Queen Esther For Kids
Queen Esther for Kids: The Queen Who Saved Her People
Meet Queen Esther, a courageous woman from the Bible who risked her life to help deliver her people from a dangerous plot.
In this Catholic Bible story for kids, Dilly builds a LEGO castle while we hear how an ordinary young woman became a queen, turned to God in prayer and fasting, and found the courage to stand up for others.
The Story of Queen Esther for Kids
Esther did not begin her life as a queen. She was orphaned as a young girl and raised by her relative Mordecai. But unexpectedly, Esther was brought into the royal palace and chosen to become queen.
At first, Esther did not reveal that she was Jewish. Mordecai had instructed her not to reveal her people or family background.
Her new position would eventually place her in the middle of a dangerous situation.
Haman, a powerful official, became angry with Mordecai and plotted not only against him, but against the Jewish people throughout the kingdom. When Esther learned what was happening, she faced a difficult choice. Going before the king without being summoned could cost her life, but remaining silent would leave her people in danger.
Esther chose courage. She and her people fasted and prayed as she prepared to approach the king. Esther trusted God and courageously accepted the risk, even though she did not know what would happen.
Her story shows kids that courage does not mean never being afraid. We can feel afraid and still choose to do what is right, trusting God as we take the next faithful step.
Key Takeaways
In this episode, kids will:
- Meet Queen Esther and her relative and guardian, Mordecai
- Learn how an ordinary young woman unexpectedly became queen
- Discover Haman’s dangerous plan against the Jewish people
- See how Mordecai discovered a plot against the king and Esther reported it
- Learn why Esther and her people fasted and prayed
- See Esther courageously approach the king despite the risk
- Learn how Esther spoke up to protect her people
- Discover how God worked through Esther’s faithfulness and courage
- Learn that courage means choosing what is right even when we are afraid
Episode Summary
Castles, crowns, queens…and one very courageous woman.
As Dilly builds a LEGO castle, kids hear the story of Esther, an ordinary young woman whose life changed when she was unexpectedly chosen to become queen.
Esther had lost her parents and was raised by her relative Mordecai. After entering the palace, she became queen but did not initially reveal that she was Jewish.
Later, while serving near the king’s gate, Mordecai discovered a plot against the king. He told Esther, and Esther reported the warning to the king. The plotters were punished, and Mordecai’s faithful action was recorded in the royal chronicles.
But a much greater danger soon appeared.
Haman became furious with Mordecai and plotted against the Jewish people throughout the kingdom. When Esther learned what was happening, she realized that her position as queen might give her an opportunity to help.
There was a serious risk. Esther could not simply enter the king’s court whenever she wanted. Approaching him without being summoned could lead to death unless the king chose to receive her.
So Esther and her people turned to fasting and prayer.
Esther was still afraid, but she chose to move forward. She approached the king and eventually invited him and Haman to a series of banquets. At the second banquet, Esther revealed that she was Jewish and asked the king to spare her life and the lives of her people.
The king listened to Esther and punished Haman. But Haman’s earlier decree could not simply disappear. Esther and Mordecai then helped secure a new decree allowing the Jewish people to gather together and defend themselves against those who intended to harm them.
By the end of the story, Esther sees that becoming queen was about much more than living in a palace or wearing a crown. God worked through her faithfulness and courage as she freely chose to act for the good of others.
Episode Highlights
Transcript
[00:00:00 --> 00:00:03] Today we're building something awesome,
[00:00:03 --> 00:00:05] this giant Lego church.
[00:00:05 --> 00:00:08] I have so many questions about church.
[00:00:08 --> 00:00:11] Is the church the building or the people inside?
[00:00:11 --> 00:00:12] What happens at church?
[00:00:12 --> 00:00:13] Why do we go there?
[00:00:13 --> 00:00:15] Let's dive into these questions
[00:00:15 --> 00:00:17] while we build this together.
[00:00:17 --> 00:00:18] Let's go.
[00:00:18 --> 00:00:21] Juice Box. (giggles)
[00:00:21 --> 00:00:24] Church is a word that brings a lot of different pictures
[00:00:24 --> 00:00:25] to people's mind.
[00:00:25 --> 00:00:28] What do you think of when you hear the word church?
[00:00:28 --> 00:00:31] You might picture a beautiful building where people worship,
[00:00:31 --> 00:00:35] and that is part of what we mean when we say church.
[00:00:35 --> 00:00:38] Let's learn more about the building itself.
[00:00:38 --> 00:00:39] There are a lot of different styles
[00:00:39 --> 00:00:41] of churches throughout the world,
[00:00:41 --> 00:00:44] but they all share some common features.
[00:00:44 --> 00:00:47] Most churches will have steps leading up to the doors
[00:00:47 --> 00:00:49] as a reminder that when we go to church,
[00:00:49 --> 00:00:51] we are getting closer to heaven.
[00:00:51 --> 00:00:54] The entryway is called the narthex,
[00:00:54 --> 00:00:55] and that's the part you step into
[00:00:55 --> 00:00:58] right after you open the doors.
[00:00:58 --> 00:01:01] (gentle bright music)
[00:01:18 --> 00:01:22] (gentle bright music continues)
[00:01:22 --> 00:01:24] After that, it's the nave,
[00:01:24 --> 00:01:27] which comes from the Latin word for boat.
[00:01:27 --> 00:01:30] It's where everyone sits during mass.
