The Sacraments are at the heart of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). Time just before receiving first sacraments, however, is especially focused and intense, what we call “direct preparation.” The lessons leading up to the Sacraments are progressive in nature. It is very important for your child to attend each session! If your child is absent, please contact us to make up the missed content at home. Below is the direct preparation for First Sacraments.
Found Coin & Found Sheep: Luke 15: 8-10
Just as every coin and sheep is precious to the woman and the shepherd in the parable, each of us is precious to God, who always and everywhere searches diligently for those who are lost and desires to return us to a safe place, and who rejoices mightily in our return.
Parable of the Loving Father: Luke 15:11-32
As the Loving Father in the parable is waiting and watching for the son to return, God always watches and waits for our return, and receives us back with great joy and love, completely restoring the “dignity” of our baptism and our place in the “family” of God.
Parable of the True Vine: John 15:1-17
God loves us and desires to give us all the “sap” we need in order to live fully on the True Vine and bear much fruit. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is God’s gift to us, through the Church, that absolves us from our sin and restores the full flow of sap so that we can live fully in the Vine, bear much fruit and move forward on the path of the Good Shepherd who is always and everywhere willing to forgive.
Gestures and Prayers of the Mass & the Last Supper
Through a gesture of prayer, the priest, on our behalf, invokes the Father to send the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into the real presence of Jesus. Jesus initiated this total giving of Himself at the Last Supper and commanded us to “Do this in memory of me.”
Gesture of Offering
The priest, on our behalf, offers to the Father the consecrated Bread and Wine. We return to the Father the greatest gift we have received, Jesus Christ, along with ourselves “for the glory of God, the Father.”
Gesture of Preparation of Chalice
A few drops of water (humanity/us) are added to the wine (divinity/God) to reveal the nature of Christ, who is “true God and true Man” and to make visible our inseparable union with Him.
Our Father
The prayer was given to us by the Lord himself as a model for all prayer. It is a summary of the whole gospel, teaching us that God is Father to all and cares for all of our needs. It also expresses our covenantal relationship with God, which is borne out in our concern for others. The prayer is an integral part of the sacraments of initiation.
Breaking Bread/ Sign of Peace
The Sign of Peace extends to include all people of all times and places who gather at the altar. The gesture of Breaking of the Bread shows us the source of the peace we share is the One, Broken Bread.
Centurion’s Servant: Matthew 8:5-13
As the Centurion believed his son would be healed by Christ, we believe we are spiritually healed by the life-giving body and blood of Jesus Christ, given to us in the Eucharist
Origin of the Eucharist
At the Last Supper, Jesus expressed his desire to remain with people of all times through the gift of Himself in the Bread and Wine. He said, “Do this in memory of me,” and in the Eucharist he continues to be fully present to people throughout history until he comes again at parousia.