Finally!! Seven 3rd grade children who were unable to enjoy their 2nd year retreat last spring delighted in a day of time away in the Atrium last Friday. We began by talking about how unique their day of retreat would be because they have already received the beautiful gifts of Reconciliation and Eucharist. In discussing "retreat" the children spoke about "a special day not like other days" or "going back to somewhere" and we decided we were "taking time away to listen deeply so we can move forward with God." Our main work of the day was to ponder what had most helped us in our lives to know God and listen deeply for His voice. The children gathered materials from the Atrium which had helped them in their journey and then they each drew a representation of these gifts on a paper cross which was glued to the wooden cross each received last Ash Wednesday. This process took all morning and even continued into the afternoon. Their focus throughout was so beautiful to see; the quiet and peace of the day was such a gift. At the end of our day together I invited the children to share one aspect of the day that they would like to share with their parents: - That it was a really quiet day. - That we had ice cream treats! - That we had partly our own recess and some with the regular recess. - That I made two prayer cards and a cross bookmark. - I want to tell them I loved the whole day in the Atrium. - That it was really fun making my cross and all the work was good. - It was the best Atrium day I ever had. This year has been unique in so many ways...but the children at The Way of the Shepherd have had another "wrinkle" added to this fall's time in the Atrium. We don't have an Atrium space! We were not able to begin construction this summer, but the work has now begun, and we are looking forward to moving from "Atrium lessons" to "time in the Atrium" soon. The anticipation is definitely growing, and there will be much rejoicing when we can settle into our new, beautiful Atrium space! Elementary Parent Child Night was just as well attended and filled with joy as the one for Children's House. The children's presentations to their parents and families on our faith has a beautiful evangelistic quality! Parent Child Night is considered one of the favorite events of the year at The Way of the Shepherd. On this night children bring their parents as well as other family members to their learning environments where they show them some of the work that they do each week. It is always beautiful to see which materials the children will choose to show and to witness the parents learning with and from their children!
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season of the Liturgical Year. At The Way of the Shepherd it also marks an intensified period of preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist for our 2nd year children. After Communion during our Ash Wednesday Mass, these children each carried up a wooden cross and received a special blessing. These crosses will hang above the prayer table in the Atrium from now until the 2nd Year Retreat during the Octave of Easter when the children will decorate their crosses with images and words that express what has helped them prepare for this great moment of being invited to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus at the Wedding Feast for the first time. Between now and their Retreat the children will gather for an additional time of prayer in the Atrium each week where they will meditate on Scripture passages which intended to help them continue to prepare their hearts for this beautiful new way they will be united with Jesus in the Eucharist in the Easter season.
This past year during our 2nd Year Eucharistic Retreat the children looked at the Gifts Strip in a new way. This material helps us to see the great variety of gifts which God used to so beautifully fill the earth long before we arrived...and which He continues to pour out upon us today to assist us in our writing on the blank page of our moment in history as we await Parousia. Having enjoyed this material for many months, the 2nd graders took time on retreat to expand their thinking about the many gifts of God as they pondered how these gifts assist us in our worship of Him through at Mass or, in other words, how we assist all of creation to worship God most fully through the liturgy! As a child read each page, another child chose one material from the Atrium to represent that moment and its connection to the liturgy. We did this twice and so each moment has two items, chosen by the children, as examples of how all of the gifts of God help us in our worship at liturgy.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as understood and experienced by the 1st - 3rd graders and the 4th - 6th graders in the Atrium through the materials and in their own words... Knowledge: Knowing God more and more each day.
