Father Jerry Graham, S.J. celebrated Mass in the atrium on March 11, 2016 for Level II and Level III children and catechists. The word, ‘Liturgy’ means, ‘work of the people’, and the work in the atrium that day was to pray the Mass together.
Mass Celebrates A Closeness With Jesus
In the atrium, the children and the adults together are invited to listen to God’s word and to grow more in love with Jesus. The Mass is a most particular way in which we celebrate this closeness with God.
Called to the Lord’s Table
Some of the children in the atrium have already received First Holy Communion. Some of the children are preparing to receive First Holy Communion on the weekend of April 23 – 24, 2016. Still others are waiting for the day when they are called to the Table of the Lord. Each of us is called, through our Baptism, to participate fully in our liturgy.
The Level III Children Prepare the Mass
The children in the Level III atrium chose a reading from the Old Testament on Abraham and the parable of the Talents for the Gospel. The responsorial psalm was a big discussion: “Do we use one that is ‘joyful’, or one that is more ‘serious’?” asked the 9 – 12 year old children planning the Mass. They chose the more “serious” one, noting that the church is in the season of Lent. All of the level lll children had a part in the Mass. The Level II children, ages 6 – 9 were part of the celebration too.
Mediation in a Form of Prayer
Father Jerry taught the children about meditation. He showed the children to breathe from the depths of their being and breath out the word ‘You’. “Who is ‘you’?, he asked the children. He told them, “It is God. God is in you and all around you.”
The atrium session ended with song. The children sang three songs, ending in ‘Go Now in Peace,’ sung in rounds.
Listening to the Word of God Together
Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS)— an approach to faith formation in which the only Teacher is Christ and both children and adults place themselves in a listening stance before his Word and seek to penetrate the mystery of the liturgical celebration.
