You don't have to do all of these at one time.  Consider how you might do parts of it throughout the week. 

ENGAGE

  • ​Everyone gets 2 pieces of plain paper, crayons or markers to share, tape to share, scissors.
  • ​With one piece of the paper, each person one makes a wardrobe item that shows what they do or will be doing when they grow up.  It could show a career or a vocation.  For example -- a tie, a stethoscope, a wedding ring, a baby carrier – something to wear.   Tape on the wardrobe piece. 
  • OR, if an example of these is available in the house, have the family member aspiring to this role ask the person who owns the piece if they can borrow and wear it. 
  • Save the other piece of paper for the "Experience" part of this page. 

EXPLORE

Look at stories of four people who at one time thought that their lives would be one way, wearing one kind of clothes, but after following Christ, after really listening to God, they ended up wearing different kinds of clothes.  They grew in ways to become more and more like Christ. 

Discuss:​​
  • In what ways was that person’s life different from your own?  How can that person, from a different time and place than you, help you to grow in faith?
  • Can you see how the clothing of your life might be different than it otherwise might have been because you are clothed also in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and love? (Older children)
  • What might be different about your clothing if you do things for others who need our help? Share an example. (Younger children)
Saint Katharine Drexel
Saint Katharine Drexel was at one time one of the wealthiest women in the country and could have had the fanciest clothing of all.  She chose to not use her money for herself. Franciscan Media has a great article about her life and legacy HERE. 

Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (the order that Sister Katharine founded) has a helpful illustrated timeline of her life HERE. 
A Philadelphia (her hometown) television station put together this enriching 15-minute story of her life and legacy: 
The same station has 4 informative minutes on the road to canonization: 
​Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
CLICK HERE here for "Elizabeth Ann Seton: A Profoundly Human Saint" from Franciscan Media.

CLICK HERE for an article on her life.
Saint John the Baptist
​wore clothes unlike anyone else. 
Saint Francis of Assisi
went from wearing the clothing of the rich to the clothing of the poor, by choice!  But it wasn't what he wore that make him like Christ -- it was how he lived. 

EXPERIENCE

  • ​Read aloud Colossians 3:12-14:
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians
“You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.  The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body.”
The word of the Lord
ALL: Thanks be to God 
​
  • Discuss in your own words: God cares about us – what kind of work we do, how we live, what our life is like.  But God’s first concern is the kind of persons we are. Are we all growing in the direction of selfishness and criticism, or in the direction of kindness and love? (Older children)
  • Discuss in your own words: God cares about us - the work we do, our best school subjects, the sports and games we play, and what we do every day.  But mostly. God cares about what's in our HEARTS! Are we selfish? Do we fight with others?  Or are we helpful?  Are we trying to be kinder and more helpful every day? Whcih of these are you working on? (Younger children)
  • ​Now use the second sheet of paper to make a symbol for the kind of clothing that Saint Paul told the Colossians to wear, in other words a symbol for the kind of person we want to be. (e.g. a heart for a loving person like Saint Francis of Assisi, or a dollar bill for a generous person like Saint Katharine Drexel). Reread the letter to the Colossians reading.
  • When all are done, tape this second symbol to their clothes. Each person explain their symbols. 
  • In your own words, discuss: We can wear these symbols on the outside today, but our lives should reflect these everyday without words.

APPLY

Talk together about how you might help each other to daily wear the clothing of Christ: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, that Saint Paul reminded the Colossians of. 

Talk together about other ways of acting that Christ calls us to, and how you can help each other live them.

This week, call attention to when you see each other acting like you're "clothed in Christ."  (Avoid calling each other out when you're not!) 

Pray this together: 
Almighty God, 
thank you for giving us each other, 
and your saints who show us the way to love.
Their faith was strong enough that they could shine with your light.
They had courage to do what was right. 
They were full of love for you. 
Give us courage to be the kind of followers of Jesus
that you want us to be. 
Amen. 
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