[00:01:30 --> 00:01:33] It's called the nave as a reminder of Noah's ark
[00:01:33 --> 00:01:36] and how God redeems all of humanity.
[00:01:36 --> 00:01:38] Noah's ark was like a giant boat.
[00:01:39 --> 00:01:42] The very front of the church is called the sanctuary.
[00:01:42 --> 00:01:46] The sanctuary is where the priest stands during mass.
[00:01:46 --> 00:01:48] The two most important parts of the church
[00:01:48 --> 00:01:50] are in the sanctuary,
[00:01:50 --> 00:01:53] the altar and the tabernacle.
[00:01:53 --> 00:01:54] The altar is important
[00:01:54 --> 00:01:57] because that's where Jesus makes Himself present
[00:01:57 --> 00:01:59] in the Eucharist.
[00:01:59 --> 00:02:01] The tabernacle, which normally looks like
[00:02:01 --> 00:02:02] a large golden box,
[00:02:02 --> 00:02:05] is where the extra Eucharist is kept after mass,
[00:02:05 --> 00:02:07] so people can come and talk to Jesus
[00:02:07 --> 00:02:09] and know that He is there with them.
[00:02:09 --> 00:02:12] (gentle bright music)
[00:02:22 --> 00:02:24] Usually to the side of the sanctuary
[00:02:24 --> 00:02:27] is the sacristy and robing rooms.
[00:02:27 --> 00:02:30] The sacristy is where the Eucharist bread
[00:02:30 --> 00:02:32] and wine are kept when not being used
[00:02:32 --> 00:02:34] with the clergy vestments
[00:02:34 --> 00:02:37] and parish records or important books.
[00:02:37 --> 00:02:39] Clergy may use the sacristy for robing
[00:02:39 --> 00:02:41] or for private prayer.
[00:02:41 --> 00:02:44] (gentle bright music)
[00:02:44 --> 00:02:47] Our Lego church is starting to look super cool.
[00:02:47 --> 00:02:48] Let's keep building.
[00:02:50 --> 00:02:52] Those are some of the more important parts
[00:02:52 --> 00:02:53] of the church building,
[00:02:53 --> 00:02:55] but there are also lots of important things that happen
[00:02:55 --> 00:02:58] inside of the church, like worship.
[00:02:58 --> 00:03:01] Worship is a way that people who believe in Jesus
[00:03:01 --> 00:03:04] and God come together to show their love
[00:03:04 --> 00:03:06] and respect for Him.
[00:03:06 --> 00:03:09] The mass is the most important way that we worship at church
[00:03:09 --> 00:03:11] because that's when Jesus makes Himself
[00:03:11 --> 00:03:13] physically present to us.
[00:03:14 --> 00:03:17] We go to church because Jesus is there.
[00:03:17 --> 00:03:19] Being with Him now prepares us for being with Him
[00:03:19 --> 00:03:21] forever in heaven.
[00:03:21 --> 00:03:23] Isn't that so cool?
[00:03:23 --> 00:03:26] Other important things that happen at church are prayer.
[00:03:26 --> 00:03:28] People go there to pray,
[00:03:28 --> 00:03:30] which is having a conversation with Jesus.
[00:03:30 --> 00:03:33] There are many different ways to talk to Jesus.
[00:03:33 --> 00:03:36] Everyone has their own unique way.
[00:03:36 --> 00:03:38] Some common ways are reading scripture,
[00:03:38 --> 00:03:42] learning about the lives of saints, and praying the rosary.
[00:03:42 --> 00:03:44] There's also something called adoration,
[00:03:44 --> 00:03:47] which is when Jesus in the form of the Holy Eucharist
[00:03:47 --> 00:03:51] is displayed in a special holder called a monstrance.
[00:03:51 --> 00:03:54] The monstrance is placed at the front of the church
[00:03:54 --> 00:03:55] or in a special chapel,
[00:03:55 --> 00:03:59] and people come to have some peaceful time with Jesus.
[00:03:59 --> 00:04:01] It's like how you might sit quietly
[00:04:01 --> 00:04:03] with a good friend you really like.
[00:04:03 --> 00:04:06] While the church is a special place
[00:04:06 --> 00:04:08] and many special things happen inside of it,
[00:04:08 --> 00:04:11] the church also has special jobs.
[00:04:11 --> 00:04:13] The most important job of the church
[00:04:13 --> 00:04:16] is to administer the sacraments.
[00:04:16 --> 00:04:18] There are seven sacraments,
[00:04:18 --> 00:04:20] and all of them play an important role
[00:04:20 --> 00:04:21] in the life of the world.
[00:04:22 --> 00:04:26] Baptism, the Eucharist, confirmation, confession,
[00:04:26 --> 00:04:29] anointing of the sick, holy orders, and marriage.
[00:04:30 --> 00:04:33] Sometimes when people talk about the church,
[00:04:33 --> 00:04:34] they also mean us.
[00:04:34 --> 00:04:36] How is that possible?
[00:04:37 --> 00:04:40] While Jesus was still active in His ministry,
[00:04:40 --> 00:04:42] He appointed one of His closest friends
[00:04:42 --> 00:04:45] and followers to be the leader of the church.
[00:04:45 --> 00:04:47] This friend was named Saint Peter.
[00:04:47 --> 00:04:51] Saint Peter was the first Pope or a leader of the church.
[00:04:51 --> 00:04:54] From that point on, there has always been a Pope
[00:04:54 --> 00:04:57] anointed as leader of the church.
