Last time my mum went to the Catholic Bookshop I asked her to get some holding crosses for me. You can find them in the link below.

There have been a few students recently that have been quite anxious for one reason or another and I thought they might help out. I have given out two so far.

When I have handed them out, I have explained to the children that they were made of olive wood in Bethlehem by a carpenter just like Jesus. That Jesus prayed on the Mt of Olives surrounded by olive trees on the night of his arrest. So, olive trees were very familiar to Him. 

I show them how to hold it in the palm of their hand with their fingers curled around the top.  We look carefully at their cross to see the patterns made in the wood. We have discovered that one of them had a tiny love heart!

Then we talk about what makes them feel anxious and how they can use the cross to pray.  By keeping it in their pocket they can take it everywhere they go. Both students have told me how much comfort their pocket cross gives them.  Rubbing their thumbs along the smooth wood and remembering to say a prayer helps relieve their anxiety.

I didn’t think it would have such an impact on the students.  Again, God reminds me that he works in mysterious ways.

Philippians 4:6 (NRSV CE)

⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.