Equipment: Rosary Beads, a toy serpent, a plastic spider, a crocodile and a doll, a book, laminated A4 images of bullying, a storm with lightning, war(suffering), someone beating someone else (do not use Domestic Violence images), an earthquake, an injection and poverty, Chalice, A5 paper + pencils/colouring pencils
Ages
- Early Years
- Primary Years
LO: Sa tmiem is-sezzjoni, it-tfal ikunu kapaċi:
- Josservaw u jidentifikaw dettall fl-istatwa ta’ Ġesù fl-Ort tal-Ġetsemani.
- Jirrakkuntaw l-istorja ta’ Ġesù fil-Ġetsemani.
- Jidentifikaw il-biża’ u l-abbandun ta’ Ġesù.
- Jidentifikaw x’wassal lil Ġesù jkollu l-qawwa u ma jaħrabx is-sitwazzjoni.
Ħin: 60 – 75 minuta
Riżorsi Meħtieġa: Kuruna tar-rużarju, toys f’forma ta’ serp, brimba, kukkudrill u pupa, ktieb, Stampi laminati A4 rigward: ‘bullying’, berqa f’maltempata, gwerra (sofferenza), xi ħadd jiġi msawwat (tużax immaġni li juru vjolenza domestika), terremot, injection, u faqar, kalċi
Adattata għas snin bikrin: years 1-2
Introduzzjoni (10 minuti)
Tfal nilqgħukom fil-Knisja (idealment tiltaqa’ mat-tfal barra l-knisja) – staqsi hux possibbli.
- X’inhu dan il-bini u għaliex jintuża?
- Staqsi lit-tfal jekk qattx kienu f’dik il-knisja.
- Ara jafux x’se jsibu ġewwa.
Iddjaloga mat-tfal u introduċi l-binja tal-knisja bħala:
- Il-post tal-komunita kollha.
- Waħda mid-djar speċjali fejn niltaqgħu u nitkellmu ma’ Alla.
- Il-post fejn nitolbu flimkien – niltaqgħu għall-quddies, inkantaw, naqraw il-BIbbja, u nitolbu maħfra lil Alla.
- Il-bini li jaf jirrakkonta ħafna stejjer (taf x’tip ta’ stejjer insibu fil-knisja? Mhux biss dawk fil-Bibbja imma wkoll dawk dwar nies normali bħalna li jħobbu lil Alla u lill-oħrajn)
Trid titgħallem dwar dawn l-istejjer?
Biex tagħmel dan, għandek bżonn li:
- Toqgħod kwiet (għax Alla jitkellem fis-silenzju tal-qalb + is-silenzju jġiegħlek taħseb
- Tisma’ bil-għaqal (anki jekk biss silenzju)
- Tuża għajnejk u tosserva l-affarijiet iż-żgħar.
- Issaqsi, tistagħġeb u tirrifletti.
Stieden lit-tfal jidħlu fi-knisja. Staqsihom biex iżommu fommhom sieket, jiftħu widnejhom u josservaw.
Kif se ngħallem:
L-ewwel Pass (10 minuti)
- Kif tħossok hawnhekk ġol-knisja?
- X’inhi l-ewwel ħaġa li tinnota (osserva)?
- għandek xi ħaġa speċjali li tixtieq issaqsi? (jekk se tuża din il-mistoqsija trid tipprovdi mistoqsija mudell)
Imxi lejn l-altar prinċipali:
għidtilkom li dan il-post qaddis mimli stejjer u ġrajjiet… Dawn nisimgħuhom jinqraw minn hawn fuq (uri l-ambone). L-istejjer kollha jkunu fil-Bibbja. Imma nitgħallmu stejjer ġodda anki mill-pitturi jew mill-istatwi wkoll. Kull ħaġa f’dan il-post tirrakkonta ġrajja … għalhekk nisimgħu stejjer li tassew huma speċjali – jgħidulna kif nistgħu ngħixu tajjeb jew ngħixu ħajja aħjar. Biex nagħtu eżempju, dik il-pittura kbira fuq il-lemin fejn hemm mara bil-kuruna fuq rasha u b’tarbija liebes kuruna fi ħdanha, tirrakkonta l-ġrajja ta’ Marija omm Ġesù tagħti l-kuruna tar-Rużarju (żomm waħda f’idek u wrieha) lil San Duminku… filwaqt li fuq in-naħa l-oħra hemm tliet pitturi li juruna l-istorja ta’ meta Ġesù sofra u miet fuq is-salib.
Naf liema ġrajja turi kull pittura għax naf kif naqra l-pitturi. Uri ktieb u saqsi dawn il-mistoqsijeit:
- Intom bħal issa qed titgħallmu kif taqraw l-kotba hux hekk?