- Sanctuary lamp: “It helps us know Jesus is with us.” - Good Samaritan: “When the Good Samaritan helped the man who was hurt the man knew God better.” - Cenacle from City of Jerusalem: “That’s where Jesus had the Last Supper.” - Summary of the Law: “God's Word helps us grow in knowledge.” - Candle: “The candle shows us God's light.” Understanding: Realizing how great God is. - Insistent Friend: “He was persistent and kept asking.” - Chalice and Paten: “The Holy Spirit helps us understand this is Jesus.” - Crucifix: “When Jesus died on the cross it showed His greatness.” - John Paul II: “He understood that people needed to know that God loved them.” - Angel from the Tomb: “He helped the women understand that Jesus rose from the dead.” - Angel from the Annunciation: “When the Holy Spirit came over her she understood why she was going to have a baby.” - Temple and candle from City of Jerusalem: “When Jesus died there was three hours of darkness but he was greater than the darkness.” - Tomb from City of Jerusalem: “This is because God rose from the dead. He died so I can live.” - Crucifix: “It shows how great God is because He took away our sins by dying on the cross.” Wisdom: Knowing what to do with our knowledge and understanding of God. - St. Therese: “She had wisdom because she loved the other sister, the one who didn't like her.” - Angel: “The angel tells us what we should do to live with these gifts well. - Crucifix: “When Jesus was on the cross God was with Him and when I look at the crucifix I know He is with me too.” - Nothing: “I brought nothing because I nothing can help me know how to use my knowledge and understanding except God.” - Bible: “God's Word is filled with wisdom and when we read it we have wisdom too.” - Bell: “When the bell rings at Church we use our understanding and know that the bread is Jesus.” - Wise Bridesmaids: “The wise ones brought oil so they could light the way when the bridegroom came.” - Sheep: “The sheep have wisdom because they only recognize the Good Shepherd's voice.” - Apostle: “The apostles used wisdom to spread the news about Jesus.” - Good Shepherd: “He had wisdom to have the sheep follow Him. He didn't force them. They just came so they knew and understood that He would take care of them.” - Mary and the gifts from the Magi: “When the wise men saw the star they knew it would help them and they followed it and were surprised when they saw Jesus.” - Cross: “We can know God any way and all ways.” - Globe: “God made the earth and I'm glad we are real and living so we can know and understand Him.” - Mary from the Flight into Egypt: “Mary had to go back and forth and listen to the angel and travel and listen to the angel and travel again and Mary went right away when the angel said she should go.” Counsel: Knowing the right choice, the choice God would have us make. - Origin of the Eucharist panel: “The people who teach in the church know more about God than me but God knows a lot more because God is God but the Church wants to share that with us.” - Maxim: “‘When you give alms do not blow a trumpet before you,’ is like making a decision; so, should I do the good thing or the bad thing.” - Joseph: “When the angel appeared to him and said they had to travel somewhere else Joseph decided to just go right away and not wait for the morning.” - Palm from the City of Jerusalem: “That’s when God was coming into other places. He can’t just be in one place. He can be in multiple at one time.” - Maxim: “‘Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect,’ reminds us to be like God as much as we can.” - “Glory to God in the Highest:” “It helps you because if you say it you might feel better and then you might know what to do.” - Signpost for Egypt/Israel: “It helped Joseph and Mary to know where to go to make it safe. This was like a sign of safety.” - Insistent Friend: “When his friend needed bread, he made the choice to go and help him.” - Baptismal oils: “Once you were baptized you started to make the choice to be good.” - Tax collector: “He used counsel so he could make a good choice to look deep inside his heart.” - Wise Bridesmaid: “She made the right choice to have extra oil.” - Cross: “Jesus used counsel and all of the gifts perfectly.” - Apostles: “When they gather for the Last Supper it was kind of like it was a council.” Fortitude: Being strong for God; using God's strength and power to do what is right and good. - Apostle: “They could use God’s power to do everything, even move mountains or make money like double for themselves, but they used it to help the poor. They could do miracles, but they helped and did things for others, not for themselves.” - Peter: “He was the second person to turn the bread and wine into Jesus’ Body and Blood.” - Garden of Olives: “When Jesus was praying, He had to have a lot of power to pray because it was stressful and when the guards took Him, He had a lot of power to not fight back.” - Sheep: “God was teaching them strength and they started learning how to follow Him.” - Anne and Mary: “Anne and Mary are reading the Bible and when they read, they get stronger.” - St. Thomas Aquinas: “He wrote about God and that took fortitude.” - Sheep and Hired Hand: “The sheep and the man were kind of scared. The man ran away but the Good Shepherd had fortitude and protected the sheep.” - Wheat seed (Mystery of Life and Death): “When God was very small, He was not so powerful at that time but when He died and was risen, He was very powerful.” - Jesus holding the paten: “Jesus had strength in Him, and He put that strength into the bread when He made it His Body.” Piety: Loving God more than anything or anyone else. Taking delight in loving God. - Pope Francis: “He’s a priest and he loves God more than