Joy Petal Meeting

 Wreath 2: Lesson 2

Virtue: Joy  Saint: St Clare of Assisi.  Flower: Tulip

Verse: Come let us sing joyfully to the Lord: let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. -Psalm 95:1

We met for a picnic petal meeting after Mass. The forecast of tornadoes cancelled our plans at the farm. 

Mrs. M and Father taught us about St. Clare. She was born into a wealthy family in Assisi, Italy. She lived from 1194-1253. She was a friend of St. Francis and gave up everything, even her hair, to follow his ways and devote her life to God as a Benedictine nun. Later she began her own order which became known as the Poor Clares. She once defended her convent from marauding soldiers by holding up a monstrance of the Blessed Sacrament at the window. Her feast day is August 11. She is the patron saint of laundry, eye diseases, and television. She was too ill to attend Mass one day, and a vision of Mass appeared on her bedroom wall.

St. Clare became sick and suffered great pains for many years, but she expressed that no pain could trouble her. There is an order of Poor Clares living in St. Louis. They make hosts for Eucharist. 

We talked about the virtue of joy. We remember that Joy teaches us to put Jesus first, then Others, and finally You. Otherwise, instead of joy you get yoj. We had a joy dance party and tried not to lose our joy in the Lord, no matter what.

We joyfully planted tulips in our garden on the playground. Tulip bulbs are planted in the fall and bloom in the spring and mean perfect love. We earned our Joy petal.

May God Bless us and help us grow in the virtue of Joy.   

Don't forget to pick up your pumpkins!