Listening to the Child with the Center for Children and Theology

2010-01-04T04:23:00.000-05:00

During a "review" of Good Shepherd presentation at the beginning of the new school year;
Q: What do you already know about the Good Shepherd?"
Ben: "The Good Shepherd was Jesus. When Jesus decided to leave heaven and come down to earth, the angels held his power for him. And on the day when he went down under the water to get baptized, those angels brought him down his power and sprinkled it all through him like glitter, because they knew he would need his power now."

Big in love

2009-12-28T04:24:00.001-05:00

Q. How is God's kingdom like a mustard seed?

Lara, age 6: It's like Jesus who started as a tiny baby and grew and grew - big in love.

It's Jesus' birthday!

2009-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

My son Scott (6 years old) and I were in a toy store shortly before Christmas. Standing in line with a few toys, a man looked at Scott and said, "Don't you think toys are just the best part of Christmas?" My son's eyes widened and he said with emphatic reverence, "Oh no! It's Jesus' birthday!"

The People who walked in darkness...

2009-12-21T04:18:00.000-05:00

"My Lord!"

2009-12-14T03:52:00.000-05:00

Six-year-old Diana to depict Mary's visitation with her cousin Elizabeth.

"Blockages, Blockages"

2009-12-07T03:42:00.001-05:00

During their preparation for First Communion, a group of 3rd graders were doing meditations on the parable of the True Vine. From his catechist's perspective, on boy seemed to be unengaged in the discussion. But at Christmas time, the catechist was saying there are people who celebrate Christmas without ever thinking about Jesus. He said mournfully, "Blockages, blockages."

Waiting and Preparing

2009-11-30T03:35:00.000-05:00

Vincent, age 3, was engrossed in gazing at the Nativity materials--stretched out, elbows on floor, chin resting in palms. He stayed this way about 30 minutes. He had "wanted something with the baby Jesus." (Actually, wanted Annunciation, but another child was working with it.)

The week before during a spontaneous group exploring of "Light" Vincent commented, "It's light like baby Caleb (his brother)." That same day he was overheard singing a song at the altar about infant Jesus and angels with descriptions of Mary, the stable, animals, and had been "reading" the Bible in the Baptism corner. He went to the assistant excitedly saying, "I found the page that tells about when Jesus was born. Come See. Come see."

2009-11-23T04:56:00.000-05:00

During the last week of Advent the group reflected on the prophecy of the names.The catechist asked, "Are there any other names for this child?"

Micah, age 5, jumped, whispered "Redeemer," jumped, whispered "Comforter," jumped, whispered, "Good Shepherd."

World Peace

2009-11-16T05:28:00.000-05:00

Twelve-year-old Katarina's Parousia. She wrote "world peace" with the continents of the world surrounding the cross.

2009-11-12T17:19:00.001-05:00

Christopher and Hans, both age 4, and Nicki, age 3, were discussing with me the sheep wool placed under the Peace Bowl. I asked what the wool reminded them about God. Nicki said it reminds us to be quiet so we can listen to God. Hans said it reminds us that the Good Shepherd watches the sheep and that Jesus died and that the sheep reminds us that we are good boys and girls. Christopher said that is reminds us that Jesus died, rose again, and will come back to earth.

2009-11-01T05:17:00.000-05:00

A few months after my mother's death my daughter Felice, who was not quite three at the time, asked, "Mommy, where is Nonnnie?" I replied, "Where do you think she is?" We had often discussed Nonnie's presence now in heaven with Jesus. Felice most profoundly responded, "She is in heaven." She paused slightly then continued, "That means she is in the body of Christ, the Bread of heaven." There was another brief pause then she proclaimed, "And so am I."

2009-10-26T05:10:00.000-05:00

Q: Do WE have enemies?
Will: Yes! Our enemy is the dark side.

Q: What did the Good Shepherd do with the wolf?
Will: The wolf is one of God's creatures, too. If the Shepherd killed it, he'd be a bad creature, just like the wolf.

Q: So what do you think of the hired man?
Will: He's just scared. he's not so bad, he's just scared.

"Oh, Lord, Shout for Joy!"

2009-10-19T17:26:00.001-05:00

After presenting the Mustard Seed to 3 and 4 year old children, Betsy sang with them "Oh, Lord, Shout for Joy." The children added verses including, Early in the morning..., late in the afternoon..., When you wake up..., and finally a three year old sang, When you die...When you live...

2009-10-19T17:03:00.001-05:00

Here is a story of Owen, who at 8-months-0ld accompanied his mother one afternoon during a weekend of formation in the Catechesis. All afternoon Owen had been happily occupied with his mom and a few nearby objects which she had provided. At the end of the day, the participants meditated together on the good shepherd. As I proclaimed this passage of Scripture, Owen straightened his torso and focused his attention at the sheepfold. As the figures of the Shepherd and the sheep were brought out of the sheepfold during the reading he outstretched his arms, cried out "aaahhh" and strained toward them, his face alight. When the figure of the Shepherd was rotated (away from Owen) to face the wooden sheep, Owen's face fell and his arms sagged. Noticing this, I turned the Shepherd toward Owen again. His glow returned and his arms returned to the upright and welcoming position until the end of the passage.

It was a wonderful moment, particularly as Owen is our Godson. I'd known in my heart that we would eventually be together in the atrium listening to the Good Shepherd. I didn't realize that moment would first arrive when he was 8 months old?

