Today we talked about the first book of the Bible called Genesis, wherein we learned that "In the beginning, God created ... ". The Hebrew word for "create" is "bara" meaning "to make something from nothing."
God first made the angels Angels are pure spirits - spiritual, personal, immortal creatures with intelligence and free will. God gave the angels a test wherein some used their free will to obey, while others did not.
Those that disobeyed became fixed in evil as devils, falling out of favor with God, but keeping all the powers natural to pure spirits. Satan was the name given to the leader of the fallen angels and he continues to prowl about the earth, seeking the ruin of our souls.
The angels who passed the test glorify God without ceasing, and serve Him as messengers of His saving plan. In fact, each of us has been given a Guardian Angel as an invisible, all-present companion, responsible for our souls as we journey through this life. They are powerful enough to protect us from all spiritual and physical harm, although God may allow us to experience harm or temptation caused by the evil one for our ultimate spiritual good.
When angels appear to human beings, they appear in ways that serve the purpose for which they are sent, often in human form. When artists draw angels they use wings to indicate speed; they also use white, bright light to refer to their power and purity. Angels may or may not have a halo, which is a sign that they are smart, holy, and make consistent choices that are pleasing to God.
During class, we talked about some of the angels found in the Bible: namely, Gabriel who came to Mary asking her to bear God the Son; the choirs of angels who filled the heavenly skies with song at the birth of Jesus and the angel who was at the tomb in the early morning hours of the first Easter Sunday. Clearly, angels are real and have made appearances to human beings at some of the greatest events marking human history. We also paid tribute to Michael, who is like a superhero fighting evil. It is fitting that he is the Patron Protector of both the police and the military.
We then read a book that my children wrote and illustrated when they were little; looked at a couple of pictures of angels that were mysteriously captured in print, and shared true stories of times when people in my life have been literally touched by an angel.
Our discussion then went to creation. We emphasized that (1) God is the source of all that is good, (2) He brought life to our world in a particular order, and (3) it is our job to take care of His wondrous works. In closing we celebrated the power of God the Creator by singing "Holy God! Holy and Mighty! Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us."
New Words:
Guardian, Creation, Immortal, Mercy
Classroom Activity:
We used a rhyming game to learn the order in which God created our world. It went like this:
God made light when there was none. God made light on day 1.
God made heaven and skies of blue. God made heaven on day 2.
God made flowers and grass and trees. God made these on day 3.
God made sun, moon and stars galore. God made these on day 4.
God made birds and fish alive. God made these on day 5.
God made animals and man to mix. God made these on day 6.
God is resting now in Heaven. God is resting on day 7.
The children then worked in pairs on Guardian Angel Cards to illustrate the power of having one in their lives. Click here for copy of the worksheet.
At Home Reinforcement:
Help your child get into the habit of asking his/her Guardian Angel for help. Work with them to learn the following prayer:
Guardian Angel, oh so dear,
At my side be ever near.
Morning, evening, day or night,
Help me always with your might.
Guard my soul, my body too.
Keep all evil far, please do!
What a beautiful resource you have, as a parent, to help your child do right and stay safe. Consider actively working with them to develop a strong relationship with their angel who will be their ever-present coach, cheerleader, and friend.
How cool is that? You actually have a pair of wings at your parental disposal! 👼
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