First Thoughts: Our final theme for Advent is that of emptying. Another way of understanding emptying is to become hospitable, to make space in our lives for Christ to be born. If we look at the gospel readings of the nativity we find several instances of people being hospitable: Mary and Joseph emptying themselves of their former plans so the baby can come into their lives; the innkeeper making space for the baby to be born in a stable; and today's lesson about Elizabeth welcoming Mary in the time of her cousin's distress. Not only does Elizabeth welcome Mary, she sings blessing over Mary -- to which Mary responds with her own song of joy and faith. Isn't that just the way it is? We face a difficult time in our lives, a time of crisis and unknowing, and a kind and blessed friend takes us into her heart and sings blessing over us? Suddenly fear is transformed into faith and confusion into trust. It is unbelievably important that others empty a space for us to come into their lives; it is how we know we are beloved. It is just as important for us to make that same space for Christ to come to us. I invite you to think about your life right now. Where can you clear out some busy-ness, silence some noisiness, so that you might grow still and quiet and hold the void in your life so Christ can come in? How will you welcome the Christ that comes? Carry your stillness and your commitment to making a Christ-space in your life to your time with the children.
Teaching On Your Own: Hey guys, see what I have here? It's a garbage bag full of my old things. I'm clearing out some space in my closet. I need to make space for all the cool stuff I'm getting for Christmas. Besides, there were a lot of things that I didn't need anymore. So I thought I would donate them to a charity, so other people can use them. Have you ever done that? It's kind of hard, isn't it, letting go of old stuff? Sometimes we feel that we want to hold onto everything we have, but if we do that we can't really enjoy new things that come our way. This bag is pretty full, isn't it? And my closet looks empty right now. But you know what? It makes me kinda happy. It's like I'm beginning something new.
Our story today is about two people who emptied their lives for something new to happen to them, Mary and Elizabeth. Mary agreed to be the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth agreed to be the mother of Jesus' dear friend John the Baptist. You have to make a lot of room to have a baby, you know. (holds out hands in front, simulating a big belly) Have you ever seen how big a pregnant woman gets in her belly?! But you not only have to make a lot of room in your body when a baby comes; you have to make room in your life. You have to set aside a lot of love, a lot of time, a lot of faith to invest in that new life. And we have to do the same thing with God. If we want God to be a part of our lives, we have to set aside room and love and time for God to live with us. We have to talk to God and let God talk to us. We have to gather with others in worship and praise. We have to plant the words of God in our hearts and minds so that we can carry God's love wherever we go. So how do you think we create an empty space for God? What are things we get rid of? (wait for children to offer suggestions, then continue) Each of us has to decide that for himself. We all have things in our lives that create noise and keep us busy, right? We have to figure out which things to let go of, so we can have that space of quiet and stillness where we can talk to God. Beginning something new always starts with a good cleaning out. Empty spaces are an invitation for new things to come.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has the bag)
Leader 1: What in the world are you doing with that bag, (name)?
Leader 2: I'm clearing out some space in my closet.
Leader 1: Why?
Leader 2: I need to make space for all the cool stuff I'm getting for Christmas. Besides, there were a lot of things that I didn't need anymore. So I thought I would donate them to a charity, so other people can use them.
Leader 1: You know, that's a really nice idea. Sometimes we feel that we want to hold onto everything we have, but if we do that we can't really enjoy new things that come our way. This bag is pretty full. Does your closet look empty right now?
Leader 2: It does. But it makes me kinda happy, you know? It's like I'm beginning something new.
Leader 1: That is so true! You know, our story today is about two people who emptied their lives for something new to happen to them, Mary and Elizabeth. Mary agreed to be the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth agreed to be the mother of Jesus' dear friend John the Baptist. You have to make a lot of room to have a baby, you know.
Leader 2: (holds out his hands in front of him, simulating a big belly) Yeah, I've seen pregnant women waddling around.
Leader 1: But you not only have to make a lot of room in your body when a baby comes; you have to make room in your life. You have to set aside a lot of love, a lot of time, a lot of faith to invest in that new life. And we have to do the same thing with God.
Leader 2: What do you mean?
Leader 1: If we want God to be a part of our lives, we have to set aside room and love and time for God to live with us. We have to talk to God and let God talk to us. We have to gather with others in worship and praise. We have to plant the words of God in our hearts and minds, so that we can carry God's love wherever we go.
Leader 2: So how do we empty a space for God? What do we get rid of?
Leader 1: Each of us has to decide that for himself. We all have things in our lives that create noise and keep us busy, right? We have to figure out which things to let go, so we can have that space of quiet and stillness where we can talk to God.
Leader 2: Guess I'll need to get another garbage bag.
Leader 1: Yep, beginning something new always starts with a good cleaning out. Empty spaces are an invitation for new things to come.
Closing Prayer: Loving God who comes very soon, give us the strength and wisdom to let go of the things in our lives that fill up our time and take our energy without nurturing our soul. Help us to empty ourselves for you, making a space where you can grow and live in our lives. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, speak more about the process of emptying. Ask the children if they've ever emptied their room of old things they'd outgrown: clothes, toys, books, and so on. What was that experience like for them? How did they feel when they saw their empty toy box, closet, or bookshelves? Now invite them to think about the way they fill their time. What are some things they do every day? Eat, brush teeth, go to school, play. How can they create space in their day to have a time of silence or prayer? Make a few practical suggestions for children like pausing a few seconds before they eat a meal thanking God for the gift of this food, spending time in the car on the way to and from school just being quiet and inviting God to be with them in that part of their day, or first thing in the morning or late at night performing a body prayer or singing a prayer song. Encourage the children with the promise that any space they make for God is a space that God will enter and bless them -- even if it seems too small.
As a craft idea, give each child some colorful cardstock or some other sturdy paper. Invite the children to trace each of their hands and cut them out. Glue the hands together along the inside of each hand, from the pinkie finger down to the heel of the hand. This should create a cup-like effect of the hands. Explain to the children that they've created begging hands, hands that are empty and ready for a gift to be given. Sometimes it's hard for us to hold our hands open to God. We trust that God will give us something good; therefore, we empty our hands before we can receive, which means letting go. But our faith tells us that, if we let go of something to make space for God to fill us, God will always give us something much better than what we had. God loves us and knows us better than we do ourselves. If you like you can give the children another strip of paper that reads, "I hold my hands empty, knowing that God will fill them" and allow them to attach the paper across the fingers of the begging bowl. Close with a time of silence.
