The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Level III 
December 2, 2008 - Level 3, Issue 5
In This Issue
Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
Food for (Parental) Thought
Christmas Eve Family Mass
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Dear CGS Level III Parent,  
The Good Shepherd

I hope you had a memorable Thanksgiving and have entered into Advent with joy and anticipation.  St. Teresa's looked beautiful this past Sunday, so caringly detailed with the purple color of preparation.  Take time to notice with your child how the church - both the physical space and its people - changes during these weeks and prepares itself for Christmas.
 
Consider visiting the link (in the box to the left) called www.adventconspiracy.org.  Even spending a few minutes reading the four main points, you'll receive rich food for thought.  However, if you have more time, visit some of their videos.  The fourth video, entitled "Enter the Story," is something you might consider watching with your 9-12 child.  Very powerful.
 
Catechesis meets for two sessions during Advent, this being our first.  This week's presentation helps enforce the message of actively and personally doing what is necessary to prepare the way of the Lord, according to the prophesy of Isaiah 40:3-4:

A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.

Wishing you joy and peace in Advent,

Lina Hilko
Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids 
The parable of the ten bridesmaids is found in Matthew 25:1-12.

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.  Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!'  Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.'  While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked.  Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'  But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' ..."

This parable is first presented to children in Level II (ages 6-9).  The materials in Level II are two-dimensional wooden figures of the groom, the five foolish bridesmaids, and the five wise bridesmaids.  Level II children tend to be more black-and-white in their acceptance of this proclamation - they generally seem comfortable that each set of bridesmaids gets what they deserve.  The 6-9 child tends to focus on the characters and on the message of being prepared and watchful.  However, it's possible that they do not yet connect with the need for personal, active engagement in order to be prepared.
 
The materials in Level III are very different, focusing the child on the light and the oil.  The materials are ten clay lamps that each hold a candle (we don't use actual oil lamps) and five clay oil flasks.
 
The 9-12 child does not necessarily accept the proclamation in a black-and-white manner.  We, as adults, can probably relate.  Adults might at least consider issues of fairness and sharing.  Whatever happened to the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep in order to find the one lost sheep and rejoices so heartily upon finding it?!  What's up with the closed and locked door?
 
But we know that Jesus was giving us an insight into the Kingdom of God.  So, what is the message?  What could that light be?  What could that oil be?  Where do we see light and oil used at church, at mass, in the sacraments?  What is the light and the oil in my life specifically?  Who is responsible for bringing along the oil?
 
Food for (Parental) Thought 
During Advent and Christmas, we are constantly exposed to the image of an infant, a child.  With that in mind, I offer the following excerpt from the Foreword (pg. 13), written by Rebekah Rojcewicz, from the book The Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti.

In Matthew 18:1-4, the disciples ask of Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Jesus answers first by calling a little child to him and placing the child before them, then by saying, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  What strikes me first is what Jesus did not say.  He did not use this opportunity to tell us that we must protect the children (which, of course, we must).  Even more pointedly, he did not seize upon the opportunity to commission us to be religious educators!  As always, so it seems to me, Jesus carefully chose the moment and the words, and he taught us the most important thing to know in our relationship with the children:  that we are to change and become like them.
            What is it about us that must change?  What does it mean to become like little children?  What are little children like?

Interesting questions.  One premise of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is that children have much to teach us about God.  In fact, another CGS resource book is entitled Listening to God with Children.  So, in this season that centers on a child, consider contemplating how you can become like a little child.  Take time to step into your child's shoes.  At mass, try stooping down so your head is level with your child's.  What do you see?  Listen for a moment.  What do you hear?
 
Christmas Eve Family Mass 
FYI, there will be two rehearsals for children interested in participating in a special way in the Christmas Eve family mass.  Rehearsals will immediately follow the 9 AM mass on December 14th and 21st.  They will last about 15 minutes just to learn the song that children will sing.  Children desiring to participate are invited to attend at least one rehearsal.
 
Please feel free to talk to me or email me ([email protected]) if you have questions or comments or concerns about this information. 
 
Sincerely, Lina Hilko