[♪] Children:<i> ♪ In this time, ♪</i> <i>♪ my time with You, Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ I learn so many lessons ♪</i> <i>♪ and You fill me ♪</i> <i>♪ with Your light. ♪</i> <i>♪ In this time, ♪</i> <i>♪ my time with You, Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ I learn so many lessons ♪</i> <i>♪ and You fill me ♪</i> <i>♪ with your light. ♪</i> Christine: <i>♪ My name ♪</i> <i>♪ is Christine ♪</i> <i>♪ and I am the oldest. ♪</i> <i>♪ If you read the Gospels, ♪</i> <i>♪ you'll know and love ♪</i> <i>♪ the Lord. ♪</i> <i>Eva: ♪ I am Eva. ♪</i> <i>♪ I want to be your friend. ♪</i> <i>♪ Come and pray with us ♪</i> <i>♪ and to Jesus, every day. ♪</i> Children: <i>♪ In this time, ♪</i> <i>♪ my time with You, Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ I learn so many lessons ♪</i> <i>♪ and You fill me ♪</i> <i>♪ with your light. ♪</i> <i>♪ In this time, ♪</i> <i>♪ my time with You, Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ I learn so many lessons ♪</i> <i>♪ and You fill me ♪</i> <i>♪ with Your light. ♪</i> Enrique: <i>♪ My name is Enrique, ♪</i> <i>♪ I have paper and pen. ♪</i> <i>♪ The Church teaches us ♪</i> <i>♪ how we will enter heaven. ♪</i> <i>Joseph: ♪ I am Joseph ♪</i> <i>♪ and I love to read, ♪</i> <i>♪ remembering what ♪</i> <i>♪ we have learned ♪</i> <i>♪ really helps our faith ♪</i> <i>♪ grow each day. ♪</i> Children: <i>♪ In this time, ♪</i> <i>♪ my time with You, Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ I learn so many lessons ♪</i> <i>♪ and You fill me ♪</i> <i>♪ with Your light. ♪</i> <i>♪ In this time, ♪</i> <i>♪ my time with You, Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ I learn so many lessons ♪</i> <i>♪ and you fill me ♪</i> <i>♪ with Your light. ♪</i> [♪] [♪] [♪] Fr. Luis: Hi, girls. Christine and Eva: Hello, Father Luis. Fr. Luis: Where are Enrique and Joseph? Christine: We don't know. They should be here by now. Fr. Luis: I'm worried because I saw them in the square and they looked sad. Christine: Why were they sad? Fr. Luis: Oh, I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. [birds chirping] Enrique: Everything's gone wrong. Joseph: I'm in a real mess. Fr. Luis: What's wrong? Enrique: My parents have punished me and I can't watch TV all weekend. Eva: Wow! That's a big punishment. What did you do? Enrique: Well, I've been doing my homework late this week. [birds whistling] Enrique: Hi mom, I'm back from school. Enrique's Mother: Hello, Enrique. Take your snack and start your homework. Enrique: Now? Enrique's Mother: Yes. Do your homework first. Enrique: No. I'd rather go play in the park. Enrique's Mother: You can go and play after you've finished your homework. Enrique: But... I don't feel like doing my homework now!! Enrique's Mother: Come on, that way you can have it over with. Otherwise, you'll have to leave it for the night and have to stay up late. Enrique: No. I'm going to play. Enrique's Mother: I think that's a very bad idea. Enrique: I'm not doing my homework now. [footsteps leaving] My mother got angry and punished me and I can't watch TV.. ALL weekend. Eva: I'm really sorry about that, Enrique. Enrique: So am I! Eva: What about you, Joseph? How are you? Joseph: Well, I was playing a basketball game and there were 5 seconds left in the game. We were losing by 1 point and I had the ball. Eva: Really? Did you try to score a basket? Joseph: Yes. Eva: And did you score? [♪] Joseph: Everyone was looking at me and I got nervous! <i>Marc and his friends</i> <i>were watching everything</i> <i>from the stands.</i> [music heightens] [slide whistle sound] Joseph: <i>I missed the shot</i> <i>and we lost.</i> Marc: Ha, ha, ha! Joseph, you're worse than my grandmother. Marc's Friend: Yeah! And because of YOU, we lost! Marc and his friends: Ha, ha, ha, ha! Joseph: <i>Marc and his friends</i> <i>laughed at me</i> <i>and I felt really sad.</i> If I had the powers of Chewing-Gum Man, I'd show them! [quirky music] I'm going to use my superpowers and stop you! Marc: How scary! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Marc's Friend: So, what are you going to do? Turn us to ashes? Joseph: That's right. [♪] <i>[emitting ray
turns Marc and his friends
