L1 and L2 Prayer Cards: 4.5"x6.5"
- The prayer cards offer prayer language to the youngest child in single words or short phrases. They can be beautifully illustrated, but I have found that by keeping them very simple the children are more inclined to draw the prayer of their heart. The colors of the backings correspond to themes of the Atrium (white for Infancy Narratives, red for the Paschal Mystery, orange for the Eucharistic Prayer, etc.). These cards can be used in both the Level 1 and 2 atria.
- The Scripture cards highlight passages from Psalms and from the Gospels which, again, provide language for prayer. The Psalm passages chosen in L1 are those of praise and thanks, fitting the prayer of this age child. When the Scripture passages are taken from the Gospels they frequently come from the Infancy Narratives and focus on the prayers of Mary, Elizabeth, Simeon, and others.
- The L2 Scripture cards include all of those used in L1 but there are additional cards which meet the expanding prayer of the L2 child. Prayers of Petition, Intercession, and Contrition are all fitting to this older child. The Scripture cards are also an excellent tool for helping L2 children begin to look up Scripture citations in the Bible.
- These Scripture cards are also appropriate for the L3 child.
- The Scripture Cards, Prophecies, and Psalm 23 Cards should all parallel the translation of the Bible that the children hear in the Atrium. Ideally, this is the same translation that they hear at liturgy. The Lectionary of the Catholic Church uses the New American Bible (NAB) translation. The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) is the current version of this translation and the Scripture cards linked previously align with the NABRE. The Prophecy cards should thus be NABRE as well.
- L1: Isaiah 9:1a; Isaiah 9:5b; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:1; Numbers 24:17b.
- L2 and L3: Isaiah 9:1; Isaiah 9:5; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:1; Numbers 24:17ab; Isaiah 40:3-5; Isaiah 11:1-3a; Isaiah 11:6-9.
- While there are a variety of recommendations for how Psalm 23 is presented to the children, my preference is to offer the following cards in graded size:
- L1: Psalm 23:1a; Psalm 23:1; Psalm 23:1-2a; Psalm 23:1-2; Psalm 23:1-3a.
- L2 and L3: Psalm 23:1-3; Psalm 23:1-4; Psalm 23:1-6.
- Several of our liturgical words of prayer are Hebrew words: "Amen," "Alleluia," Hosanna." The L2 and L3 children delight in knowing the origin of these (and other) words and also find great joy in copying them.
- You might also consider, for the L3 children, having a copy of Psalm 23 written in Hebrew for them to enjoy and even copy (8.5"x11").