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On September 14, 2025 , the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross . The Gospel reading (Luke 15:1–32) shares the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin . 💌 Want these Gospel Packs delivered straight to your inbox each week? Sunday Gospel Pack – Sept. 14, 2025 In these parables, Jesus reminds us that God loves everyone — even those who wander away or make mistakes . Just as a shepherd rejoices over finding his lost sheep, or a woman celebrates finding her lost coin, God is overjoyed when one of us returns to Him. This week’s Sunday Gospel Pack  will help children discover God’s mercy and joy when we choose Him: ✨ Child-friendly Gospel story: Jesus Finds What Was Lost 🌟 Virtue of the Week: Helping Others 👼 Saint of the Week: St. John Chrysostom 🎨 Creative activity: Decorate the cross for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 🖍 Spot-the-difference game & reflection page: Draw or write one way you helped someone each day this week 💌 Download the Sunday Gospel Pack here:   May this week’s Gospel Pack remind your family of God’s endless love and the joy of helping others. With joy, Weena

This Sunday, September 7, 2025, we celebrate the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C) .The Gospel (Luke 14:25–33) reminds us that to truly follow Jesus, we must give Him our whole hearts . Sunday Gospel Pack – Sept. 7, 2025 In this week’s Sunday Gospel Pack , your children will explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in a simple and engaging way. Here’s what’s inside: ✨ Child-friendly Gospel story : Jesus Teaches Us to Follow Him 🌟 Virtue of the Week : Kindness and Gentleness 👼 Saint of the Week : St. Clodoald (St. Cloud) 🎨 Hands-on activity : Color, trace, and cut out hearts to create a mobile, door hanger, or collage — a reminder that “Jesus wants our whole hearts!” ✂️ Cut-and-paste activity : Choose the things that help us follow Jesus and place them in the heart. 📝 Reflection page : Children can draw or write one way they will show Jesus they love Him with their whole heart. 💌 Download this week’s Sunday Gospel Pack here:   This resource is perfect for Catholic families, homeschoolers, or catechism classes who want to bring the Gospel to life for children. Let’s journey together as we grow in kindness, gentleness, and love for Jesus. With joy, Weena

Link to Artwork: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praying_Hands_(D%C3%BCrer)#/media/File:Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_Praying_Hands,_1508_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg Scripture: Philippians 4:6 Virtue Focus: Prayerfulnes s Week A: Observation + Thinking Thinking Routine: Connect – Extend – Challenge Day 1 Activities: Silent observation of the artwork Use the thinking routine: Connect – Extend – Challenge Connect the image to Scripture and virtue. Discuss meaning, symbolism, and emotional impact. Day 2: Journal Prompt What does this artwork teach me about Prayerfulness? Week B: Creative Response Day 1: Artistic Expression Creative Task: Trace your own hands and decorate them with prayers, symbols, or Scripture. Day 2: Sharing and Reflecting Prompt: What do your hands do when they are at peace?

Title:  Virgin of the Rocks (Louvre version) Date:  c. 1483–1486 Medium:  Oil on panel Location:  Louvre Museum, Paris, France Description:  This ethereal painting shows the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, John the Baptist, and an angel in a fantastical rocky grotto. The mysterious landscape and delicate figures are rendered with Leonardo’s signature sfumato, creating a mystical atmosphere. Significance:  The work’s atmospheric perspective and emotional interplay between figures highlight Leonardo’s mastery of composition, naturalism, and symbolic storytelling. To see the complete unit on Leonardo da Vinci's Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/awakening-wonder-through-art-of.html

Title:  The Adoration of the Magi Date:  1481–1482 (unfinished) Medium:  Oil on panel Location:  Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy Description:  This unfinished work shows the Magi kneeling before the Virgin and Child, surrounded by a chaotic array of figures and architecture. The unfinished state reveals Leonardo’s sketching style and exploration of dramatic narrative and spatial composition. Significance:  The work demonstrates Leonardo’s innovative approach to perspective, gesture, and psychological complexity, even in its incomplete state. To see the complete unit on Leonardo da Vinci's Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/awakening-wonder-through-art-of.html

