Thank you for the treasure

Diana, 5, and another child were receiving the presentation on the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. Following the reading and meditation questions, I invited the girls to pray. Diana's prayer was, " Thank you God for the treasure you buried . . . (pause) . . . when Jesus died."

When the light comes, there is Life

After the presentation of the Cenacle, a work that tells the story of the Last Supper, Damian, 7, remarked, "I know why they put lots of candles on the altar in church. Because the world is dark and when the Light comes, there is Life."

Everyone has light

 

Lauren, 5, while working with the Baptism candle in her atrium, announced, "And everyone, even the bad guys, have light."

The light helps us remember...

During a lesson on Baptism in the atrium, a 3 year old girl said,  "The light will help us remember that Christ is alive."

 Peter, 5, had asked the catechist to light the candles on the altar after he had set it.  The catechist lit the first candle and said,"Christ has died." She lit the second candle, and said, "Christ is risen."  Peter immediately snuffed the first candle and said, "He's not dead."  He left the second candle burning.        

This is the song sung by Quinn, age 6, as he worked setting up the model altar in the atrium:

Jeeesus, in the Bread and wine

Jeeesus, in the Bread and wine

Bad guys put him on the croooooss

and he died

but he got new life

and he will always be with us

we will never walk alone

His catechist's impressions: This song is a lovely synthesis of Good Shepherd parable and an understanding of the paschal mystery.  Quinn sang with great joy, not fear or sadness.

Receive the light of Christ

During a celebration of the Liturgy of the Light, each child receive a lit candle, and hears the words, "Receive the light of Christ.

Lori, 4, looked frightened as she gazed into her lit candle. I asked if she was scared of the fire. She nodded yes without blinking or taking her eyes off of the flame. I asked if she wanted to blow her candle out. With equal intensity she shook her head no. Lori was experiencing deeply the power of the mystery; innately she knew that this power was greater than her fear.

I'm not afraid

Elijah, age 4, has leukemia. He was receiving a lesson on the Women at the Tomb, in which Mary and Mary Magdalene come to Jesus' tomb and discover it is empty, and are told by an angel that Jesus has risen. At the beginning of the presentation, Elijah said, "I'm dying." Later while working, a catechist said that the women were afraid. He leaned over and said, "I'm not afraid."