[00:04:57 --> 00:04:59] Jesus promised to give Saint Peter
[00:04:59 --> 00:05:00] the keys to the kingdom of heaven,
[00:05:00 --> 00:05:03] which means He wanted Saint Peter to watch over the church
[00:05:03 --> 00:05:05] until Jesus comes back.
[00:05:06 --> 00:05:08] Saint Paul, throughout his letters,
[00:05:08 --> 00:05:11] talks about the church as the body of Christ.
[00:05:11 --> 00:05:14] Jesus is like the head of the body,
[00:05:14 --> 00:05:16] in control and showing where it will go,
[00:05:16 --> 00:05:19] and each of us makes up a part of the body.
[00:05:19 --> 00:05:22] (gentle bright music)
[00:05:27 --> 00:05:29] Wow, that looks amazing.
[00:05:30 --> 00:05:31] At the end of the day,
[00:05:31 --> 00:05:33] the church isn't just a beautiful building
[00:05:33 --> 00:05:35] where we worship God.
[00:05:35 --> 00:05:37] The church is also you.
[00:05:37 --> 00:05:41] You are a member of Christ's body here on earth.
[00:05:41 --> 00:05:43] When you treat your siblings with kindness
[00:05:43 --> 00:05:45] or do something nice for your mom,
[00:05:45 --> 00:05:49] you are reflecting Jesus, just like we are all called to do.
[00:05:51 --> 00:05:53] Building this beautiful church was so fun.
[00:05:53 --> 00:05:56] We learned so much about what a church is,
[00:05:56 --> 00:05:58] who is part of the church,
[00:05:58 --> 00:06:00] and the important job that it has.
[00:06:00 --> 00:06:03] I can't wait to build more cool things with you.
[00:06:03 --> 00:06:05] Until next time, friends, bye.
[00:06:05 --> 00:06:07] Hi, friends, my name is Dilly,
[00:06:07 --> 00:06:08] and welcome to Juice Box.
[00:06:10 --> 00:06:11] Have you ever been to church
[00:06:11 --> 00:06:14] and noticed all the beautiful things inside?
[00:06:14 --> 00:06:17] (camera clicks)
[00:06:17 --> 00:06:19] Well, I thought it would be so fun
[00:06:19 --> 00:06:22] if we built some of them out of our magnetic tiles today.
[00:06:22 --> 00:06:23] Let's get started.
[00:06:23 --> 00:06:27] Juice Box. (giggles)
[00:06:27 --> 00:06:29] First, I'm building the church.
[00:06:29 --> 00:06:31] Not every church looks exactly the same,
[00:06:31 --> 00:06:34] but they do have a lot of similarities.
[00:06:36 --> 00:06:39] Traditionally, churches were built in a T-shape,
[00:06:39 --> 00:06:41] so it looks like a cross from above.
[00:06:44 --> 00:06:46] The long rectangular space
[00:06:46 --> 00:06:50] where everyone gathers for mass is called the nave,
[00:06:50 --> 00:06:52] and it represents the body of Christ.
[00:06:54 --> 00:06:57] That's all the people that love and serve God.
[00:06:57 --> 00:07:00] (gentle bright music)
[00:07:04 --> 00:07:07] The inside of churches feel really big
[00:07:07 --> 00:07:09] to remind us of the grandness of God.
[00:07:12 --> 00:07:15] They also have tall towers called steeples
[00:07:15 --> 00:07:17] to point towards heaven.
[00:07:17 --> 00:07:19] They remind us to look up to God.
[00:07:19 --> 00:07:22] (gentle bright music)
[00:07:39 --> 00:07:43] (gentle bright music continues)
[00:07:46 --> 00:07:48] One of the first things I noticed
[00:07:48 --> 00:07:52] inside the church was the beautiful colored windows
[00:07:52 --> 00:07:54] or stained glass windows.
[00:07:55 --> 00:07:58] Those windows usually show some kind of story from the Bible
[00:07:58 --> 00:08:00] or the story of a sea,
[00:08:00 --> 00:08:02] or has some kind of special symbolic meaning.
[00:08:04 --> 00:08:06] When I'm having trouble listening at mass,
[00:08:06 --> 00:08:08] I look at the windows and try to figure out
[00:08:08 --> 00:08:10] what story they're telling.
[00:08:10 --> 00:08:13] (gentle bright music)
[00:08:23 --> 00:08:26] One important stained glass window is the rose window.
[00:08:27 --> 00:08:30] The rose window is usually at the front of the church
[00:08:30 --> 00:08:33] above the altar, and it's made out of small windows
[00:08:33 --> 00:08:36] that make up one big circle window.
[00:08:37 --> 00:08:40] Sometimes it looks like it has flower petals.
[00:08:40 --> 00:08:43] I guess that's why it's called a rose window.
[00:08:43 --> 00:08:46] (gentle bright music)
[00:08:48 --> 00:08:50] One thing that's really hard to miss
[00:08:50 --> 00:08:52] at a church is the cross.
[00:08:52 --> 00:08:54] The cross is so important
[00:08:54 --> 00:08:57] because that's where Jesus suffered and died.
[00:08:57 --> 00:09:00] That may seem pretty scary and sad,
[00:09:00 --> 00:09:05] but it's how God showed all His people how much He loves us.
[00:09:05 --> 00:09:07] By doing that, our sins can be forgiven
[00:09:07 --> 00:09:09] and we can get to heaven.