Title:  The Virgin and Child with St. Anne Date:  c. 1503–1519 Medium:  Oil on wood pane Location:  Louvre Museum, Paris, France Description:  This complex composition shows St. Anne (Mary’s mother), the Virgin Mary, and the Christ Child playing with a lamb, a symbol of sacrifice. The figures’ intertwined poses and the gentle, tender expressions highlight Leonardo’s fascination with family intimacy and natural forms. Significance:  This work is celebrated for its pyramidal composition, delicate sfumato transitions, and psychological depth, bridging the Renaissance’s spiritual and humanistic themes. To see the complete unit on Leonardo da Vinci's Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/awakening-wonder-through-art-of.html

Title:  Mona Lisa Date:  c. 1503–1506 (possibly continuing to 1517) Medium:  Oil on poplar panel Location:  Louvre Museum, Paris, France Description:  The world-famous portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo, shows her with an enigmatic smile and an atmospheric, almost dreamlike landscape behind her. The sfumato technique gives the face a soft, blended glow, contributing to its mystery. Significance:  The Mona Lisa is a masterpiece of Renaissance portraiture, lauded for its subtle modeling, captivating expression, and balanced composition. To see the complete unit on Leonardo da Vinci's Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/awakening-wonder-through-art-of.html

Title:  The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple Date:  c. 1304–1306 Medium:  Fresco Location:  Arena Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni), Padua, Italy Description: Young Mary climbs the temple steps to be presented to the high priest, a moment of dedication and faith. Figures watch from behind columns, while Mary is depicted confidently taking her first steps into the spiritual world. Giotto’s careful architecture, dynamic movement, and tender expressions make this an iconic work of early Renaissance art. Significance: Giotto’s keen sense of spatial construction and narrative clarity in this fresco helped lay the foundation for Renaissance painting. To see the complete unit on Giotto di Bondoni Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/picture-study-journey-into-gods-story.html

Title:  The Adoration of the Magi Date:  c. 1304–1306 Medium:  Fresco Location:  Arena Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni), Padua, Italy Description: This fresco depicts the arrival of the Three Magi bearing gifts to the Christ Child. Mary holds the infant while Joseph, the Magi, and their retinue (including animals and followers) fill the scene. The Star of Bethlehem guides them, while Giotto’s detailed rendering of faces and fabric brings a human warmth to the divine story. Significance: Giotto’s sensitive portrayal of the adoring Magi and the affectionate family group highlights his gift for storytelling and for infusing religious subjects with humanity. To see the complete unit on Giotto di Bondoni Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/picture-study-journey-into-gods-story.html

Title:  Navicella (The Large Boat) Date:  c. 1298–1300 Medium:  Mosaic (originally), later heavily restored and now only fragments survive Original Location:  Old St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy Description: Commissioned by Cardinal Jacopo Stefaneschi, this mosaic depicted St. Peter walking on water towards Christ. The apostles are in a large boat, tossed by waves, while Christ calms the storm and saves Peter. The dramatic composition with large figures and a dynamic sea underscores Giotto’s narrative skill. Significance: Although only fragments remain, this work was one of the most famous mosaics of medieval Rome and demonstrated Giotto’s ability to bring drama and grandeur to monumental works. To see the complete unit on Giotto di Bondoni Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/picture-study-journey-into-gods-story.html

Title:  Lamentation (The Mourning of Christ) Date:  c. 1305 Medium:  Fresco Location:  Arena Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni), Padua, Italy Description: This fresco portrays the intense grief of the Virgin Mary and followers of Jesus after His crucifixion. Angels weep above while friends and family gather around Jesus’ lifeless body, expressing a range of deep emotions. The barren tree in the background suggests death and loss, while Giotto's masterful handling of space, volume, and gesture makes this scene one of his most moving works. Significance: Giotto’s emotional realism, innovative use of perspective, and focus on naturalism mark a major departure from the Byzantine style, foreshadowing the Renaissance. To see the complete unit on Giotto di Bondoni Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/picture-study-journey-into-gods-story.html

The Flight into Egypt (c. 1450) Date:  c. 1450 Medium:  Tempera on panel Location:  Probably part of a predella or altarpiece, held in various collections Description: This panel shows the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt. Mary, in blue, holds the Christ Child on a donkey, while Joseph leads the way, carrying a water flask and a staff. The landscape is stylized with winding roads and gentle hills, conveying the journey’s quiet perseverance. Style:  Fra Angelico’s hallmark tender gestures and rich, warm colors heighten the sense of narrative while maintaining spiritual focus. To see the complete unit on Fra Angelico Picture Study, please visit: https://everythingisgodsgift.blogspot.com/2025/07/discovering-grace-through-art-of-fra.html