Holy Spirit?

We were meditating on the Presentation in the Temple, and particularly on Simeon's response to the Holy Spirit's prompting to go to the temple, and his response to holding the Christ child. Kelly, age 8, asked, “How do we know if the Holy Spirit is really speaking to us?” She deeply considered this question, wondering, “Is it in a dream, or while we are awake? And how do we know for sure that it is the Holy Spirit, and not just our own mind?” This is a profound question.

How Did They Know Him?

To my question of how Simeon and Anna could have known who Jesus was, out of all the people in the Temple, Nyere, 4, responded, "Maybe when he was in Heaven before coming into his mommy's tummy, he talked to them and told them how he loved them."

Did He Know?

During a meditation on the Presentation in the Temple, the overarching theme of all the Infancy Narratives (“Who is this child?”) really surfaced for Ellie (age 8). She asked, “Did Jesus when He was a baby know that He was God?” As a catechist, I responded, “Well, we know that Jesus was a real baby, and as a person He saw the world as a baby does. We also know that Jesus was truly God, who is all-knowing.” The interchange was followed by a period of silence, but it was the full sort of silence that is truly a response to a mystery.

This Little Star of Mine

After the reading of the Adoration of the Wise Men, Ben asked to sing, "This Little Light of Mine," and he did so holding the star from the work. For the verse where we sing, "Hide it under a bushel? No!" he hid the star behind his back.

Quite a Gift

This was a card, with the "gift wrap" on the outside and the drawing of moon and stars on the inside.

Gratitude at Epiphany

Responses to an Epiphany meditation on gifts:
Thank you for all my many many gifts you give to me such as some of my favorite ones- my family, you, for you dying for us and some more!
I am greatful for these gifts of God! Our life, the animals, the world, and aspessialy lots of food (yum!) and water.
Thank you for all the gifts you have given me like life, my family, my house and much much more! I love all of them! I can't even name all of them!

Geography of the East

During the three kings presentation 6-year-old Luke asked: "Where in the East did the Kings come from?" I told him I didn't really know. He said, "I think they came from that part of Russia that's all the way over close to Alaska." At the end of the presentation he commented again: "I think they came from India.”

Epiphany Praise

We did an Epiphany Celebration with our Level 2 children. On the surface, it was not going according to my plan - our time got cut short unexpectedly, it felt too rushed, etc. But the Lord was at work anyway! I gave cards to the children, and asked them to write (if they wished) a response to the great gift we have been given. They then had a chance to place those in a "treasure chest" box on the prayer table. Some of the responses were:
--I will praise your name Lord for the rest of my life.
--Lord, I praise your holy name. (With a picture of a dove in front of a cross).
--Immanuel, how can I thank you for the wonderful beauty?
--Lord, I am your daughter and you are my father.
--I love the Lord like a rose on a sunny day.

It was wonderful!

Seasonal Joy

During the Christmas season, Lily, 4 1/2, ran by me into the bathroom. She went in, sat down, sang "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" several times, flushed the toilet and ran out.