12May

Young Disciples Online 14

Young Disciples Online – Class 14 – scheduled for April 5-8, email sent April 12

Class 13 – scheduled for March 22-25

 

BCRE Young Disciples: Your Faith Lesson At Home

Happy Easter Young Disciples Families!  

I pray that while our churches are empty today, may we find hope in that the tomb is empty too!

 

Hope is expecting good things and wanting something good to happen.

In this crazy new world we have all been thrown into where children are home from school indefinitely, no Mass on Sundays, stores and businesses closing, it can be easy to lose hope. Easter Sunday calls us to be “young disciples,” proclaimers, and persons of hope and life.

How we live as people of hope is today’s challenge. We cannot ignore the sick and suffering around us. We cannot turn a deaf ear to the cries of creation. We must all be clothed in hope and work to bring hope to all people. Every single human being can make a difference in the world (whether we working on the front-lines or staying safe at home). The Easter season reminds us that we are called to be messengers of hope. Jesus’ Resurrection calls us to make a difference.

During this Easter season as we celebrate the new life of Jesus, risen from the dead, I encourage you to try the following with your family:

  • Reflect on the word “hope” (Use it in a sentence to get started, such as, “I hope we will have chocolate cake for dessert.” )
  • Offer examples of things you and your family hope for
  • Think about things that others who are less fortunate might hope for (such as a warm bed)
  • Reflect on how you and your family can bring hope to others
  • Challenge your family to do one thing this week to bring someone hope (such as sending a hand-made card in the mail)

During this overwhelming and challenging time, please know that I continue to hold you and your family up in prayer. Please let me know if I can help with anything, in anyway, at anytime.

You can email me with questions and concerns at Melissa.Gozzo.CCB@gmail.com


Hope and health for all,

Melissa Gozzo
Billerica Catholic Religious Education (BCRE)
Young Disciples Coordinator (Gr. K – 1)
Seekers Coordinator (Grade 2)
First Reconciliation and Eucharist Coordinator (Grades 2-5)

Resources For At Home Use

I invite you to explore this week’s Class #14 topics at home:

  • Chapter 20: Jesus Is Risen
  • Special Season 6: Easter
I have included some resources below for you and your child to engage in together at home.

Chapter 20: Jesus Is Risen
Student Book: Pages 177 – 186

Faith Focus: Jesus rose from the dead, and so we will also rise.

We Remember:

  • When did Jesus rise from the dead?
    • Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.
  • Where do we find the risen Jesus at Mass?
    • In the Eucharist.

 

Words to Know:
  • Easter
    • The celebration of the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is the most important Christian feast.
  • Resurrection
    • The bodily raising of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day after he died on the cross.
  • Eucharist
    • The sacrament in which we give thanks to God for giving us Jesus Christ. The Body and Blood of Christ which receive at Mass brings us into union with Jesus’ saving Death and Resurrection.

 

Building Family Faith
  • Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday and appeared to many of his disciples, including Thomas, who doubted that he had risen. Jesus is still present in the world – in the Eucharist, in the Church, and in the lives of his friends.
  • Discuss as a family:
    • Share ideas about the many ways that we are reminded of Jesus’ presence.
    • Help children understand and appreciate the gift of deep inner peace.
      • Where have you heard peace before?
      • Who are people around you who bring peace to others? What specific things do they do to show peace?
      • How can we bring peace to others?
  • Do as a family:
    • Make family preparations for an Easter celebration to honor the risen Jesus

 

Punchouts: In the back of the Children’s Book is the following punchout that can enhance the lesson.
  • Butterflies
    • Remove and color butterflies.
    • Encourage them to make their butterflies beautiful to remind them of Jesus’ glorious new life.
    • Discuss how butterflies signal new life.
      • When a caterpillar dies to its caterpillar life, it gets the new life of a butterfly. Jesus died and rose with a glorious new life. When we die, we will rise with a new life too.

Special Seasons 6: Easter (Back of the Book)
Student Book: Pages 243 – 244

Faith Focus: The disciples saw Jesus risen from the dead and had faith.We Remember:

  • Easter as the day we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection
  • The story of Jesus’s appearances to Thomas and the disciples
  • The gift of faith is received at Baptism
Words to Know:
  • Faith
    • A gift of God. Faith helps us believe in God and live as he wants us to live
Punchouts: In the back of the Children’s Book is the following punchout that can enhance the lesson.
  • Draw the risen Jesus (Additional Pullout in Back of Children’s Book, page 301)

Easter Enrichment

We decorate Easter Eggs with bright colors and beautiful designs. The egg is somewhat like the tomb in which Jesus has been buried. Just as the little chick stays inside the egg for a time and then comes to live a new life, Jesus was inside the tomb and left it to live a new risen life. Sometimes we find a candy chick in our Easter basket.

Jesus shares his new life with us. When we try to live in the joy and love of our risen Savior, we are new people.

Watch the following underlined link: Easter Eggs: What do candy filled eggs have to do with Jesus? with your family. In this Youtube Video Clip, Douglas Talks about Easter eggs and how they remind him of the amazing Gift of Jesus’ resurrection!

Easter Sunday is one day, but Easter is a whole season that lasts fifty days long and ends on Pentecost Sunday. During this Easter Season, have a special Easter Egg Hunt by doing the following with your family:

** To prepare you will need eight plastic eggs with the letters A L L E L U I A written on slips of paper, one letter in each egg. **
  • Explain that today they will be trying to discover a special Easter word, just as the women discovered that Jesus was not longer in the tomb.
  • Tell them that they find the letters to this words in eggs that have been hidden around the house or yard. 
  • Once all eight eggs have been found, invite them to look at the letters and see if they can figure our what word they might spell.
  • Give some time to make guesses, ant then start spelling the word, one letter at a time, until the full word is spelled out.
  • Ask your family to share if they know anything about the meaning of the word Alleluia. 
  • Explain that it means “Praise the Lord!” and that we say it to celebrate the fact that God is good and that Jesus was raised from the dead.