anything.” - Mary from the Visitation: “Mary and Elizabeth were rejoicing because of Jesus.” - Apostles: “They told everyone about Jesus and shared His Body and Blood.” - Baptismal Oils: “Celebrating your Baptism and the joy that comes from Baptism.” - Simeon and Jesus: “He loved Jesus so much that he asked God if he could live just so he could see Him.” - Peter: “He loved Jesus more than anything and he cried a lot when he denied him.” - Mary: “She loved Jesus and she loved God. Jesus is God and He is God’s gift.” - Bible: “The Bible shows how we know God for like forever.” - 3 Wise Men: “They knew that Jesus was born and so they started to go and see Him because they loved Him so much.” - Priest: “He loved God more than anything else because at Mass He says that sometimes.” Fear of the Lord: Realizing that God is so great and we are so small and He loves us very much. - Shepherd: “The sheep was afraid but then he saw how good and great the Shepherd was.” - Amen: “We say Amen because God is so good.” - Angel from the Tomb: “When the angel came they were afraid but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid,’ and they were kind of afraid but then they were like, ‘How can this be that he’s alive?’ and they were kind of in awe.” - 3 Wise Men: “When they say baby Jesus they were in awe and they laid down in front of Him.” - “When miracles happened like when Jesus turned five loaves and two fish into so much more, people were surprised and in awe.” - Mary: “When the angel appeared to her and told her she was having a baby she was surprised, and she felt very good.” - Thurible: “When they incense the monstrance, they put the smoke in front of the monstrance which is God. They put fire and smoke in front of it because God is so powerful.” - Tomb: “I brought this tomb because when the three women saw that Jesus was gone, they were so amazed that He was risen and gone.” - Angel: “The angel loved God and God loved the angel and the angel was sending messages from God - Shepherds and angel: “When the angel appeared to them they were scared but they saw God had so much power and then they went and saw Jesus who was so little.” This past school year has been one of many gifts and many challenges. As we approach the summer with the knowledge that we have hired a new Head of School and as we look forward to introducing her to our school and parent communities, it seems like the perfect moment to look back at this past year. In the Level I (3-6 year old) Atrium we speak often about the many gifts that God has given to us. We "open and enjoy" them, lifting them up and marveling at God's goodness. His plan for fullness of life was foretold by the prophets, witnessed to by angels and shepherds, Jews and Gentiles, learned men and even an unborn baby. As Jesus grew, He spoke about the Kingdom of God, revealing that it is like a Mustard Seed, a Precious Pearl, a Hidden Treasure and Leaven. He knows us by name and lays down His life only to take it up again and share with each of us a life stronger than death, a light stronger than darkness. What great love! The Level II (6-9 year old) children, while still encountering and recognizing His many gifts, also begin to ask how they might respond to the one who has filled the earth so that it resembles a banquet table lavishly heaped with all that we need. His great love demands a response in kind! As we ponder the Parable of the True Vine we realize that we don't want to just bear fruit; we want to bear the most beautiful fruit that will bring the greatest glory to God! The Level III (9-12 year old) children were recently pondering the four Cardinal Virtues of Justice, Fortitude, Prudence, and Temperance. In our conversation on Fortitude they began speaking about the many saints who had been martyred for their faith: Blessed Miguel Pro, St. Joan of Arc, St. Sebastian, St. Lawrence, and others. One child said that St. Mother Teresa had also lived with fortitude because she was willing to die when she worked with those who had sicknesses that could kill her. This led to a dialogue about living with fortitude and, eventually, to a discussion about white martyrdom or pouring oneself out in the way one lives daily life. What other option is there? How else can we live if we follow the one who has given all for us in laying down His life for His sheep? During every Mass we remember and experience again this essential interaction between God and man of gift and response. God gives all to us through sending the Holy Spirit in the Epiclesis who transforms our gifts of bread and wine (representative of the little work we do in elevating His gifts of wheat and grapes) into the very Body and Blood of Jesus. Having received such an incomprehensible gift, how can we respond? The only "gift" we can give in response is the gift we have just received...Jesus, Himself. When the priest lifts up Jesus and offers Him back to God in the Doxology we, too, offer our thoughts, words, and actions, all of the ways we have imitated the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, pouring ourselves out for the one who has given all for us.
This year I have witnessed on a regular basis several individuals pouring themselves out for the children, families, and staff of our school. Thank you to those who have truly given all that they have. Your gift of self is seen and it is so appreciated. The beautiful, amazing fruit on your branch of the True Vine is bringing great, great glory to Our Heavenly Father, the Vinegrower. Thank you for opening and enjoying His gifts and for your whole-hearted "yes," like Mary, in response. May God reward you as only He can! |
Carolyn Kohlhaas
CGS Catechist and Formation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|