Opening Prayer
First: ask the children “What was life like in Jesus' time?" (There was no electricity back then. They ate bread, wine, and fish, for the most part. Major cities had rudimentary sewage and they tried to keep waste away. The furniture was very simple, there were no schools, people would walk by foot or take horse rides, etc.). You could also add that, at that time, people gave sacrifices; usually by purchasing sacrificial animals.
The major religious holiday during this time was the Passover feast celebrating the deliverance of the Jewish people from their slavery in Egypt. People studied and preached Moses Law (1.300 BC; which is split into the human law and the divine law – The Ten commandments). The civil law (human) orientated life; it determined hygiene habits and costumes. It included forbidding the interchange with the dead (because it was done in an abusive way and with material purposes). It also determined the use of the Law of Talion for social conflicts (it meant a punishment identical to the offence; that is, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot).
Second: please tell the children the story called A lesson for Nicodemus, You should ask questions to the children as you narrate the story (there are some suggested questions inside the text in bold). The story should be told as a play; it should look as if we are being told the story by a narrator.
Click here to find the original text.
Third: split the questions amongst the children and ask them to read these questions and think of an answer. Organize the group in pairs, or trios, if necessary. Suggest that they exchange ideas with their colleagues. Have the children form a circle after a few minutes. Ask them to read the questions, hear the answers and give room for other children to help adding more comments to the answers. The spiritist teacher should complement the information if necessary.
Questions Suggested for this activity:
1 – Why did the consoler promised by Jesus take so long to come?
2 – What is Spiritism’s mission?
3 – What is a revelation?
4 – What are the three revelations from God to His children?
5 – Who codified the Spiritist Doctrine?
6 – What are the principles of the Spiritist Doctrine?
Click here to find resources for the spiritist teacher:
Fourth: conclude the subject. We suggest talking about the Law of cause and effect, highlighting our efforts must be directed to forgiveness. Forgiveness of injuries and indulgence for the imperfections of others allows us to leave the vicious circle of suffering and start “to have access” to the virtuous circle goodness, where we harvest the effect of the practice of the virtues (forgiveness, charity, meekness, goodness, generosity…) which brings us peace and happiness. Thus, we are not condemned to practice evil in return to injuries or offences. We can use free-will, on the basis of the gospel truths that Jesus revealed and demonstrated through the practice of love in all circumstances while he was incarnate in our planet.
Closing Prayer
Class suggested being suitable for: 3rd cycle (11 to 12 years old).
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, Sir William Crookes Spiritist Society linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.
