Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.
All through the Church year, our signs, symbols, and images direct our gaze toward summer: green Advent wreaths and Christmas trees, colorful flowers on the altar, the warming light of candles, the clear water of Baptism. And now here we are, about to turn the corner into the summer season, where all these symbols of life and bounty become our reality, the fulfillment of a promise. How fitting it is, then, that the Solemnity of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ (the Feast of Corpus Christi) comes now, at this lushest, greenest, most flower-filled time of year, reminding us of the “source and summit” of our faith: the Eucharist.
Over this past year, we have looked forward to so much; to health and healing, to the opening of our churches and schools, to new ways of sharing the faith. May these long-sought days of summer remind us that yes, we look ahead to the life Christ promises, but we can also take time to savor his presence here among us today.
This week, in celebration of the coming of summer, we offer tips and guidance for teaching the Late Close Lessons: Celebrate Creation. This is the first of the Late Close lessons, which you can find for all levels here. (All of our early and late close lessons are here.) These online lessons give you content and handouts for a full class session and can be used any time of the year. If you are short on time, you can divide up the activities across several sessions.
Ahead of time, print out the Counting Creation coloring page for each child and have crayons ready. If you are teaching a larger group, have the children look at the picture first without counting and tell you what they see. Draw the children’s attention to the first line in the box and invite one volunteer to tell you how many butterflies they see. Next, invite two volunteers to tell you how many children they can see, and so forth.
Prepare for this lesson’s activity by printing out the Creation Story Pocket and the Creation Story Cards on separate sheets of paper (not back to back) for each student. We suggest you cut the Creation Story Pocket out before class. Have the following supplies ready: 7-inch paper plates (the flimsier the better), scissors, markers, yarn lengths (approximately 36” each) with a knot on each end. You will also need a paper punch to create holes in the pocket for the children to thread the yarn through.
In this lesson, you will share a story about a boy who cares for sheep and goats. Make a connection to the children’s lives by asking who they care for (family, friends, pets) and how they care for them. After sharing the Gospel reading, ask: What does Jesus want us to do? How can we do it?
You can find the full story of the Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace here.
Compare the song of praise sung by the three young men to Psalm 148, which you can find here.
For the Looking Back, Looking Forward segment of the lesson, you may wish to add some questions related to pandemic learning, such as, “What was the hardest thing about the pandemic for you this year? What did you learn about yourself? Your family?”
Print out the Summer in the Spirit activity for each student. Invite them to visualize themselves doing the activities, and come up with ideas for more. Invite everyone to share their plans for their Summer in the Spirit and encourage them to keep this page close as a reminder.
Image credit: Peerapat Lekkla/Shutterstock.com
