History of the Gifts

Last Saturday, our First Communion team had the awesome priviledge of putting on a day-long retreat for our First Communicants. There were various activities and presentations that the children worked on in the morning, and in the afternoon I was blessed to be able to present my absolute favorite work: a presentation called the "History of the Gifts." This work, and the children's reflections on it, was so powerful that I would like to share with you our experience as relates to the great feast we celebrate this weekend: Pentecost.

The History of the Gifts is contained in a beautiful "treasure chest." The chest, full of gift boxes filled with different pictures and articles from creation, is a step-by-step consideration of God's preparation for US. It is a History of the gifts He created to give US.

We first think about the galaxies and the stars and the planets and the moons. The children were very excited to share all they knew about planets and the sun. We then moved into the mineral world and opened gift boxes one by one that contained different rocks and minerals. We considered coal, for example, and how God's creation of coal made it possible for trains to run, and houses to be warm. We considered gold, and how humans have transformed this precious metal into jewelry and money. We considered pyrite (fool's gold), which so captivated one boy that he held onto it for the rest of the presentation.

Next, we considered ocean life. When I asked the children why they think God made shells, some children began to explain how the shells protect the creatures from predators. I looked at the beautiful collection of shells carefully, and asked again. One child cut to the heart of the matter, "God made shells to fascinate us."

With those simple and powerful words echoing in my mind, I continued our relflection with a new appreciation of creation, knowing more and more that each plant, each animal was not created for its own sake, but for our fascination, as a gift to us. When we reached the moment when God gave us other people it was perhaps the most beautiful moment in the presentation. People are the first created beings that were created for their own sake and not for the use of others. The children reflected on how lonely we would be without other people to love us and take care of us or to play with. We then reflected on how the gifts of creation have been transformed by humans--into buildings, cars, clothing, heat, etc. If there were not other people, then we would be back in raw creation--a creation that had never been transformed by the power and genius of human invention.

The final gift, of course, was the best of all. We reflected on how God sent his Son to us--who gave his life on the Cross and who gives His very Self to us in the Eucharist!

This weekend, I would like to think a little bit further on the gifts that Jesus sent us after his Ascension, at Pentecost. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not like the gifts that came in Creation. The gifts of Creation were given for human beings' fascination, as that little boy reminded me, and they are for us to use and transform to bring out the gifts' potential: transforming raw cotton into thread and fabric and creating a beautiful quilt, for example.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, however, are given to transform US from our raw potential into that perfect state to which Christ calls us, "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." Matt 5:48. As Sofia Cavalletti, the foundress of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, reflects in her book, Living Liturgy: Elementary Reflections,

"Would human beings be restricted to their own level--however high and exalted--and thus be shut off from the possibility of access to a level of greater fulfillment and richer meaning? If so, these creatures that crown creation would be in a position inferior to irrational creatures... Will they not be given wings to fly above their own human world?" (page 9).

God in his great love and mercy, deigns to come among us and remain with us, that through our participation in Mass and our cooperation with the Holy Spirit, we may "fly above" the material world. Through the Holy Spirit's refinining touch and the Potter's gentle hand, we also are transformed into a full revelation of the image and likeness of God that is hidden in each of us. We are being transformed even now! What dignity we have, that God Himself co-operates with us in this great work of perfecting our souls!

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and Thou shall renew the face of the Earth!

May the Holy Spirit in his sevenfold gifts come mightily upon you and your families and remain with you always!

God Bless,

Mandie DeVries, Director of Faith Formation

Last Class

We can't believe it. Our final class of the year is over and done. The last class of the year will almost always involve the Pentecost presentation. This presentation involves a reading from the Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4:

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

This proclamation is followed by the presentation of the 7 gifts of the Spirit. Each gift has a red ("red is for Pentecost!") candle and a red tent card that lists the gift and its explanation. For the first time this year, we also made individual gift cards in the shape of a red flame that had the gift and description on it. As we lit each candle, we explained the gift and what it was:

Wisdom: that we might know in our inner self the greatness of God and be able to share that with another in their time of need.
Understanding: That we might know God more and more
Knowledge: That we might know more
Counsel: That we might know what to do and how to do it
Fortitude: Strength: that our faith in God might be strong
Piety: That we might love God totally
Fear of the Lord: That we might be aware of the greatness of God

One child chose wisdom and said, "I think that my gift is already at work in me, but in a hidden way...kind of like Jesus was hidden in the Good Shepherd...the Holy Spirit is hidden in the flame."

What a way to end the year. Of course we still have First Communion meetings to go, and those are always very wonderful and exciting... Keep us all in your prayers as we prepare the children for this special gift: Jesus himself!

God Bless,

Mandie DeVries, Catechist & Director of Faith Formation