- Xi trid tkun taf biex taqra? (l-alfabett, tgħarrfu l-ittri miktubin li flimkien jiffurmaw kliem)
- Minn fejn tibdew taqraw? (mix-xellug għal-lemin)
- Tafu wkoll taqraw il-pitturi jew l-istatwi? Triduni nurikom kif?
It-tieni Pass (20 minuta)
Imxi lejn l-istatwa tal-Ġetsemani.
Ejja nurikom kif taqraw statwa.
Tkellem mat-tfal dan li ġej:
Meta taqra statwa jew pittura trid tagħmel tliet affarijiet. Ejja naraw x’inhuma:
- Ifli sewwa, u inti u tħares innota: x’qed naraw? Tgħidulix l-ismijiet imma sempliċiment iddeskrivu x’qed taraw.
- Raġel liebes l-abjad b’mantell aħmar.
- Fuq rasu għandu raġġiera.
- Idejh huma marbutin.
- għarkubbtejh ħdejn ġebla.
- Hemm siġra (taż-żebbuġ).
- Hemm anġlu ħdejh (kif tafu li anġlu? – ġwinħajn).
- L-anġlu qiegħed iżomm kalċi.
- L-anġli qed jipponta ‘l fuq.
2. Ok, mela t-tieni ħaġa li rridu nagħmlu – ejja nippruvaw nifhmu x’inhu jiġri.
- Ħarsu lejn wiċċ ir-raġel li hu għarkubbtejh. Kif taħsbu li qed iħossu? Kif tafu li hekk? (forsi ssaqsi lil xi ħadd mit-tfal biex iħares sewwa lejn Ġesù u jimita l-qagħda tiegħu u l-espressjoni ta’ wiccu – tkun qed tgħin lit-tfal l-oħra juru empatija u jifhmu aktar)
- X’taħsbu li qed jagħmel dan ir-raġel? Jitlob – kif taf li hekk?
- Għalfejn taħsbu li hemm anġlu ħdejh? X’taħsbu li qed igħidlu? Għalfejn qed iżomm it-tazza? (Ħalli lit-tfal jaslu għall-ipotesi – iddiskuti billi tħallihom jesprimu interpretazzjonijiet differenti waqt li toffri possibbiltajiet oħra.
3. Issa ngħaddu għat-tielet pass.
Min taħsbu li hu dak ir-raġel? Ġesù. Ejja nippruvaw nifhmu l-istorja. Uħud minnkom diġa qaluli li jidher imdejjaq (uħud jaf qalu wkoll li hu beżgħan u qed jitlob). Iva, sewwa ħsibtu! Ġesù hu mdejjaq ħafna u qed jibża’ ħafna.
- Qatt tħossok tibża’? Xi jġiegħelek tibża’? (interaġixxi mat-tfal billi ticcajta magħhom meta turi s-serp, il-brimba, il-kukkudrill u l-pupa)
- Xi affarijiet iġiegħeluna nibżgħu aktar minn oħrajn. Poġġi l-istampi A4 laminati fl-art – x’qed naraw? Liema minn dawn jġiegħluk tibża’? għaliex?
- X’tagħmel meta tibża’? – Lil min tfittex meta tibża’? Kif tqawwi qalbek f’dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet? – infittxu lil xi ħadd li jħobbna.
- Lil min taħsbu li qed jitlob Ġesù? Iva, lil Alla… imma Ġesù għandu relazzjoni ferm specjali ma’ Alla – dan għaliex Alla ħu l-papa ta’ Ġesù. Bħalna, Ġesù dar fuq dik il-persuna li tħobbu l-aktar – missierU.
- Ejja nirrakkuntalkom din l-istorja:
(Inti u tirrakkonta għamel xi azzjonijiet u saqsi lit-tfal jagħmlu bħalek – eż titriegħed għax qed tħoss il-bard etc)
Kien tard billejl, kullimkien mudlam, u waqgħet kesħa kbira. Ġesù u l-ħbieb tiegħu kienu għadhom kemm spiccaw jieklu. Ma kienx bħal drabi oħra meta kielu flimkien. Ġesù kien qalilhom lill-ħbieb tiegħu li kienet l-aħħar darba li kien se jiekol magħhom. Qalilhom ukoll li kien se jiġrilu xi ħaġa terribbli. Wara l-ikel, marru sal-ġnien (ħarsu lejn l-istatwa u għiduli liema tip ta’ siġar hemm f’dan il-ġnien – hekk hu dan il-ġnien mimli siġar taż-żebbuġ). Mar ma’ sħabu għax ried jitlob u jitkellem ma’ missierU.
