First things to do:
1. Prayer of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion
2. Jesus Prayers
3. Introduce today as the Sunday of the Adoration of the Holy Cross and that
this marks the very middle of Great Lent.
4. Do the Pascha Passport stickers for: Sunday and any other services
kids were at this week
5. Hand out Icon Post Cards of the Sunday of the Holy Cross
6. Pass around larger laminate icon of the Holy Cross for them to see and venerate
7. Hand out Prosphora to share together
*
Tell them about the Holy Cross and why it is here in the middle of Lent...
*
It is important for children to hear that
Great Lent is not always easy.
The third Sunday of Great Lent is to
encourage and strengthen us,
children and adults.
This lesson focuses on these things.
that are posted in full below this lesson.}
*
The Lesson:
We are now at the third Sunday of Great Lent
and that means we are half way through Lent,
halfway to Pascha!
Sometimes in Great Lent we can feel really tired
and even discouraged.
Some of you are fasting from food during Great Lent,
other of you may not fast much but you have other
things in your life that are difficult for you.
Sometimes we need something to really encourage us,
what some would call a real ‘pick me up.’
*
Now some would think a pick me up may be
a small gift or something yummy to eat
but this Sunday shows us something much
more real and sure that can truly pick us up again.
And this is the Holy Cross of Christ.
*
Ask the kids what in Church makes them look up?
what does the Priest do that makes us lift up?
Three things at least:
1. let us lift our eyes up to the Lord
2. Holy the Chalice of Holy Communion up and Processing
3. Holding the Cross up - if there is a procession with the Cross,
the Cross is one of the tallest things held and we all look up to it.
*
Fr. Fr.Alexander Schmemann says
"the theme of the Cross which dominates the hymnology of that Sunday is developed in terms not of suffering but of victory and joy. More than that, the theme-songs (hirmoi) of the Sunday Canon are taken from the Paschal Service--
"The Day of the Resurrection"-- and the Canon is a paraphrase of the Easter Canon."
He quotes from a Synaxarion:
On this Sunday, the third Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the veneration of the honorable and Life-Giving Cross, and for this reason: inasmuch as in the forty days of fasting we in a way crucify ourselves.... and become bitter and despondent and failing, the Life-Giving Cross is presented to us for refreshment and assurance, for remembrance of our Lord's Passion, and for comfort.... We are like those following a long and cruel path, who become tired, see a beautiful tree with many leaves, sit in its shadow and rest for a while and then, as if rejuvenated, continue their journey;
likewise today, in the time of fasting and difficult journey and effort, the Life-Giving Cross was planted in our midst by the holy fathers to give us rest and refreshment, to make us light and courageous for the remaining task....
Or, to give another example: when a king is coming, at first his banner and symbols appear, then he himself comes glad and rejoicing about his victory and filling with joy those under him; likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to show us His victory over death, and appear to us in the glory of the Resurrection Day, is sending us in advance His scepter, the royal symbol-- the Life-Giving Cross-- and it fills us with joy and makes us ready to meet, inasmuch as it is possible for us, the King Himself, and to render glory to His victory...
All this in the midst of Lent which is like a bitter source because of its tears, because also of its efforts and despondency.... but Christ comforts us who are as it were in a desert until he shall lead us up to the spiritual Jerusalem by His Resurrection.... for the Cross is called the Tree of Life, it is the tree that was planted in Paradise, and for this reason our fathers have planted it in the midst of Holy Lent, remembering both Adams bliss and how he was deprived of it, remembering also that partaking of this Tree we no longer die but are kept alive....
****
Let's all pray to Christ to give us strength through His Holy Cross
for the second part of Lent.
Remember when we get discouraged, sad or tired,
we can go to Christ and His Cross for protection,
encouragement and strength to keep going.
****
Craft Idea:
Draw the Holy Cross and how it is the Tree of Life for us
and is that which lifts us up.
First things to do:
1. Prayer of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion
2. Jesus Prayers
3. Introduce today as the Sunday of the Adoration of the Holy Cross and that
this marks the very middle of Great Lent.
4. Do the Pascha Passport stickers for: Sunday and any other services
kids were at this week
5. Hand out Icon Post Cards of the Sunday of the Holy Cross
6. Pass around larger laminate icon of the Holy Cross for them to see and venerate
7. Hand out Prosphora to share together
*
Tell them about the Holy Cross and why it is here in the middle of Lent...
*
It is important for children to hear that
Great Lent is not always easy.
The third Sunday of Great Lent is to
encourage and strengthen us,
children and adults.
This lesson focuses on these things.
that are posted in full below this lesson.}
*
The Lesson:
We are now at the third Sunday of Great Lent
and that means we are half way through Lent,
halfway to Pascha!
Sometimes in Great Lent we can feel really tired
and even discouraged.
Some of you are fasting from food during Great Lent,
other of you may not fast much but you have other
things in your life that are difficult for you.
Sometimes we need something to really encourage us,
what some would call a real ‘pick me up.’
*
Now some would think a pick me up may be
a small gift or something yummy to eat
but this Sunday shows us something much
more real and sure that can truly pick us up again.
And this is the Holy Cross of Christ.
*
Ask the kids what in Church makes them look up?
what does the Priest do that makes us lift up?
