For Parents To Teach To Their Children
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Our Art Gallery
St. Peter, and the Evangelists–St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and, St. John
Reading About The Apostles and Evangelists
This week we learn about the actions of the early Apostles. Saint Paul, a convert to Christianity and a great Evangelist and writer, wrote many letters to new Christian groups as he traveled. We hear these letters almost everyday in Mass.
“A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans”
“Brothers and sisters: Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back in fear, but you received a Spirit of Adoption, through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17)
MagnifiKid!, May 20, 2021, Vol. 18. Part 6. Section 6. Page 4
An Excerpt from CatholicMom.com
“Gospel: Luke 10:1-9″
“St. Luke was one of our earliest converts from paganism. He was the companion to St. Paul on his missionary journey. St. Luke was the writer of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke’s Gospel reiterates the positive message that Jesus Christ is the salvation of all, especially of those sinners who are repentant.
Luke was responsible for the most beautifully written picture of Mary ever written. In his Gospel, St. Luke describes a large part of Jesus’ childhood. He is also the patron saint of artists such as sculptors, stained glass workers, and painters, since he too was an artist. He is the patron saint of Christian art. He was also a physician and is now known as the patron saint of physicians and surgeons.
In his Gospel, he writes of salvation and mercy, emphasizing some of the most memorable parables in the Gospels, such as the lost sheep and the prodigal son. St. Luke’s depiction of Mary and the birth of Jesus Christ brings great joy to the world, enhancing all of our celebrations at Christmas.
‘And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.’ (Luke 4:7)”
The Four Evangelists—St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John
(Excerpts from Website of St. James Cathedral in Seattle)
“Getting to Know the Four Evangelists”
“What is an evangelist?
Someone who tells the story of Jesus! In the New Testament, there is not just one but four different books that tell the story of Jesus life. These books were written by four different men, whom we honor as saints. They are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.”
“St. Matthew”
“Saint Matthew was Jewish, like Jesus, but he worked for the Roman government as a tax collector. That made him very unpopular with his fellow Jews. One day, he was at work when Jesus passed by. Jesus called him, saying, Follow me. And without a moment s hesitation, Matthew did!”
“His symbol is an angel.”
“St. Mark”
“Saint Mark was a young boy when he became a follower of Jesus. Though he was not one of the twelve apostles, he was a disciple of Jesus and an eyewitness of many of the things Jesus did.”
“In art, Mark is shown with a lion, because his Gospel begins with John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness.”
“St. Luke”
“Saint Luke s gospel is longer and more detailed than Matthew s or Mark s. In Luke s Gospel, we learn a lot about Mary.”
“In art, Luke is shown with an ox, because his Gospel begins with Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, offering sacrifice in the temple at Jerusalem.”
“St. John”
“Saint John was the younger brother of Saint James, for whom our Cathedral is named. John s gospel tells the story of Jesus in a different way from the others. John s gospel is less about facts than about symbols.”
“His symbol is an eagle, because his writing soars to the mystical heights of heavenly things, and doesn’t spend much time on the ground!”
Source: https://www.stjames-cathedral.org/kids/evangelists.aspx
St. James Cathedral in Seattle has an excellent website to visit and learn more about the Evangelists!
Praying the Rosary with Your Kids
From CatholicMoms.org
The Mysteries Of The Rosary From LoyolaPress.Org
“The Joyful Mysteries”
- The Annunciation
Mary learns that she has been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. - The Visitation
Mary visits Elizabeth, who tells her that she will always be remembered. - The Nativity
Jesus is born in a stable in Bethlehem. - The Presentation
Mary and Joseph take the infant Jesus to the Temple to present him to God. - The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
Jesus is found in the Temple discussing his faith with the teachers.
“The Mysteries of Light”
- The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan
God proclaims that Jesus is his beloved Son. - The Wedding Feast at Cana
At Mary’s request, Jesus performs his first miracle. - The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
Jesus calls all to conversion and service to the Kingdom. - The Transfiguration of Jesus
Jesus is revealed in glory to Peter, James, and John. - The Institution of the Eucharist
Jesus offers his Body and Blood at the Last Supper.
“The Sorrowful Mysteries”
- The Agony in the Garden
Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before he dies. - The Scourging at the Pillar
Jesus is lashed with whips. - The Crowning With Thorns
Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns. - The Carrying of the Cross
Jesus carries the cross that will be used to crucify him. - The Crucifixion
Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies.
“The Glorious Mysteries”
- The Resurrection
God the Father raises Jesus from the dead. - The Ascension
Jesus returns to his Father in heaven. - The Coming of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit comes to bring new life to the disciples. - The Assumption of Mary
At the end of her life on earth, Mary is taken body and soul into heaven. - The Coronation of Mary
Mary is crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
We Learn Through Reading
Child’s Guide to the Rosary is an excellent resource for families. “A youngster’s guide to the Rosary, with each mystery keyed to scripture to show how the Rosary is not centered around Mary, but leads us, through Mary, to Jesus; includes illustrations and full prayers for how to pray the Rosary. Ages 5 to 9.”
I like all of Elizabeth Ficocelli’s books on Catholicism for children. They are age-appropriate, loving, and sensitive to children’s needs and development.
Our Reading
Gospel of John, USCCB
JN 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him,
‘Go wash in the Pool of Siloam’— which means Sent —.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
‘Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?’
Some said, ‘It is,
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.’
He said, ‘I am.’They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
‘He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.’
So some of the Pharisees said,
‘This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.’
But others said,
‘How can a sinful man do such signs?’
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
‘What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?’
He said, ‘He is a prophet.’They answered and said to him,
‘You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?’
Then they threw him out.When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’
He answered and said,
‘Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?’
Jesus said to him,
‘You have seen him, and
the one speaking with you is he.’
He said,
‘I do believe, Lord,”‘and he worshiped him.”
Saints and Their Symbols
Our Art Project–A Map of Saint Paul’s Journey
Map Making, Also Known as, “Cartography”
Help your children draw a small map of the neighborhood. Young children can make it very simple, such as including your house, a street, their school, etc. Older children might like making a version of the map I made based on a picture I saw in MagnifiKid! I used watercolor pastels to first draw the outline of the land and sea. I only used three colors–blue, yellow and orange. Then I filled in the areas as I would do in regular crayon. Next, I used a medium size brush dipped in water to go over the watercolor crayons. It liquifies and turns into watercolor. It takes about an hour to dry. I used a liquid white ink pen on the “sea.” I started with the word “Caesarea” in Sharpie and it worked well. However, after that I ruined two more Sharpie pens, as the watercolor clogs the pens. So, with a very small pointed brush, I printed the names of places in black and red liquid acrylic paint. I enjoyed making this map, based on a beautiful map in MagnifiKid, produced by artists. Over the past four years, I have enjoyed painting and drawing for my website and also for my Instagram account. I hope you and your child or children will have fun with this craft project as they learn about St. Paul’s journey around the area of the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy! Connie Goldin
