This idea comes from Sheila Kearney at Catechist Magazine.
About halfway through Lent is a good time to gather your children and discuss how everyone is doing with their Lenten sacrifices/good works. Make a tomb out of construction paper and hang it on the wall. Have each family member cut out a construction paper stone and write down a reason why we struggle with keeping our Lenten promises - selfishness, laziness, greed, etc. Tape the stones over the opening to the tomb.
Then as we get even closer to Easter, gather everyone again. This time have everyone cut out construction paper flowers. Discuss what Jesus dying for us means and eternal life. Have everyone label their flower with something Jesus brings - mercy, compassion, life, joy. Save these.
Before Easter morning, remove the stones covering the tomb opening and "plant" the flowers there in their place!
Catechist Magazine is a fabulous resource for ideas for raising and homeschooling Catholic children!
aka "something for your little ones to do so you can do the stations with your family."
A friend of mine just gave me this wonderful idea for how to make the stations of the cross hands-on for little ones. It gives them something to do and allows them to go through the stations in a concrete way.
You simply fill a small box, wrapped in purple, with one symbolic item to go with each station. As you go through the stations the child can find the corresponding item. Of course explain it all first.
1st station: rope (Jesus condemned to death)
2nd station: small wooden cross
3rd station: band aid (Jesus falls 1st time)
4th station: plastic rosary (Jesus meets Mary)
5th station: saint card of Simon helping Jesus (I print these)
6th station: small piece of fabric w/ iron on image of Jesus' face
7th station: band aid (falls 2nd time)
8th station: kleenex tissue (women crying)
9th station: band aid (falls 3rd time)
10th station: small piece of purple felt (clothes stripped)
11th station: VERY large galvanized nail about 6 inches long (Home depot for $.20)
12th station: crucufix (Catholic store, plastic about $.50)
13th station: holy card of Michaelangelo' s Pieta
14th station: stone (big one from backyard or park)
Today is the first day of Lent. Today we are reminded that we are ashes and to ashes we shall return one day. The ashes also remind us of the passage of time (it's Lent again) and the constant need for repentance.
Lent lasts for 40 days (not including Sundays). 40 days is very symbolic in Scripture. In Genesis the flood covers the Earth for 40 days. In Exodus Moses stayed with the Lord for 40 days. In Deuteronomy God directed His people in the desert for 40 years. And in Acts the risen Jesus appears to the disciples for 40 days. There are more, of course.
What I discovered when making Catechism lesson plans for Lent, is that the typical human pregnancy lasts 40 weeks! I had never considered this before, but it is a beautiful analogy. See, 40 seems to be supernaturally linked to a time of enduring, to a journey. It can be joyous when we reflect upon what amazing miracle happens at the end of the journey. And it can be painful and overwhelming, trying us to the ends of what we think we can bear. Both end in new life, when we joyfully pronounce that it was worth every second.
God's people spent 40 years wandering in the desert. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. These were critical times of formation, as is pregnancy, as can be the season of Lent. During Lent, we follow the path of Jesus, who journeyed through His death to His resurrection. During Lent, we repent and die to ourselves so that we, like Jesus, might rise again.
Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, but it is an important entryway into the season of Lent, and a great physical reminder of what this season is about. I encourage you to go if you can. Most churches offer several services this day so that anyone can find a chance to go.
We make "Alleluia" out of ABC blocks, put it into a box, and bury it, since we do not sing the Alleluia at Mass during Lent. It is very plain when we bury it. When we dig it up after Lent is over, it is transformed - colorful and glittery!
And we listen to the Lent song on our Dogma Dogs CD. It is sooo cute & catchy! Little Bill loves it. Lyrics such as, "Lent, Lent, time to repent. Our wills they get bent by what we do and fail to do, but ask for mercy, He'll give it to you." Here is Little Bill totally rocking out to this song in 2009:
Have a blessed Ash Wednesday,
P.S. As an aside, no I did not come up with a fabulous king cake recipe for yet another year. We enjoyed a delicious - though not authentic - one from our Kroger grocery store. Maybe next year.
Also the beautiful graphic at the top of this post is graciously shared with all from Pick & Print Gallery. Isn't it lovely?
