“Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars.” Genesis 15:5
“God kept His promise.”
Source: The Catholic Bible for Children, Page 26
Inspiration for Painting from ChristianRescueMission.Org
This Week’s Prayer
“Act of Hope”
“O my God, I hope with sure confidence that,
through the merits of Jesus Christ,
you will grant me your grace in this world,
and eternal happiness in the next
because you have always promised this,
and you always keep your promises.“
Source: A Missal for Children Page 85
For Parents to Share with Their Children
We Continue to Learn Our Creed, Stanza by Stanza
“He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.”
Source: SaintCharlesBorromeo.org
Our Readings
An Excerpt for Grownups and Older Children
“Abrahams Visitors”
Source: USCCB.org, Genesis, chapter 18:1-15
as he sat in the entrance of his tent,
while the day was growing hot.
Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;
and bowing to the ground, he said:
‘Sir, if I may ask you this favor,
please do not go on past your servant.
Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourselves under the tree.
Now that you have come this close to your servant,
let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves;
and afterward you may go on your way.’
The men replied, ‘Very well, do as you have said.Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah,
‘Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls.’
He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.
Then Abraham got some curds and milk,
as well as the steer that had been prepared,
and set these before the three men;
and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.They asked Abraham, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’
He replied, ‘There in the tent.’
One of them said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah will then have a son.'”
An Excerpt for Children
“Live It!”
“Read this poem. Think about one way you can obey God today. Make a promise to God to do your best to please hime every day.”
“Abram and Sara had no son.
God came to Abram and promised him one.
The God promised even greater things:
many descendants and some of them kings.
God said: ‘Your name now Abraham will be
From you will come many nations, you’ll see.
Obey me and always do what is right
and I’ll be your God with all my might.”
Source: The Catholic Children’s Bible, Page17:1, 3-8, Genesis chapter 17 Page 44-45
An Excerpt for Young Children
“Abraham and Isaac”
“Abraham was a friend of God. One day, God called to him, ‘Leave your country, and go to the land I will show you.’ Abraham took his wife, Sarah, and his whole family and walked a very long time. One evening, he at last pitched a tent under some oak trees: ‘Look Sarah, this land is for us and for our children.’ But Sarah was sad because she was old and had no children.
It was noon. Abraham saw three travelers in the distance. ‘Sarah! Quick, bake some bread! We have visitors!’ The three travelers rested under an oak tree. ‘In one year’, one of them said, “you will have a baby.’ Sarah laughed, ‘That’s not possible, we’re too old!’
‘Nothing is impossible for God’, answered the traveler.'”
Source: The Catholic Bible for Children, Pages 12-13, “Abraham and Isaac” Genesis 12:1-5; 15:3-7; 18:1-15; 21:1-7 Pages 24-25
A Song about Abraham and Sarah
Source: Heather Patey Presbyterian Church in Canada
Click to Play the Tune Written by Judith Fetter
1. “To Abraham and Sarah
the call of God was clear:
‘Go forth and I will show you
a country rich and fair.
You need not fear the journey
for I have pledged my word:
that you shall be my people
and I will be your God.’
2. From Abraham and Sarah
arose a pilgrim race,
dependent for their journey
on God’s abundant grace.
and in their heart was written
by God this saving word:
that you shall be my people
and I will be your God.’
3. We of this generation
on whom God’s hand is laid,
can journey to the future
secure and un afraid!
rejoicing in God’s goodness
and trusting in this word:
that you shall be my people
and I will be your God.'”
Writing Project
Limericks are a funny poetic form that has five lines. Lines one, two and five all have a last word that rhymes, and have a word count of 7-10 syllables. Lines four and five have 5-7 syllables and the last words of each line rhyme.
“A limerick is a short and fun five-line fun poem with a distinctive rhythm. The first, second and fifth lines are longer than the third and fourth lines. The rhyming pattern is AABBA. The longer A lines rhyme with each other and the shorter B lines rhyme with each other.
- Line 1: 7-10 syllables A
- Line 2: 7-10 syllables A
- Line 3: 5-7 syllables B
- Line 4: 5-7 syllables B
- Line 5: 7-10 syllables A”
Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poems/funny/limerick/
This week, invite your children to try to write a limerick about Abraham’s life, as a family team. I had fun coming up with a couple of silly limericks that had key words about Abraham and Sarah from “Genesis.”
Here are key words for the kids to try and incorporate into a silly poem: Abram, Saraí, Abraham, Sara, Sarah, Ur (area Abraham left), cur (old, snarly dog), sack cloth (coarse cloth, and/or clothes for mourning), move, leave, abroad (foreign country, far away), childless, old, stars, grains of sand, descendants, God’s promise, angels, travelers, visitors.
Connie’s Silly Limericks
#1.
Old Abram had a visit from God.
“Get up and start moving abroad!”
“Take family and friends,
sheep, goats and some hens.”
Abe said, “Yes!” with a big happy nod.
#2.
There once was an old rancher from Ur
Whose clothes were of sackcloth and fur.
God told him to move.
He had to behoove.
And take, family, herds, and his cur.
#3.
There was an old couple from Ur,
Tho’ childless, they loved an old cur.
God told Abe to go
And to take the whole show
to a land God said they’d prefer.
#4.
Abe and Saraí were a hundred and three.
They’d lived in Ur many years for free.
God said, “Time to move!”
“You’ll find a new groove.”
Abe said, “That’s news good enough for me!”
Art Projects
Invite your children to use their imagination and use crayons, markers, watercolors, or pastels to draw or paint a tent or a desert scene. None of us know what color Abraham’s tent was, so go wild! The art project is to understand where and how Abraham and Sarah lived as they left Ur and made their way to Canaan (later, Israel). Abraham was seated at the entrance to his tent when he saw the three travelers. Add a dark triangle to indicate the opening to the tent. Young children may prefer to draw or paint a simple tent and perhaps a tree.
Our Materials
“Night Sky with Stars” painting at top of post uses the “Bubble Wrap’ painting method. Click here to see it.