Catechetical Instruction of the Trinity for children of a Parish

Silva Redigonda This catechetical instruction of the Trinity has been designed for children in a new program yet to be implemented as part of a Spiritual Direction initiative for children. Parents are permitted to attend, but the program is designed for children to ultimately develop a personal healthy image of God. The community is a local Roman Catholic Parish. The first communion preparation class will be attending and it has been advertised in the weekly bulletin and community paper that children seven to twelve years of age are encouraged to attend for the beginning of a Spiritual Direction initiative. Older children are also welcome to attend and feedback will be encouraged after the first session with a coffee hour. Children regardless of religious affiliations are invited to attend with their parents bearing in mind that the catechetical instruction has been designed for Catholic children preparing to receive communion. This will be conducted by xxxxxxxxxxxx, Saturday, xxxxxx11 at 1:pm in the church basement. Refreshments will be provided after the session which is expected to last 30 minutes. Questions and opinions from the children will be encouraged. The Instruction Good morning children. Are you ready for communion? This is a special time for you as you prepare to receive communion. When I was young like you, a young priest came into our school and talked to us about Adam and Eve. He told us that it was a story so that people would understand it. Today I am going to tell you a story. I am going to tell you about the Trinity. You are only seven and some of you are eight but when you become as old as I am, you will remember some of this, as I remembered, and that will be good. Can you imagine me being seven? We all were once. The Trinity is explained to us in the Bible. So I am going to read a little bit of the Bible, and then talk to you about it, and then explain that part of the Trinity. I will also show you how it all comes together and you will be able to understand the Trinity better. Ok? What I want to talk about right now is God. Close your eyes and think who God is. Who is God to you? Let us share that for a few moments (Class shares their opinions). Now, how many here talk to God? (show of hands) How do you do that? (class share their thoughts). So can we say that when we talk to God we are praying? (feedback) We can learn who God is from the Bible. We may read the Bible and it can be a prayer too, just like when we talk to God. Can you tell me what the Trinity means to you? (responses) When I was your age I was told that the Trinity is a clover. How many of you have seen a clover or know what a clover is? (Responses from class to describe clover) The clover is one, as the Trinity is one. You have all told me who God is to you. Now we are going to read from the Bible and look for some answers. First I shall read Deuteronomy 4: 32-34 and 39-40 (read). Here we are told who God is. “Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” (Deut. 4:39) So we know that God is one because there is no other and God is everywhere and not only in one place. God is here with us and elsewhere. So, God is everywhere. “God created human beings on the earth…”(Deut. 4: 32) So God made us. Now with all this we can be quite sure that God is a mystery who can do so much and is greater than…..what?? We cannot imagine anything greater than God who created us and everything else. God is an amazing mystery. We can also be sure that God is there for us and is on our side, “as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes (Deut. 4:34)?” Are there any questions? Now I am going to read Ps 33: 4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22 (read). Again we are told who God is, “The word of God is upright…all his work is done in faithfulness…He loves righteousness and Justice…the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord…” So, by knowing what God loves, we know who God is. God is faithful, God is love, God is just etc….And once again we are told God has made us so God is creator who loves us. Let’s talk about Jesus. We know Jesus was a man. But we also know that Jesus Christ is God. We really get to know and understand this at Easter when Jesus who has died has risen from the dead. Now I shall read, Mathew 28: 16-20. We learn that eleven disciples went to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Now Jesus has already died so when they see Jesus they worship him but some even doubt Jesus. Jesus tells them that all the authority of heaven and earth has been given him, and his disciples are to go out and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So we know that God created the world and is in charge of it and we know that Jesus Christ is in charge of heaven and earth and so we know that Jesus Christ is God and we know that Jesus Christ is telling us to baptize in the name of God as father, God as son and God as Holy Spirit. Therefore, God is father, son and Holy Spirit. Think of the clover with the three separate parts, yet it is one. This is how I began to understand. You are all here preparing for communion and the first thing you shall be doing is going to confession. So to help you with your confession will be the ten commandments that was mentioned in the first reading, “Keep his statues and his commandments” Deut. 4: 40. The word spirit is not different from God. When we go to confession or we ask for God to forgive us, the Spirit forgives us and God is again pleased with us. If we reject the spirit, we reject that forgiveness and then we are not forgiven. So we do not reject the spirit who forgives us. Think of the Holy Spirit as a verb, doing things, an action. You have studied verbs in school right? The Holy Spirit forgives (Prof Mongeau, 12 Oct 10). Have you seen the Holy Spirit at work in any of the other readings today? (response) Remember the first reading when God is speaking out of a fire (Deut 4:33)? The Holy Spirit is doing something. The Holy Spirit is speaking out of a fire and that is God speaking so the Holy Spirit and God is one. And now for our final reading for today, Romans 8: 14-17 (read). Here it all comes together for us. The Spirit does things, so the Spirit of God leads us and when we allow ourselves to be led, we are children of God. And if we are children of God, we are children of Christ who suffered and when we suffer with Christ we are also glorified with Christ. Think of getting lost in a forest. Spooky, huh? But the Holy Spirit comes to bring you out, so you follow the Holy Spirit and when you follow the Holy Spirit, you follow God, the father and Jesus Christ, the son, because the Trinity is one. So you know that you can find meaning of the Trinity in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. In the New Testament we also get to know Jesus and when Jesus dies and returns, we have an understanding that Jesus is God. God is Father, son and Holy Spirit. When I was little like you, I thought of a clover as the Trinity for many years. I now pray to God and ask for understanding. Remember who God is. God is a beautiful mystery and is greater. We know that there is nothing greater since God created all. When you pray, as I pray, ask for understanding. Children are very special to God. I now have even a more powerful image of the Trinity as you will one day after you learn more and pray more and grow more. But, even if you just remember some of this, when you hear someone else speak of the Trinity, remember you can find the Trinity in the Bible in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is in the New Testament after Jesus has risen that it all comes together. We know that Jesus is God. You will understand and get to know who God is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, by just talking to God and asking. Thank you, for coming today. I hope to spend more time with you. Maybe we can talk more about how you feel about God. As you prepare for Holy Communion, you will be asking for forgiveness and the Holy Spirit who does things will forgive, you will soon be receiving Jesus Christ and when you receive communion, you will be receiving the communion of God as father, Jesus Christ, as son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Bibliography Prof Mongeau, Gilles, Class room B, Regis College, (class instruction). The Bible. New Revised Standard Version Bible with Apocrypha, Catholic Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, 1993.