[00:09:09 --> 00:09:13] (gentle bright music)
[00:09:17 --> 00:09:18] While looking around the church,
[00:09:18 --> 00:09:23] I also saw this picture of Jesus with His heart on fire.
[00:09:23 --> 00:09:25] That's called the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
[00:09:25 --> 00:09:28] It reminds us of how much Jesus loves us.
[00:09:28 --> 00:09:31] He loves us so much that His heart is flaming.
[00:09:31 --> 00:09:35] (gentle bright music)
[00:09:47 --> 00:09:49] One of the coolest looking things I saw
[00:09:49 --> 00:09:51] at church was the monstrance.
[00:09:51 --> 00:09:56] The monstrance is this big, fancy looking golden vessel.
[00:09:56 --> 00:09:59] In the middle, there's a consecrated host.
[00:09:59 --> 00:10:03] That means that the host inside is the real body of Jesus.
[00:10:07 --> 00:10:10] The monstrance is put out on the altar during adoration,
[00:10:10 --> 00:10:13] which is when we can go look at it and pray.
[00:10:13 --> 00:10:16] (gentle bright music)
[00:10:33 --> 00:10:37] (gentle bright music continues)
[00:10:43 --> 00:10:45] Thank you for building with me today.
[00:10:45 --> 00:10:48] I love looking around the church and finding cool things.
[00:10:49 --> 00:10:51] Next time you go, try to notice something new
[00:10:51 --> 00:10:54] and maybe even build it at home.
[00:10:54 --> 00:10:56] Until then, see you next time, friends.
[00:10:57 --> 00:10:59] Welcome to Juice Box,
[00:10:59 --> 00:11:02] where we love building and learning about the faith.
[00:11:02 --> 00:11:03] I invited one of my friends
[00:11:03 --> 00:11:06] to show us how he builds an altar out of Lego.
[00:11:06 --> 00:11:07] Hi, friends.
[00:11:07 --> 00:11:08] My name is Paul.
[00:11:08 --> 00:11:12] And today we're building this cool priest,
[00:11:12 --> 00:11:14] this tool in church.
[00:11:15 --> 00:11:17] We'll also tell you more about what's on the altar
[00:11:17 --> 00:11:19] and how it's used.
[00:11:19 --> 00:11:20] Take it away, friend.
[00:11:20 --> 00:11:23] Juice box. (giggles)
[00:11:23 --> 00:11:27] An altar in a Catholic church is like a special table
[00:11:27 --> 00:11:28] where really important things happen
[00:11:28 --> 00:11:31] during church services and masses.
[00:11:31 --> 00:11:33] It's kind of like the stage
[00:11:33 --> 00:11:35] where all the important action takes place.
[00:11:35 --> 00:11:38] Altars can look different in different churches.
[00:11:38 --> 00:11:40] Sometimes they're made of wood or stone.
[00:11:40 --> 00:11:43] Let's see what kind of altar our friend is building.
[00:11:43 --> 00:11:45] First, we get one of these.
[00:11:45 --> 00:11:49] This right here.
[00:11:50 --> 00:11:51] And right there.
[00:11:54 --> 00:11:55] There.
[00:11:55 --> 00:11:57] And right there.
[00:11:58 --> 00:12:01] (gentle bright music)
[00:12:05 --> 00:12:08] Hey, okay, there's the bread.
[00:12:08 --> 00:12:11] And this is the golden plate.
[00:12:11 --> 00:12:14] And then we'll get the bread out of the golden plate.
[00:12:14 --> 00:12:17] There are actually two important golden dishes
[00:12:17 --> 00:12:19] on the altar that have a similar job.
[00:12:19 --> 00:12:21] One is the paten.
[00:12:21 --> 00:12:23] That one looks like a golden plate.
[00:12:23 --> 00:12:25] The other is the ciborium.
[00:12:25 --> 00:12:27] That one looks more like a bowl.
[00:12:27 --> 00:12:29] Both the paten and the ciborium
[00:12:29 --> 00:12:31] are used to protect the consecrated hosts
[00:12:31 --> 00:12:33] called the Eucharist.
[00:12:33 --> 00:12:37] Because the hosts have become the real body of Jesus Christ,
[00:12:37 --> 00:12:40] it needs a special vessel to be placed in.
[00:12:40 --> 00:12:44] And you might see at church a book,
[00:12:44 --> 00:12:46] and that's a Bible.
[00:12:49 --> 00:12:54] And the Bibles tell the story of Jesus's life.
[00:12:55 --> 00:12:57] The Bible does tell the story
[00:12:57 --> 00:12:59] of Jesus's life in the New Testament.
[00:12:59 --> 00:13:02] During mass, we also read from the Old Testament
[00:13:02 --> 00:13:04] and from the Psalms.
[00:13:04 --> 00:13:06] Those are from a time before Jesus,
[00:13:06 --> 00:13:07] but if you listen closely,
[00:13:07 --> 00:13:11] it gives us clues about what Jesus would be like.
[00:13:11 --> 00:13:13] You might also see a big book on the altar
[00:13:13 --> 00:13:15] called the Roman Missal.
[00:13:15 --> 00:13:17] That contains all of the prayers
[00:13:17 --> 00:13:21] and instructions that the priest needs to celebrate mass.
[00:13:24 --> 00:13:25] Put it right here.
[00:13:25 --> 00:13:27] Yeah, right there.
[00:13:27 --> 00:13:31] And this is the chalice with the wine in it.
[00:13:31 --> 00:13:34] You might have seen like the wine
[00:13:34 --> 00:13:37] from our first communion episode.
