Guided Meditations for Children

Book excerpt: Guided Meditations for Children shares a simple process that teaches children how to pray through meditation on the Scriptures. This process leads children into the Scripture scene, where they meet Jesus personally and are encouraged to talk and listen to him - which is prayer. Children will love to listen to these meditations because they love stories and because they are personally invited by Jesus to come, sit beside him, and listen to his story. Teaching children how to come to the Lord will not only affect you and your class now, but will lead children into a lifelong habit of affective prayer - the heart of religious education. Jane Reehorst, BVM, was active in teaching, storytelling, counseling, and every aspect of parish ministry throughout her sixty-two years as a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her belief that children have the capacity--indeed a talent--for meditative prayer led her to create scripturally based meditations for them. Sister Jane specialized in adapting the Ignatian form of meditation to meet the needs of children. She invited them to use their five senses to envision a scriptural scene as a backdrop for meeting the Lord. A seasoned speaker, Jane also conducted workshops for parents and teachers to teach children how to pray. Her book is an extension of her e orts to help busy adults meet the prayer needs of their children. Guided Meditations for Children provides not only clear direction for those who lead young persons in prayer; but also lays the foundation for enriching life-long reflection for all God's children, young and old alike. Through her life and her writings, Jane taught many how to hear the ""tiny whispering sound"" of God as Elijah did on the mountain. Jane died in November 2013. In her autobiography, she had written: ""I was moved, drawn to this life [as a BVM sister] led by the Spirit. The most rewarding [part] about this life is living with Sisters who have the same cause, deepening our relationship with God and reaching out to others.""