The Way of Light Resurrection Eggs

 

You probably have seen the commercial versions of Resurrection Eggs and the ideas about how to make them yourself, and even ways to make Stations of the Cross Eggs.  

I have posted before about my version of Resurrection Eggs.  You can click here for those ideas:

Resurrection Eggs (and of course, Station of the Cross Eggs) tend to focus on the events of Holy Week- Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Good Friday, etc. and then end with the Resurrection.

After deciding to create some lessons focusing on Way of Light,(you can see my posts so far here and here), I also wanted to create a hands on craft to help tell the story of the Way of Light. 

I thought that a new version of Resurrection Eggs that focused on the events after the first Easter morning would be a neat way to continue the same idea.  Small objects, each rich in symbolism but easy to understand, tied in with verses from the Bible, all stored in one spot.

Cue The Way of Light Resurrection Eggs:

I actually decided to not put all of the objects inside plastic Easter eggs- I wanted to be able to see all of them at once. You could still put them in eggs for storage purposed if you like.

First, I numbered the inside of the egg carton with a sharpie.  There are 14 Stations of Light, so I found a way to incorporate some of them together, so 1&2 are in the same spot as well as 13&14.

The Stations of Light are:
1. Jesus rise from the dead
2. Women find the empty tomb
3. The risen Lord appears to Mary Magdalene
4. The risen Lord appears on the road to Emmaus
5. The risen Lord is recognized in the breaking of the bread
6. The risen Lord appears to the disciples in Jerusalem
7. The risen Lord gives the disciples the power to forgive
8. The risen Lord strengthens the faith of Thomas
9. The risen Lord meets the disciples on the shore of Lake Tiberius
10. The risen Lord confers primacy on Peter
11. The risen Lord sends the disciples into the whole world
12. The risen Lord ascends into heaven
13. Waiting with Mary in the Upper Room
14. The risen Lord sends the Holy Spirit


Here are the objects that I used to symbolize each Station.  (A printable list is at the end of the post)

Station 1 & 2- An empty Easter egg to symbolize the empty tomb

 Station 3- A jar of holy water, symbolizing the tears Mary Magdalene cried

Station 4- A mini magnifying glass, symbolizing the way Jesus revealed the true meaning of the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus

Station 5- A paper "host" that opens up to reveal Jesus inside, just like the disciples knew it was Jesus with them through the breaking of the bread.  You can make this easily by folding a piece of heavy white paper, cutting a circle that has one side on the fold, and putting a sticker of Jesus inside.

Station 6- A Saint bracelet, symbolizing the disciples in Jerusalem that saw Jesus.  You could also use a collection of Saint medals, stickers, etc.

 Station 7- A mini purple stole (just a strip of purple felt) symbolizing the authority to forgive sins int he Sacrament of Penance

Station 8- Hands or feet of some kind, symbolizing that Thomas wanted to see Jesus' hands, feet, and side

Station 9- A Jesus fish twisted from pipe cleaners, symbolizing the disciples meeting Jesus on the shore of the Tiberius

 Station 10- A rock, symbolizing Jesus giving primacy to Peter

Station 11- A large cat's eye marble, which looks kind of like the world from space, symbolizing the disciples being sent out into the world

Station 12- A cotton ball, symbolizing Jesus being taken up by a cloud into heaven

Station 13-  A finger rosary, symbolizing waiting with Mary

Station 14- A candle, symbolizing the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  I used a battery operated tea light and wrote "Come Holy Spirit" around the outside.

There you have it! Fourteen objects telling the story of the fifty days after Easter.

 Place them all in an egg carton, and you have a student-centered teaching tool.

Click here for the printable egg carton label:

And click here for the list of Stations, objects, and Scripture verses:
You can use this as a list to guide your discussions, could cut them in strips and roll them into eggs with the objects, etc.

Meanwhile, Over at Reading Catholic...

Today, Nancy is featuring me over at Reading Catholic!  I am honored to be a part of her Lent Book Series.  Go check it out, and make sure to find out what other Catholic Readers are recommending as the best books for Lent.

Here is a little taste of my review:
The cover of my book is battered, and I have added tape, notes, highlighting and some wear of my own. There are mementos still tucked inside from the former owners and some added by me. It certainly wouldn’t win any book beauty contests, but this is one of the most valuable books on my bookshelves. It has a story, and tells a story, and leads me to understand the much bigger Story that we are all a part of.  

Go here to keep reading and find out what book I recommended!

I took my Youth Group to see Noah, and I don't regret it.