[00:13:37 --> 00:13:40] And you've probably seen the priest.
[00:13:41 --> 00:13:44] You'll see him holding the bread.
[00:13:46 --> 00:13:49] During mass, the priest does something very special
[00:13:49 --> 00:13:52] with the bread and the wine in the chalice.
[00:13:52 --> 00:13:54] He turns them into Jesus's body
[00:13:54 --> 00:13:56] and blood with the help of God.
[00:13:56 --> 00:13:59] It's the most important part of mass.
[00:13:59 --> 00:14:01] When he lifts it up, that's when it happens.
[00:14:01 --> 00:14:02] So make sure you're paying attention
[00:14:02 --> 00:14:04] or else you might miss it.
[00:14:06 --> 00:14:07] You piece.
[00:14:08 --> 00:14:12] Okay, there's the priest and then the cross.
[00:14:14 --> 00:14:15] Okay.
[00:14:15 --> 00:14:16] Right here.
[00:14:16 --> 00:14:18] And right here.
[00:14:20 --> 00:14:22] Oh.
[00:14:22 --> 00:14:23] And in one,
[00:14:25 --> 00:14:25] two.
[00:14:25 --> 00:14:26] Push it in.
[00:14:26 --> 00:14:29] And you might see a couple candles.
[00:14:29 --> 00:14:31] One right there.
[00:14:31 --> 00:14:33] And candles here.
[00:14:37 --> 00:14:39] Besides just providing light,
[00:14:39 --> 00:14:42] the candles also have a special meaning.
[00:14:42 --> 00:14:46] Jesus is often called the light of the world.
[00:14:46 --> 00:14:49] So when you look at the candles up at the altar,
[00:14:49 --> 00:14:52] you can be reminded of Jesus who is always guiding us
[00:14:52 --> 00:14:55] and making everything in our life brighter.
[00:14:56 --> 00:14:57] And right here.
[00:14:59 --> 00:15:01] And there we go, my Juice Box friends.
[00:15:01 --> 00:15:03] There we have it.
[00:15:04 --> 00:15:07] And you could try to build one of these on your own.
[00:15:08 --> 00:15:10] Maybe if you have your own Legos.
[00:15:11 --> 00:15:13] Wow, that looks great.
[00:15:13 --> 00:15:16] I hope you all have fun building your own altars at home.
[00:15:16 --> 00:15:18] And the next time you're at church,
[00:15:18 --> 00:15:21] try to find all the items on the altar that we talked about
[00:15:21 --> 00:15:22] that the priest uses.
[00:15:22 --> 00:15:25] It can be like a fun game of I spy.
[00:15:25 --> 00:15:27] Well, until next time, builders.
[00:15:27 --> 00:15:28] Thanks for watching.
[00:15:28 --> 00:15:30] Smash that subscribe button.
[00:15:32 --> 00:15:34] Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
[00:15:34 --> 00:15:36] There are so many famous
[00:15:36 --> 00:15:39] and beautiful Catholic churches around the world,
[00:15:39 --> 00:15:44] but few are more famous than Notre Dame in Paris, France.
[00:15:44 --> 00:15:48] Besides being totally beautiful, it's also huge
[00:15:48 --> 00:15:50] and so old.
[00:15:50 --> 00:15:54] Imagine knights, kings, and emperors being in the cathedral.
[00:15:54 --> 00:15:56] That's how old it is.
[00:15:56 --> 00:15:58] Well, let's learn more about the Notre Dame
[00:15:58 --> 00:16:01] while building a replica out of Lego.
[00:16:02 --> 00:16:04] Juice Box. (giggles)
[00:16:04 --> 00:16:09] The story of Notre Dame began in the year 1163
[00:16:09 --> 00:16:11] when it began being built.
[00:16:11 --> 00:16:14] That means it's over 850 years old.
[00:16:14 --> 00:16:17] The French people wanted to build a beautiful place
[00:16:17 --> 00:16:18] to worship God.
[00:16:21 --> 00:16:24] Notre Dame means our lady in French.
[00:16:24 --> 00:16:27] And so the cathedral was also a way to honor Mary,
[00:16:27 --> 00:16:29] the mother of Jesus.
[00:16:31 --> 00:16:34] Notre Dame took almost 200 years to build.
[00:16:34 --> 00:16:37] That's a long time to build something.
[00:16:37 --> 00:16:38] But during the Middle Ages,
[00:16:38 --> 00:16:40] they didn't have all the construction methods
[00:16:40 --> 00:16:44] that we do today, and building was really slow.
[00:16:44 --> 00:16:46] They didn't have trucks or cranes,
[00:16:46 --> 00:16:48] fancy machines or computers.
[00:16:48 --> 00:16:51] They had to cut every stone by hand.
[00:16:51 --> 00:16:52] Can you imagine?
[00:16:55 --> 00:16:59] The architecture of the Notre Dame is also very complex.
[00:16:59 --> 00:17:01] It's an example of gothic architecture,
[00:17:01 --> 00:17:05] which means it has tall towers, pointy arches,
[00:17:05 --> 00:17:07] big, beautiful stained glass windows
[00:17:07 --> 00:17:10] and complex carvings like gargoyles.
[00:17:10 --> 00:17:14] All of these details took a long time to perfect and build.
[00:17:15 --> 00:17:16] One of the most famous parts
[00:17:16 --> 00:17:20] of the Notre Dame Cathedral is the stained glass windows.