Ġib lil xi ħadd mit-tfal ħdejk. – Jekk XX hu/hi mdejjaq/mdejqa, x’tagħmlu? (ħalli lit-tfal jwieġbu li meta tibża’ tfittex il-kumpanija ta’ xi ħadd li tafda) – Ħarsu lejn l-istatwa – hemm xi ħadd mill-ħbieb ta’ Ġesù? Mela l-ħbieb ta’ Ġesù ma qagħdux Miegħu, ma tawhx tgħannieqa jew sabbruh b’xi kelma biex iħossu aħjar – minflok anzi marru jorqdu.
Kif allura taħsbu li ħassu Ġesù? – af kien imdejjaq anki għax kien waħdu, hux? u beża’ aktar għax ħadd minn sħabu ma qagħad miegħU.
Minn xiex qed jibża’ Ġesù? (jekk it-tfal ma jafux iwieġbu tista’ turihom pittura tal-kurċifiss) …qed jibża’ li se jbati u li se jmut. Hu jaf li hemm nies ħżiena li jridu jagħmlulu l-ħsara u li se jkolli jsofri ħafna wġigħ u jmut.
Ġesù jitlob lil missierU u jitolbu jgħinu. Anki jitolbu biex ma jsofrix u jmut imma mbagħad…. (ftit sekondi ta’ silenzju)… igħid lil missierU li lest jagħmel kollox għal sħabu għax iħobbhom – x’taħsbu li ried ifisser b’dan? Min jaf għala Ġesù kellu jsofri….? U għaliex kellu jmut? … ftit silenzju… Tassew li din mistoqsija diffiċli- Ġesù bata u miet għax iħobbna lilek u lili – meta ma nagħmlux it-tajjeb (nitkellmu ħażin, nisirqu, nweġgħu lil ħaddieħor billi nerfgħu idejna fuqhom…) nitbiegħdu minn Alla u jkun diffiċli li ngħixu tajjeb. Ġesù miet ħalli aħna nkunu nistgħu ngħixu tajjeb, inħobbu lill-oħrajn u nkunu maħbuba minn Alla.
Alla bagħat anġlu biex jagħmel kuraġġ lil Ġesù – għalhekk l-anġlu qed jipponta ‘l fuq lejn is-sema– x’taħseb li qed igħid lil Ġesù?
Uri l-kalċi – meta tintuża din it-tazza speċjali? – waqt il-Quddiesa.
L-anġlu qed igħid lil Ġesù li jaf li se jsofri imma Alla jħobbu u se jibqa’ miegħu dejjem.
Konklużjoni
Ġesù seta’ ħarab, seta’ mar lura għand Missieru, jew seta’ anki jara lill-għedewwa tiegħu jmutu talli biss jaħsbu biex iweġġgħuh – imma ma għamilx hekk. Ġesù għamel deċisżjoni diffiċli – dik li ma jaħrabx imma jaċċetta l-fatt li kellu jbati bien aħna nkunu nistgħu mmorru l-ġenna. Anki aħna se jkollna bżonn nagħmlu deċiżjonijiet diffiċli fil-ħajja tagħna. Kull darba li tara l-kalċi ftakar x’iddeċieda Ġesù għalik u itolbu jgħinek biex tagħmel deċiżjonijiet tajba.
LO: Sa tmiem is-sezzjoni, it-tfal ikunu kapaċi:
- Josservaw u jidentifikaw dettall fl-istatwa ta’ Ġesù fl-Ort tal-Ġetsemani.
- Jirrakkuntaw l-istorja ta’ Ġesù fil-Ġetsemani.
- Jidentifikaw il-biża’ u l-abbandun ta’ Ġesù.
- Jidentifikaw x’wassal lil Ġesù jkollu l-qawwa u ma jaħrabx is-sitwazzjoni.
Ħin: 60 – 75 minuta
Riżorsi Meħtieġa: Kuruna tar-rużarju, toys f’forma ta’ serp, brimba, kukkudrill u pupa, Stampi laminati A4 rigward: ‘bullying’, berqa f’maltempata, gwerra (sofferenza), xi ħadd jiġi msawwat (tużax immaġni li juru vjolenza domestika), terremot, injection, u faqar, kalċi
Adattata għas snin bikrin: years 3-6
Introduzzjoni (10 minuti)
Tfal nilqgħukom fil-Knisja (idealment tiltaqa’ mat-tfal barra l-knisja) – staqsi hux possibbli.
- X’inhu dan il-bini u għaliex jintuża?
- Staqsi lit-tfal jekk qattx kienu f’dik il-knisja.
- Ara jafux x’se jsibu ġewwa.
Iddjaloga mat-tfal u introduci l-binja tal-knisja bħala:
- Il-post tal-komunita kollha.
- Waħda mid-djar specjali fejn niltaqgħu u nitkellmu ma’ Alla.
