Children’s Curriculum 2021

#540
Title Preparing for Advent
Category Liturgy
Level Levels 5 and 6
Pre-requisites Liturgical Colours, Salvation History, Prophecies, Annunciation, Visitation,
Nativity
Sources John 8:12
CCC 64, 72, 456-463 (on the Mystery of the Incarnation), 522-524, 668-674
(on Christ’s second coming), 1095, 1171, 1194
Cavalletti, S. (1992). The Religious Potential of the Child. Liturgy Training
Publications.
Cavalletti, S., Coulter, P., Gobbi, G., Montanaro, S.Q., Rojcewicz, R. (2013).
The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey (2nd ed., pp. 73-80).
Liturgy Training Publications.
Filz, G. (2006). The Advent Wreath Tradition & Meaning. The Catholic
Company. Retrieved 2 November 2020, from
https://www.catholiccompany.com/magazine/the-advent-wreath-
tradition-meaning-5924.
Liturgical time Advent or last week of the catechetical year
Doctrinal points • When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes
present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the
long preparation for the Saviour's first coming, the faithful renew their
ardent desire for his second coming (CCC 524).
• During Advent, the Church re-reads and re-lives the great events of
salvation history in the "today" of her liturgy - this also demands that
catechesis help the faithful to open themselves to this spiritual
understanding of the economy of salvation as the Church's liturgy
reveals it and enables us to live it (CCC 1095).
Direct aims • To wonder at the mystery of the Incarnation i.e. the coming of
“Immanuel” who is “God with us”.
• To know and appreciate the reason for Advent.
• To prepare for Christ to come into our hearts during the season of
Advent as we wait in hope to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
Indirect aim To encourage families to prepare for Christmas by living out more fully the
season of Advent.
Note to Slides and YouTube songs may still be used in physical prayer space. Please
Catechists follow permitted protocols as advised by MCCY and Parish SMO with regard
to singing.
Materials Purple table cloth
Needed Advent wreath
Bible and Bible stand

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 Children’s Curriculum 2021
#540
Snuffer
Picture of Mary waiting by an empty manger / Use your nativity crib taking
only Mary and an empty manger
1) Ensure that the prayer corner:
a. reflects the liturgical season of Ordinary Time for Option 1 (see
below), OR
b. is bare for Option 2 (see below)

Powerpoint slides to include the following:

• John 8:12
• YouTube videos:
❖ Option 1a:
Advent in 2 minutes by Busted Halo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S02KOlw7dlA
❖ Option 1b:
Advent in 2 minutes by Busted Halo (NEW):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC0FGQLBp7w
❖ Option 2:
Reflection on Advent by Catholic Central:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-L0EX7Mc-0 ]
• Lyrics of hymns to be used or use YouTube to stream the songs:
Make Room by Casting Crowns feat. Matt Maher:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYHpJnfy2lQ
The Advent Song by Sr. Suzanne Toolan RSM :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msNKe03jfIE

Presentation Today, we’re going to celebrate a new liturgical season of the Church.
(30-40 mins) We’ve had ordinary or growing time in Church for quite a long time and we
are now entering a season of preparation. Remember we talked about
liturgical colours?

• What colours do we remember seeing during Mass? (Invite children to

share.)
• What is the colour for preparation? (Purple)

Purple is the colour before the feast. This is a time of preparation and
waiting before the feast.

We have a special name for this time of preparation, it is called Advent.

(Catechist may add: this year, the first Sunday of Advent falls on 29

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Main: (65)69110400 Email: [email protected] Web: catechesis.org.sg
 Children’s Curriculum 2021
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November 2021 which is already during the school holidays, so we’re going
to celebrate it earlier before we close for the year-end break).

Advent lasts for 4 weeks. The word “Advent” means “coming”.

• What is the feast we are preparing for during Advent? (Christmas)
• Why do we celebrate Christmas? (We celebrate the coming of Jesus)

After the 4 weeks of Advent, we celebrate the feast of Christmas to

remember Jesus’ birth some 2,000 years ago. God sent his Son Jesus to be
born in the town of Bethlehem, in the city of Jerusalem, in the country of
Israel. When Jesus was born, the angels sang ‘Glory to God in the Highest’.
It’s a time of joy when we celebrate that the Son of God came to be with
us.

Let’s look at the prayer corner here and see what we need to change for
this season of Advent. Let’s practice a song that we will sing when the
prayer table is being set up. Let’s sing a song to ask Jesus to come to us.

(Either sing Come Lord Jesus or stream The Advent Song.)

(Option 1)
Catechists may organize a procession with the candidates (with safe-
distancing protocols in place) or simply change the prayer table from
Ordinary Time to Advent Time themselves.

(Option 2)
• Start with a bare prayer table.
• Catechists may set up the Advent prayer table themselves or may
organize a procession (with safe-distancing protocols in place).

Let’s have a look at what we have on the table. This is the Advent wreath.
During Advent, when we go to mass, you will see the priest light the candles
of the Advent wreath before the Eucharistic celebration. The Advent
wreath helps us to think about how God’s plan of salvation is being realised
in beginning with the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. Let’s take a moment to
look at the Advent wreath and think about what the wreath symbolises.

(Please indicate and show the children as you cover the following below.)

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 Children’s Curriculum 2021
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The Advent wreath is circular i.e. there is no beginning or ending. This
reminds us of God’s complete and unending love for us – a love that sends
His Son into the world to be with us in this manner in order to save us.

The Advent wreath is made of various evergreens which also reminds us of

God who is everlasting and eternal (because these evergreens remain
green even throughout the winter season). We can also think about the
everlasting life promised to us through Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of the
Father. This is possible because of Christ who entered our world becoming
true man and true God and who later gave His life for us through His
passion, death and Resurrection.

