During Lent
Children's sermon
Story Time At The Altar
86 Messages For Children
In the classroom Bernadette prayed that the floor would open so she could fall in it, or if not that, have wings to fly and disappear. Instead her teacher said, "Bernadette, you will stay until you have learned your prayer." It was the teacher's job to teach the children to pray. Bernadette was supposed to have memorized her prayer, that is, say it without looking at the words, but there was so much to do at home, she had not had the time. Mother was ill so she had to milk the cow, feed the baby, sweep the floor, and then at the last minute, run out of the room to school.
The monk, the teacher, sat in his office, praying, "God, help me to teach the children to pray." He was still praying when Bernadette knocked on his door. "I know my prayer," she said, crossing her arms over her chest in the form of praying. (Do.) Then she saw the loaf of bread, and the monk asked, "Have you eaten today?"
Bernadette shook her head, and the monk gave her half of his loaf. As she ate, she again crossed her arms and began to pray. (Do.) The monk suddenly stood up and cried, "That's it! Bernadette, I will listen to your prayers tomorrow!"
The next morning the monk said to the children, "I have a pretiola for you," using the Latin word for "little present." As each said their prayer, the monk handed them bread twisted in the shape of praying. (Do.) It was a pretzel, and now today, during Lent, we remember to pray, as we make and eat pretzels.
Talk together: Give each child a small pretzel, saying, as you cross your arms on your chest, "Let us now pray as Bernadette did."
Prayer: During Lent, dear God, we thank you for your love, for food and health and people who pray and care for us. Amen.
The monk, the teacher, sat in his office, praying, "God, help me to teach the children to pray." He was still praying when Bernadette knocked on his door. "I know my prayer," she said, crossing her arms over her chest in the form of praying. (Do.) Then she saw the loaf of bread, and the monk asked, "Have you eaten today?"
Bernadette shook her head, and the monk gave her half of his loaf. As she ate, she again crossed her arms and began to pray. (Do.) The monk suddenly stood up and cried, "That's it! Bernadette, I will listen to your prayers tomorrow!"
The next morning the monk said to the children, "I have a pretiola for you," using the Latin word for "little present." As each said their prayer, the monk handed them bread twisted in the shape of praying. (Do.) It was a pretzel, and now today, during Lent, we remember to pray, as we make and eat pretzels.
Talk together: Give each child a small pretzel, saying, as you cross your arms on your chest, "Let us now pray as Bernadette did."
Prayer: During Lent, dear God, we thank you for your love, for food and health and people who pray and care for us. Amen.
