Times of Trouble
During the w/c 18th November, children heard the real-life story of Ava and learned to look to God and responsible adults for support in times of trouble. You might like to read and discuss it with your child:
‘Ava was 10. She had just started a new school, again. It felt like her family were always moving. She had hoped to make lots of new friends, but that hadn’t quite worked out. Each day Ava hoped she might make a friend. At night she prayed to God, asking Him to help her.
The next day, as she went on her own to the toilets at morning break, a tear trickled down her face. She was feeling very lonely.
As she left the toilets her class teacher walked by. ‘Could I mention how I feel to Mrs Brown?’ she wondered.
Mrs Brown was firm but kind and had a warm smile. ‘But what’s the point?’ thought Ava, ‘She can’t spend her breaks with me!’
As Mrs Brown walked towards Ava, she looked up, caught Ava’s eye and smiled at her. ‘Now or never,’ thought Ava, “Mrs Brown, um, could I speak to you about, er, something?” she said.
“Of course,” said Mrs Brown.
Mrs Brown sat down in the library with Ava and listened carefully. And then, out it all tumbled.
How Ava was feeling lonely and hadn’t made friends yet. How Mum was super busy with her younger brother and sister, and so she hadn’t had time to talk to Mum about things at school.
After she had finished, Mrs Brown said, “Leave this with me. Don’t worry.”
After PE, Mrs Brown asked Ava to tidy up some of the PE equipment. Some other children had been asked to help too, and they came over to chat to Ava. They asked if she would like to sit with them at lunch.
Ava looked over at Mrs Brown. Mrs Brown looked back at her and smiled.
‘Mrs Brown must have asked them to talk to me,’ Ava thought, ‘but that doesn’t matter! Maybe, just maybe, this is the offer of friendship I need?’
“Yes please!” she said, smiling. And off they went to lunch.’
“Don’t be Frightened”
Children learned in this assembly that people can have many different troubles. Some troubles might feel small and just affect us, like with Ava feeling lonely. But people around the world can have big troubles too, like not having enough of what they need, or being caught up in earthquakes and famines, or experiencing religious persecution where their lives are made difficult because of their faith in God.
No matter how big or small the trouble, Jesus said, “don’t be frightened”, and children learned that they can turn to family, teachers, priests and even God Himself for help! We can also offer our support to one another, and to our brothers and sisters around the world.
Aid to the Church in Need is a Catholic charity that helps Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus. They have a special day each year called Red Wednesday when supporters wear red and light up buildings in red to remind people to pray. This year, Red Wednesday falls on 27th November.
Mustard Seed Faith
During the w/c 7th October, children watched a film about having faith in God’s incredible power. A version of this is below, which you might like to read with your child:
‘There was once a little girl whose bedroom was very dark because of a tree right outside her window. She dreamed of sunlight waking her up every morning!
One Sunday at Mass, she heard this Scripture: “If your faith was the size of even a tiny mustard seed, you could say to a mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”
The little girl was astonished and thought, “I have faith far greater than a tiny mustard seed! That means I can move my tree!”
That night, she stood outside and said firmly, “By morning, tree – I want you to be gone.”
However, in the morning, the tree was still there. The little girl was sad, and that night her big sister asked why.
“After hearing the Gospel about having faith like a mustard seed, I tried to banish that tree from the garden, so sunlight can brighten my room. But the tree isn’t listening to me!”
“Hmm,” her sister said, “what matters is that you believe that God has the power. Everything is possible with God!”
“So, if I ask God to move that tree, will He do it?”
“Well,” said her sister, “that depends if it is God’s will for the tree to move! Maybe God planted that tree where it is so you would be protected from the sun waking you up every morning!”
The little girl smiled. She prayed for God’s will to be done and fell asleep.
The next morning, her room was still dark and the tree was still there, but she had had a very restful night! Miraculously, a glimmer of light shone through the tree’s branches and onto her open bible: ‘The Lord will be your everlasting light.’ Suddenly, the little girl knew she didn’t need to try to move the tree! She just needed to follow whatever God wanted for her.
In her heart, she said, “All powerful God, you are my light and I am your faithful servant.”’
Praying the Rosary
The month of October is a traditional time to pray The Rosary: a set of prayers to God, our Lady and the Holy Spirit.
Children have been learning that, after reflecting on a passage of scripture (called a ‘mystery’), we say a set of prayers (called a ‘decade’) including the Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be. We use the beads of the rosary to help us keep count, but fingers can work too! You might like to pray the rosary with your child this October:
|Our Father||Hail Mary||Glory Be|
|Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
|Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb: Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
|Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,