- Il-post fejn nitolbu flimkien – niltaqgħu għall-quddies, inkantaw, naqraw il-BIbbja, u nitolbu maħfra lil Alla.
- Il-bini li jaf jirrakkonta ħafna stejjer (taf x’tip ta’ stejjer insibu fil-knisja? Mhux biss dawk fil-Bibbja imma wkoll dawk dwar nies normali bħalna li jħobbu lil Alla u lill-oħrajn)
Trid titgħallem dwar dawn l-istejjer?
Biex tagħmel dan, għandek bżonn li:
- Toqgħod kwiet (għax Alla jitkellem fis-silenzju tal-qalb g is-silenzju jġiegħlek taħseb
- Tisma’ bil-għaqal (anki jekk biss silenzju)
- Tuża għajnejk u tosserva l-affarijiet iż-żgħar.
- Issaqsi, tistagħġeb u tirrifletti.
Stieden lit-tfal jidħlu fi-knisja. Staqsihom biex iżommu fommhom sieket, jiftħu widnejhom u josservaw.
Kif se ngħallem:
L-ewwel Pass (10 minuti)
- Kif tħossok hawnhekk ġol-knisja?
- X’inhi l-ewwel ħaġa li tinnota (osserva)?
- Għandek xi ħaġa specjali li tixtieq issaqsi? (jekk se tuża din il-mistoqsija trid tipprovdi mistoqsija mudell)
Imxi lejn l-altar principali:
Għidtilkom li dan il-post qaddis mimli stejjer u ġrajjiet… Dawn nisimgħuhom jinqraw minn hawn fuq (uri l-ambone). L-istejjer kollha jkunu fil-Bibbja. Imma nitgħallmu stejjer ġodda anki mill-pitturi jew mill-istatwi wkoll. Kull ħaġa f’dan il-post tirrakkonta ġrajja … għalhekk nisimgħu stejjer li tassew huma specjali – jgħidulna kif nistgħu ngħixu tajjeb jew ngħixu ħajja aħjar. Biex nagħtu eżempju, dik il-pittura kbira fuq il-lemin fejn hemm mara bil-kuruna fuq rasha u b’tarbija liebes kuruna fi ħdanha, tirrakkonta l-ġrajja ta’ Marija omm Ġesù tagħti l-kuruna tar-Rużarju (żomm waħda f’idek u wrieha) lil San Duminku… filwaqt li fuq in-naħa l-oħra hemm tliet pitturi li juruna l-istorja ta’ meta Ġesù sofra u miet fuq is-salib.
Naf liema ġrajja turi kull pittura għax naf kif naqra l-pitturi. Intom tafu taqraw? Kif taqraw? Minn fejn tibdew taqraw? Xi trid tkun taf biex taqra?
Tafu wkoll taqraw il-pitturi jew l-istatwi? Triduni nurikom kif?
It-tieni Pass (20 minuta)
Imxi lejn l-istatwa tal-Ġetsemani.
Ejja nurikom kif taqraw statwa.
Tkellem mat-tfal dan li ġej:
Meta taqra statwa jew pittura trid tagħmel tliet affarijiet. Ejja naraw x’inhuma:
- Ifli sewwa inti u tħares innota: x’qed naraw? Tgħidulix l-ismijiet imma sempliciment iddeskrivu x’qed taraw.
- Raġel liebes l-abjad b’mantell aħmar.
- Fuq rasu għandu raġġiera.
- Idejh huma marbutin.
- Għarkubbtejh ħdejn ġebla.
- Hemm siġra (taż-żebbuġ).
- Hemm anġlu ħdejh (kif tafu li anġlu? – ġwinħajn).
- L-anġlu qiegħed iżomm kalċi.
- L-anġli qed jipponta ‘l fuq.
2. Ok, mela t-tieni ħaġa li rridu nagħmlu – ejja nippruvaw nifhmu x’inhu jiġri.
- Ħarsu lejn wiċċ ir-raġel li hu għarkubbtejh. Kif taħsbu li qed iħossu? Kif tafu li hekk? (forsi ssaqsi lil xi ħadd mit-tfal biex iħares sewwa lejn Ġesù u jimita l-qagħda tiegħu u l-espressjoni ta’ wiċċu – tkun qed tgħin lit-tfal l-oħra juru empatija u jifhmu aktar)
- X’taħsbu li qed jagħmel dan ir-raġel? Jitlob – kif taf li hekk?
- Għalfejn taħsbu li hemm anġlu ħdejh? X’taħsbu li qed igħidlu? għalfejn qed iżomm it-tazza? (Ħalli lit-tfal jaslu għall-ipotesi – iddiskuti billi tħallihom jesprimu interpretazzjonijiet differenti waqt li toffri possibbiltajiet oħra.
