The Young Children’s Community formally enthroned the Holy Bible on our prayer table this week! For most of the children, this was a new and meaningful experience. Before the prayer service began, we had a joyful procession – what we described to the children as a "holy parade." As we processed to the prayer table in a toddler line fashion, we sang, “Come into God’s presence singing Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!” Leading the procession was one of our toddlers, who was holding the processional cross, which became the focal point for the others to follow. Each child had a part to play, carrying an article to place on the prayer table with care. Our prayer table was adorned with beautiful materials: a prayer tablecloth, a statue of the Good Shepherd, a prayer card with a stand, a white candle, a snuffer tray, fresh flowers, and the delicate golden pillow on which the Holy Bible would rest.
The children gathered around the prayer table, curious and enthusiastic as they anticipated what was to come. Over the past few weeks, we have been singing songs and listening to stories about who Jesus is, hearing His different names, like the Good Shepherd and the Light. This prayer service was special, the Holy Bible was named, and its place at the prayer table was introduced. The awe and wonder on the children's faces as they heard the name "Holy Bible" and watched the candle being lit is always a sight to behold! A passage from the Bible was proclaimed: “Be Still and Know that I am God.” A prayer card with those same words rested on the table, lifting up the proclamation, and we sang a song using those same words as well. The children were captivated – some hummed along to the song, while others eagerly requested to sing it again and again. Our beloved Alleluia song was also sung, the children delighting in its familiar melody.
As we closed our prayer service, a child was invited to extinguish the candle. Though the flame was gone, most of the children remained still, gazing quietly at the materials and the Holy Bible on the prayer table. This peaceful moment of reflection, where they silently absorbed the beauty of what had just transpired, was truly a grace-filled encounter.
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is the heart and foundation of our program. The atrium connects deeply with young children in ways that often escape full explanation. Day after day, the children demonstrate a natural inclination toward their relationship with God, open to His love in ways that are both profound and simple. We nurture this connection not just with words, but through the lived experiences of prayer, song, beauty, and their interactions with one another. The children are living testaments to the many ways they encounter the Divine. Within them is an innate knowledge that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls each of them by name – and they respond with all their hearts! The children's engagement with the atrium materials reveals this connection, as they work with concentration and devotion, often for long periods. The toddlers express a wide range of emotions when interacting with the atrium materials – joy, curiosity, excitement, tenderness, and love shine through their actions. It’s as if these young children are constantly revealing to us the beauty of their faith and the depth of their intimate relationship with Jesus.
To illustrate this, I would like to share a couple of stories. Recently, a 16-month-old child joined our community. On his visiting day, he entered the classroom and immediately spotted a statue of the Holy Family. After a few moments, he noticed an icon of the Holy Family and let out a joyful sound that caught my attention. In his excitement, he quickly took the icon and placed it next to the statue of the Holy Family, his joy unmistakable! Another child, captivated by the figure of baby Jesus in our Nativity materials, spent over 30 minutes holding it in her hand, moving it to her lap, back into her hand, and then into the manger, kissing the figure tenderly throughout. These moments of devotion, though simple, are profound reminders of the child’s capacity for love and reverence.
Other children, too, display their relationship in different ways. We have children who will take the Holy Bible and sit with it for long periods – some repeating proclamations they have heard before, others singing songs with it, or bringing it to the Good Shepherd table, or to the topographical map, or even hugging it or lying with it. Some children love to process with the processional cross around the classroom and others will sit at the Good Shepherd table and work with the figures for long periods. These moments are beautiful to witness, each one a small window into the mystery of the child's relationship with Our Creator.
It never ceases to amaze me how children, so full of energy and born to explore the world through movement, are deeply captivated by their faith and relationship with God – something that can feel abstract and intangible to us as adults. Despite their natural inclination to move, these young hearts are drawn to the materials in the atrium, which call to them and gently invite them to pause, slow down, and even embrace stillness. Though this slowing down looks different for each child – sometimes it’s a brief pause, sometimes several minutes or even longer, they are responding to the proclaimed words from the Holy Bible: "Be still and know that I am God". In these moments, we see an eagerness, a longing, and a deep sense of pondering. It’s a powerful reminder to us as adults that children, through their simplicity and openness, show us the way to heaven – or, at the very least, how to draw closer to it.
