The Missing Piece

Many people, parents and children alike, will be glad to be back in school. Children can miss friends, lessons, playtimes, or simply the routine of school life. Being back at school can feel like pieces of a jigsaw coming together…but what if there is a piece missing?

In this first assembly of the school year, children heard a joke missing the punchline:

Children talked about how this unfinished joke is missing a vital piece: it isn’t funny!

Then they listened to the Gospel reading, where Jesus talked about unfinished things too:

Children learned that, through this Gospel, Jesus is giving us an important lesson about how we live our lives. The unfinished house that couldn’t be lived in and the unfinished joke that wasn’t funny remind us that we need to be careful that we don’t live our lives with a piece missing. That missing piece is the difference between living life to the full or not – so it’s really important!

Watch the Catchphrase style video linked below which gave children a clue about the crucial piece of our lives, the most important part of the jigsaw that we really don’t want to be missing:

https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/

The Catchphrase video revealed Jesus’ important message: “Follow me” – and children learned that if we do choose to follow Jesus, He will lead us to the Father. God’s dream is for us to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him by sharing His love with others. With the Father’s love, with Jesus to follow and with the Holy Spirit to give us strength and courage, children discovered that we can do what we are made for – live life to the full!

To finish off this assembly and help children prepare for the school year ahead, children listened to a guided meditation about Jesus’ invitation to follow Him. Why not listen to it again with your child here:

https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/

Why not…

• Listen to the meditation with your child and discuss what the jigsaw puzzle of their lives might look like, e.g. what do the different pieces represent? Are they all the same size or are some pieces bigger (more important) than others? Are there any pieces missing, or pieces they want to remove from their jigsaw?

• If applicable, talk with your child about when you first said ‘Yes’ to Jesus, and the journey that decision is taking you on.

Our Pilgrimage to Walsingham

In January 2022, pupils embarked on the Ten Ten Year of Pilgrimage, a virtual journey involving different ‘stopping places’ with the purposes of growing in Prayer, Penance, Solidarity and Charity. If this is your first encounter with the Ten Ten Year of Pilgrimage, do take a look at this article (http://tentenresources.co.uk/the-hub/yop-launch-jan/) from back in January when it all began. 

To take a look back over the journey children have been on so far, and where the new school term is taking them, watch the Pilgrimage Guides video here:

https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/

During the assembly, children learned about Walsingham where nearly a thousand years ago, a holy woman named Richeldis saw Our Lady in a dream, who took her to her home in Nazareth – the actual place where the Angel told Mary she would be the Mother of God’s Son – and asked her to build a copy of the holy house in Walsingham! This special place, now known as ‘England’s Nazareth’, became a shrine for Our Lady and an important pilgrimage site.

Children watched a drama exploring the history and significance of Walsingham, which lead them to the Slipper Chapel, where pilgrims would end their journey with a barefoot walk along the Walsingham Way. In the Slipper Chapel they discovered this statue of Our Lady:

Children were invited to become detectives and look for clues in the statue. For example:

In this assembly, children then heard the Gospel where Mary was visited by the angel:

Children learned that:

• Mary did an extraordinary thing for God and people honour her because she said ‘Yes’ to God and became the mother of God’s Son, Jesus.

• Mary responded to the Angel with the word “Fi-at”. This is Latin for “Let it be done”. It shows that Mary totally and immediately accepted God’s plan for her.

• Mary shows us a great example: she listened to God and trusted in Him.

• We can follow Mary’s example by listening to God in prayer and saying ‘yes’ – ‘Fi-at’ to whatever God has planned for us.

See what the Pilgrimage Guides had to say at the end of this assembly:

https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/

Why not…

• Help your child/ren to recall learning from the assembly by showing them the Our Lady of Walsingham statue and discussing the clues/meanings together.

• Remind children that God’s dream is for us to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him by sharing His love with others. Discuss with your child/ren how we can say ‘yes’ to God’s plan for us each day.

• Read this article (http://tentenresources.co.uk/the-hub/englands-nazareth/) to find out more about Walsingham.

• Sing together the Pilgrimage Song (https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/)

Prayer

At the start of this new school term, why not pray together with your child this prayer of recommitment to following Jesus:

You also might like to pray together the Hail Mary:

Hail Mary,

full of grace

the Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

pray for us sinners now

and at the hour of our death.

Amen