Reminders
For Juniors:
- If they, or their parents haven't called to reserve their time for
Confirmation (1 pm or 4 pm) they should do so now. As of the 13th there
are only 4 slots left at 1 pm.
- Kids have been mailed instructions on how to write letters to the
Archbishop. Instructions are also on this web site.
- The Four Saints and A Good Shepherd Confirmation Gathering
is March 14 at 6:30 at Saint James. We have a great speaker!
Materials Needed
Paper and pencils
Background Main Objective
This chapter is core stuff. When it comes
to Sacraments, most catholics focus on the seven 'institutional sacraments.'
You may recall that the Baltimore Catechism taught that a Sacrament is:
"An outward sign, instituted by God to give Grace."
That is still a good description of these seven sacraments. This chapter
deals with the two great Sacraments:
- Jesus
- The People of God, or the Church.
We can have no greater sign than God him/herself than
in the person of Jesus. Sacramental thinking and a Sacramental world view
are the hallmarks of being Catholic. |
Starter
Begin by playing the game STACK
Make sure everyone is sitting down. and can see each
other. There should be nothing in their hands and they should have an
empty lap.
Say to the kids:
- This game is called Stack. You will see why in a minute. If you are
wearing anything red, even a stripe on your socks, stand.
- Now move four seats to the right and sit down. Even if somebody's
sitting there sit down.
- Stand if you've ever broken a bone (wait for people to stand); move
three spaces left.
Proceed with any or all of these
statements varying the direction and number of seats to move.
When the game is done debrief it with the following types
of questions:
- If I just asked you to write down the answers to these statements
and 'hand them in,' would it have been as much fun?
- We learned about each other by interacting, moving among ourselves
and it was better than just reading or writing. The Bible is where we
learn about God through reading, but has God ever moved among us? (You
might be surprised that they don't answer Jesus right away?)
Lesson
Tell the kids to draw a line down the center of a piece
of paper, leaving a little room at the top.
Have the kids create a sheet that looks similar to this.
Use your browsers back button to get back here!
You might want to do this exercise yourself, reflecting
on your life before the kids do it, so that you can share your story.
Give the following directions, pausing between each to
give the kids time:
- Think about a recent time when you knew a child loved you.
Write the child's name in the box.
- Think about a recent event when a parent was angry with you. Write
one word to stand for the event.
- Think about a recent event that caused you to suspect that a friend's
relationship with you was cooling-that you were being left out or dropped.
Write one word to stand for that event.
- Think about a recent time when you really screwed up. Write one word
to stand for that event.
- Think about a recent time when a friend expressed an apology in some
way. Write the friend's name.
- Think about a recent action of yours that showed that you were a rebel
toward any type of authority. Write a key word to stand for that event.
|
When done:
- Now look at all the boxes. Think about the actions of the
people involved in each situation, actions that showed you and/or others
how the persons were feeling. Write one or two words to name the action.
- Go around, each person pick one box (you can repeat) Tell about the
event or situation and explain the actions that revealed the inner feelings
of the persons involved. The first person to share will be the one who
talked the most during this exercise (have the kids choose who that
was!). Share as many as you have time for.
When done:
- Explain that people, cultures and religions express themselves and
their deepest truths and feelings with symbolic actions.
Symbolic actions:
- 1] express outwardly an inner experience
- 2] and they should deepen the experience.
We use symbolic actions to express affection, kiss, hug
etc. When we express our love in these ways, we deepen and intensify the
love experience because we bring it to the surface and show our inner
feelings.
When you get angry at someone at dinner and you pound
your fist, the anger becomes intensified because everyone at the the table
might get angry.
- Look again at the six boxes. Pick one that you can see clearly that
expressing the inner experience deepened the experience. The one with
the worst 'hat hair,' can begin.
When done, say: "Jesus is God and the love of God expressed outwardly."
Read aloud from chapter 10 the sections entitled Jesus, God's
Sensible Side & The Church, Jesus' Sensible Side.
The Mass is loaded with symbolic actions. (Eucharist,
sign of the cross, kiss of peace etc.) Spend the rest of the class asking
them to list as many of them as they can. Do they deepen an inner experience?
Why or why not? |