3. Issa ngħaddu għat-tielet pass.
Min taħsbu li hu dak ir-raġel? Ġesù. Ejja nippruvaw nifhmu l-istorja. Uħud minnkom diga qaluli li jidher imdejjaq (uħud jaf qalu wkoll li hu beżgħan u qed jitlob). Iva, sewwa ħsibtu! Ġesù hu mdejjaq ħafna u qed jibża’ ħafna.
- Qatt tħossok tibża’? Xi jġiegħelek tibża’? (interaġixxi mat-tfal billi tiċċajta magħhom meta turi s-serp, il-brimba, il-kukkudrill u l-pupa)
- Xi affarijiet iġiegħeluna nibżgħu aktar minn oħrajn. Poġġi l-istampi A4 laminati fl-art – x’qed naraw? Liema minn dawn jġiegħluk tibża’? għaliex?
- X’tagħmel meta tibża’? – Lil min tfittex meta tibża’? Kif tqawwi qalbek f’dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet? – infittxu lil xi ħadd li jħobbna.
- Lil min taħsbu li qed jitlob Ġesù? Iva, lil Alla… imma Ġesù għandu relazzjoni ferm speċjali ma’ Alla – dan għaliex Alla hu l-papa ta’ Ġesù. Bħalna, Ġesù dar fuq dik il-persuna li tħobbu l-aktar – missierU.
- Ejja nirrakkuntalkom din l-istorja:
Kien tard billejl, kullimkien mudlam, u waqgħet kesha kbira. Ġesù u l-ħbieb tiegħu kienu għadhom kemm spiċċaw jieklu. Ma kienx bħal drabi oħra meta kielu flimkien. Ġesù kien qalilhom lill-ħbieb tiegħu li kienet l-aħħar darba li kien se jiekol magħhom. Qalilhom ukoll li kien se jiġrilu xi ħaġa terribbli. Wara l-ikel, marru sal-ġnien (ħarsu lejn l-istatwa u għiduli liema tip ta’ siġar hemm f’dan il-ġnien – hekk hu dan il-ġnien mimli siġar taż-żebbuġ). Mar ma’ sħabu għax ried jitlob u jitkellem ma’ missierU.
Ġib lil xi ħadd mit-tfal ħdejk. – Jekk XX hu/hi mdejjaq/mdejqa, x’tagħmlu? (ħalli lit-tfal jwieġbu) – Ħarsu lejn l-istatwa – hemm xi ħadd mill-ħbieb ta’ Ġesù? Mela l-ħbieb ta’ Ġesù ma qagħdux Miegħu, ma tawhx tgħannieqa jew sabbruh b’xi kelma biex iħossu aħjar – minflok anzi marru jorqdu.
Kif allura taħsbu li ħassu Ġesù? – af kien imdejjaq anki għax kien waħdu, hux? u beża’ aktar għax ħadd minn sħabu ma qagħad miegħU.
Minn xiex qed jibża’ Ġesù? (jekk it-tfal ma jafux iwieġbu tista’ turihom pittura tal-kurċifiss) …qed jibża’ li se jbati u li se jmut. Hu jaf li hemm nies ħżiena li jridu jagħmlulu l-ħsara u li se jkolli jsofri ħafna wġigħ u jmut.
Ġesù jitlob lil missierU u jitolbu jgħinu. Anki jitolbu biex ma jsofrix u jmut imma mbagħad…. (ftit sekondi silenzju)… igħid lil missierU li lest jagħmel kollox għal sħabu għax iħobbhom – x’taħsbu li ried ifisser b’dan? Min jaf għala Ġesù kellu jsofri….? U għaliex kellu jmut? … ftit silenzju… Tassew li din mistoqsija diffiċli- Ġesù bata u miet għax iħobbna lilek u lili – meta ma nagħmlux it-tajjeb (nidgħu, nisirqu, nweġgħu lil ħaddieħor billi nerfgħu idejna fuqhom…) nitbiegħdu minn Alla u jkun difficli li ngħixu tajjeb. Ġesù miet ħalli aħna nkunu nistgħu ngħixu tajjeb, inħobbu lill-oħrajn u nkunu maħbuba minn Alla.
Alla bagħat anġlu biex jagħmel kuraġġ lil Ġesù – għalhekk l-anġlu qed jipponta ‘l fuq lejn is-sema– x’taħseb li qed igħid lil Ġesù?
Uri l-kalċi – meta tintuża din it-tazza specjali – waqt il-Quddiesa – tiftakru x’jintqal meta niċċelebraw il-Quddiesa?
“Ħudu u ixorbu minnu lkoll:
għax dan huwa l-kalci ta’ demmi,
tal-Patt il-Ġdid li jibqa’ għal dejjem:
id-demm li jixxerred għalikom
u għall-bnedmin kollha
għall-maħfra tad-dnubiet.
