Decorating Alleluias... "Setting aside" our Alleluias by burying them with sand. They will be stored under the Prayer Table in the Atrium until Easter has come!
Last week the 4th - 6th years finished up their Typology studies for the year...at least in terms of presentations. Hopefully they will continue their work of "thinking typologically" as they return to the follow-up materials throughout the rest of the year. After several weeks of reading Scripture and discussing the Old Testament narratives, the children spent time individually and then collectively discussing ways these Old Testament Scriptures had "parallels" in the New Testament/today and in Parousia. The 4th years' thoughts on their Typology study of The Flood:
The 5th/6th years' thoughts on Abraham/Isaac and Jesus:
During the season of Ordinary Time between Christmas and Lent, many of the children in the Atrium spend time pondering the parables of the Kingdom of God. Listed below are responses of the children over the past month in the Atrium.
- "It is the light of heaven." (3 year old, responding to the Parable of the Precious Pearl) - "I heard about the Kingdom of God at church. Father said the Kingdom of God will never end." (Kindergartner, when reviewing the parables of the Kingdom of God.) - "The wheat is buried and dies and the more life is the treasure." (5 year old, when hearing the Parable of the Hidden Treasure for the first time.) - "It's like the most beautiful pearl story!" "The treasure is Jesus." "Yes - he was buried again in the tomb and He brings joy!" (Three 5 year olds, hearing the Parable of the Hidden Treasure for the first time.) - After pondering the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, a 5 year old girl said, "The Kingdom is all the people in heaven." She was asked, "How is that like a treasure?" The child responded, "Because heaven is filled with the Great Light." - After reading "Thy Kingdom come" from the Scripture card on the prayer table, the children were asked why we might pray these words. There was a time of silence and then a 3 year old boy said, "The Kingdom of God brings peace and love." This was followed by a 6 year old boy, saying, "It's like when the Light comes! When the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light!" The children were then asked, "What would it be like if God's Kingdom was here? A 5 year old girl responded, "It would be filled with Light! If you were hungry and needed a snack before dinner the Light would show you where to go! You wouldn't ever be hungry!" - Three 1st grade children were pondering the Parable of the Found Coin. In thinking about the parable, one child the parable reminded him of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. He said the coins were like the Kingdom of God. He was asked if we can lose just part of the Kingdom and he responded, "Yes." Another child added, "That's what happens when we sin. We lose a coin." They continued, "So we are the woman and the lamp we light to help find the coin is Jesus. He is the light." They were asked, then, about the broom that helps the woman sweep to find the lost coin. One of the children said, "The broom the woman sweeps with is the Holy Spirit." Five 2nd graders and I were pondering the Mystery of Faith. We were discussing what a "mystery" is. They said, "something you get clues to" and "you try to figure it out" and "when you don't understand it." One child said, "Like the Mysteries of the Rosary." Then we talked about our response at Mass after the priest says, "The Mystery of Faith." We put out pictures of the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and Jesus' Second Coming at Parousia. We read about each from the Bible and then spoke about how each of these are mysteries. One child said, "They are many mysteries but they are one mystery - the Mystery of Our Faith. It's like the Trinity - three but one!" Another child said, "I just say, 'Amen. I believe.'" Finally we brought out a paten, chalice, and image of the Good Shepherd and pondered how these are also a great mystery. One child said, "It's bread but Jesus said it was his Body. That's a mystery." We finished by talking about how all of these mysteries are true but they are still mysteries. Only God could do them!
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Carolyn Kohlhaas
CGS Catechist and Formation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Categories
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April 2024
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