[00:17:20 --> 00:17:22] The round windows are called rose windows
[00:17:22 --> 00:17:25] because it looks like they have petals.
[00:17:25 --> 00:17:27] From the outside, they look pretty plain.
[00:17:27 --> 00:17:29] But from the inside, you can see the windows
[00:17:29 --> 00:17:33] are made out of colorful glass, like a giant rainbow.
[00:17:34 --> 00:17:36] When the sun shines through,
[00:17:36 --> 00:17:38] the colors light up inside of the cathedral,
[00:17:38 --> 00:17:41] making it look magical and reminding us of heaven.
[00:17:42 --> 00:17:46] The pictures in the rose window tell stories from the Bible.
[00:17:46 --> 00:17:49] It's like a giant, colorful comic book made of glass.
[00:17:49 --> 00:17:52] People who couldn't read back then could look at the window
[00:17:52 --> 00:17:54] to learn about the stories of God.
[00:17:55 --> 00:17:58] But Notre Dame has seen some dark days.
[00:17:58 --> 00:18:02] After the French Revolution, the cathedral was destroyed.
[00:18:02 --> 00:18:05] Lots of important, beautiful items were stolen.
[00:18:05 --> 00:18:07] The windows were shattered.
[00:18:07 --> 00:18:10] Statues were taken down and their heads broken off,
[00:18:10 --> 00:18:11] and no one was allowed
[00:18:11 --> 00:18:14] to practice their Catholic faith anymore.
[00:18:14 --> 00:18:15] How sad?
[00:18:17 --> 00:18:20] For many years, the Notre Dame was left in this mess,
[00:18:20 --> 00:18:22] but times got better eventually.
[00:18:24 --> 00:18:29] In 1831, a man named Victor Hugo wrote a story
[00:18:29 --> 00:18:31] called "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".
[00:18:31 --> 00:18:33] You might've seen the movie.
[00:18:34 --> 00:18:36] The story was about a kind
[00:18:36 --> 00:18:38] and lonely bell ringer who lived in the cathedral.
[00:18:40 --> 00:18:42] The story was very popular,
[00:18:42 --> 00:18:45] and it made people realize how special the Notre Dame was.
[00:18:46 --> 00:18:48] People wanted to take care of the cathedral,
[00:18:48 --> 00:18:50] and they started restoring it
[00:18:50 --> 00:18:52] and trying to make it beautiful again.
[00:18:53 --> 00:18:56] (gentle cheerful music)
[00:19:13 --> 00:19:17] (gentle cheerful music continues)
[00:19:31 --> 00:19:33] (gentle pensive music)
[00:19:33 --> 00:19:37] In 2019, there was a big fire at the Notre Dame.
[00:19:37 --> 00:19:40] Beret firefighters worked very hard to save it,
[00:19:40 --> 00:19:42] but a lot of it was burned.
[00:19:43 --> 00:19:45] Thankfully, people from all around the world
[00:19:45 --> 00:19:47] are helping to fix and rebuild it.
[00:19:48 --> 00:19:50] People can return to witness
[00:19:50 --> 00:19:52] one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world.
[00:19:52 --> 00:19:55] They can return to pray, celebrate mass,
[00:19:55 --> 00:19:58] and light candles for their loved ones.
[00:19:58 --> 00:20:01] I loved learning about the Notre Dame Cathedral
[00:20:01 --> 00:20:03] and building this Lego version with you.
[00:20:03 --> 00:20:06] Maybe one day you can go see it yourself.
[00:20:06 --> 00:20:10] The cathedral reminds us of the beauty of God and His glory.
[00:20:10 --> 00:20:11] I hope you had fun.
[00:20:11 --> 00:20:13] And don't forget to subscribe to the channel
[00:20:13 --> 00:20:14] for more fun videos.
[00:20:14 --> 00:20:16] See you next time, friends.
[00:20:16 --> 00:20:17] Bye.
[00:20:17 --> 00:20:18] Hi, friends.
[00:20:18 --> 00:20:20] Do you know the alphabet?
[00:20:21 --> 00:20:22] I have a fun poem
[00:20:22 --> 00:20:24] and these letter blocks that can help us
[00:20:24 --> 00:20:25] learn all the letters.
[00:20:25 --> 00:20:27] Let's go.
[00:20:27 --> 00:20:30] Juice Box. (giggles)
[00:20:30 --> 00:20:33] In a world of wonder, let's take a stroll.
[00:20:33 --> 00:20:36] With youthful hearts, pure and whole,
[00:20:36 --> 00:20:40] through the ABCs will joyfully roam,
[00:20:40 --> 00:20:43] discovering God's love our heavenly home.
[00:20:45 --> 00:20:49] A is for altar, where blessings commence.
[00:20:49 --> 00:20:53] Adorned with candles, sacred and immense.
[00:20:55 --> 00:20:59] B is for Bible, wisdom, divine.
[00:20:59 --> 00:21:02] Revealing God's love in every line.
[00:21:05 --> 00:21:09] C is for cross, our redemption's embrace.
[00:21:09 --> 00:21:13] Christ's sacrifice bestowing saving grace.
[00:21:14 --> 00:21:18] D, the disciples who followed with glee.
[00:21:18 --> 00:21:21] Learning from Christ so full of mercy.
[00:21:22 --> 00:21:24] E stands for Eucharist.
[00:21:24 --> 00:21:29] Bread and wine transformed to Christ, a miracle divine.