Agħmlu dan b’tifkira tiegħi.”
L-anġlu qed igħid lil Ġesù li jaf li se jsofri u li l-kalċi kien se jimtela bis-sofferenzi u d-demm Tiegħu, imma Alla jħobbu u se jibqa’ miegħu dejjem.
Konklużjoni
Ġesù seta’ ħarab, seta’ mar lura għand Missieru, jew seta’ anki jara lill-għedewwa tiegħu jmutu talli biss jaħsbu biex iweġġgħuh – imma ma għamilx hekk. Ġesù għamel deċiżjoni diffiċli – dik li ma jaħrabx imma jaċċetta l-fatt li kellu jbati biex aħna nkunu nistgħu mmorru l-Ġenna. Anki aħna se jkollna bżonn nagħmlu deciżjonijiet diffiċli fil-ħajja tagħna. Kull darba li tara l-kalċi ftakar x’iddeċieda Ġesù għalik u itolbu jgħinek biex tagħmel deciżjonijiet tajba.
Title: Jesus at the Gethsemani
LO: By the end of the session children should be able to
- Observe and identify what they note in the statute depicting Jesus at Gethsemane Statue
- Re-tell the Gethsemane story
- Empathise with Jesus’ fear and loneliness
- Identify what gave courage to Jesus and why he did not flee
- Discuss how they can face fear and loneliness
Duration: 60-75 minutes
Resources needed: Rosary Beads, a toy serpent, a plastic spider, a crocodile and a doll, a book, laminated A4 images of bullying, a storm with lightning, war(suffering), someone beating someone else (do not use Domestic Violence images), an earthquake, an injection and poverty, Chalice, A5 paper + pencils/colouring pencils (depending on which conclusion you choose)
Target population: years 1-2
Introduction (10 minutes)
Welcome children to the Church (ideally welcome them outside the Church) – ask
- What is this building and why it is used
- Whether they have ever been to this church
- What they expect to find inside
Dialogue with children and introduce the church building as
- a place that belongs to the whole community
- one of the special houses where one may meet and speak to God
- a place where we pray together – we come together for mass, for singing, reading the bible and ask forgiveness
- A building that tells a lot of stories (do you know what type of stories do we find inside? Not only those which we find in the bible but also many stories about normal people like us who loved God and loved others)
Would you like to learn these stories?
To do so you need to learn:
- To be silent (because God speaks through silence to the heart + it allows you to think
- To listen carefully (even to silence)
- Use your eyes and observe the little things
- To question, wonder and reflect
Invite children inside the church building. Ask them to close their lips, open their ears and observe
Learning Steps
Step 1 (10 minutes)
- How does this place make you feel?
- What is the first thing that you note (observe)?
- Do you have any wonder questions? (if you are going to ask this question you need to model by providing a wonder question)
Move to the main altar:
I told you that this place is full of stories. We listen to the stories that are told from up there (show the lectern) These stories all come from the Bible. But we also learn new stories from paintings or even from statues. Everything in this place tells a story because stories are also special – they can tell how we can live well or live a better life. For instance, that large painting on the right where there is a lady with a crown holding a baby with a crown tells the story of Mary mother of Jesus giving the rosary beads (hold the beads in your hand) to St Dominic while on the other side, there are three paintings that tell the story when Jesus suffered and died on the cross.
I can tell what story each painting tells because I know how to read paintings. Show them a book and ask these questions:
- You are at the moment learning how to read books, aren’t you?
- What does one need to know in order to learn how to read? (the alphabet, realise that letters together form words).
- Where do you start from? (from left to right)
- Do you know how to read a painting or a statue? Would you like me to show you?
Step 2 (20 minutes)
Move close to the Gethsemane statue.
Let me teach you how to read statues.
Dialogue with children:
When reading a statue or a painting you need to do three things. Let us start
- Use your eyes well: what can you see? Do not tell me names, but simply describe what you see.
- A man dressed in white with a red veil
- On his head, he has a halo
- His hands a tied together
- He is kneeling next to a stone
- There is a tree (an olive tree)
- There is an angel next to him (how do you know that he is an angel – wings)
- The angel holds a chalice.
- The angel is pointing upward
2. Ok second thing that we need to do – let us try to understand what is happening.
- Look at the face of the man who is kneeling. How do you think he is feeling? How do you know (you may if you wish ask a child to look well at Jesus and imitate his posture and facial expression – you would be helping the other children to empathise and better understand)
- What do you think the man is doing? Praying – how do you know?
- Why do you think that there is an angel next to him? What do you think he is telling him? Why is he holding a cup? (Allow children to come up with a hypothesis – discuss by allowing various interpretations while offering other possibilities.
