By Alyssa Bormes
When I’m not writing for WINE, speaking at events, or hosting a Catholic radio show, I have a real job. I teach theology to teenagers.
The other day, Kelly Wahlquist, founder of WINE, asked me about my favorite experience teaching teens the faith. That was easy to answer!
We had a Protestant student in our class, and I was teaching about the queen, Bathsheba, having the ear of her son, King Solomon. I was explaining to the kids that back in the time of King David, if you wanted something from the king, you went to his mother—the mighty woman (in Hebrew, the gebirah). In this particular story, an intention was brought to Queen Bathsheba, King Solomon’s mom, because the people knew the king wouldn’t refuse her. The king bowed to the queen, and she sat at his righthand.
Suddenly, there was a gasp in the classroom. I knew something was happening in the mind and heart of my Protestant student.
“What is it?” I asked.
In this beautiful, breathless way, he exclaimed, “You Catholics didn’t make her up! Mary is real!”
In those few minutes, he could see in Bathsheba why we venerate Mary. He understood why we go to Mary, the mother of our King, to ask her to intercede on our behalf.
Those a-ha moments are, as MasterCard says, “Priceless!” They spiritually feed me and remind me of how blessed I am for learning the story of Salvation History in the pages of Sacred Scripture—something I am forever grateful to Jeff Cavins and The Great Adventure Bible Timeline for teaching me.
I do take great delight in teaching the salvation story to these kids. I also know parents are the primary teachers of their children, but many may feel unequipped to teach their children the Bible. With that said, be encouraged! Had it not been for Bishop Paul Dudley emphatically encouraging me to study The Great Adventure Bible Timeline, I would be unequipped to share this story, too.
We might feel unequipped to learn, let alone teach our children, the Bible, but God gives us some amazing tools to make it possible. Here are a couple ideas: 1) Join a good Catholic Bible study. (Might I suggest The Great Adventure?) 2) Check out Gen2Rev Storybook: A Walk Through the Catholic Bible, a new children’s Bible study that works in conjunction with The Great Adventure Bible Study. Now, the entire family can learn and discover God’s amazing plan together!
Gen2Rev Event: If you live near the Twin Cities, join WINE contributor Emily Cavins and her amazing team of Gen2Rev authors on Wednesday, May 25, at St. George Books & Gifts in Blaine. They want to help you pass on the story of salvation to the next generation, and will present exciting ways to use Gen2Rev within your home, parish, school, or study group. For more information and to register for this free event, visit St. George Books & Gifts.
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