Celebration

Awe, Wonder and Strength

In our Pentecost celebration, after the children lit their candles to choose their gifts, they told each other why they chose their gifts. Here are two:

I chose awe and wonder because there are so many beautiful things, I just want to appreciate them more. Serena, 9

I chose strength because we need it so we don't despair. Xander, 9

He Likes to Share

After attending the Liturgy of the Light, Celia went home and said to her Mum, "You know, Mum, Jesus is the Light and he likes to share his Light with us, to you and me, because he loves us so much."

So Many Questions

Manuel, 5, was receiving the presentation on the City of Jerusalem. When we spoke of Jesus' death, he asked, "Why?” He also asked, "Why did he be risen?" I, too, wondered why, and Manuel responded, "Because he was dead there and God didn't like him dead. I think that's why." Manuel then discussed Israel as part of Asia, the need for bridges, and Galilee as part of Israel. He then wondered what Jesus looked like and if there had been electricity then. He prayed the song, "You Shall Go Out with Joy."

Frighteningly Beautiful

On Saturday during our Celebration of the Liturgy of the Light, we read the gospel story of the Women at the Tomb. I asked the children how the women had reacted (afraid but also full of joy) and asked them if this reminded them of other stories from the Bible. Niamh, in second grade, suggested the Parable of the Pearl, because the merchant felt happy about finding the pearl, but perhaps was frightened by how beautiful and precious it was.

This Is Good for All of Us

Henry, 4, sang this prayer at the Paschal Candle:

Mary had a baby, this is good for all of us.

And pray for Mary until the baby, until he dies in the ground, and then he rose on the cross.

He was alive a long, long time ago. I thought he would never die again.

But you can still go where he lived.

Someday at supper he said, "Here's my body and here's my blood. You should drink this until I die."

And if you wanted to go to the land of Israel, you'd have to go across the ocean, and over New York and over the salty sea, and the plane would drop you off where Jesus lived.

50,000 to 1

Yun, 6: See that candle? (the Paschal Candle) It's Jesus and God. There's at least 50,000 darkness out here and only one light. And that light challenged the darkness and won.

Sam: When Jesus was killed on the cross, his light got snuffed. But when he rose, it was like his light lit up a pile of firewood--and the light was MUCH stronger. Everyone was amazed!

Yun's response to Sam: It doesn't matter how big the darkness is, it can't put out the light. But even one little candle can light up this dark room.

Party Time

At the end of the Cenacle work, when I announced that Jesus rose three days after he died, Mari, 4, said, "If Jesus rose, I'd throw a party!"

The Onlookers

Transforming

While reflecting on the Last Supper with a group, I asked two children, who had mixed up the Leaven before the Last Supper presentation began, to bring their work over to the cenacle. I asked them how the Leaven reminded them of their work at the cenacle. They responded, "It rose like he rose," and "Jesus makes love, peace and joy grow so that the Holy Spirit can come and there won't be any more wars." Belle, 6, added, "It makes me think it's part of transforming. The yeast makes the flour transform into bread, and he transformed the bread and wine into his body and blood."