into ashes.]</i> That'll teach you not to laugh at me! [♪] [birds singing] Enrique: Wow, you're crazy! Fr. Luis: I understand that you are sad, but today is Ash Wednesday. Enrique: I don't understand. What does Ash Wednesday have to do with what's happened to us? Joseph: Yeah. Fr. Luis: Well, it's a very special day when we repent for what we've done wrong, and forgive those who have offended us. Enrique: You mean I have to repent for disobeying my mother? Joseph: And I have to forgive Marc and his friends? Fr. Luis: Yes, you do. Enrique: And just because today is Ash Wednesday? Fr. Luis: Today is a good time. Enrique: No way. Joseph: I don't want to. Fr. Luis: Well, think about it. Christine: Lent begins today. Right, Father Luis? Fr. Luis: Yes. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, which is the 40 days before Easter Sunday. Christine: Right, it's like a Way of the Cross. [birds singing] Christine: <i>Lent is like</i> <i>a journey</i> <i>that begins with Ash Wednesday</i> <i>and ends at the Cross,</i> <i>in Holy Week.</i> Fr. Luis: Exactly, Christine, that's right. Eva: And what do we do on Ash Wednesday? Fr. Luis: Well, you see, Eva, the priest marks the foreheads of the Catholics who attend Mass that day with ashes. Eva: He marks them with ashes? Fr. Luis: Yes, he makes the sign of the Cross on their foreheads with ashes as he says: "Repent and believe in the Gospel." Eva: Wow! Enrique: Well, now that I think of it, I could apologize to my mother. Maybe she'll give me a present!? <i>[door clicks opens]</i> Enrique: Hi, Mom, I want to apologize for disobeying you. Enrique's Mother: Oh, thank you. I forgive you. Enrique: I think I deserve a prize, don't you? Enrique's Mother: Sure, what do you want? Enrique: A noisy, remote-control car with big wheels! Enrique's Mother: Okay. Enrique: Great!!!!!!! Joseph: [laughs] That's funny, you know that's never going to happen! Your mother won't give you a remote-control car just for apologizing. Enrique: How do you know? Joseph: Now that you mention it... I could also forgive Marc and his friends and get something out of it! Enrique: Really? Joseph: [using a megaphone] <i>Testing</i>... can everyone hear me? I want you all to know that I forgive Marc and his friends for laughing at me. Man: This is a very good gesture on Joseph's part. Woman: Yes. It proves he's very generous and kind. Man: He's got a big heart. [♪] Marc: That's really cool. You have my vote for class president. [♪] Joseph: You see? That way I'll impress everyone! Fr. Luis: Ha-ha ha-ha! What imaginations you have. But look, that's not why we apologize and forgive. Enrique: It's not? I don't understand. Fr. Luis: We must do these things for God's glory and honor and not for our own. Enrique: Well, I'm not convinced. Joseph: Anyway, who said that? Fr. Luis: Jesus Himself said it. Do you want to see? <i>[Everyone nods]</i> Fr. Luis: Okay, let's travel with our imaginations to the time of Jesus. Christine: You at home can come, too. You just have to close your eyes and... <i>[wind gust]</i> <i>[♪]</i> Christine sings: <i>♪ If you close your eyes ♪</i> <i>♪ and give me your hand, ♪</i> <i>♪ we will travel all together ♪</i> <i>♪ to a faraway land. ♪</i> <i>♪ We're going to learn ♪</i> <i>♪ about Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ our way, our truth ♪</i> <i>♪ and our life, ♪</i> <i>♪ all in the Holy Gospels ♪</i> <i>♪ which fill us ♪</i> <i>♪ with His light. ♪</i> [♪] [wind gust] Eva: What fun! We have traveled with our imagination to the time of Jesus! Enrique: Okay, Eva, don't get too excited. Everything's great and super extraordinary to you. Joseph: Yeah, sure does! <i>[slide whistle/high-five]</i> Fr. Luis: Look... Jesus is there speaking to His disciples. Christine: The disciples were His friends, right, Father Luis? Fr. Luis: Yes. You see, some people were making themselves look sad when they made sacrifices, so that others would notice them. <i>[sad music]</i> Man 1: Look, that man has fasted. Man 2: Yes. He must be very holy. Man 1: I'd like to be as holy as him. Man 2: He must be having a hard time. <i>[serene music]</i> Enrique: I see. Some people fasted and put on a sad face so everyone would notice. Eva: What is fasting? Enrique: You mean you don't know? Even I know that. Eva: Yeah, honestly. I don't know what that word means. Enrique: Well, it means not eating. Right, Father Luis? Fr. Luis: