Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Most Holy Trinity – our
awesome GOD.
I like to use the metaphor of water in trying to teach
second grade students this mystery of the Trinity. To describe God the Father, we (my partner
teachers) have the students think of flowing water. We ask the following questions: What makes up most of the earth? WATER.
What is the one thing that the human body needs to survive? WATER. God is as vast as the oceans, he
“reigns” down from heaven, and we cannot live without him.
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| Maid in the Trinity ~www.catholicworldart.com |
To describe God the Son, we get an ice cube. We talk about how humans could not grasp God
as the Father, just as we cannot hold liquid water in our hand. So God the Father asked God the Son if he
would leave heaven and become man. The
Son obeyed and for a time, humanity was given the gift of being able to touch
God – physically touch him – a solid being and yet divine. We could not hold on to him forever, for just
as an ice cube melts in your hand and returns to liquid water, the Son had to
return to heaven.
The Spirit was next and while the Spirit of God is promised
all throughout scripture, the Son promised again that he would send an
advocate. We put the ice cube in a
steamer and watch the steam rise to get an idea of the Spirit, a vapor,
mysterious – you can pass your and through it but you cannot grasp hold of
it. Steam has the power to put things
into motion just and the Spirit gives us strength when we need help.
This lesson may seem a little simple but oh, to see the
students try to hold a cup of water in their hand, have them hold an cold ice
cube – feel the smooth texture of it and watch it evaporate into steam is a
remarkable thing to witness. We can
learn so much when we remember to marvel at the simplest things, when we
remember that no matter what our age, we are children of God.
“The Spirit himself bears witness
with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs
of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may
also be glorified with him.” Romans
8:16-17
Glory to the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
Revelations 1:8
Shalom,
Tina
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