Sunday School–Week Twenty-Three–A Cross to Bear

“He who does not carry his cross and follow Me, cannot be My disciple.”

Lk. 14:27

Source: “The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery” from Rosary-Center.Org

For Parents to Teach to Their Children

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Lent. On SundaySchoolUpdates.com we are learning about Jesus through the Mysteries of the Rosary. This week is about “The Carrying of the Cross.” “The Sorrowful Mysteries” of the Rosary are, indeed, sad and difficult to comprehend for young children. My hope is that your children will be prepared for Holy Week, knowing in advance what Jesus faces, and be ready to celebrate on Easter Sunday, full of joy and hope.

We Learn Through Reading–For Grown-Ups and Older Children

Source: USCCB.Org John chapter 19:1-17

1* a “Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.2And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak,3and they came to him and said, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they struck him repeatedly.4Once more Pilate went out and said to them, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.’b5So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, ‘Behold, the man!’c6When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.’d7* The Jews answered,e ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.’8Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid,9and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ Jesus did not answer him.f10So Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?’11Jesus answered [him], ‘You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.’g12Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.* Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.’”h

13When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him* on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.14It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.* And he said to the Jews, ‘Behold, your king!’15They cried out, ‘Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’16Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.*

The Crucifixion of Jesus. So they took Jesus,17i and carrying the cross himself* he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.”

Note* Letters and numbers are placed by the USCCB for links and footnotes to help the reader.

We Learn About Jesus Through Prayer– The Mysteries of the Rosary

Over Lent, read the Bible passage for one of the Sorrowful Mysteries each Sunday. Help your child begin to name them.

“The Sorrowful Mysteries (These are recited Tuesdays and Fridays)

“THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN (Luke 22:43)
THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR (John 19:1)
THE CROWNING WITH THORNS (Matthew 27:28-29)
THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS (Mark 15:22)
THE CRUCIFIXION” (John 19:25-27)
Source: The Sorrowful Mysteries from Rosary-Center.org

  1. “Jesus carries His Cross to Calvary. Jn. 19:17
  2. ‘He who does not carry his cross and follow Me, cannot be My disciple.’ Lk. 14:27
  3. ‘Take My yoke upon you… your souls will find rest.’ Mt. 11:29
  4. ‘My yoke is easy, and My burden light.’ Mt. 11:30
  5. ‘He who loses his life for My sake will find it.’  Mt. 10:39
  6. What we suffer now can never compare to the glory that awaits us. Rom. 8:18
  7. Simon the Cyrenean helps Jesus carry the Cross to Calvary. Lk. 23:26
  8. ‘Weep not for Me, but for your children.’ Lk. 23: 28
  9. ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ.’ Gal. 6:14
  10. The worldly person is an ‘enemy of the Cross of Christ.’” Phil. 3:18

This week we learn about “The Carrying of the Cross.”  The full reading above is not for young children. Please read them the excerpt below My First Communion Bible.

My First Communion Bible

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery

“The Way of The Cross” 

Page 52

“Pontius Pilate’s soldiers tied Jesus to a pillar and whipped him. Then they put a scarlet robe over his wounds and pressed a crown of thorns onto his head. ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ they mocked. Then they continued to beat him with reeds and sticks. When they were tired, the soldiers put Jesus’ own clothes back on him and laid the heavy cross on his back.They made Jesus walk through Jerusalem to Mount Calvary where he was going to be crucified. While they were walking, the soldiers forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to help Jesus carry the cross.

Women in the crowd following Jesus were mourning for him. Jesus stopped and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me but for your children. For the time will come when people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ In this way, Jesus predicted the future destruction of Jerusalem.”

(Matthew 27:27-32; Mark 15:16-22; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17)

 We learn By Writing

An “acrostic poem” is fun, easy to write, and can be a great teaching tool. Invite your child to write the word “CROSS” vertically. Them write the words related to “CROSS” horizontally, next to each letter. For example:

C—Christ  (Cross, Communion, Conversion, Christian, etc.)

RReconciliation  (Reconcile, Redeem, Redeemer, Redemption, etc.)

O—Offering  (One God, Old Testament, Original Sin, etc.)

S—Saves  (Sin, Salvation, Sacrifice, Savior, etc.)

S—Simon Cyrene  (Sorrow, Sorrowful Mysteries, etc.)

We Celebrate Through Song

“Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone” Source: Hymnary.org

(Click on “Audio File” on Hymnary.org to hear tune.)

1 Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for ev’ry one,
And there’s a cross for me.

2 The consecrated cross I’ll bear
Till death shall set me free,
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there’s a crown for me.

3 Upon the crystal pavement, down
At Jesus’ pierced feet,
Joyful, I’ll cast my golden crown
And his dear name repeat.

4 O precious cross! O glorious crown!
O resurrection day!
Ye angels, from the stars come down
And bear my soul away.

Source: Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #615

We Celebrate Through Art– “The Lenten Cross”

 

 

Methods and Materials

You will need two pieces of watercolor paper. On the first sheet, invite your child to use purple watercolor mixed with blue, gray or black to paint a solid “Lenten” background. Let dry thoroughly. On the second sheet, paint a large cross using lighter purple or lavender colors. I used liquid watercolors because I love their strong pigments. Let dry.

When both sheets of paper are dry, draw or trace a a big, wide cross in pencil on the back of the lighter color sheet. Cut it out. Then glue the cross onto the dark background painting, with liquid school-type glue. Press down carefully. I use a plastic cutting board, placed on top of glued down cross, to press down on it so it doesn’t curl up. Add a few books on top of the cutting board to add weight. In a couple of hours it should be set. If the glue is still wet, let it air dry, as is.

Suggested Homework Activities–Week Twenty-Three

From MagnifiKid! March 24, 2019 Vil.16. Part 4. Section 6. Page 3 By Lisa Reno

“Living in Hope”

“This week, try to look at people and events in your life through the eyes of hope. In your Lenten booklet, draw or tell about an act of charity or an attitude of hope that a person could show when faced with a difficult situation.”

If you don’t have a Lenten booklet or journal, write this exercise on the back of your art project before you start to paint, or when it is dry.

“Bringing it All Together” Page 13

“Sometimes it is hard to look at the people around us with the eyes of hope. To help us to have a more hopeful outlook, Jesus tells us to do these things: to give alms, to pray, and to fast.”

This week, encourage your children to discuss the meanings of almsgiving, praying, and fasting. Help them find opportunities to participate in these three activities.