Yes. Fasting means not eating. But let's hear what Jesus says. Jesus: When you fast, do not look sad like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that others can see they are fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. Eva: What's a reward? Fr. Luis: It means they already earned their prize. Enrique: Their prize was that others said good things about them, right? Fr. Luis: Exactly. Those people made sacrifices in a very public way for others to see and praise them. Enrique: And that was their prize. Fr. Luis: Exactly. But keep listening to Jesus. Jesus: But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. Enrique: Wow! This is very important. Fr. Luis: Jesus told us that when we make a sacrifice, we should not look sad, but joyful, so that only God, who is our Father, will notice. And He will reward us. Joseph: You mean that when we make a sacrifice, we have to do it with joy? Fr. Luis: Exactly. Okay, shall we go back to the park now? <i>[wind gust]</i> Eva: Know what, Father Luis? I think that every good deed we do is like a flower that we plant in our soul. Fr. Luis: That's a good example. [soft music] Christine: <i>When we die,</i> <i>we should have</i> <i>a whole field full of flowers.</i> Eva<i>: I want to have</i> <i>lots of flowers</i> <i>in my soul.</i> Fr. Luis: That's a great idea. You see, today, Ash Wednesday, the Church reminds us that we will all die one day, and Jesus will see our field of flowers. Enrique: But, but... Flowers are for girls! Fr. Luis: Ha-ha! Well, it's just an example. Christine: Father Luis, I think we should go to the chapel in Sister Lucia's convent so she can teach us a special prayer for this day. Fr. Luis: Great idea, Christine. Eva & Children sing: <i>♪ I believe Jesus ♪</i> <i>♪ that You are ♪</i> <i>♪ in the tabernacle ♪</i> <i>♪ very close to me ♪</i> <i>♪ in every Catholic Church. ♪</i> <i>♪ Thank You, good Jesus ♪</i> <i>♪ for remaining with us, ♪</i> <i>♪ living with us forever ♪</i> <i>♪ right by our side. ♪</i> [♪] [birds singing] Christine: Hello friends, we've come to the chapel in Sister Lucía's convent so she can teach us a prayer for Ash Wednesday! Sr Lucia: Okay, children, we can start by taking holy water and making the sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Children: Amen! Sr Lucia: You see, Ash Wednesday is a very important day. Eva: Yes, we know that. The Church reminds us that we will all die and Jesus will see our field of flowers. Sr Lucia: That's right. Christine: And the flowers represent all the good things we've done during our lives. Sr Lucia: That's a good example. It's a good day to ask for forgiveness and to forgive. Enrique: Here we go again. I find it really hard to ask my mom to forgive me. Joseph: And I don't want to forgive Marc and his friends. They were very mean to me. Sr Lucia: Well, you can ask Jesus to help you forgive and ask for forgiveness. Would you like me to teach you a beautiful prayer? Christine: Is it a prayer to pray today on Ash Wednesday? Sr Lucia: Yes. Let's go to the first pew to be closer to the tabernacle. [♪] Sr Lucia: Now, we put our hands together and say... Children: Amen. Joseph: Sister Lucia? Sr Lucia: Yes, Joseph? Joseph: I've already said that prayer and I still find it really hard to forgive Marc and his friends. Sr Lucia: Well, if you want, you can say the Lord's Prayer. Joseph: Why? Sr Lucia: Because in the Lord's Prayer we ask God for forgivenes, just as we forgive those, who have offended us. Joseph: Aaaaaah! I see. Okay. Sr Lucia: Very good, Joseph! You have asked Jesus to give you the strength to forgive Marc and his friends. [soft music] Enrique & Children sing: <i>♪ Our Mother, the Church, ♪</i> <i>♪ has always taught us ♪</i> <i>♪ the road to heaven, ♪</i> <i>♪ because this our goal. ♪</i> <i>♪ All of the saints, ♪</i> <i>♪ all of our traditions ♪</i> <i>♪ are a great treasure ♪</i> <i>♪ that our Mother, our Mother, ♪</i> <i>♪ our Church gives to us. ♪</i> [♪] [♪] Christine: Hi, kids. It's Ash Wednesday and we're going to Mass. Want to come with us? Okay? Come in! We've reached the homily and Father Luis is going to explain the meaning of the ashes. Fr. Luis: You see, in ancient times, Jews used to cover themselves with ashes to symbolize mourning, mortality or penance. <i>[A group of Jews