I took my Youth Group kids to see Noah today.

It was a gamble, and I have to admit that I was a bit nervous.   I usually don’t even consider PG-13 movies for Youth Group, let alone ones surrounded by controversy, to take other peoples’ kids to.  But ever since they saw previews for this movie, they have been begging to go as a group.  I read lots of reviews, mostly ones that were cautious if not all out against the film.  I heard lots of people speak very poorly of the movie’s interpretation of Scripture, many saying that it was a complete work of fiction.  Someone told me that the only thing the movie had in common with the Bible was that there was a man named Noah and there was a big flood.

But I still wanted to see it, and I knew that most of the kids would end up seeing it with or without me, so I hoped to create a teachable moment.  As Christians, we often want to put a bubble around our children.  To protect them from all that is false, ungodly, and immoral.  However, we also live in the world.  They will live in the world without our guidance someday.  So we need to teach them to think, to look for God in all circumstances, to discern the good and choose to do it.  Going to this movie seemed like a good opportunity to show them how to do that, in a small way.  I read the Plugged in Movie Review, which gave me info to share with the parents about what their kids would see, and I also was glad to read Sr. Helena and Bonnie’s thoughts about the movie.

The kids were required (ha) to read Genesis 6-9 before coming to the movie, and each car had a list of a few questions to discuss on the drive to get them thinking.  We had fifteen people sit and enjoy the movie, completely caught up in the story, cinematography, and acting.  After the movie was over, we posed for some goofy pictures with the big Noah poster in the movie theater, and then drove across the street to get ice cream.  We probably sat and talked for a half an hour about what had happened in the movie, what we loved, what we disagreed with, and what we thought of the message overall.

Here are a few of my thoughts: (Spoilers ahead…)

•  I loved the casting.  Emma Watson stole the show, and her part in Noah’s family was one of the best “creative license” additions to the story.
•  I actually really liked the Watchers.  There, I said it.  Genesis 6:4….who knows what those “men of renown” really were?  Why couldn’t there be a part of God’s creation that was only here in those very early years?  I loved how they went from enemies to protectors and how they asked for forgiveness and received redemption. Major creative license, but overall a good message.
• Noah’s telling of the Creation story was awesome.  So vivid and it encompassed so many ideas about how creation happened.  Loved the symbolism of the light within Adam & Eve, the heart/life within the forbidden fruit, the shadowed symbols of the sin of Cain and Abel continuing through all generations.
• They went pretty easy on the whole "uncovered his father's nakedness" thing.  You're welcome, Ham.
• The costuming and sets were awesome.  CGI animals, sometimes not so much.
•  Loved the last seed from the Garden of Eden creating an oasis in the barren world to give Noah’s family supplies and shelter as they built the ark.
•  I did not like the over emphasis on the killing and eating of animals being the primary reason the descendants of Cain were evil.  Major agenda showing here- totally contrary to Biblical teaching, as well as what Noah was told by God.  Go back to the beginning after all, and Abel’s offering (of animals from his flock) was the one accepted by God.  I appreciated the message of care and concern for creation, but not the vegan/vegetarian mindset as being the only holy choice.  And God would do all that to “save the animals?” No. Plus there is no way Russell Crowe got muscles like that from only eating things growing on the forest floor. Ain't happening.
• While God’s will is rarely spoken in black and white terms to us, I didn’t like Noah’s shadowy understanding of God’s plan for him.  His story in the Bible constantly says, “Then the Lord said to Noah…”  I think Noah had a little bit better of an idea what was going on.
•  I support the creative license in the film, but I think the sorcery/magic/etc. was unnecessary.  There were enough other “unbelievable” elements that having glowing snakeskins, fire rocks, and magic pregnancy tests were not really needed to set the tone for the movie.
• Tubal-cain stowing away on the ark was dumb.  Ham didn’t need a mentor to teach him evil.  Evil was already in his heart, just like it is in every descendant of Adam and Eve.  The movie gave plenty of reason for Ham to turn away, and Tubal-cain being there was a distraction.  I could rewrite all of the scenes on the ark without him, and make them just as dramatic.
•  Let’s talk about Noah wanting to kill his granddaughters.  I don’t agree with it, because of my comments above about him knowing God’s will.  However, if in this version of the story, with abundant creative license, Noah was in the gray area of understanding the plan, I can sort of get his thoughts.  Really, I think that the only thing I can take away from it is a mirror of the story of Abraham and Isaac.  He thought he was being faithful to God's will, and God stayed his hand at the last moment.
• Tubal-cain was an awesome example of how we can take God’s Word and twist it for our own purposes.  He said over and over, “We were made in the Creator’s image and likeness.”  He got that right, and I wish Noah would have picked up on that a little bit.  However, Tubel-cain used that idea for evil and power and greed.  We can do that too easily. I would have loved for them to have portrayed a strong and righteous Noah who knew the real meaning of the dignity of being made in God’s image, and that the flood and the ark and the new start was not for the animals, but was for us, the pinnacle of the Creator’s plan.

