The challenge (and joy) of teaching fourth-grade CCD

A Reflection for Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Find today’s readings here.

I taught CCD for years, to first, fourth, sixth and seventh graders. Every Tuesday afternoon I paired up with a friend to try to explain to classes of 20+ curious children the facts and mysteries of our faith.

While I enjoyed the unique characteristics of every single class, teaching fourth grade was my favorite. The children, mostly around 9 or 10 years old, were still full of childlike wonder, but old and articulate enough to question, discern, and develop and share opinions on all sorts of topics. At each class, I was reminded of God’s goodness through their easy laughs, probing questions and genuine enthusiasm. Those precious children (even, and perhaps especially, the rascals) helped deepen my faith in ways that I am still coming to understand.

While I loved the age of the students, the fourth grade curriculum was hard for me. In our parish, fourth grade was between sacrament years, so we weren’t working towards any formal culmination and we were charged with teaching more general topics, including the parables. In the interest of full disclosure (and with heartfelt apologies to those fourth grade students), I didn’t (and still don’t, really) totally understand the parables. They require greater thought and reflection that I typically allow myself, and a special kind of imagination that is challenging for very process-oriented me.

All this to say, when I saw that the scripture reflection I had been assigned included the story of the mustard seed, I was daunted (big time). I have spent the past several weeks thinking about what this Gospel from Mark means to me and what it might, by extension, mean to you. And then I thought about those fourth grade students.

Those 10 year olds once in my class are now in their early to mid 30s. I assume that many are married, have fulfilling careers and even have children of their own. Sometimes, when I encounter them at church, in our town, or even via Instagram I don’t always recognize them; they have changed so much in the past 20 to 25 years. Without exception, though, they have grown into contributing, engaged adults, who are making their mark in the various aspects of their lives. 

So…here’s where my reflection (hopefully) comes together. Each of these former fourth grade CCD students is a living example of what Jesus described through the parable of the mustard seed: “But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”

From the moment these children, now adults, were born, they were filled with promise and goodness and light, simply because they are God’s children. Their personal, academic, professional or athletic accomplishments notwithstanding, each former fourth grade CCD student, and each one of us, have opportunities to be brought into our fullness because we are loved and because we are His. Just like the mustard seed, we are nurtured, and we grow, and then we help others to do the same. This is all possible because God’s love, companionship, and opportunities are accessible and enduring. 

I wonder if any of those children became or will become CCD teachers themselves. In that role, or even in their day-to-day lives, I hope they recognize that they are much like the mustard seed themselves. I hope they are able to sense how their growth and evolution helps to bring about the Kingdom of God for all of us. I hope you are able to sense that, too.

• Facebook
• X
• Mail