[00:21:31 --> 00:21:34] F, the fish, a sign we hold dear
[00:21:34 --> 00:21:37] as Jesus called His apostles near.
[00:21:38 --> 00:21:40] G is for God, our father above.
[00:21:40 --> 00:21:44] He watches us always with infinite love.
[00:21:45 --> 00:21:48] H for Holy Spirit, a comforting dove.
[00:21:48 --> 00:21:51] Guiding us gently with gifts from above.
[00:21:55 --> 00:21:56] I is for incense.
[00:21:56 --> 00:21:58] It's fragrance so sweet.
[00:21:58 --> 00:22:02] Lifting our prayers to God's heavenly seat.
[00:22:03 --> 00:22:07] J, the joy that Jesus brings,
[00:22:07 --> 00:22:10] filling our hearts with wonderful things.
[00:22:12 --> 00:22:14] K is for keys,
[00:22:14 --> 00:22:18] given to Peter, our first ever Pope, the church's leader.
[00:22:19 --> 00:22:22] L, the liturgy, our worship so pure.
[00:22:22 --> 00:22:25] Sacraments cherished and reverence secure.
[00:22:28 --> 00:22:31] M, the mass where heaven meets earth.
[00:22:31 --> 00:22:34] God's presence revealed in glorious birth.
[00:22:38 --> 00:22:40] N, for Noah, the ark he built.
[00:22:40 --> 00:22:44] As God's promise of love, His plans was fulfilled.
[00:22:47 --> 00:22:51] O is Our Father, a prayer we adore,
[00:22:51 --> 00:22:54] taught by Jesus to love Him even more.
[00:22:54 --> 00:22:57] P is for Pope, our shepherd and guide,
[00:22:57 --> 00:23:00] leading us with love in every stride.
[00:23:03 --> 00:23:07] Q stands for queen, our blessed Mary.
[00:23:07 --> 00:23:10] To heaven above our prayers she will carry.
[00:23:13 --> 00:23:16] R for the rosary, beads in hand.
[00:23:16 --> 00:23:19] Pondering the mysteries, powerful and grand.
[00:23:21 --> 00:23:24] S is for saints, so holy and wise,
[00:23:24 --> 00:23:27] guiding us towards God up to the skies.
[00:23:29 --> 00:23:33] T, the Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
[00:23:33 --> 00:23:36] Wherever we pray, God can always hear it.
[00:23:37 --> 00:23:40] U is for unity, together we stand,
[00:23:40 --> 00:23:43] in God's family hand in hand.
[00:23:44 --> 00:23:48] V for the vine, Jesus, so true.
[00:23:48 --> 00:23:50] In His love will always renew.
[00:23:52 --> 00:23:55] W is for water, baptism's embrace.
[00:23:55 --> 00:23:58] Made children of God through love and grace.
[00:24:00 --> 00:24:03] X the Chi Rho, Christ and glam fold.
[00:24:03 --> 00:24:06] Victoria's symbol, His stories are told.
[00:24:06 --> 00:24:10] Y is for yes, like Mary will say,
[00:24:10 --> 00:24:12] to God's plan will follow His way.
[00:24:14 --> 00:24:19] Z, zeal for souls, our mission, our call,
[00:24:19 --> 00:24:23] to share God's love as we give it our all.
[00:24:25 --> 00:24:28] In this Catholic adventure, our faith will ignite.
[00:24:28 --> 00:24:32] With each letter will walk in God's light.
[00:24:32 --> 00:24:35] Out in the world, His truth will proclaim.
[00:24:35 --> 00:24:38] In God's love will forever remain.
[00:24:40 --> 00:24:42] Juice Box.
[00:24:42 --> 00:24:43] What is church?
[00:24:43 --> 00:24:45] People read the Bible.
[00:24:45 --> 00:24:47] My whole family does these sorts.
[00:24:47 --> 00:24:49] Well, we can find candles.
[00:24:49 --> 00:24:50] We can find lots of stuff.
[00:24:50 --> 00:24:51] There's an altar.
[00:24:51 --> 00:24:54] I like looking at the woody window.
[00:24:54 --> 00:24:57] Church is where God's family comes together.
[00:24:57 --> 00:24:59] Today, we're gonna build a church.
[00:24:59 --> 00:25:01] It's not like a real church,
[00:25:01 --> 00:25:02] but it's gonna be kind of like a church.
[00:25:02 --> 00:25:04] Let's play church.
[00:25:04 --> 00:25:07] Juice Box. (giggles)
[00:25:07 --> 00:25:08] Today I'm gonna show you
[00:25:08 --> 00:25:10] some of the things that are at church.
[00:25:10 --> 00:25:14] Let's start out popping out these little felt people.
[00:25:14 --> 00:25:17] (bright music)
[00:25:20 --> 00:25:22] Let's pretend we're going to mass.
[00:25:24 --> 00:25:26] I'm gonna put it right here.
[00:25:27 --> 00:25:28] The altar.
[00:25:28 --> 00:25:30] The altar is one of the most important places
[00:25:30 --> 00:25:31] in the church.
[00:25:31 --> 00:25:34] At mass, the priest celebrates the Eucharist there.
[00:25:34 --> 00:25:36] The priest...
[00:25:36 --> 00:25:37] Hello!
[00:25:39 --> 00:25:40] Do stuff.
[00:25:40 --> 00:25:43] The priest teaches us things.
[00:25:43 --> 00:25:46] They wear different colors for different seasons,
[00:25:46 --> 00:25:48] like ordinary time used for green.