are walking with their bodies
covered in ashes]</i> Fr. Luis: <i>In that way</i> <i>they showed everyone</i> <i>that they were in mourning</i> <i>or penitent.</i> Jew: Look, those men are in mourning or sad for their sins. Fr. Luis: The Ninevites also used ash as a sign of their desire to change from their bad ways to a life close to God. [♪] <i>In the early centuries</i> <i>of the Church,</i> <i>people who wanted to receive</i> <i>the Sacrament of Reconciliation</i> <i>on Holy Thursday</i> <i>put ashes on their heads...</i> and presented themselves to the community dressed in penitential clothing. This represented their desire to convert. The laying on of ashes is a custom that reminds us that someday we will die and that our body will turn to dust. Christine: Remember that our body dies, but our soul lives forever with God in Heaven, if we have persevered in our faith in Christ and live holy lives. Fr. Luis: The ash teaches us that all the material things we have here come to an end. However, all the good that we have in our soul will last forever. Eva: At the moment of our death, we want Jesus to see our soul as a field of flowers. [birds sing] Fr. Luis: <i>At the end</i> <i>of our life,</i> <i>our soul will be separated</i> <i>from our body</i> <i>and immediately judged by God</i> <i>according to the way we lived.</i> <i>Our soul will be in Heaven,</i> <i>Purgatory, or Hell.</i> <i>When the priest</i> lays ashes on us, we must have an attitude of wanting to improve, of being friends with God, and of forgiving those who have offended us. Enrique: <i>[thinking]</i> The word 'forgiveness' again! Am I really going to have to ask my mother to forgive me? Joseph: <i>[thinking]</i> "Forgive those who have offended us?" Will I have to forgive Marc and his friends? I don't know... That's a lot to ask. Fr. Luis: On Ash Wednesday, moreover, the Church requires most of us to fast and abstain from eating meat. This reminds us of Jesus' fasting in the desert and that we must have self-discipline to follow Him. [quirky music] Eva: Is it fish today? Eva's Mother: Yes. Today is fasting and abstinence. We can't eat meat. Eva: I don't like fish. Fr. Luis: Abstinence is required for those 14 years old and older and fasting for those 18 to 59 years old. Eva: But abstinence is obligatory from the age of 14 and I'm younger. Eva's Mother: Yes. You're right. Eva: So, I want a hamburger. Fr. Luis: Fasting consists of having one big meal a day and abstinence is not eating meat. This is a way of asking God to forgive us for offending Him and telling Him we want to change our lives in order to please Him. Eva: Well, Mom, you know what? Even though I don't have to because of my age, I want to fast and do abstinence with you. I'll practice these two forms of penance. Eva's Father: Very well, darling. Eva's Mother: We're proud of you. Eva: I'll eat fish without complaining. <i>[birds singing]</i> <i>[soft music]</i> Christine: Hi kids, we're lining up for Father Luis to place ashes on our forehead. <i>[soft music]</i> Fr. Luis: Repent and believe in the Gospel. [♪] Fr. Luis: Repent and believe in the Gospel. [♪] Fr. Luis: Repent and believe in the Gospel. [♪] Fr. Luis: Repent and believe in the Gospel. [♪] [birds sing] Enrique: Dad, Mom, I have to tell you something. Enrique's Father: What's that, champ? Enrique: Phew! It's hard for me to say this. [quirky music] Enrique: I want to apologize for being disobedient about my homework. From now on I'll do my homework first. And then go and play, like Mom tells me. Enrique's Father: Well, that's really great! Enrique's Mother: We forgive you, son. And we're very proud of you. Enrique's Father: Yes, we are. Enrique: No, Dad. Thanks. I want to plant beautiful flowers in my soul so that only Jesus can see them. Enrique's Father: Beautiful flowers? Enrique: Yeah. Christine says that every good deed is like planting a flower in our soul. Enrique's Mother: It's a very nice example, Enrique. And it's true. Enrique: And only Jesus sees it. That is our prize. <i>[footsteps]</i> Joseph: Hi! Marc: Look everybody!! Here comes Joseph, the one who missed the last basket of the game. Marc's Friend: Yeah, because of you, we lost. Joseph: I know. Marc: You're worse than my grandmother at basketball. Marc and Friend's: Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha! Joseph: Okay, okay, I get the message. But, you know what? Marc: Are you going to quit basketball? Joseph: No. Marc: Going to get my grandmother to teach you? