Last religion class of the year for my second graders

Re: Last religion class of the year for my second graders

• mica178 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  Clear -- congratulations for finishing up the school year!

  
  

  I don't remember if I shared this homily with CW before, but this is what H's friend wrote in honor of his latest class of 2nd graders going for their first communion.

  
  

  I.  Intro/Song
  As you know, I often sing with your girls.  They are extraordinarily good at making up gestures for me.  I decided that, for today, I would give them a break and sing for them on this very beautiful day.  This is a very old song by John Denver.

   

  “You speak to me of sadness and the coming of the winter.  The fear that is within you now, it seems to never end.  And the dreams that have escaped you and the hopes that you’ve forgotten.  You tell me that you need me now and you want to be my friend.  And you wonder where we’re going, where’s the rhyme, where’s the reason?  And you cannot accept that it is hear we must begin to seek the wisdom of the children and the graceful way of flowers in the wind.
  For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers.  Their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day.  Like the music of the mountains and the colors of the rainbow. They’re a promise of the future and a blessing for today.
  Though the cities start to crumble and the mountains fall around us. The sun is slowly fading and it’s colder than the sea..  It is written from the deserts to the mountains they shall lead us by the hand and by the heart, they will comfort you and me.  In their innocence and trusting, they will teach us to be free.
  For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers.  Their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day.  And the song that I am singing is a prayer to non-believers.  Come and stand beside us, we will find a better way.”

   

  II.  First to the children
  First, I want to speak to the girls and, then, to the parents.  Girls, St. Augustine, a very great saint of the Church, tells us that there is something very special about the communion bread that you are about to receive for the first time.  It is different from ordinary bread in a special way.  What happens to regular bread when you eat it?  Where does it go?  It becomes part of you.  Your body takes the bread and changes it into calories and muscle and blood and fat.  When you eat the body of Christ, Jesus does not become part of your body.  You become part of his body.  You become his hands and feet and body here on earth.  Be happy today, girls -- your parents, the sisters, your teachers and we priests are very proud of you today.

   

  III.  Second, to the parents
  As to the parents, I chose that song you heard just a few minutes ago for the sake of one particular line.  I mean it is a pretty song, and the girls will make up great gestures for it, but that’s not why I chose it.  I chose for those few words toward the end: “It is written from the deserts to the mountains they shall lead us by the hand and by the heart, they will comfort you and me.  In their innocence and trusting, they will teach us to be free.”   Anyone has taught children, or I imagine anyone who has had children understands very well what those words mean.  Fr Joe and I heard all of the girls confessions a few days ago.  I always come out of those 1st confessions deeply humbled.  You would have to be blind not to see it, burning in the eyes, innocence; burning in their hearts, trust: trust in the priests, trust in their teachers, trust in you their parents, ultimately trust in their God.  It is our job to keep that innocence and trust burning in them, to not let it be destroyed by the darkness and meanness of this world.  And, so, for us, wake up, pay careful, prayerful and reverent attention  ... in their innocence and trusting, these little girls are teaching us to be free.  As they receive Jesus, they help us to see, believe in and love Jesus Christ.

  **Bio**

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  clearheavens - that is awesome and kudos to you.
  
  Once we move and get involved in whatever church there, I have thought about teaching Faith Formation or CCD. Different churches call it different things. I have been asked before by the church where we currently attend, but we are just too involved as it is right now.
  

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• ootmother2 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  That's wonderful.
  
  My first communion was so long ago but I remember every detail of it.  My confirmation, even more.
  
  On a light note, my First Reconciliation was horrible.  I was worried that I didn't have enough sins (I was only 6) so I confessed that I had committed adultery 5 times.  That poor priest must have been in stitches!
  
  He was very kind and explained to me that it wan't possible for a child to commit adultery because it had the word "adult" in it.  God bless Father Jordan!  I wonder how many other kids said things like that.
  
  probably quite a few

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• bibliophile2010 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  Clear -- Congrats to your kiddos! That is such an exciting time for them.
  
  Mica -- Thank you for sharing another truly inspiring homily.
  
  OOT -- I love hearing about what kids confess at their first reconcilliation (I made mine as an adult and so had adult sins), and yours had me in stitches as well (I can only imagine the poor priest). Thank you for sharing!
  

  

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• mica178 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  OOT (and bibliophile) -- I told a teacher that I was guilty of adultery right around the time of my first confession.  She asked me if I knew what adultery was.  I told her that it was when kids wanted to be adults.  She smiled and told me that was not adultery, and that I shouldn't worry about what adultery really was.
  
  Thank God for childhood innocence and for those who help to preserve it.

  **Bio**

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• ellen73

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  A friend's 3 year old just told her she wanted to be a "hot momma" when she grew up.  When she asked her what that was,  the three year old looked back like, duh!  "a mom who likes to eat hot things"

  

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• ootmother2 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_last-religion-class-of-year-second-graders?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:f2ab7e52-d508-4d9e-a1d4-3eb56e1315a4Post:8451ee61-d7fd-4086-a3a1-7acba60e6049">Re: Last religion class of the year for my second graders</a>:
  [QUOTE]OOT (and bibliophile) -- I told a teacher that I was guilty of adultery right around the time of my first confession.  She asked me if I knew what adultery was.  I told her that it was when kids wanted to be adults.  She smiled and told me that was not adultery, and that I shouldn't worry about what adultery really was. Thank God for childhood innocence and for those who help to preserve it.
  Posted by mica178[/QUOTE]
  
  I understand that first reconciliation is later now, around 9, I think.  I doubt even 9 year olds have that many sins, really ;)
  
  It makes me really wonder why the Church used to think the age of reason was 6!

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• mica178 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  I think I was 8.  For some reason being in 2nd grade during my first Communion/ first Confession sticks out in my brain.  I think my confession consisted mainly of bickering with my sister.

  **Bio**

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• bibliophile2010 member

  

  April 2011 edited December 2011

  I actually remember asking a Sunday School (Presbyterian) teacher in about fifth grade what adultery *was* and got a terrible, stammering answer of "ask your parents."
  
  If you think of "reason" as knowing right from wrong, kids should get it by 6 or 7, even if they do not have a deep understanding of the gravity of sin, the range of adult sins in this world, etc.
  
  Kids here do first communion/confirmation (same service) in third grade, so that's about 9. I have heard they do their first reconcilliation a bit earlier (second? beginning of third?) because they have so much to prepare for. That seems to be a good age to me, a balance between maturity and innocence, not waiting too long and not doing it too soon.
  

  

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