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Lenten Nails: A Reflection Exercise for Lent
Carole Goodwin
Marilyn Kielbasa
This two-part reflection exercise allows the young teens to evaluate their behaviors and attitudes and admit their faults, throughout Lent. The exercise is introduced at the beginning of Lent and concludes before Easter.
OVERVIEW
This two-part reflection exercise allows the young teens to evaluate their behaviors
and attitudes and admit their faults, throughout Lent. The exercise is introduced
at the beginning of Lent and concludes before Easter.
Suggested Time: Approximately 10 minutes for part A; about 15 minutes for part B, depending on
the size of the group
Group Size:
This strategy can be done with any size group.
Special Considerations
This strategy happens in two parts. Part A should be scheduled as close to Ash
Wednesday as possible. Part B should take place at the end of Lent.
Materials Needed
Part A - a hammer
- a cross or crucifix
- large and small nails, one of each for each person plus a few extra for
display
- a Bible
Part B
The hammer, cross or crucifix, extra nails for display, and Bible from part A,
plus the following items: - a basket
- an empty coffee can
- matches
- a pitcher of water
- a dishpan of sand
- a large wooden or metal spoon
- a stick (optional)
PROCEDURE
Part A
Preparation. Before the young people arrive, set up a prayer space in a
central location, with a hammer, a cross or crucifix, large and small nails for the
participants and for display, and a Bible.
1. Gather the young people in the prayer space. When they are settled, say
the following prayer or one that is spontaneous:
O God, you know what is in our hearts and what is in our thoughts. Help us
to examine our lives during this Lenten season and to know that you always
forgive the things we do wrong.
2. Give each person a large nail and a small nail. Explain that the young
people are to carry the small nail in a pocket all during Lent. When they reach
into the pocket and feel the nail, they are to pause for a moment to think about
their behaviors and attitudes.
The large nail is to be kept in their room. When they do something wrong,
display a negative attitude, or act in a way that hurts themselves or someone
else, at any time during the six weeks of Lent, they should write the offense on
a piece of paper and attach the paper to the nail. At the end of Lent, they will
bring the large nail, with their offenses attached, to the second part of this
activity.
Part B
Preparation. A few days before conducting the second part of this activity,
remind the young people to bring to the session their large nail with their offenses
attached.
Set up a prayer space as you did for part A, minus the nails you have already
distributed to the young people.
1. Gather the young people in the prayer space. When they are settled, say
the following prayer or one that is spontaneous:
O God, you know what is in our hearts and what is in our thoughts. We
have examined our lives during this Lenten season and know that you
forgive all our offenses.
2. Pass a basket around the group. Tell the participants to take the papers
off their nail and place them in the basket, saying a prayer of contrition as they
do so. When all the papers have been collected, burn them a few at a time in a
coffee can, adding them to the fire as the flames diminish. Keep a pitcher of
water nearby in case the flames get out of hand. (If you have a large group, you
may want to use several coffee cans and recruit adult helpers to speed this
process.)
3. When the flames have died, ask one of the participants to mix the ashes
into a dishpan of sand, using a large spoon. As the person is doing so, read John
8:3-11, slowly and prayerfully. After you are finished reading, write in the sand
with a stick or with your fingertip, "You are forgiven!"
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Consider this option if your group is not too large: Before the young people
gather for part A of the strategy, build a simple wooden cross out of two
pieces of wood. (Or you could ask one of the young people to build the
cross.) Then hammer the nails for the participants partway into the cross so
that they can easily be pulled out. Instead of simply distributing the nails
during the group meeting, invite the participants each to remove one small
and one large nail from the cross.
In the prayer space, use a cross made out of two plain pieces of wood. Instead
of passing a basket around the group to collect the offenses in part B,
place the basket near the cross. Tell the young people to come forward one
at a time, place their papers into the basket, and hammer their nail into the
cross.
Instead of offering this strategy in two sessions, at the beginning and end of
Lent, combine the parts into one session and use it as a Lenten reconciliation
service. You can do this by eliminating the small nails. At the beginning of
the service, give each person a large nail, some small pieces of paper, and
a pencil. Conduct a brief examination of conscience, then give the young
people time to go off by themselves and reflect on their offenses, writing
each one on a piece of paper and attaching it to their nail. If a priest is
available, offer the option of sacramental Reconciliation.
SCRIPTURAL CONNECTIONS -
Ezek. 18:30-32 (Turn away from sin.)
- Matt. 3:1-4 (Reform your life.)
- Luke 7:44-50 (Your sins are forgiven.)
(This activity is taken from Holiday and Seasonal Ideas for Ministry with Young Teens, a manual in the HELP series, by Carole Goodwin and Marilyn Kielbasa [Winona, MN: Saint Mary's Press, 2000], pages 37-40. Copyright © 2000 by Saint Mary's Press. Permission is granted for this activity to be used for classroom or campus ministry purposes. This activity may not be republished in any form without written permission from Saint Mary's Press. To order this book, contact Saint Mary's Press at 800-533-8095, or visit our online catalog at www.smp.org/catalog.cfm.)
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