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Joseph: Very funny. Marc: Seriously, what? Joseph: Well, I forgive you for being mean to me. [quirky music] Marc: Are you kidding? Joseph: Not at all. I forgive you just as Jesus forgives my sins. We say this in the 'Our Father' prayer: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Marc: Wow! I don't know what to say. Joseph: And besides, today is Ash Wednesday. Marc: What's that got to do with anything? Joseph: Well, it's a very special day to forgive and ask forgiveness. <i>[bird sings]</i> Joseph: Okay, guys, see ya later! <i>[footsteps leaving]</i> Marc: Well, I'm surprised! Marc's Friend: Yeah! I didn't expect that! Marc: Hey, Joseph!! <i>[Joseph turns around]</i> Marc: I'm sorry Joseph!! Joseph: I forgive you! [birds singing] [♪] Joseph & Children sing: <i>♪ At the end of this program, ♪</i> <i>♪ let's take a moment ♪</i> <i>♪ to reflect ♪</i> <i>♪ on what we learned today ♪</i> <i>♪ and how to change our lives. ♪</i> <i>♪ Through Your ♪</i> <i>♪ Catholic Church, ♪</i> <i>♪ dear Jesus, ♪</i> <i>♪ we receive your peace ♪</i> <i>♪ and grace, ♪</i> <i>♪ walking with our Mother Mary ♪</i> <i>♪ until we see you ♪</i> <i>♪ face-to-face. ♪</i> Joseph: Let's review what we've learned. [♪] Christine: Hello, friends. We're coming to the end of the program and Father Luis is going to help us summarize what we have learned today. Fr. Luis: Okay, Christine, so who starts? Enrique: [raises his hand] Me, me, me! Joseph: Hey, wait, you always start! Enrique: Because I know the answer. Joseph: Me, too. And if Tasio were here, he'd know it, too. Eva: Ha-ha! Yeah. Tasio is a very clever parrot. Enrique: Clever? He always gets lost! Joseph: Well, let me start today. Enrique: Okay. Joseph: We've learned that we must do good deeds and all that matters is that Jesus sees them. Eva: Yes. Those good deeds are like flowers that we plant in our soul. [soft music] When we die, Jesus will see our field of flowers and it will be very beautiful. Fr. Luis: That's very good. That's a good example. Joseph: Yes, and we shouldn't do things just for others to see. Christine: That's what Jesus said. Those who perform righteous acts to be seen by others have already received their prize. [♪] Enrique: And it's a very small prize compared to the one Jesus is going to give us. Fr. Luis: Exactly. Our prize will be Heaven. Enrique: The second thing we've learned is a prayer that we can pray today. That is Ash Wednesday. Christine: Yes. Sister Lucia taught it to us. Do you remember? Yes? Do you want us to pray it? Okay, let's put our hands together and read from the screen. Christine: Great! Well done, everyone! Joseph: We've also learned the meaning of the ashes. Fr. Luis: Ah, very good. And what is it? Joseph: The ash is used to help us repent of our sins and trust that after death we will see Jesus. Fr. Luis: That's right, but you've forgotten one thing. Enrique: One thing? We've already said 3 things we've learned. Fr. Luis: You forgot to say that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. Eva: Aaah, okay. That's true. Christine: Lent is the 40 days in which we prepare for Easter Sunday. Fr. Luis: Yes. And it's important to live our Lent, just as we've lived on Ash Wednesday. Christine: Exactly. Praying and doing penance. Enrique: And asking for forgiveness, when we do something wrong. Joseph: And forgiving when someone offends us, just as Jesus does with us. Fr. Luis: Perfect. I see you've learned many things and all of them are very important. Christine: Okay, friends, see you in the next program. Bye-bye! [♪] Song: <i>♪ I thank You Lord, ♪</i> <i>♪ my dear Jesus ♪</i> <i>♪ for the many blessings ♪</i> <i>♪ I receive from You. ♪</i> <i>♪ Every day I want to ♪</i> <i>♪ make You very happy ♪</i> <i>♪ in my every thought ♪</i> <i>♪ and in everything I do. ♪</i> <i>♪ You once were a child, Lord, ♪</i> <i>♪ just like me. ♪</i> <i>♪ As I grow, ♪</i> <i>♪ You are with me every day. ♪</i> <i>♪ I give You my mind Lord, ♪</i> <i>♪ my heart and soul too. ♪</i> <i>♪ Give me Your hand Lord, ♪</i> <i>♪ show me the way. ♪</i> [♪]
