Joy and Thanks

As I read Carly’s descriptions of the children in her class who were “treading the paths of joy and love,” another child in the primary, a four year old, came to mind.  At her first glimpse of the Good Shepherd and the sheep, she exclaimed “Wow!” While I moved the sheep to follow the Good Shepherd, she laughed aloud in delight.  And when I invited her to work with the Good Shepherd material on her own, she announced, “I like this – it’s so sweet.”

In the days following this presentation, when invited to pray, she began to say aloud what she was thankful for – her cat, the altar, the park. We then sang, “Thank you God for giving us…”

Sofia Cavalletti, the co-founder of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, wrote that the prayer of children up to seven or eight years old is “almost exclusively prayer of thanksgiving.” Every day, your children share their prayers of thanks in the atrium.  One of the youngest children comes every morning to prepare the altar and then waits until the candles are lit to sing his thanks for “my mom and dad and dog.”  Another two-year old always gives thanks for “Jesus.”

In the elementary, both classes meet on Friday afternoons for prayer service.  Recently the third year students in Miss Nieva’s class planned a special prayer service for All Soul’s Day.  All the children in the class were invited to make prayer cards remembering someone who had died and to present their prayer card or say aloud a name during the prayer service.  During a planning meeting, the third year students decided, with enthusiasm, that we should give thanks for each one named.  And so, when we gathered for the All Soul’s Day service and the names of grandparents, uncles, friends, and pets were shared, we all responded, “We thank you, Lord.”

A committee of children from the upper elementary class is working to plan and prepare for the Thanksgiving Liturgy that we will celebrate together as a school community next week.  This committee asked the teachers from every class to ask each child, “What are you thankful for?”  The teachers recorded each response, and the committee has compiled a list of thanks from all the children in the school.  When we gather next week for this liturgy, two sixth year students will chant the entire list, and after each and every gift we will respond, “We thank you, Lord.”

Your children’s prayers of thanks permeate the life of our school.  Their delight and gratitude for the gifts that surround us are like roots that support and sustain us all. May their delight and gratitude be the most precious of gifts for you!

Giving thanks for your children,

Jodi-beth  McCain