The Good Shepherd

2009-09-28T06:15:00.000-05:00

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.

Look, Mom. It's Jesus

2009-09-21T06:24:00.000-05:00

Nora is the catechist and mother of a four year old boy, Nolan, who generally appears to need more movement than many other children of the same age, verbal, and loud. His work is often in the gray area between work and play. He and his best friend were at the cenacle. Then Nolan started taking things from the cenacle over to the altar. Nora reached a "that's it!" moment and heads over to the altar area with just enough presence of mind to ask first about Nolan's work. He unlocks the tabernacle, opens the door, and says, "Look, Mom. It's Jesus!"

2009-09-14T06:15:00.000-05:00

Roberta practically danced outside of the Atrium, in the courtyard. It was finally her turn to come to the Atrium! She had been coming with her mother, watching her older brother Daniel enter the atrium, for three years. Finally, she would hear her own name called! Roberta was the first to offer to model a "quiet walk", to whisper her name using "quiet talking", and was very eager to name the items she saw on the prayer table. When I asked what she saw, she said, "I see Jesus, holding a lamb." How amazing to me that children intuitively know Jesus is our Good Shepherd. And as we walked through the environment, quietly taking in all that we could with just our eyes, she stopped before some artwork of the Good Shepherd, which hung on the walls near our Mass area. "Look! Jesus is everywhere here!" Another year is underway.

An Introduction to the Atrium

2009-09-07T05:47:00.001-05:00

The children were gathered around the prayer table for welcoming and an introduction into their special place,the atrium. We then gave every child an item from the prayer table, from the cloth to the Good Shepherd statue, to hold as we very slowly and quietly processed around the room singing, "Come into God's presence singing Alleluia! Alleluia!" Then, as we came back to the prayer table each child in turn placed their item back on the table. (We had 18 children and 6 adults that day!) The children were asked if they had a song they'd like to share and 3 1/2 year old Nena leaped from the floor and very solemnly began to sing, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" All of the children proceeded to sing along in the same solemn manner.

After another song Nena jumped up again and began to sing something entirely of her own creation - in this small lilting voice. Not all of it was intelligible - "love" was mentioned and "beautiful". It only lasted a few seconds and then she shyly sat down - it was so lovely and certainly set the mood and tone for the rest of the morning for all of us - children and adults - in the atrium.

2009-08-31T17:26:00.000-05:00

In her Montessori classroom, Becca, age 6, wrote this story with the Movable Alphabet:

wus along tim ago win ther was no wrld
ther wus onl god becus he wus ol bi himslf
so he mad too peepl

Jesus is the boss of the Earth

2009-08-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Elliot, age 6, asked his Mom, "Who's the boss of the Earth?"
"God," she answered.
"Nah," he responded.
"Then who?" she said.
"Jesus is the boss of the Earth; God is the boss of heaven," Desmond replied.

Eucharistic Presence

2009-08-17T16:36:00.002-05:00

Dana, age 5, had been coming to the atrium infrequently. Her catechist finally had the chance to present to her the Eucharistic Presence--a meditation which connects the Eucharist to the Good Shepherd feeding his flock. Immediately after receiving the presentation, Dana worked alone for an hour and drew this reflection. The drawing includes a group of people gathered around the altar with bread and wine, and an image of a sheep above the altar.

"It’s all made of pearls"

2009-08-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

From Catechist Dan Teller's Journal:
The priest makes the gesture of epiclesis during the Eucharistic prayer at Mass, by lowering his hands over the chalice and paten, and praying over the gifts, “And so Father, we bring you these gifts…” This gesture is presented to the children as an indication of the first part of an exchange between God and people: God sending the gift of Himself in the Eucharist; people responding with the gifts of themselves, through the prayer of Offering that the priest makes in elevating the host and precious blood (“Through Him, with Him…)

Uri, age 4: “It’s all made of pearls.” (as the glass chalice and paten are brought out, a week or two following a lesson on Jesus’ parable, “The Pearl of Great Price”, which indicates the value of the Kingdom of God)

Rowan, age 6: During conversation of the priest’s hands being held down, and the meaning of this: “God is a gift to us; we are a gift to God.”

Wow -- birth and death -- all at once in the same place

2009-08-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

Walter, age seven, has been in the atrium for three years. When he received the City of Jerusalem presentation, we lit a small candle next to the empty tomb to symbolize the resurrection. Walter then went to do the baptism work for the umpteenth time. He was about halfway through lighting the small candles from the large paschal candle, when he paused, looked at the paschal candle and the smaller candles, and said, "Wow -- birth and death -- all at once in the same place."

2009-07-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

I was giving the presentation of The Wedding Banquet to a group of 6-8-year-0ld. I told them to listen carefully so they could tell me what Jesus was trying to tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven. They listened intently. So intently, that one little fellow said when I had finished, that he needed to hear it gain. He also asked me exactly what "binding hand and foot" really meant. So we went through the whole presentation again. Then we thought about it. They were very good at figuring out what Jesus meant. However, the little fellow still looked very concerned. Finally, he asked me if we could add another figure to the story. The figure of a queen. Intrigued by his thought pattern, I asked why. He was very clear. "Well, you see, if there had been a queen, she'd have given the fellow who showed up without a wedding robe a second chance."

2009-07-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

By Julie, age 8