Background notes for parents/carers

About the theme – Lent/EasterIn this theme the children learn about the seasons of Lent and Easter and how Christians live their lives because of the beliefs held.

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan. Lent began as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and placing them in the sign of the cross on the heads of people to the accompaniment of the words "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return". Catholics believe that they are called to continuously ‘turn back’ to God and live a holy life. The symbol is a reminder that this life is short and our real lives will begin when we are raised to New Life in the Communion of Saints.

LentThe three traditional practices of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Prayer: Catholics believe that more time given to prayer during Lent will draw them closer to the Lord. Fasting: Fasting is not just about developing self-control. It is often an aid to prayer, as the pangs of hunger remind Catholics of their hunger for God. Fasting should be linked to concern for those who are forced to fast by their poverty, those who suffer from injustice and those who are in need for any reason. It is linked to living out baptismal promises. By Baptism, Catholics are given the responsibility of showing Christ's love to the world, especially to those in need. Abstaining from meat traditionally also linked Christians to the poor, who could seldom afford meat for their meals. Almsgiving: This is a sign of care for those in need and an expression of gratitude for all that God has given to us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life which is begun at Baptism.

Holy WeekFor the Church, Holy Week is the ‘greatest week’ during which the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus is remembered in special celebrations. On Passion Sunday which is sometimes called Palm Sunday (because palms are blessed and Christians hear the reading of the passion of Jesus), Christians celebrate Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to face his suffering and death.

The Paschal or Easter Triduum (pronounced Trid-oo-um) begins on Holy Thursday when Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and ends on Easter Sunday in the evening.When Lent ends, Catholics stand in the centre of the Christian year. On the night between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, Catholics keep the Easter Vigil. They gather to light a fire and a towering candle, to listen to their most treasured scriptures, to sing psalms and other songs. Then they go to the waters and baptise those who have been preparing for new life in Christ. The newly baptised are then anointed with fragrant oil and, at last, with these newly baptised, they celebrate the Eucharist.Catholics prepare for this Vigil in the washing of feet on Holy Thursday and in the veneration of the cross on Good Friday. They also prepare by fasting. The Church fasts – from food, from entertainment, from chatter, from work – so that they have time to ponder deeply the death and resurrection of the Lord, the mystery of faith that they will celebrate in the Vigil.

Easter SeasonBegins on Easter Sunday and ends 50 days later on Pentecost Sunday.Easter Sunday is the beginning of the Easter Season which lasts for 50 days ending on Pentecost Sunday. The Easter season is to the year what Sunday is to the week. It is the heart of the Christian faith. St. Paul writes that without a strong, unswerving belief in the resurrection of Christ, then, “empty too is our preaching; empty too your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14.) Catholics are an ‘Easter People’ and make "Alleluia" their song because they delight to praise the Lord who is raised from the dead and now shares his new life. The Paschal candle, the giant candle that is lighted during this season whenever Catholics celebrate in church, shows that Jesus lives.

Key Vocabulary YEAR 4Self-Discipline

LENT/EASTER THEMEself-disciplineeffortpotentialpenancecontritionLentEasterResurrectionfastingalms giving

Overview

Year 4

Lent is part of the Liturgical Year when people unite themselves with Christ in order to grow in self-discipline through the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We celebrate growth of new life in Christ, in preparation for the feast of Easter.Children will know and understand:• Self-discipline is important

• Celebrating growth to new life through self-discipline

See the Background Notes for Parents and Carers

Week 1: Children learn about how self-discipline can help people reach their full potential. They learn that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, when Christians practise self-discipline to follow Jesus.

Week 2: Children learn about the demands of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting and giving to others (almsgiving). They will know that Jesus taught us to love our enemies and that it can be challenging to live out that message

Week 3: Children will learn about Holy Week, the Easter Triduum and the Mass of the Last Supper on Holy (Maundy) Thursday. They will learn about the Passion and death of Jesus on Good Friday from Matthew’s Gospel.

Week 4: Children will learn how Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday, using Mark’s Gospel. At the end of this topic look at the key vocabulary and use it to remember all we have learnt about self discipline.

Celebrate with a simple Act of Worship (see below).

In Year 4, the children learn that Lent is part of the Liturgical Year when people unite themselves with Christ in order to grow in self-discipline through the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We celebrate growth of new life in Christ, in preparation for the feast of Easter, when we remember the complete self-giving of Jesus. They hear the Easter story.

