Religious Education
Life is like a box of Chocolates
1 Two years running, Tom Hanks received the Oscar for “Best Actor” - in 1993 for his role in “Philadelphia”, and in 1994 for “Forrest Gump”. A line that he repeats as Forrest Gump is to say that “life is like a box of chocolates.”
2 I can focus on “Quality Street” chocolates as I think of my own character.
3 The green triangle of chocolate. On the seashore we never see pebbles of this shape because, of course, any sharp edges are knocked off by others in the sea. Do I have any sharp edges to my character - do I get at people, annoy them? Do I make fun of others? Yet still there is good in the person that this might represent. This is good solid chocolate, but I need to knock off some of my sharp edges.
4 Those edges - the negative things - tend to be knocked off when I really share my life with others, as we see in the round toffee cup. I become more WHOLE as a person, more rounded in character, keeping life in balance, living life peacefully one day at a time.
5 Fudge - the paper comes off quietly, so this is the one to take if you’re trying to sneak an extra one out of the box when no-one’s looking! As there is a lot of sugar in fudge, so this individual has great richness within - a lot to offer others. People are the richer for having been with this person - the one who always smiles and forgives; the person who often speaks a word of encouragement and support; the one who is generous in doing something they’d rather not do. These people will make the world a better place for having walked in it.
6 Maybe I am a little like this one - the purple hazelnut in caramel - a little showy, flashy on the outside. I have two wrappings - maybe to protect or hide my real self. Maybe I don’t want anyone to know what I am really like deep inside - because, deep within… here is a nut!
7 The green coconut. 10 minutes after eating this, you find little bits of coconut between your teeth - something more to chew over. Maybe I am like this coconut - a challenging person because I leave things for others to think about, to “chew over”. These people leave a little of themselves wherever they go: that compliment that really encourages someone; passing the joy of a contagious smile to another.
8 Strawberry. I might appear quite firm on the outside, perhaps giving the impression that I’m a little difficult to know at first, maybe rather shy. Inside there’s something very special: a quiet person who gets on with life peacefully; a gentle character, happy with who I am; a person who quietly brings support and healing to those who are hurt; one who shows others how special they are.
9 Orange. This melts in your mouth if you let it, but some people find dark chocolate a little sickly, too. But why am I saying “BUT”? If I set out to look for negative things in others, I will find them. If I “LOOK” for the good - the quality - in other people, then I will come to see so much good around me. That “WAY OF LOOKING” (which should mark out a Christian school) - that “way of seeing” - will affect my whole life. Setting out each morning to look for the good in others will bring peace in my heart and a smile on my face throughout the day!
10 The brown caramel. This is the one you find in your pocket a week after putting it there! It’s been squashed a bit, but it doesn’t go “gooey” in the pocket. It is firm: a solid character, faithful, trusting, accepting others for who they are, a true friend through good times and bad. It’s a great compliment to be told that you are a friend on whom others can rely.
11 Maybe I am one of these yellow caramels - normally left to the last in our house. Do I sometimes feel a bit left out of things, feel that I’m not as popular as others? The last one to be chosen for something? And yet Jesus said that the way of his Kingdom is that “the first will be last”; that the ‘insignificant ones’ are the important ones - the sparrows, the sinner, the lost coin, and Zacchaeus (the tax-collector whom people thought little but who was great, and walked tall in God’s eyes). And even if I don’t think too much of myself, there is One who tells me that he “has written my name on the palm of his hands”, as though I am the only one that exists.
12 Quality Street are all different: they would not be Quality Street if they were all the same. And when I come to meet the Maker of all this QUALITY, he will not ask me: “Why weren’t you Mother Teresa?” He will be asking me if I have grown as the person he called me to be. In Christian schools we are not called to try to make people into something that they are not, but to invite people to be and to grow as who they already are.
13 Let us be people of quality! Let us do the ordinary things of life in an extraordinary way! We hope to see a street-cleaner collecting rubbish in the same committed way that Shakespeare wrote poetry! Let us make extraordinary use of our ordinary talents, because we are all called to be FULLY ALIVE, to be saints of God.
This is an excerpt from the page of this date in ‘Praying Each Day of the Year’, a 3-volume book by Nicholas Hutchinson, FSC.
SACRAMENTS
We are still in discussions with the Parish and the Archdiocese about dates for term 4 for all sacraments that have been postponed - as soon as we know we will inform the community.
FIRST EUCHARIST - For children in Year 4 , 5 and 6. St Anne's School First Eucharist Mass postponed - new date to be advised.
Stoles that were sent to school have been given to Anita to update.
If you want your stole updated with the First Eucharist date and image please contact Anita ( her details are below ).
Classroom teachers will be preparing students for this Sacrament.
CONFIRMATION - TBA - we are looking at a new date in Term 4 and are still in consultation with the Parish and the Archdiocese about this.
RECONCILIATION 2021 Grade 3 children
November 2021 date to be confirmed. It has been decided that we will be proceeding with the Reconciliation next term however this will happen during the school day with only the candidates and teachers present. As with the previous Reconciliation this year we will take photos for families. The date will be advised as soon as we can let you know.
Please contact Anita at Holy Beginnings to organise your stole.
STOLES FOR SACRAMENTS
A Stole is to be worn during the Sacraments. The Stole can be individual to the child or a family Stole. The Stole can be hand made or purchased through our supplier.
HOLY BEGINNINGS supplies the Stoles for the Parish. An order form has been sent home with children.
To order these you can contact Anita and pay for the Stoles via direct deposit.
ANZ bank
Anita M Hughes
BSB 013-593
Account no. 322691326
Please put child’s full name in the details.
Candidates for Sacraments will be contacted 4 weeks before each Sacrament to order stoles so that there is time for these to be made.
HOLY BEGINNINGS can be contacted directly if you wish to order your stole independently.
Anita 0450 782 558
Pope Francis Prayer Intention for August
The Church
Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel.
Amen