These were some major points that we wrapped up our discussion with:
1. Our God is a God of justice AND mercy.
2. It is easy to twist God's Word for our own purposes. The line between good and evil is drawn down the heart of every man.
3. While God's creation is GOOD, mankind was made in His image and likeness, making us VERY GOOD, and valuable beyond measure.

Looking for a literal word-for-word Bible movie to show in Sunday School?  This isn’t it.

Looking for an artistic interpretation based on the story of Noah that will make you think?  I would recommend this.

What to watch it with a group of teens?  Do it, but be ready to talk about it.  If you want some ideas, feel free to use this discussion guide as a start:

7 Quick Takes: At the Foot of the Cross

~1~

I found a new favorite band.  This song has been good listening for Lent:

But then there is also this one and this one and this one. 

I want to sit in an Irish pub and tap my toes while they sing and I drink a good beer. 

They might not be beer drinking people, but we all love Jesus, 

and I bet they would let me sing along, even if I am a Catholic heathen.

~2~

It has been good to reread the Gospel accounts of Jesus' last week before Easter with my Young Adult Bible Study this month.  We are prepping for Holy Week and the Triduum, and have been unpacking some details, drawing Old Testament Comparisons, and bringing who we are and what we would have done as an early disciple of Christ.  My favorite discussion this week involved Peter and Judas.

Both followed Christ and were His friend.

Both were shown truths of the Kingdom.

Both were warned of their coming failures.

Both were weak when they should have been strong.

Both hurt someone that they loved.

Both regretted what they had done.

Why is it then that one is a Saint, and for the other it would have been better if he had never been born?

Judas repented, but to himself and to the chief priests and elders.

Peter repented, and returned to God at his first chance.

Judas gave into despair, and took matters into his own hands.

Peter held onto hope, and ran to the Risen Christ, not away from Him.

Two men. Same Christ. 

 

~3~

Last weekend I was able to attend my Parish's Lenten retreat, which was titled "At the Foot of the Cross."   It was a lovely, well planned, peaceful day to remember that Lent is about being drawn closer to Christ.

I very much wish I would have taken pictures of the way the ladies decorated the tables for the brunch.  It can be hard to "decorate" for Lent- keeping it simple, meaningful, and still beautiful.  They combined real "crowns" of thorns, burlap runners, small candles, and little bits of purple.  It wasn't overdone, and it brought peace to my heart to see the beauty of Lent come through.

~4~

I was blessed to be asked to speak for the At the Foot of the Cross Day of Reflection.  Now, I sometimes am asked to speak at various places, but it is usually to a group of teachers or catechists, and I talk about crafts.  This was much harder- not about kids, not about crafts, not about teaching... it took some stretching on my part.   I was asked to talk about Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, so I tied his life in with their theme.

Why do we stand at the foot of the Cross? What I have learned from Fulton Sheen:

1. Our Lord asked us to watch with him one hour.  

We are called to pray not because God needs anything from us, but because we are changed by worshiping him.  The same Christ Crucified is present in the Blessed Sacrament.

2. Our Mother is there.

Strong enough to say yes to the Father and become the Mother of God, and strong enough to watch Him suffer and die, Mary is strong enough to become our Mother, too.  She want to bring us closer and closer to her Son.

3. Our suffering is meaningless without His Suffering.

I admit that I know little of true suffering, but no suffering makes sense if nothing matters but this life.  If there is something more, if there is truth in the cross, if Christ's death offers us new life, than suffering is temporary and redemptive.

In Sheen's words: “Unless there is a cross in our lives, there will never be an empty tomb.
Unless there is a crown of thorns, there will never be a halo of light.  Unless there is a Good Friday, there will never be an Easter Sunday.”

~5~

I wanted Sheen to speak in his own words during my talk, so I used several video clips of him.  Here are a few for each of the points in the talk:

On Prayer.

On Mary.

On Suffering.

~6~

 Have you been keeping up with Nancy's Lent Book Series?

It's not too late to pick up a great book to read this Lent.  Go visit her blog and read some of the guest posts for suggestions.  I have the honor of being included next week, so check back!