3. We know need to go to the 3rd level.
Who do you think that man is? Jesus. Let us try to listen to the story. Some of you already told me that he seems sad (someone might have also said afraid and that he is praying. Yes you are right Jesus is very sad and very afraid
- Do you ever feel afraid? What makes you afraid? (interact with children jokingly using the serpent, spider, crocodile and doll)?
- Some things can make us afraid more than others. Place the A4 laminated images on the floor – what do you see which of these situations would you be afraid of? Why?
- What do you do when you feel afraid – who do you turn to when you are afraid? how do you find strength? – we turn to someone who loves us.
- Who do you think Jesus is praying to? Yes, to God, but Jesus has a very special relationship with God – you see, God is Jesus’ father. Just like you, Jesus went to search for the person who loves him most – his Father.
- Let me now tell you this story:
It is late at night, everything is dark, and the air is really cold. Jesus and his friend had just finished eating. It was not like the other times when they ate together. Jesus said that this was the last time that he was going to eat with his friends. He also told them that something terrible was going to happen to him. After dinner, they went to a garden (look at the statue and tell me the trees that one may find in this garden – yes, you are right, it is a garden full of olive trees). He went to the garden with his friends because he wanted to pray and speak to his father.
Bring one other child next to you. – If xx is sad what do you do? (let the children provide answers) – look at the statue – do you see any of his friends -Jesus’ friends did not stay with him, they did not hug him or tell him nice things so that he would feel better – instead they went to sleep.
How do you think Jesus felt – he was even sad because he felt lonely; and even more afraid because no friend of his stayed with him
What do you think Jesus is afraid of? (if children do not know the answer you may show them the crucifixion painting) he is afraid of dying and of suffering. He knows that there are bad people who want to harm him and that he will feel pain and die.
He prays to his Father and asks for help. He even asks not to suffer and die but then… (a few seconds of silence)… he tells his Father that he will do anything for his friends because he loves them – what do you think he meant by this? I wonder why Jesus had to suffer. I wonder why Jesus had to die. … allow some silence… Well indeed this is a very difficult question- he suffered and died because he loves me and you – when we do bad things (swearing, stealing, hitting others…) we move away from God making it difficult to live well. Jesus died so that we could live well, love and be loved by God
God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus – that is why the angel is pointing to the sky – what do you think he is telling Jesus?
Show the chalice – when do we use this special cup – during mass?
The angel is telling Jesus that he knows that he will suffer but God loves him very much and that he will always be with him.
Conclusion (10 min)
How does this make you feel?
Jesus could have run away, he could have gone back to his Father or he could have even made his enemies die for even thinking of hurting him – but he did not. Jesus made a difficult decision – he did not run away but accepted the fact that he had to suffer for us so that we have a chance to go to heaven.
Even we will have to make difficult decisions. Every time you see the chalice, remember the decision that Jesus took and ask him for help to make the right decision.
Finally, decide between these two activities:
- Stay some time with Jesus and write or draw on this paper what you would like to tell Jesus.
Or
- One can do the prayer activity: Being Brave: https://sds.mt/resource/being-brave/
Title: Jesus at the Gethsemani
LO: By the end of the session children should be able to
- Observe and identify what they note in the statute depicting Jesus at Gethsemane Statue
- Re-tell the Gethsemane story
- Empathise with Jesus fear and loneliness
- Identify what gave courage to Jesus and why he did not flee
- Discuss how they can face fear and loneliness
Duration 50-65 minutes
Resources needed: Rosary Beads, Rubber serpent, a plastic spider, a crocodile and a doll, Laminated A4 images of a bullying, storm with lightning, war(suffering), someone beating some else (do not use Domestic Violence images), an earthquake, an injection and poverty, Chalice, A5 paper + pencils/colouring pencils.
Target population: years 3-6
Introduction (10 minutes)
Welcome children to the Church (ideally welcome them outside the Church) – ask
- What is this building and why is it used
- Whether they have ever been to this church
- What they expect to find inside
Dialogue with children and introduce the church building as
- a place that belongs to the whole community
- one of the special houses where one may meet and speak to God
- a place where we pray together – we come together for mass, for singing, reading the bible and ask forgiveness
- A building that tells a lot of stories (do you know what type of stories we find inside? Not only those which we find in the bible but also many stories about normal people like us who loved God and loved others)
Would you like to learn these stories?
To do so you need to learn
- To be silent (because God speaks through silence to the heart + it allows you to think
- To listen carefully (even to silence)
- Use you eyes and observe the little things
- To question, wonder and reflect
Invite children inside the church building. Ask them to close their lips, open their ears and observe
Learning Steps
Step 1 (10 minutes)
- How does this place make you feel?
- What is the first thing that you note (observe)?