The wreath has four candles which represent the four weeks of Advent – 3
candles are purple and 1 is pink. The purple candles remind us that Advent
is a time of preparation i.e. we are preparing to celebrate the feast of
Christmas.

In the first week, we light 1 candle which represents Hope. In the second
week, 2 candles will be lit – the second candle represents Peace.

The pink candle is for the 3rd week of Advent which signifies Joy. When the
pink candle is lit, it tells us that the celebration is coming very soon.
Therefore, we are joyful that our wait for the birth of Jesus is almost over.
The Third Sunday of Advent has a special name – it is called Gaudete
(Rejoice) Sunday.

Finally, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, all 4 candles are lit. The fourth
candle represents Love.

Some Advent wreaths have a fifth candle i.e. a white candle. This white
candle is placed in the middle of the wreath and is lit on Christmas day. The
lit candles represent Christ, the light of the world. (Invite children to turn
to John 8:12). Jesus said in John 8:12:

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness
but will have the light of life.”

Therefore, as we light the candles over the weeks, we are reminded of the
expectation and hope we have in our Lord’s first coming into the world
and the anticipation of His second coming.

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Main: (65)69110400 Email: [email protected] Web: catechesis.org.sg
 Children’s Curriculum 2021
#540
Advent is not only the time when we prepare for Jesus’ first coming into
the world but it also a time when we are invited to think about how we are
to prepare for His second coming. We do so by thinking about how He is
present in our lives here and now.

• How is Jesus the light in my life now? (Allow children to respond.)

(Show picture of Mary waiting or use your nativity crib taking only Mary
and an empty manger)

We can also see Mary. She too is waiting. She is waiting for the birth of her
child, Jesus.

Let’s think about the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth. When Mary
gave birth to Jesus, she did so in a manger because there was no place for
them in the inn (cf. Lk 2:7). Yet, we see how Mary rejoiced at the birth of
Jesus in spite of the poverty of her surroundings.

There was poverty in her circumstances too – here’s a homeless young

mother who trusted that God will provide. When Jesus was born, Mary
and Joseph couldn’t give the Son of God even what most parents would
want for their child – the best that they have. Jesus was placed in a
manger – that’s a trough where animals like horses and cattle feed.

And so, here lies the mystery of God’s plan of salvation. Mary and Joseph
received the greatest gift that God can provide for humankind – the
greatest gift of Jesus. But such a huge contrast! The best and richest gift
that God gives us happened in the poorest of circumstances and
surroundings.

Let’s look at Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus’ birth reveals how deep God’s
love is for us. Here is a God who became poor for us. When Jesus was
born, He was laid in a manger; He was not found sitting on a throne in a
palace. He was wrapped in swaddling cloths; He was not clothed in finest
silk or satin. A group of poor shepherds paid homage to Him instead of
other important royalties or authorities.

He, through whom all things were made, becomes an infant in need of His
mother’s care, love and protection. God, who is the Infinite One, comes to
us in His finite body and to a finite space and time in human history How
amazing is that?

During this season of Advent, as we reflect on how God the Son comes to
be with us in this manner, we are reminded of the Good News that God
loves us so much that He sends His Son to be with His people in this

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 Children’s Curriculum 2021
#540
manner. We are called to reflect on how precious this gift is to us and to
share the treasure of Jesus with others.

• I wonder how might we make room for Jesus in our hearts during this
season of Advent?

(Play song, Make Room by Casting Crowns feat. Matt Maher:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYHpJnfy2lQ)

[Invite children to participate in the activity (see below for details)]

To recap, play the following video (choose 1 option):

Option 1a:
Advent in 2 minutes by Busted Halo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S02KOlw7dlA
Option 1b:
Advent in 2 minutes by Busted Halo (NEW):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC0FGQLBp7w

Option 2:
Reflection on Advent by Catholic Central:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-L0EX7Mc-0 ]

Song Make Room by Casting Crowns (feat. Matt Maher)

Family hiding from the storm
Found no place at the keeper's door
It was for this a Child was born
To save a world so cold and hollow

The sleeping town did not know

That lying in a manger low
A Saviour King who had no home
Has come to heal our sorrows

Is there room in your heart

Is there room in your heart
Is there room in your heart
For God to write His story

Shepherds counting sheep at night

Do not fear the glory light
You are precious in His sight
God has come to raise the lowly

Is there room in your heart

Is there room in your heart
Is there room in your heart

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Main: (65)69110400 Email: [email protected] Web: catechesis.org.sg
 Children’s Curriculum 2021
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For God to write His story

You can come as you are

But it may set you apart
When you make room in your heart
And trade your dreams for His glory
Make room in your heart
Make room in your heart

Mother holds the Promise tight

Every wrong will be made right
The road is straight and the burden's light
For in His hands He holds tomorrow

Is there room in your heart

Is there room in your heart
Is there room in your heart
For God to write His story

You can come as you are

But it may set you apart
When you make room in your heart
And trade your dreams for His glory
Make room in your heart
Make room in your heart
Make room in your heart
Make room in your heart
Suggested Play the following video before activity, Advent for Kids:
Activity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19WvDZQBXbA
(10-15 mins)
Invite children to journal and share the following:
• What does Advent mean to you? / What is Advent for you?
• How can we share the treasure/gift of Jesus with others during this
season of Advent? (Possible suggestions to prompt the children e.g. we
can look at how we can be more aware of the needs of others around
us and start by doing small acts of kindness for them in this season of
Advent, etc.)
Closing End the session by singing the Advent Song.
(10 mins)
The Advent Song by Sr. Suzanne Toolan RSM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msNKe03jfIE
Observations/
Reflections

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Main: (65)69110400 Email: [email protected] Web: catechesis.org.sg