Week 1: Lesson 1Doing anything worthwhile often involves making choices, giving up something and working hard. It requires self- discipline. No one can make you do something. You really have to want it yourself. Everyone has potential in one area or another. It means working at it and giving up something in order to reach that full potential. Read this story:Training for the town sports day Samantha was really very good at high jump. She had come first at the school’s sports day and had been chosen to represent the school at the All Schools’ Sports Day in her home town. Mrs Carter, her teacher, offered to give her some help and so did her Dad, who was a member of the local athletics club. Mrs Carter coached Samantha at lunch time three times a week, which was fine with Samantha as she only played around at lunch time. It was no bother to do it then.Samantha’s Dad said they could use the athletics club’s sport ground on Saturday mornings and use the actual high jump that would be used for the Town Sports and they could start this Saturday. There were only six Saturdays before the event. Samantha was not very keen because she usually went shopping on Saturday with her friends Nick and Joanne. She told her Dad that she did not want to practise on Saturday. She thought it was just enough to do it in school some lunch times.

Q What happened at the sports day?

Q What do you think Samantha’s Dad said?

Q How do you think Samantha felt?

Q Have you ever had the experience of having to give up something and be very disciplined for a good reason? What happened and why?

Q How do you think self-discipline helps people to grow and make the best use of their potential?

Task: Think about a particular skill you have. It might be sports, swimming, football, running or a computer skill, or be good at making things – knitting, baking, drawing, painting, growing things. Then make a plan of how you would like to reach your full potential in that skill (see template). In the plan answer the following questions:

• Where will I start? What will I do?• Who and what would help me?• What might I have to change in my daily life?• What would I need to believe in order to be self-disciplined?• What effect will my skill have on others? How do I feel about it?

Week 1: Lesson 2(You may have spoken to your children about Ash Wednesday when it was celebrated, during the half term holidays. If so, a recap of how Lent begins, a reminder of any Lenten promises or a look at the Lenten calendar is sufficient.)Lent is time set aside to focus on spiritual growth which prepares Christians for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday. They strive to be more faithful to the Gospel by living in God’s way. It is a time when Christians practise self-discipline in order to grow in God’s way.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday when Christians go to church to receive ashes, and it lasts for 40 days. The ashes are made from burnt blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are blessed with Holy Water. While the ashes symbolise penance and contrition, that is how sorry we are for the times we have got things wrong and how we want to try to be better people. They are also a reminder that God is loving and merciful to those who call on Him. The priest sprinkles the ashes with holy water, then draws a cross in ashes on the heads of all those present who come to him (*this was not possible this year because if Covid restrictions) and says to each one: Repent, and believe in the Gospel. These words remind Christians that they are beginning a time when they are making a new start by giving themselves to God and others, through prayer, giving up things and doing good for others.

Q When does Lent begin?

Q What is Lent a time for?

Q What happens on Ash Wednesday?

Q What does the priest say when he places the ashes on a person’s forehead?

Q Why do you think Lent is celebrated every year?

Q What do you think you can do in Lent in order to live in God’s way?Task: Create a simple guide, describing what happens on Ash Wednesday and what Catholic Christians try to do in Lent.

Week 2: Lesson 1Lent offers Christians the opportunity to make changes in their lives to become more like Jesus. There are three particular ways that the Church recommends: firstly, prayer and reflection, through reading scripture and spending more time each day speaking to God. Secondly, fasting, that is giving up something and thirdly, almsgiving, that is doing good for others. If Christians want to be followers of Jesus, then they must become aware of the needs of other people and be prepared to see what they can do to help. In order to help them be self- disciplined during Lent, Christians make Lenten promises, saying what they hope to do during the six weeks of Lent.If you have access to the internet use CAFOD and Mission Together resources for Lent to gain some ideas: https://missiontogether.org.uk/calendar/resources-for-lent-2021/

https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Primary-teaching-resources/Lent-resources-for-children

Q What opportunities does Lent offer the Christian and why?

Q What three things does the Church recommend to Christians to practise during Lent?

Q How do you think prayer helps Christians to follow Jesus and prepare for Easter?

Q How do you think fasting helps Christians?

Q Why do you think Christians give alms?

