During our last atrium session, a child asked the catechist to present the Good Shepherd. One of the Montessori precepts is keeping movement and talking separate. Thus, we read and then pause when the child moves the material. In the atrium, the figure of the Good Shepherd is kept standing in the sheepfold and the sheep are in a box when the material is not in use. Generally the children begin the Good Shepherd work by taking the sheep out of their box and placing them in the sheepfold with the shepherd, and then the catechist begins to proclaim the scripture. This time, the child set up the work by placing all the sheep on the outside of the sheepfold and waited for the catechist to join her.
"The Good Shepherd calls his own sheep by name..."
Only then did she move the sheep into the fold.
As I was reflecting on the small difference in the way the child interacted with the material, I was struck by the truth of that moment. Our name is proclaimed at our Baptism and then we become part of the fold. Once again, a child revealed the truth of our faith to me. Thank you, Good Shepherd, for the gift of the child.
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