The Preaching of the Apostles
“They were witnessing God’s victory over sin and death!”
Source: Lisa Reno, MagnifiKid! April 15, 2018, Page 3, Vol.15. Part 5. Section 4
For Parents to Teach to Their Children
Learning about the Apostles
“The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.”
Source: USCCB.org “Peter’s Speech,” from Acts, chapter 3:15
Witness— “attestation of a fact or event : testimony; one that gives evidence; specifically : one who testifies in a cause or before a judicial tribunal; one asked to be present at a transaction so as to be able to testify to its having taken place; one who has personal knowledge of something; something serving as evidence or proof : sign; public affirmation by word or example of usually religious faith or conviction; capitalized : a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses”
Talk with your children about the meaning of “witness.” They may know the word from hearing about something bad on the news, like a car crash, or a bank robbery. The people who were in the street or bank saw the event and therefore were witnesses. They are able to testify (tell their story under oath) what happened, in court. We also are present at joyful events, like a wedding or baptism. At these happy events we are witnesses to the couple’s vows, and the family’s and the Godparent’s promises to raise the child as a Catholic. The apostles were witness to all of the joyful, trying, sorrowful, and Glorious events in the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. They witnessed his baptism, his public ministries, his miracles, the times he healed the sick, and raised the dead. They were witness to his speaking about the Kingdom of God. They witnessed his post-Resurrection return for forty days when he walked, talked and ate with them. They witnessed his Ascension into heaven. Jesus breathed upon the apostles and gave them the power to forgive our sins. He sent them forth to spread the word to “all corners of the world…and to bring salvation to every people.” And they did it!
A Paraphrase of “The Acts of the Apostles” from The Didache Bible
“The Acts of the Apostles” was written around AD 62 or 63. The author was Saint Luke, a “missionary companion” to Saint Paul. Saint Luke was not an apostle. He also wrote “The Gospel According to Luke.” His Acts of the Apostles is considered a continuation of his Gospel.
Here is an excerpt from “The Acts of the Apostles” Acts 1:12 Page 1457 The Didache Bible:
“The Promise of the Holy Spirit”
“In the first book O’ Theophilus, (“Beloved of God”) I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit, to the Apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘You heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Preparing for First Holy Communion
Our Books
Believe & Celebrate First Communion
The New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism
The Real Presence of Christ–“The Bread of Life”
We Catholics believe that Christ is truly present with us during Communion and when the Consecrated Host is in the Tabernacle or on display for Adoration in a Monstrance. This is the most important concept to instill in your children. Other Christian religions view the Eucharist as a metaphor for Christ during Communion. Let’s begin this week by teaching the children the vocabulary in bold above, and to discuss this essential aspect of Catholicism–the Real Presence of Christ.
Holy Communion Watercolor Art Projects
Over the next month, the children will remember the material they are learning at home or in class, through drawing or painting for enrichment. These are my illustrations. I used a box and paper plates, smeared with paint, then inverted onto the watercolor paper to create the rectangle and circles. I am not an artist, but I enjoy and learn by painting. Watercolor is easy to use and “layer.” If your child makes a “mistake,” encourage them not to crumple the paper, but to paint over it, or even wipe off paint they don’t like with a paper towel. Stickers are great on dry watercolor paintings, too!
Teaching Tips:
Go to Mass every week with your children. Before Mass, talk about the readings they will be hearing. Sign up at bottom of the usccb.org page to receive free Daily Readings from The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Teach your children about the objects in the Church, beginning with those associated with Holy Communion. “My Parish Church” on pages 4 and 5 in Believe & Celebrate is a centerfold-type illustration of the sanctuary and the names of sacred objects. Ask your priest to give the children a tour.
Provide your children with watercolors, chalk pastels, crayons and markers and paper for each medium. Encourage them to draw or paint the Sacred Objects over the following weeks until their First Holy Communion. They’ll love it if you paint with them, too! Perfection is impossible. Simply enjoy the learning experience with your children.
First Holy Communion Art Project
Our Materials
Suggested Homework
Week Thirty
Please read the “Glorious Mysteries” of the Rosary to learn what happens after Jesus is crucified. As you pray the Rosary, please read one every Sunday for five weeks during this Easter season.
The Glorious Mysteries (These are recited Wednesdays and Sundays)
- “THE RESURRECTION (Matthew 28:5-6)”
- “THE ASCENSION (Mark 16:15)”
- “THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 2:4)”
- “THE ASSUMPTION (Revelation 12:6)”
- “THE CORONATION” (Revelation 12:1)”
The Glorious Mysteries from Rosary-Center.org
Please read this post-Communion Prayer from this week’s MagnifiKid!, Page 10:
“Father, through Jesus, in union with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Your Son sent his disciples on a mission to announce that he is truly risen. May the reading of his Word and this Communion with his Body and Blood help us, in turn, to become witnesses of this Good News, alleluia!”