Q What do you think it means to be self-disciplined and how is it achieved?Task: Devise your own Lenten promises card. Give reasons for the promises and related actions. Try to include all three practices - prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Week 2: Lesson 2What is God’s way? All during his life, Jesus grew in God’s way. He showed people God’s way through what he said and did. Jesus’ love knew no bounds. It is not enough just to love your friends. Listen to this advice of Jesus:Jesus says, ’Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, pray for those who treat you badly. Don’t retaliate when people are nasty to you. Do to others as you would have them do to you’.If you love those who love you, what is there special about that? Everybody does that sort of thing. If you favour those who favour you, what is there special about that? Everybody does that sort of thing. If you lend money to those you hope will help you, what is there special about that? Everybody does that sort of thing. Love your enemies; do good and lend, expecting nothing back. You will get something back: you will be living in God’s Way. God is kind to everyone.Based on Luke 6:27-28, 32-36

Q What does the passage tell you about God’s way?

Q How do you feel about living in this way?

Q How can you be more self-disciplined to live your life in this way?

Q What would you find difficult?

Q What would you find rewarding?Task: From what Jesus said, design an information sheet which outlines how Christians can live in God’s way. Include ways in which we can live out this message at school, at home and with our friends, giving reasons for some of these actions.

Week 3:Lesson 1For the Church, the greatest week is Holy Week, during which the suffering and death of Jesus are remembered in special celebrations. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord and ends on Holy Saturday. During this time the statues in church may be covered in purple cloths. There are no flowers. These are reminders of the solemnity of this time.The last three days of Holy Week are called the Easter Triduum. A Triduum is a three-day time of prayer and celebration. These three days lead to Easter Sunday. They start with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), continuing through the Good Friday Service, and ending with the Easter Vigil on the evening of Holy Saturday. The Easter Triduum marks the most significant events of Holy Week. At the beginning of the Easter Triduum on Holy Thursday the parish family gathers in the evening to take part in the Mass of the Last Supper. The priest wears white vestments because this is a special celebration. The ceremonies recall how Jesus gave himself for us. During this Mass, Christians are reminded of how Jesus showed his self-giving when he washed the feet of the disciples. The priest may wash the feet of twelve members of the parish family.Read the story below based on John 13: 4-9, 12-15. Remind the children that at that time it was usual for people to wash their feet on entering a house because of the dusty roads. It would be the job of the lowliest servant to do this. Jesus washed his friends’ feet as an act of service.

Q Why is Holy Week so special?

Q Why do you think this action of Jesus serving others was so special?

Q What does it tell you about Jesus?

Q Why is this action of Jesus an example for Christians?

Q What do you think of Peter’s reaction?Task: Look at the painting of Jesus washing his disciples feet by Giotto, painted hundreds of years ago, around 1305, and answer the questions.

Week 3: Lesson 2Good Friday is the second day of the Easter Triduum. On this solemn day, Christians gather in church to remember the suffering and death of Jesus. According to tradition, Jesus died at 3 p.m. which is when the Good Friday liturgy takes place. During this liturgy, the Passion of Jesus is read. Later on, the priest will hold up a Cross and pray: Behold the wood of the Cross on which hung the Salvation of the World. The people respond: Come let us adore. The people then process to reverence the Cross, by touching it or genuflecting before it.This is Matthew’s story of the Passion and death of Jesus: When they got to the place of crucifixion, they tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but Jesus would not drink it. Then they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves. They threw dice to decide what each should get. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The notice above his head said, ‘The King of the Jews’.At midday, the whole country became dark. It lasted for three hours.At three o’clock, Jesus cried out, “Eloi, Eloi Lama Sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and died.When the centurion, who was standing opposite saw how he died, he said, “This man really was the Son of God.” Some women were there, watching from a distance. There was Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph, and Salome. They had followed Jesus and had helped him when he was in Galilee. Many other women were there who had come up to Jerusalem with him. Based on Matthew 27:39-56Christians believe that Jesus, because he loved us so much, gave his life for us. By going to the Good Friday liturgy in church, Christians can express their love and thanks to God.

Q Why is it important for Christians to remember Good Friday?

Q Why do you think people reverence the Cross during the liturgy?

Q Why do you think this notice was placed above Jesus’ head?

Q What did Jesus cry out? Why do you think he said this?

Q How do you think the centurion felt when Jesus died? What effect do you think it had on him?

Q How do you think the women felt who were watching?Task: Imagine you are one of the women watching from a distance. Write an account for your friends about what happened on that day, how you felt and what you think it means.

Week 4: Lesson 1: All four evangelists tell the story of the Resurrection of Jesus to new life on Easter morning. St. Mark tells us that a man called Joseph took Jesus’ body down from the cross. He wrapped the body in a linen sheet and laid it in a tomb which had been carved out of solid rock. He rolled a rock over the entrance to the tomb. Read Mark’s story below based on Mark 16: 2-8

Q How do you think the women felt and what would they have said to one another as they walked towards the tomb of Jesus?

