March marks the beginning of Lent, a time in the Church that focuses on prayer, fasting and almsgiving (charitable giving).
This year also brings the added invitation to explore and grow our friendship with God through the celebrations of the Year of Jubilee.
The season brings an exciting opportunity to slow down, put the most important things first and experience the joy that God offers each one of us.
This newsletter shares some of the content children will experience in school throughout March, and suggests ways for you to engage with them about it. We hope it is a useful resource for your family prayer time.
JUBILEE JOY: FREEDOM
Our Lent series of Celebration of the Word Assemblies begins by exploring the Year of Jubilee theme of slavery and freedom. Inspired by Jesus' temptation in the desert, children will explore how we can all be ‘slaves’ to things that distract or stop us from following in God’s way.
Children learn about the true freedom that God offers all people and that when we put God first, we can experience the freedom that only God can give.
With your child/ren, you might like to…
- Read the account of Jesus’ 40 days in the desert together (Luke 4:1-13), and notice how Jesus found the strength to say ‘no’ to temptation.
- Discuss the habits, thoughts or temptations that you would like to be freed from and how you might support one another in achieving this.
- Research the Jubilee themes shared in March: forgiveness, managing debt, care for creation and restoration of the family.
- Listen to our prayer reflection song for the Year of Jubilee - ‘Song of Hope’ by One Life Music. You might like to talk about how experiencing freedom, hope and joy helps you to grow your friendship with God before you listen. You can find the song in the Prayer and Liturgy Parent Portal.
MORE TO THE STORY
Jesus knows that we need help to understand God’s way, so He taught using parables. During the week beginning the 3rd of March, in the Celebration of the Word Assembly, children will discover how Jesus’ stories give us clues on how to live holy lives and love others like God loves.
You might like to take this opportunity with your child/ren to…
- Play a game of charades, acting out different fairytale stories and then talk about the moral or lesson that the story teaches.
- Use the Prayer for Peace in your family prayer time to invite God to help you love others, even when it is difficult.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
Amen
JESUS, SHINE YOUR LIGHT
The prayers for the week beginning the 17th March use religious artwork to reflect on aspects of Jesus’ nature. Inspired by the Transfiguration, where some of the disciples witnessed Jesus’ face shining, children will consider how artists have expressed Jesus’ divine, Godly nature through their work, to help others know Him.
Through exploration of the images, children ask Jesus - the King, our teacher and friend - to shine His light and enlighten our minds so we can understand more about Him.
You might like to use this prayer as you pray together:
Jesus,
you are with me as I pray.
Shine your light on me today.
Amen
Credits:
Created with images by MIA Studio - "Silhouette back view refugee kid group playing in sunset.Kid child boy and girl worship.Raised hands blessing praying worship, Hope, freedom, Diverse, Faith, Praise, world refugee day.Adoption kid." • Wn_Photography - "Desert, sunset in desert, desert in Dubai" • AS - "clouds over the mountains natural photography "