- Do you have any wonder questions? (if you are going to ask this question you need to model by providing a wonder question)
Move to the main altar:
I told you that this place is full of stories. We listen to the stories that are told from up there (show the lectern) These stories all come from the Bible. But we also learn new stories from paintings or even from statues. Everything in this place tells a story because stories are also special – they can tell how we can live well or live a better life. For instance, that large painting on the right where there is a lady with a crown holding a baby with a crown tells the story of Mary mother of Jesus giving the rosary beads (hold the beads in your hand) to St Dominic while on the other side, there are three paintings that tell the story when Jesus suffered and died on the cross.
I can tell what story each painting tells because I know how to read paintings. Do you know how to read books? What is it that you do in order to read a book? Where do you start from? What do you need to know?
Do you know how to read a painting or a statue? Would you like me to show you?
Step 2 (20 minutes)
Move close to the Gethsemane statue.
Let me teach you how to read statues.
Dialogue with children:
When reading a statue or a painting you need to do three things. Let us start
- Use your eyes well: what can you see? Do not tell me names, but simply describe what you see.
- A man dressed in white with a red veil
- On his head, he has a halo
- His hands a tied together
- He is kneeling next to a stone
- There is a tree (an olive tree)
- There is an angel next to him (how do you know that he is an angel – wings)
- The angel holds a chalice.
- The angel is pointing upward
2. Ok second thing that we need to do is try to understand what is happening.
- Look at the face of the man who is kneeling. How do you think he is feeling? How do you know (you may if you wish ask a child to look well at Jesus and imitate his posture and facial expression – you would be helping the other children to empathise and better understand)
- What do you think the man is doing? Praying – how do you know?
- Why do you think that there is an angel next to him? What do you think he is telling him? Why is he holding a cup? (Allow children to come up with a hypothesis – discuss by allowing various interpretations while offering other possibilities.
3. We know need to go to the 3rd level. Who do you think that man is? Jesus. Let us try to listen to the story. Some of you already told me that he is seems sad (someone might have also said afraid and that he is praying. Yes, you are right Jesus is very sad and is very afraid.
- Do you ever feel afraid? What makes you afraid? (interact with children jokingly using the serpent, spider, crocodile and doll)?
- Some things can make us afraid more than others. Place the A4 laminated images on the floor – what do you see which of these situations would you be afraid of? Why?
- What do you do when you feel afraid – who do you turn to when you are afraid? how do you find strength? – we turn to someone who loves us.
- Who do you think Jesus is praying to? Yes, to God, but Jesus has a very special relationship with God – you see, God is Jesus’ father. Just like you, Jesus went to search for the person who loves him most – his Father.
- Let me now tell you this story:
It is late at night, everything is dark, and the air is really cold. Jesus and his friend had just finished eating. It was not like the other times when they ate together. Jesus said that this was the last time that he is going to eat with his friends. He also told them that something terrible is going to happen to him. After dinner, they went to a garden (look at the statue and tell me the trees that one may find in this garden – yes you are right it is a garden full with olive trees). He went to the garden with his friends because he wanted to pray and speak to his father.
Bring one other children next to you. – If xx is sad what do you do? (let the children provide answers) – look at the statue – do you see any of his friends -Jesus’ friends did not stay with him, they did not hug him or tell him nice things so that he would feel better – instead they went to sleep.
How do you think Jesus felt – he was even more sad because he felt lonely; and even more afraid because no friend of his stayed with him
What do you think Jesus is afraid of? (if children do not know the answer you may show them the crucifixion painting) he is afraid of dying and of suffering. He knows that there are bad people who what to harm him and that he will feel pain and die.
He prays to his Father and asks for help. He even asks not to suffer and die but then… (a few seconds of silence)… he tells his Father that he will do anything for his friends because he loves them – what do you think he meant by this? I wonder why Jesus had to suffer? I wonder why Jesus had to die? … allow some silence… Well indeed this is a very difficult question- he suffered and died because he loves me and you – when we do bad things (swearing, stealing, hitting others…) we move away from God making it difficult to live well. Jesus died so that we could live well, love and be loved by God
God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus – that is why the angel is pointing to the sky – what do you think he is telling Jesus?
Show the chalice – when do we use this special cup – during mass – do you remember what I say when we celebrate Mass –
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
it will be shed for you and for all
so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in memory of me.”
The angel is telling Jesus that he knows that he will suffer and that the cup will be full of his suffering and blood but God loves him and he will be with him always
Conclusion (10 min)
How does this make you feel?
Jesus could have run away, he could have went back to his Father or could have even made his enemies die for even thinking of hurting him – but he did not.
Even we will have to do difficult decisions. Every time you see the chalice remember the decision that Jesus took and ask him for help to take the right decision.
Stay some time with Jesus and write or draw on this paper what you would like to tell Jesus.
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