Q Why were they amazed?

Q Why were the women told ‘not to be afraid’?

Q Why do you think Jesus wanted to meet his disciples in Galilee?

Task: Make an Easter card with three images, the death of Jesus on the Cross, his Resurrection and how Christians give of themselves today.

Week 4: Lesson 2: Look back at the key vocabulary and remember all that has been learnt during the topic. Celebrate with a simple Act of Worship (See below)

Week 1 Lesson 1

My Plan to get better at ________________________________

My skill

Where will I start? What will I do?

Who and what would help me?

What might I have to change in my daily life?

What would I need to believe in order to be self-disciplined?

What effect will my skill have on others?

How do I feel about it?

Week 3 Lesson 1

Giotto’s Christ washing the disciples’ feet

What is happening in this picture? Where has the artist Giotto got this story from and what does the story tell you. What is in the picture that is not in the text?

Week 4 Lesson 1

Week 4 Lesson 2

Act of Worship‘SELF DISCIPLINE’

Year 4‘Celebrating growth to new life through self discipline’

You might like to set up a Focal table with some of the following:Candle, Bible (if possible), a cross, Easter egg

Let us make the Sign of the Cross with special care today as we remember that Jesus loved us and died on the Cross. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

We have been reflecting on how doing anything worthwhile often involves making choices, giving up something and working hard. It requires self- discipline. Self-discipline is difficult but has its joys and rewards. Lent is time set aside to focus on spiritual growth which prepares Christians for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday. They strive to be more faithful to the Gospel by living in God’s way. It is a time when Christians practise self- discipline in order to grow in God’s way. Lent offers Christians the opportunity to make changes in their lives to become more like Jesus. There are three particular ways that the Church recommends:First prayer and reflection, through reading scripture and spending more time each day speaking to God. Secondly, fasting, that is giving up something, or giving up time to do something extra. Thirdly,

Gathering Together

almsgiving, that is doing good for others. If Christians want to be followers of Jesus, then they must become aware of the needs of other people and be prepared to see what they can do to help. In order to help them be self- disciplined during Lent, Christians make Lenten promises, saying what they hope to do during the 6 weeks of Lent. You and your child may share your Lenten promises

In this Gospel reading we hear how Jesus gave his life for us.

A reading from the Holy Gospel According to MarkGlory to You, O Lord

We make the sign of the cross on our forehead, lips and heart, in preparation to hear the Good News of the Gospel. We make the sign of the cross on our foreheads to show we believe in God’s Word, on our lips to show we try to speak God’s Word to others, and on our hearts to show we love God’s Word and will try to live a good life.

When they got to the place of crucifixion they tried to give him wine, mixed with myrrh, but Jesus would not drink it. Then they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves. They threw dice to decide what each should get. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The notice above his head said, ‘The King of the Jews’.At midday, the whole country became dark. This lasted for three hours. At three o’clock, Jesus cried out, “Eloi, Eloi Lama Sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”Then Jesus gave a loud cry and died.When the centurion, who was standing opposite saw how he died, he said, “This man really was the Son of God.” Some women were there, watching from a distance. There was Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph, and Salome. They had followed Jesus and had helped him when he was in Galilee. Many other women were there who had come up to Jerusalem with him.The Gospel of the LordPraise to You Lord Jesus Christ

Christians believe that Jesus, because he loved us so much, offered his life for us. By going to the Good Friday liturgy in church, Christians can express their love and thanks to God.In order to help us remember that Jesus died because he loved us so much let us adore the cross – just as Christians throughout the world do every Good Friday.

We know that Jesus’ death was not the end and that Easter is a celebration of Jesus’ rising to New Life. During Lent and Easter we think about how we can ‘walk in the light’ of Christ, die to selfishness and live a life of selfless love of others.Let us pause for a moment and think about how we can be like Christ and bring the

light of love to others…..

You may like to recite the words of this Lenten song:

Lent’s a time for new beginnings,death to our selfishness, sadness and greed.Let there be born in us new hope and kindness,then we’ll be ready for Easter indeed.

Jesus on the first Good Friday,died to all bitterness, hate and despair,only to rise in the splendour of Easter

The Word of God

Response to the Word

Going Forth

to life eternal and gives us a share. Sr. Oswin