The Gifts

Last week, the younger Faith Formation students explored Lent by thinking about what it means to "make space" in their hearts and lives. They talked about how clearing out distractions can help them focus on kindness, prayer, and growing closer to God. As an activity, the group painted rocks with words or pictures representing things they wanted more of this Lent, like love, peace, and friendship. Some decided to keep their painted rocks as reminders, while others planned to share them as small acts of kindness to spread joy. They also enjoyed designing buttons that reflected Lent’s important ideas—prayer, preparation, and starting fresh. The class wrapped up by sharing what they hoped to make space for during Lent and closed with a short prayer and quiet reflection, asking God to help them along the way.

The older students continued their exploration of the History of the Kingdom of God through the lesson "The Gifts." They gathered in the refectory around the History of the Gifts timeline and explored various tangible examples of God's abundant gifts appreciating the opportunity to see, touch, and examine real objects closely, including rocks, minerals, fossils, plants, flowers, animals, seashells, and photos of planets and stars.
Students reflected thoughtfully, sharing which gifts they felt most connected to and discussing what it means to receive the gift of each other and how the gift of Jesus shapes their lives. Being able to engage directly with these physical examples deepened their understanding and appreciation of God's generosity and the interconnectedness of all creation, as they continued their exploration of the Kingdom of God.