The Gatekeeper
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Level III 
January 18, 2011 - Level 3, Issue 3
In This Issue
The Preface
Bridges
Here I Am, Lord
Remaining Schedule
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Dear CGS Level III Parent,   
The Good Shepherd

Ordinary time in the Catholic church (the numbered, or ordered, Sundays) is a time to grow in relationship with God and to grow in knowledge of our faith.

 

For the remaining two weeks of January, Level III children will be working with material that helps them explore the various prayers of the mass.  The children have already learned that our mass is one big prayer made up of 49 prayers.  The mass is organized into two large parts:  Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist.  The Liturgy of the Eucharist itself is organized into three sub-parts:  Preparation of the Gifts, Eucharistic Prayer, and Communion.  During the course of the three years in Level III, each child should have explored in depth each of these four sections of the mass.

 

In the final week of January, the 1st and 2nd year children will focus on just the beginning part of the Eucharistic Prayer, called the "Preface."  More on this below.

 

If you haven't marked your new 2011 calendar, see the final article for remaining dates this year.  Thanks!


Peace and joy,

The Level III catechist team:

   Sarah Coles on Tuesdays

   Lina Hilko on Thursdays

   Tom Kinsella and Paul Gilmet on Sundays 

The Preface

We can call the Eucharistic Prayer the "heart of the mass."  Because it is so important and so rich, various presentations support meditation on the Eucharistic Prayer:  the Preface; the Mystery of Faith; and the Prayers of Intercession.  In January, some children will focus on the Preface.

 

First, children either have learned or will learn that the word "Eucharist" comes from Greek, meaning "thanksgiving."  Throughout the Catechesis, many presentations help the child recognize that absolutely everything we have and that surrounds us is gift from God.  And when we receive a gift, we respond.  We give thanks through our words and through our actions.  This dynamic of gift and response is central to the Catechesis because it is absolutely central to the relationship between God and humankind, called covenant.

 

The Eucharistic Prayer, and in fact the whole celebration of Eucharist, gives praise to God for all of the beautiful things that God made for humanity.  The central part of the Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer expresses the principal reasons for which the community of the faithful wants to thank God on this day in a particular way.

 

The Preface begins with an invitation to prayer:

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

 

The middle part of the Preface includes a prayer by the priest which is of a type called a "proper."  Propers are prayers that change depending on the season or occasion because they are "proper" to the day or season or occasion.  So, the principal reason for thanksgiving differs in Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time, just to name a few seasons.  Propers are in contrast to other prayers in the mass that don't change.  For instance, we always say the Our Father, and this doesn't vary depending on the season.

 

The Preface concludes with all of us saying the prayer "Holy, Holy, Holy.

Bridges

In Level III, we talk a lot about bridges, or connections, throughout Salvation History.  "Horizontal bridges" connect people-to-people, inventions-to-inventions, events-to-events, even ones seemingly separated by vast linear time.
 

With our reflection on the "Holy, Holy, Holy," we experience more bridges or connections, this time between the Old Testament and the New Testament, or between Jewish study and worship and our Catholic worship today.  This is because various of the words in the "Holy, Holy, Holy" connect to words in the Old Testament, words that the Jewish people in Jesus' time would have studied and known.The beginning of the prayer mirrors words in Isaiah 6:3.

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!" they cried one to the other. "All the earth is filled with his glory!"
 

Toward the end of the prayer, we hear words which connect to Palm Sunday, as we read in Matthew 21:9.

The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest."
 

Where did the crowds get those words, those thoughts?  We can read similar words in Psalm 118:26.  Because the Psalm is beautifully connected to thanksgiving, here I copy verses 24-29:

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.

LORD, grant salvation! LORD, grant good fortune!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the LORD'S house.

The LORD is God and has given us light.

Join in procession with leafy branches up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, I give you thanks; my God, I offer you praise.

Give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose love endures forever.

 

So, the "Holy, Holy, Holy" is a prayer we say today, but it connects us to the Jewish people before Jesus lived on earth and to the life of Jesus.  That's a long and beautiful bridge to contemplate.

Here I Am, Lord
As you probably have read or heard, Sarah Coles, our Director of Religious Education, will be leaving us to return home to New Orleans after this catechetical year.  There is much to prepare to ensure the best transition to a new DRE.  One thing is to begin the process of inviting new catechists which will be needed at all levels.  There will be more appeals coming up, but please know that you are welcome to quietly observe in the Atrium if that would help you better understand this service opportunity.  If you are interested in observing, please talk to Sarah Coles in advance so the experience is positive for you and the Atrium.  We welcome all who want to learn more about this special environment and catechetical method.
Remaining Schedule

The meeting dates (Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday) for the 2010/2011 catechetical year are:

 

Session 10:  Jan 18/20/23

Session 11:  Jan 25/27/30

Session 12:  Feb 1/3/6

Session 13:  Feb 8/10/13

Session 14:  Feb 22/24/27

Session 15:  Mar 1/3/6

Session 16:  Mar 15/17/20

Session 17:  Mar 22/24/27

Session 18:  Apr 5/7/10

Session 19:  Apr 12/14/17

Session 20:  Apr 26/28, May 1

Session 21:  May 3/5/8

Session 22:  May 10/12 (no Sunday session due to First Communion; welcome to Tues or Thurs)

Session 23:  May 17/19/22

Please feel free to talk to Lina Hilko ([email protected]) or Sarah Coles ([email protected]) with your questions, comments or concerns about Level III or this e-newsletter.