Three things at least:
1. let us lift our eyes up to the Lord
2. Holy the Chalice of Holy Communion up and Processing
3. Holding the Cross up - if there is a procession with the Cross,
the Cross is one of the tallest things held and we all look up to it.
*
Fr. Fr.Alexander Schmemann says
"the theme of the Cross which dominates the hymnology of that Sunday is developed in terms not of suffering but of victory and joy. More than that, the theme-songs (hirmoi) of the Sunday Canon are taken from the Paschal Service--
"The Day of the Resurrection"-- and the Canon is a paraphrase of the Easter Canon."
He quotes from a Synaxarion:
On this Sunday, the third Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the veneration of the honorable and Life-Giving Cross, and for this reason: inasmuch as in the forty days of fasting we in a way crucify ourselves.... and become bitter and despondent and failing, the Life-Giving Cross is presented to us for refreshment and assurance, for remembrance of our Lord's Passion, and for comfort.... We are like those following a long and cruel path, who become tired, see a beautiful tree with many leaves, sit in its shadow and rest for a while and then, as if rejuvenated, continue their journey;
likewise today, in the time of fasting and difficult journey and effort, the Life-Giving Cross was planted in our midst by the holy fathers to give us rest and refreshment, to make us light and courageous for the remaining task....
Or, to give another example: when a king is coming, at first his banner and symbols appear, then he himself comes glad and rejoicing about his victory and filling with joy those under him; likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to show us His victory over death, and appear to us in the glory of the Resurrection Day, is sending us in advance His scepter, the royal symbol-- the Life-Giving Cross-- and it fills us with joy and makes us ready to meet, inasmuch as it is possible for us, the King Himself, and to render glory to His victory...
All this in the midst of Lent which is like a bitter source because of its tears, because also of its efforts and despondency.... but Christ comforts us who are as it were in a desert until he shall lead us up to the spiritual Jerusalem by His Resurrection.... for the Cross is called the Tree of Life, it is the tree that was planted in Paradise, and for this reason our fathers have planted it in the midst of Holy Lent, remembering both Adams bliss and how he was deprived of it, remembering also that partaking of this Tree we no longer die but are kept alive....
****
Let's all pray to Christ to give us strength through His Holy Cross
for the second part of Lent.
Remember when we get discouraged, sad or tired,
we can go to Christ and His Cross for protection,
encouragement and strength to keep going.
****
Craft Idea:
Draw the Holy Cross and how it is the Tree of Life for us
and is that which lifts us up.
Mid-Lent: The Holy Cross
The Following is an excerpt from Great Lent, by Alexander Schmemann
From Chapter 4: The Lenten Journey
"The third Sunday of Lent is called "The Veneration of the Cross." At the Vigil of that day, after the Great Doxology, the Cross is brought in a solemn procession to the center of the church and remains there for the entire week-- with a special rite of veneration following each service. It is noteworthy that the theme of the Cross which dominates the hymnology of that Sunday is developed in terms not of suffering but of victory and joy. More than that, the theme-songs (hirmoi) of the Sunday Canon are taken from the Paschal Service-- "The Day of the Resurrection"-- and the Canon is a paraphrase of the Easter Canon.
The meaning of all this is clear. We are in Mid-Lent. One the one hand, the physical and spiritual effort, if it is serious and consistent, begins to be felt, its burden becomes more burdensome, our fatigue more evident. We need help and encouragement. On the other hand, having endured this fatigue, having climbed the mountain up to this point, we begin to see the end of our pilgrimage, and the rays of Easter grow in their intensity. Lent is our self-crucifixion, our experience, limited as it is, of Christ's commandment heard in the Gospel lesson of that Sunday: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark 8:34). But we cannot take up our cross and follow Christ unless we have His Cross which He took up in order to save us. It is His Cross, not ours, that saves us. It is His Cross that gives not only meaning but also power to others. This is explained to us in the synaxarion of the Sunday of the Cross:
On this Sunday, the third Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the veneration of the honorable and Life-Giving Cross, and for this reason: inasmuch as in the forty days of fasting we in a way crucify ourselves.... and become bitter and despondent and failing, the Life-Giving Cross is presented to us for refreshment and assurance, for remembrance of our Lord's Passion, and for comfort.... We are like those following a long and cruel path, who become tired, see a beautiful tree with many leaves, sit in its shadow and rest for a while and then, as if rejuvenated, continue their journey; likewise today, in the time of fasting and difficult journey and effort, the Life-Giving Cross was planted in our midst by the holy fathers to give us rest and refreshment, to make us light and courageous for the remaining task.... Or, to give another example: when a king is coming, at first his banner and symbols appear, then he himself comes glad and rejoicing about his victory and filling with joy those under him; likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to show us His victory over death, and appear to us in the glory of the Resurrection Day, is sending us in advance His scepter, the royal symbol-- the Life-Giving Cross-- and it fills us with joy and makes us ready to meet, inasmuch as it is possible for us, the King Himself, and to render glory to His victory.... All this in the midst of Lent which is like a bitter source because of its tears, because also of its efforts and despondency.... but Christ comforts us who are as it were in a desert until he shall lead us up to the spiritual Jerusalem by His Resurrection.... for the Cross is called the Tree of Life, it is the tree that was planted in Paradise, and for this reason our fathers have planted it in the midst of Holy Lent, remembering both Adams bliss and how he was deprived of it, remembering also that partaking of this Tree we no longer die but are kept alive....
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