St Martin’s bag

Hi kids!

The parable of the bags of gold invites us to be faithful with what God has given us.  We all have different talents and one day we shall all be called upon to give an account of the talents entrusted to our keeping.  If we make use of our talents and qualities such as kindness, generosity and joyfulness well and according to the power and opportunity given to us we will be blessed.  Being blessed by God is the greatest thing that can ever happen to us.  The more we give, the more we get.  A saint who did make good use of his talents and qualities was St Martin.

It was the 11th of November on a very cold day when the soldier St.  Martin saw a beggar shivering with cold and decided to cut his cloak in two with his sword and share it with this old man so that he too can be protected from the cold.   Some of his soldier friends ridiculed St Martin for his act of kindness and generosity but they soon realized they were in the wrong when all of a sudden all the clouds disappeared and the sun shone as if it was Summer again.  St Martin slept deeply that night and Jesus appeared to him in his dream telling him that what he did with that old beggar in reality he did it with him.  He became a Christian and later on in life he established monasteries and became the bishop of Tours.

The prayer space we are going to do today is called – St Martin’s Bag and  to do it  we need:

• St Martin’s Bag and contents picture or a real St Martin’s bag.
• 3 small pieces of paper
• Biro jew markers

The St Martin’s Bag is a tradition which reminds us of the charity shown by St Martin of Tours.  Children are given a colourful cloth bag containing nuts, fruits from the harvest and some sweets.   Take some time to think of good fruitful deeds you can do in your everyday life such as being kind, charitable, generous, patient and helpful.

If you have a St Martin’s Bag at home you can write down 3 fruitful deeds you intend to do in the coming weeks on a small paper and add them to your bag or else you can write these 3 fruitful deeds next to the fruits of the Harvest onto the St Martin’s Bag picture.  

Now, you can thank God for all the qualities and talents he gave you and ask him to help you make good use of them for the good of yourself and others.

Bye Bye Friends till we meet again.