All About the Atrium Paschal Mystery

The National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Paschal Mystery All About the Atrium and the Child

On Easter morning, the women times troubling and dark) event presentations of the Cenacle approach the tomb. They come to the youngest in our (Last Supper) and the Empty bearing spices that they have community? Are children Tomb. prepared to anoint Jesus’ body. really able to penetrate the Though he has died, though he depth of the Paschal Mystery? Second, we must live the has turned out to be human, passion of Good Friday, within and weak, and vulnerable to Yes, they are. And yet, their the context of Holy Thursday death as any other, they wish to entry into this mystery and and Easter Sunday. In the be near him. When they arrive their presence at the Triduum events of the Last Supper, the at the tomb, they find the stone celebrations of Holy Thursday, Passion, Death and rolled away and the body of Good Friday, and the Easter Resurrection, we are actually Jesus nowhere to be seen. Two Vigil requires for us (as living one moment, and only men in “dazzling clothes” parents, catechists, and when we recognize this unity stand before them and ask a ministers) to know how to can we interpret the Paschal question, “Why do you look for invite them into this mystery in Mystery. In the Last Supper, the living among the dead? He a way that will offer them the Jesus anticipates the events of is not here, but has risen” (Luke fullness of Easter joy. the coming day for his 24:5). And everything changed. disciples. He tells them, “This First of all, Cavalletti instructs, is my body which is given for Sofia Cavalletti, a Hebrew “the proclamation of the death you,” and “this cup that is Scripture Scholar who of Christ should never be poured out for you is the new developed the Catechesis of the disjoined from the covenant in my blood” (Luke Good Shepherd with her announcement of His 22:19-20). In these words Jesus collaborator, Gianna Gobbi, resurrection” (RPC1, 115). In the explains that “what will tells us, “The Resurrection is atrium, especially that of the happen on Good Friday will be the bedrock of our Christian youngest child (three to six the gift of his whole self; Jesus faith” (Joyful Journey, 80). years of age), the proclamation, will give himself completely as “Christ has died” is always an offering to the Father and to We are coming up on the time followed immediately with, all of us” and in this way of Holy Week, where as a “and Christ is risen.” The Calvary is transformed. It is people we once again live with children hear this every time a “not a brutal, violent act; above a particular intensity the catechist lights the candles for all else, it is a tremendous act of Paschal Mystery—Christ’s them at the model altar, love. A tremendous act of passion, death and whenever the flag is placed on violence becomes a tremendous resurrection. A question might the city of Jerusalem on the act of love” (Nurture, 79). be, how do we present this raised surface map of the Land most important (but also at of Israel, and in the

In our atrium, a catechist covered the whole world!” The Little Gospels: recently heard this PASCHAL NARRATIVES proclamation from a six year- As Christians the mystery of old boy. This child, who has our faith is three-fold: the death Each book in this five-book set been in our atrium since he was of Christ, the resurrection of contains the Scripture passages three years old, has been Christ, and Christ’s eventual of the Paschal Narratives and is struggling this past year with return. This mystery, Cavalletti illustrated with simple, the brutality of the crucifixion. reminds us, “is a hymn to life beautiful drawings. With very An over zealous adult in his life that, in Christ, is stronger than readable font, the presentation had shared too graphically the death” (RPC2, 68). In fact, of the individual Gospel stories details of Jesus’ passion. Here in beautifully bound books we saw lived out Cavalletti’s Each time we participate in the allows the child to interact with caution about sharing the Eucharist, our proclamation of ‘the the Word in a profound way. detailed accounts of the passion mystery of our faith’ is a powerful Included in this set: with very young children: “At reminder of the Christian vision of The Last Supper, times these passages go into reality. It is a vision that, in the The Resurrection (Matthew), details that arouse horror, such announcement of the death of the The Resurrection (Luke), as we could not bear in relation Lord, looks directly in the face of The Resurrection (Mark), and to anyone dear to us; why then the evil that is in the world; Pentecost. should we dwell on them with however, it does not end there. The respect to Jesus? We risk mystery of the Christian faith is inciting sentiments that should the paschal mystery in which not be aroused” (RPC1, 114). death and life have fought ‘an As catechists, we accompanied astounding duel,’ and life has this child as he wrestled with emerged the victor” (RPC2, 113- the darkness of the Passion, 114). continuing to remind him of the light of the Resurrection. As catechists and parents, our And then one day, working greatest gift to our children can with the city of Jerusalem, this be to initiate them into this boy told his catechist, “Do you mystery, the mystery of life know why the stone was rolled stronger than death, of light The Little Gospels are on sale away? It’s because Jesus’ love stronger than darkness. To and available at was so great, it blew the stone affirm with the child that http://www.cgsusa.org/products/li off.” The child took hold of the indeed, the love evidenced in ttle-gospels-paschal-narratives/ stone and carefully held it over Christ’s passion and death, is the city, “it covered everything, the love that brought about the Read more about the Little even Herod’s house” at this resurrection—the love that Gospels here point the child stood up and continues to cover the whole http://www.cgsusa.org/the_little_ approached the globe sitting on world. gospels.aspx a nearby shelf. Tracing the stone in an ark over it he announced, “it was so great, it