CATECHESIS

According to the liturgical time

Christmas - cycle/A

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En ESPAÑOL
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 En  PORTUGUES
Director: P.Celerino Anciano o.p.
Text and design : Sister Teresa Castaño m.a.r.

Translated by: Ana María Diaz y Eleazar González

Christmas celebration

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Epiphany of Our Lord
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Christmas celebration

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS, JESUS IS BORN IN OUR HEARTS!

 

That children experiment and understand that the coming of Jesus is the greatest event of mankind.

Prepare the Christmas setting.  Show the day and the time of the celebration. Distribute the characters of the story and rehearse before hand. Prepare christmas carols. The children should bring something to share.  Mothers and fathers can be invited according to the size of the room.

There should be a light near the creche.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

      We are gathered today to celebrate in our group this great mystery and gift of God for mankind: the coming of Jesus, our saviour and Lord. Let us offer up our pray to the Father saying: “help us Lord to know and love Jesus more each day so that our lives would be a gift to others giving hope and joy to those near us” Amen.

Story: “THE DREAM OF THE TRAVELLER”

Once upon a time there was a man called Josue whose job was to sell lace, needles and thread for sewing. He went from door to door and had a good business going but he was not happy. In his heart, there was a wish that grew day after day: in his long journey he wanted to meet the Messiah. After walking very much and feeling very tired, one day he came to his house. In a dream an angel came to him and said “Josue your wish will be granted. Tomorrow you are going to meet the Messiah”. Josue woke up very happy he had a bath, got dressed and went out, he was so happy that he saw no one. He stubbled over a blind man, gave him his walking stick and continued on.  Later on he saw a man who had fallen on the street, he helped the man and continued walking.  Then he met a woman who had a baby in her arms begging, he gave her money but without looking at her he continued on.

At the corner, a child with crutches asked him to help him cross the street and Josue helped him. He bought a candle from an old man who was selling candles and matches, and he continued his way. He was so tied that night that he went to bed without even thinking that he didn’t meet the Messiah, that he had been a victim of an illusion.  He fell asleep quickly and in a dream, he saw the angel again who told him: Why are you sad and complaining? Didn’t you meet the Messiah? You are absent minded, you did many things, you helped in your way, the Messiah was in your heart but you didn’t let him come out, you went near your brother like a robut, they needed your smile, your attention, your warmth..... they needed the Messiah hidden in your heart and you were looking for Him outside of your heart.

the child who acts as Josue, gives out to those present hearts with the words: “peace, help, love, give, attention, kindness, greeting, happiness, smile”. Each person should make a petition or a pray with each word.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS, JESUS IS BORN IN OUR HEARTS!

We are already in the christmas season....and?

Did Jesus come to your heart or was it just a party with gifts and afterwards, complaints about debts, instead of filling your heart with God? Friend, it is never late. God can come to your heart right now. Christmas is a special gift, a wonderful manifestation of how much God our father loves us. He sent his son to save us from all the stupid things that we do,all our faults, all our sins. There is always time to open up to God’s frindship.  Less noise and more pray. It would be great for us to celebrate Christmas in a big way! 

In each tabernacle there is an everlasting Christmas and in your family’s creche with the sherperds, the donkey and the cow you are united to a happy mother  and the humble Joseph and you put your heart and the heart of everyone of your family in the hands of baby Jesus who will always bless you and teach you.  How good it is to feel a happy christmas without anyone having to say it!

 

Epiphany

of Our Lord

 

 

Objective:

 Reflect on how Jesus, after making himself known to the shepherds, made himself known also to other people and other races.

 Place in the meeting room a sign with the word:  Epiphany.

 Congratulations children! We are still in the Christmas season!

We are going to start our meeting with a song.

  -What do you remember from last class? 

-Did you keep your promise? 

-Did you do your homework? 

-Let’s see what each one has done.

Make a box for a gift.  Each child is given a sheet of paper just like the one in the drawing.

Each child can color the other side of the sheet of paper as he or she likes.

Fold the sheet of paper to form a box.  Prepare a piece of ribbon.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him”. When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

 Word of God (before hand choose the children for the play) Children who will play the part of Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the star, the wise men, the angel of God, Herod . During the reading, the children act according to their part in the play.

-Do you know what is the meaning of the word Epiphany? 

-Whom did Jesus make himself known to on Christmas night? 

-Were these wise men who came from the east, jews or foreigners?

Let’s start with the meaning of the word Epiphany which is manifestation. Jesus who was made man , made himself known to the poorest people of his hometown: the shepherds, later on to foreigners, the wise men.  On the other hand, the important people such as Herod and the doctors of the law wanted to kill him and to finish him off when they heard of his presence. We are not  jews, but we have received his salvation because God loves us and wants what is best for us.  The Epiphany is a very important celebration because Mary has given Jesus to us so that we can adore him and, like the wise men, give him our gifts.

Each child should take the box that he or she made and inside the box write what would be the best gift to give to Jesus.

While we sing a carol, each one puts the box at Jesus’ feet.  After this we hold hands and pray the Our Father.

 - Each one takes the box home and puts it in the creche. 

- I am going to keep my promise to Jesus.

Homework:  Find 8 words in the following word puzzle and using them write a summary of the bible reading which was heard during the class.

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