hung in the corridor of Kildare, I find that students would be able to relate to the poster more if there was something that they wear on the artwork. Through the use of the uniform, I also find that it helps to represent that kindness and love are taught through kildare in ways as Jesus did, so the uniform helps to show that we are learning the teachings of Jesus through the school.

Some way in which people can be like Jesus through kildare is to follow the teachings in which Jesus has taught. 

The staff in the kildare community are a way that we learn the teachings of Jesus.

My image relates to the theme that Christ has nobody now but mine.

The aspects of Jesus in my story communicate the values of forgiveness in verse John 1-11. This is where a woman has been brought to Jesus accused of committing adultery. Jesus says that if anyone has not committed a sin to throw a stone at her. No one threw a stone showing us how Jesus forgave the woman and showed his humanity by getting the other people to think about their own lives and how no one is perfect.

The feature in my artwork helps communicate the theme of “Christ has no body but yours” through the use of the logo from Kildare. By having this on Jesus’ robe, this makes a connection between us and Jesus believing that Jesus is one of us and when we wear that uniform we are carrying him with us every day.

Another feature of my artwork is that Jesus is setting a good example by helping the bullied child but then Jesus starts writing on the tiles saying that everyone isn’t perfect and everyone has sinned and when he writes this everybody admits it and ends up helping the child.

Therefore the teachers at KIldare are like Jesus.

My image represents the theme 'Christ has no body now but mine.’ Through my image I am trying to represent the values of Kildare and Christianity as a whole. I also tried to represent how Jesus lives through us in everyday life. 

The first example in my artwork is the writing on the whiteboard. It says, “Love your neighbor” and underneath in dot points are some ways that the phrase can be acted out. In Mark 12:28-31 Jesus explains that loving God and your neighbor is the most important commandment. This also relates back to the theme of how we can use our hands to serve others, use our eyes to see people in need, and to use our feet to walk over and help someone. 

The second example is of Jesus himself and the students in the classroom. In the picture Jesus is embodying a religion teacher who is teaching a class in Kildare. This shows that through education religious values can be passed down. However, it is also up to the students on whether they act out these values in everyday life. As said in the bible “ in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” - James 2:17. It is up to ourselves to fulfill “Christ has no body but yours”.

 There are many simple ways that we can say this. Simple things such as compliments and smiling, this can be Jesus acting through us. Not ignoring those who need help is also a way to be like Jesus, or simply just choosing not to start fights. Thinking about how my actions would affect others.

This is how we can represent “Christ has no body but mine”. 

David Chaston | Religious Education Coordinator