The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Level II
January 20, 2009 - Level 2, Issue 6 |
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| Dear CGS Level II Parent |
This week we will proclaim to the Level II children the Parable of the Sower. This is a Level II "moral parable." You may recall that in the last session, Level II children worked with the maxims. Maxims are a sentence or short phrase spoken by Jesus which serve as moral guides for our daily life. The message in a "moral parable" is less direct than the message in a maxim. You can read more about The Sower below.
It may seem a bit early, but please take note that the season of Lent begins on Wednesday, February 25th. Mark your calendars now so you can help support your child's awareness of this special time of preparation for the church's greatest feast, Easter.
Peace,
The Level II catechist team:
Liza Bloomer, Kathy Murdock on Tuesdays
Jane Ott, Myrna Gomez on Wednesdays
Barb McHugh on Thursdays
and Lina Hilko (editor)
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| The Parable of the Sower |
As mentioned in the opening letter, last session the Level II children worked with maxims, and this week they work with a moral parable. Moral parables must be studied more. Their message and meaning is not as obvious as that of a maxim. We will start by reading the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13: 3-8, a couple times and follow up with questions that will facilitate a deeper reflection.
"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold." As parents you may want to read "The explanation of the Parable of the Sower" that is revealed by Jesus in Matthew 13: 18-23. As always in the Catechesis, explanation of the parable to your child is not necessary or useful to them. They will have a more meaningful understanding if they take the time to work with words and explore on their own how it relates to their life and actions. They understand what is happening in the parable and why the "seed" can or cannot grow. At their stage of development, they are also able to move beyond the concrete occurrences in the parable and relate the abstract message to their own life (hence the term "moral parable"). Are they ready to receive the "seed" and be fruitful as a child of God? Are they on "rocky ground?"
I would encourage you to read the Parable of the Sower and all of the parables presented in the atrium again and again.
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Seek and You Will Find |
In the Atrium, the children are exposed to opening the Bible and reading passages. Some can find the passages by themselves! It is also rewarding to watch children help each other to find a scripture passage. Parents can also encourage their children to become comfortable with the Bible. The Word of God should feel accessible.
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| Walk the Talk |
Take time to reflect on the spiritual ground that forms the foundation of your family. Does your entire family live in rich soil? The interpretation of the parable that is documented in Matthew 13: 18-23 equates a seed with a person. But perhaps there are times that such an interpretation is too coarse. Maybe a given person is made up of many seeds. Parts of a person may be on rich soil. Parts may be on rocky ground. Take time to think about all the seeds which make up your family and all the soil the seeds reside on.
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| Moms: Save the Date |
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Mothers are invited to save the date for St. Teresa's Mothers' Spiritual Reflection February meeting: Tuesday, February 24th form 7:30 to 9:00 PM in the Parish Center. We will reflect on and discuss various parables which are presented to children in Levels II and III, particularly those considered "moral parables." St. Teresa's Mothers' Spiritual Reflection group is a group of mothers at various stages of motherhood who meet once a month (except summer) to reflect on God's word and grow spiritually.
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Feel free to provide comments about this newsletter to Lina Hilko, the editor, at LHilko@aol.com and/or Sarah Coles, St. Teresa's Director of Religious Education, at SEColes@gmail.com. Thanks! |
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