He Runs After Us

Nayah, 4, was receiving the Found Sheep for the first time. When asked before the reading what the Shepherd would do when he realized that one of the sheep was missing, she replied, "Run out!" She picked up the figure of the shepherd, rushed it over to the lost sheep, and said, "Pick up the sheep and put it back in the sheepfold."

The child said of his drawing, "The sheep is full of light--Jesus' light. It sparkles as it walks." He made a sparkle gesture with his hands.

Hank, age 4, was having a lesson on the Found Sheep. He explained that he wanted to pray “The sheep had greatness,” and then he began to sing:
“The sheep had greatness. The shepherd found the sheep. The sheep was happy. And the shepherd called all his friends and neighbors. He called out, ‘Sing joy with me. Sing joy!’ And believe in my sheep and all of the sheep is in God’s heart.”

Found Sheep

Natalia, age 4, was receiving the presentation on the Found Sheep for the first time. When I wondered what the Good Shepherd would do when he realized that one sheep was missing, Natalia replied, "Run out!" She picked up the figure of the Good Shepherd and took it quickly to the figure of the missing sheep, then explained, "Pick up the sheep and put it back in the sheepfold."

Lenora, age 5, had just received the presentation on the Found Sheep. She asked to sing the Good Shepherd song (a song that I've been working on writing and had shared a bit with her). We sang together and then she suggested that the song needed more verses. She suggested, "I love the sheep, and the sheep love me" and we sang this. She then began to meditate on the Good Shepherd. For the next hour she meditated and periodically come to me to offer another "verse" for the song. These were the verses:
* "Everybody's a family.
* Everybody in the green tree is a family.
* All the birds that sing are in the family.
* Everybody that are animals are in the family.
* Everything that sings is part of me.
* All the trees I see is a part of me.
* And I love green beans.
* And I love all the twinkles in the trees.
* And I love green beans.
* And I love all the monkeys in the trees."
Upon finishing her meditation, she gave me her "book" with a freehand drawing of "God" and two tracings each of the Good Shepherd and the sheep.
The next day, Lenora chose to work with the Good Shepherd again. While meditating, she again offered me more verses: "I love smelling flowers. I love taking showers (that rhymes)" and later, "God has lots of power." She gave me her meditation tracing of a sheep with many lines and circles all around it. Lenora explained that it is "The Protected Sheep" with "like a bubble around it."

The Good Shepherd

Sean, age 3 1/2 was doing the Good Shepherd work. He asked me to join him and asked me to light the scripture candle. I cannot recall all he said, but he talked for 10-15 minutes almost nonstop about the Good Shepherd. A sampling follows:

(Holding the sheep) This is me. This is me when I was a baby.
(Picking up another sheep) And this is my brother.
(Pointing to the flock) This is the Good Shepherd's family.
(Taking a sheep out of the fold.) This sheep is lost. He is not really lost. (Placed sheep on back side of sheepfold with nose through twine.) He's looking in the fold. He wants to come in.
Here I began reading the scripture booklet. "The Good shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." (We placed the Good shepherd and the sheep out in the pasture.) And then we walked. And we took a little trips. And then I climbed up. (Sean placed his sheep up on the Good shepherd shoulders.) And then my dad did that too! (He had much joy in his voice.) And then we closed up our sheepfold so we could live in that.
And this is the watch out person and these are all the sheep.
He paused. I read, "When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him." (Sean spoke) And then the leader comes along too. Some sheep are the leaders. Only two sheep have to be the leaders.
I read, "The sheep follow him because they know his voice." Sean spoke: Can you help me make it further so the other sheep get in? (He wanted me to help move the Good Shepherd and sheep around the sheepfold to make room for all the sheep to follow.)
The sheep are following the Good Shepherd and then some want to come in the fold. Then they lift up the gate.
I said, "And the Good Shepherd always makes sure that the sheep are safe."Sean: And no stranger comes along.

After the Eucharistic Presence presentation, Henrik worked with the material. He had the Good Shepherd go out and find the lost sheep, and when the lost were found, the altar was set for a grand celebration, to mark their return. Henrik said that the people around the altar "couldn't believe it," so amazed were they at what the Good Shepherd had done. The people were "so surprised" to have a celebration like this.

The Good Shepherd invited them.....

Submitted by catechist Mary Lennard:

Following the presentation of the Found Sheep, two four-year old girls were working with the sheepfold. After a time they burst into joyful laughter. I looked over to see that the sheepfold was empty. No sheep were in sight. "Where are the sheep?" I asked. Confidently
they showed me the altar. They had arranged the sheep around it.
"The Good Shepherd invited them to eat bread and drink wine," they
explained. The catechists rejoiced in awe that the Shepherd had led
them to a new pasture.

The Lost Sheep

After the Eucharistic Presence presentation, Henry worked with the material. He had the Good Shepherd go out and find the lost sheep, and when the lost were found, the altar was set for a grand celebration, to mark their return. Henry said that the people around the altar "couldn't believe it," so amazed were they at what the Good Shepherd had done. The people were "so surprised" to have a celebration like this.