Saints and Sparklers

(Resource Pack 72 ) KEY STAGE 1 &2

VISUAL AID: Sparklers

You probably all have heard of Hallowe’en, but does anyone here know what day is celebrated on the day after Hallowe’en? Answer: Yes, All Saints day…a day when we remember good and holy people of the past, who have tried to live their lives as Jesus lived his life. We call them SAINTS.

What is it that disappears when a light goes on? Answer: Yes the darkness!

That’s why, when it is Hallowe’en, some people carry pumpkins with candles inside.

They want to chase away everything that is bad and cruel and unkind. Everything that is dark and makes us feel frightened. The day after Hallowe’en is a day of great light and happiness.

Jesus once said, I am the LIGHT of the WORLD anyone follows me will never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. When he came to earth, he came as a Light that would never go out.

(Light the sparkler, if possible a giant on, and put gloves on as a good example to the children)

Other people chose to be like him, and he passed his light on to them. (Hold the sparkler out)

There have been saints down through the ages, through history into the present day.

They were called saints for the way they still believed in God, even though others wanted to kill them and silence them (St Peter and St Paul *write each of the following Saints’ names with the sparkler.)

...and for the way they have guarded the truth of the word of God and passed it on, (the Early Fathers like Ambrose)

...for the way some have chosen to live in peace and obey God, and not think too much of themselves (St Francis/St Benedict)

for the way they have tried to be pure in heart. (St Theresa of Avila/ St Clare)

and of course for the way they have fought against what is wrong with our world, against things such as poverty and unfairness (Mother Theresa/ Oscar Romero),

Saints are those who have met the need of the moment and done something about it.

Through their witness they have handed on the word of God to others. *(light another sparkler from the giant one) They handed on the light of Jesus.

What makes them EXTRA ordinary is that they have done better than most of us, at living out the life of Jesus, and we admire them, I suppose, because they have been so like him

They were not goody-goodies, but ordinary people, who wanted to be serious about living their lives in love for God and others.It would be a mistake to think of them as PERFECT , they were people who tried to grow towards perfection, and who even at times got it wrong.

They were people who struggled and suffered and who knew their weaknesses.

They were real people who learned to rely on God in their everyday lives, in their successes and their failures.

And they brought good to others, not harm. They were real martyrs bring life, not death to others.

We are called to be saints too, to be like Jesus, to shine in the world.

Let’s pretend we all have a sparkler in our hands, and write our names too. (write our names in the air.)