~7~

These Quick Takes were suppose to be about drawing closer to the Cross....but apparently it should be titled "7 Quick Takes: Katie blatantly plugs her minor public appearances."  We'll go with that theme, and I'll share this link that you might see if you attend Mass in the Diocese of Peoria this weekend.  Oh man.

Go visit Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

The Way of Light Easter Sunrise Craft

As we approach the Season of Easter, I have been creating activities to teach that Easter is more than just one morning on our calendar.  I have been using the The Way of Light, which is a companion to The Way of the Cross.  You can read about the beginning of the project and get the printable coloring book here.

For this craft project, I wanted to create something that a family or classroom could hang up starting at the beginning of the Season of Easter and leave up all the way until Pentecost.  The fourteen stations of Light made for great sun rays, I added a quote that I love about Easter from soon-to-be Saint JPII on the base of the sun, and we had a perfect sun rise.  Each of the rays also has a corresponding Scripture verse, so your family/classroom can look up that story as you talk about the station during Easter.

I decided to jazz up the background a bit, but you certainly could just glue the sun on normal large 12"x18" construction paper or poster board.  If you are looking to get an art project out of this too, here is an idea.

Supplies:
The printables at the end of the post
A large piece of construction paper, cardboard, or poster board
Markers and crayons
Glue (preferably liquid, not glue sticks)

I used a large piece of cardboard, garnered from a big shoe box.  You could start with nice white poster board, but I liked the texture that the corrugated cardboard would create.  (Plus maybe because it was free, and I did not have to make a trip to the store.)  It will also make a great object lesson about the beauty (the Resurrection) that God can make from brokenness (the Crucifixion).

Hold the cardboard with the long side going horizontal (bathtub style in my classroom).  Start making a scribbly half circle with yellow marker.  No pattern, just gentle arcs scribbled in.  This works for kids of all ages.

 Then add a layer with the orange marker, overlapping partially with the yellow...

 Then the same with red, and then purple....

 And finally a bit of blue...

 This step is hard to see in the pictures, but it made a big difference close up.  After scribbling with the markers, we went back with similar colored crayons and went over sections.  It blended and softened the colors, making it look much more like a sunrise.

 We added some black crayon at the very, top showing where the sun hadn't quite reached the night sky.

Next, print and cut out the printables below.  I printed on pale yellow and gold paper, but you certainly could copy on white and have the kids color them in.

Arrange the rays in order (they are in order on the paper, so cutting them out one at a time is good, or you can use the Way of Light book to help.

Glue on to your scribbled-cardboard-turned-sky, and you have a beautiful and meaningful sunrise.

 Click here for the sun printable:

And here for the rays printable:

 You might also like this:

The Way of Light Mini Book & Full Size Coloring Book

While we are still deep in the throes of Lent, I know that many moms and catechists and teachers are out scouring Pinterest looking for new ideas to celebrate the season of Easter.  As well they should, because while Lent is an important season, Easter is the pinnacle of our faith.  We need enough activities to last more than just Easter Sunday (the season lasts 50 days!), and so I have been planning ahead.

I am sure you know The Way of the Cross- fourteen events that walk us through the Crucifixion of Christ.  We hang images of  them in our churches and pray them on Fridays during Lent.
But did you know there is also The Way of Light?  Fourteen events that walk us through the Resurrection of Christ and the events before Pentecost and focus on hope.
We put so much emphasis on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent that I think we sometimes forget that the season of Easter is actually longer and should be more special.  When I heard about the Way of Light a couple of years ago, I knew that it would be a great theme to help carry the stories surrounding Christ's Resurrection into the entire season.

You can read more about The Way of Light here and here and here.

The first activity that I am posting for The Way of Light is a mini coloring book that contains the name of each station, a Scripture reference, and a picture.  I am no good with drawing people, so most of the illustrations are of a symbol that would help kids remember that part of the Easter story.  Coming up later this week, I will share more ideas for crafts using The Way of Light and hands-on projects for teaching the message of Easter.

Here are the fourteen stations:

And I couldn't resist including this quote for the back cover...I know JPII hasn't officially been canonized yet, but he will be just a week after Easter!  It seemed perfect to include him.

Click on the image below for the free sixteen page mini book.  Print double sided, cut in half horizontally, fold, staple, color, and celebrate!

***Update- Click here for a full size 8.5x11 page Coloring Book:

Get a shareable version for Google Classroom here:

Check back for more activities, printables, and crafts using the Way of Light to celebrate Easter.