Making Time, Making Space

In CGS we often quote the beautiful response of the Missionaries of Charity when they were asked why they chose to implement CGS in their homes and in the formation of their sisters.

"Because of the element of contemplation."

But what does that mean? Do we ring a bell and let the children know that it's time for contemplation now? Do we have the children sit criss-cross on the floor with our eyes closed in silence for 30 minutes?  No. Neither of these things.

Contemplation is a depth of prayer that is really a gift. You can't schedule it. You can't force it. But you do need to make room for it.

In the atrium, we offer the child the core truths of the Christian Proclamation (the kerygma) as content worthy of reflection and we give them free work time in order to go deeper. "We offer rich food," Sofia Cavalletti says, "but not too much of it." Then, as much as 75% of the child's time in the atrium is his or her own. With this gift of time and a prepared environment, the child can choose to work with any material he has seen, find extensions work that is related, or (in the older years) research.

Sometimes it will happen that a whole atrium will fall into a concentrated silence, and the catechists look at each other and sit down carefully and quietly so as not to break it! Other times, the children seem to "take turns" at being absorbed in thought, while others give the catechists a run for their money.

Then there are the days like last Tuesday. Two little girls in a Level II atrium decided to work together to make a prayer book for the atrium. One of two catechists in the room (both male) came and shared the girls' work with me at the end of the session. We stood in awe. We could never make something like this happen. We can only make space for it.

 "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He stays with me wherever I go. If I get lost he shall leave the others and go to find me. He takes me to green pastures which I have my fill. I listen to his call I follow him because I know his voice. If another shall come I do not follow for his voice is not familiar.

"Lord I love you. I pray for those who don't. I love you I serve you. I give up my life for you. You are my Lord my God and my savior. You are The God That Makes Miracles you are the God that made the world. You are the God that made me.

"God I thank you. You gave us Jesus Mary the Saints and all the angels. You created them for me. To help me understand you. I thank you for my friends my family. For my relatives and most of all my life. I thank you Lord!"

"When you get a moment, without hesitating lower to your knees, fold your hands, lift up your eyes to heaven. Tell God inner worries, cares, faults, doubts, pain, catastrophes and ruckuses. In some ways God is like a candle extinguisher. The candle is all your inner worries, cares, faults, doubts, pain, catastrophes, and ruckuses. God's love easily put out the evil flame. So when you feel evil in you, take a calm moment and talk to God!"