Jesus and people are together

 

As we discussed the Preparation of the Chalice material, Felice, age 5, declared “There’s more wine because Jesus is more important than people.”  After we prepared the chalice, she said, “I was wrong.  I change my mind.  Jesus and people are together.”

We can't be separated from him

 

After preparing the chalice with the water and wine, I wondered if the water could be separated from the wine.  One child insisted that it couldn’t be separated and explained, “we are together with Jesus.”  Paul, age 6, added, “and we can’t be separated from him.”

We're family now

 

During the presentation on the Breaking of the Bread when I asked how it felt to share bread together, Jill, age 9, explained, “I feel like we’re a family now.”  During the rest of the discussion, she and others frequently referred to feeling like family.

Together with Jesus

 

After preparing the chalice with the water and wine, I wondered if the water could be separated from the wine.  Hannah, age 7, insisted to her classmates that it couldn’t be separated.  She explained, “we are together with Jesus.” 

Jesus is us

 

A few weeks after the presentation on the breaking of the bread, Dorian, age 6, was working with the Preparation of the Chalice.  She exclaimed, “This is the same as the bread!  Only with wine.  We’re sharing and he’s sharing.”  Later she added, “Jesus is us and we are Jesus.  We have him.”

Jesus falling on us

 

Dorian, age 6, was working with the gestures of baptism.  When I wondered what the sign of the cross over all at the baptism mean, Dorian replied, “Jesus is always with us.”  When I wondered what the imposition of the hand over the water could mean, Dorian said, “God.”  When I wondered what the pouring of the water over the person being baptized could mean, Dorian explained, “Jesus falling on us.  We are Jesus’ ‘cause Jesus’ bread is with us and Jesus’ blood is in us.”

He is the bread and the wine

 

I began to present the Eucharistic Presence material.  As we set out the table, cloth, cup and plate, Alden said, “This is just like the table over there!” and he pointed at the Cenacle material which recounts the Last Supper.  Later, after he told me that the bread and wine are Jesus’ body and blood, Alden said, “But I don’t know how he fits his whole body in the bread and wine.”  After I removed the Good Shepherd statue, I wondered where Jesus was in the pasture of the church.  Alden replied, “On the table.  He is the bread and wine.”

We had placed the sheep around the table and I wondered if there were sheep at church.  Alden shook his head no.  I wondered who the sheep could represent, who is around the table at church.  Alden said, “People.  Just like that picture over there” and pointed to a painting of the Last Supper.  Later, as we replaced the sheep with the people, Alden chose the figure of the priest.  He said, “Why do we have a priest? I thought Jesus was in the bread and wine.”  I wondered if Alden thought a priest and Jesus are the same thing, and he said “yes.”  He chose to sit in silence and after when I wondered what he heard, Alden said, “God.  He said Jesus is always with us.”

Jesus, sleepy pie

 

Jenna, age 3, was praying in song at the lectern by the model altar.  She sang, “Do not be afraid. Jesus, sleepy pie Jesus, won’t you go to sleep.  We will stay with you.”  She sang other words as well.  She then asked to pray alone in silence at the altar with the candles lit.

Kingdom of God and the grain

 

Working with the Kingdom of God and the Grain, Tillie, age 5, had drawn around a grain of wheat taped to the paper.  I asked her to tell me about it and she said, “This is the cross (drawn on the piece of tape over the grain).”  Around that she’d drawn hearts with larger hearts around them.