[00:25:50 --> 00:25:52] He wears purple during lent.
[00:25:53 --> 00:25:55] White.
[00:25:55 --> 00:25:58] (bright music)
[00:26:01 --> 00:26:03] The cross reminds us how much Jesus loves us.
[00:26:03 --> 00:26:06] I'm gonna put the choir with the organ.
[00:26:06 --> 00:26:08] Singing helps us pray.
[00:26:08 --> 00:26:11] There always needs to be a chair for the priest.
[00:26:11 --> 00:26:13] Oh, where is that?
[00:26:13 --> 00:26:15] I'm gonna put that right there.
[00:26:15 --> 00:26:17] One of the most special things that happens
[00:26:17 --> 00:26:19] at church is the mass.
[00:26:19 --> 00:26:23] At mass, we gather together, pray together, sing together,
[00:26:23 --> 00:26:25] and listen to God's word in the Bible.
[00:26:27 --> 00:26:30] Now let's do where they speak.
[00:26:30 --> 00:26:31] Yeah, ambo.
[00:26:31 --> 00:26:34] They talk from the Bible.
[00:26:34 --> 00:26:36] (bright music)
[00:26:38 --> 00:26:41] Now let's put the tabernacle,
[00:26:41 --> 00:26:42] Jesus's body.
[00:26:44 --> 00:26:46] Let's do the windows.
[00:26:46 --> 00:26:47] A window.
[00:26:48 --> 00:26:49] Here.
[00:26:49 --> 00:26:51] I think this is a good place.
[00:26:52 --> 00:26:56] Then we come to the most special part, the Eucharist.
[00:26:56 --> 00:26:57] In the Eucharist,
[00:26:57 --> 00:27:01] Jesus comes to us in a very real and special way.
[00:27:01 --> 00:27:04] (gentle uplifting music)
[00:27:12 --> 00:27:15] (indistinct chatter)
[00:27:15 --> 00:27:18] At mass, all of us come together.
[00:27:18 --> 00:27:20] Moms, dads, babies, kids,
[00:27:20 --> 00:27:22] we all belong there.
[00:27:23 --> 00:27:25] Not just grown ups go to church.
[00:27:25 --> 00:27:27] Kids go to church too.
[00:27:27 --> 00:27:28] The people remind us
[00:27:28 --> 00:27:30] that church is not just a building.
[00:27:30 --> 00:27:33] Church is God's family gathered together.
[00:27:37 --> 00:27:39] I think God likes it when we go to church.
[00:27:39 --> 00:27:42] The baptism fountain.
[00:27:42 --> 00:27:43] Mass isn't the only beautiful thing
[00:27:43 --> 00:27:45] that happens at church.
[00:27:45 --> 00:27:47] At church, babies can be baptized
[00:27:47 --> 00:27:49] and welcomed into God's family.
[00:27:49 --> 00:27:52] People can come quietly to pray
[00:27:52 --> 00:27:54] or spend time with Jesus in adoration.
[00:27:54 --> 00:27:57] People can receive forgiveness and confession.
[00:27:57 --> 00:27:59] And sometimes families
[00:27:59 --> 00:28:02] and friends gather to celebrate weddings, feast days,
[00:28:02 --> 00:28:03] and other joyful moments too.
[00:28:07 --> 00:28:11] Church is God's house, but it's also our home.
[00:28:11 --> 00:28:14] It's a place where we meet Jesus, grow in faith,
[00:28:14 --> 00:28:16] and belong to God's family.
[00:28:16 --> 00:28:17] Church is awesome.
[00:28:17 --> 00:28:19] What kind of church story would you make?
[00:28:19 --> 00:28:20] Bye, friends.
[00:28:20 --> 00:28:21] See you next time.
[00:28:21 --> 00:28:23] Make sure to check the description
[00:28:23 --> 00:28:26] to see where you can get your own church board.
[00:28:26 --> 00:28:27] And don't forget to subscribe
[00:28:27 --> 00:28:29] for more videos from Juice Box.
[00:28:29 --> 00:28:31] Hi, friends, welcome to Juice Box.
[00:28:31 --> 00:28:33] Today, I'm gonna show you
[00:28:33 --> 00:28:37] how to turn this Viking Village into this, church.
[00:28:38 --> 00:28:41] All you need is a couple extra pieces like this cross.
[00:28:41 --> 00:28:43] Let me show you how.
[00:28:43 --> 00:28:46] Juice Box. (giggles)
[00:28:47 --> 00:28:49] (toys rustles)
[00:28:50 --> 00:28:54] We're gonna use this for the opening area in the church.
[00:28:56 --> 00:28:58] Why build this church?
[00:28:58 --> 00:29:00] A long time ago,
[00:29:00 --> 00:29:04] my dad said he wants to build a Lego church set.
[00:29:04 --> 00:29:09] He took me to the Lego store and we saw this.
[00:29:09 --> 00:29:10] We got this one.
[00:29:10 --> 00:29:14] And then he told me to build a Lego church.
[00:29:14 --> 00:29:17] There's three parts to the village,
[00:29:17 --> 00:29:18] and then there's a middle part.
[00:29:18 --> 00:29:21] And I said, "I'll build the middle part,
[00:29:21 --> 00:29:26] and then I'll change it into a church on the inside
[00:29:26 --> 00:29:30] and maybe I would change it on the outside a little."
[00:29:30 --> 00:29:35] I'm grabbing the water for the dock part of the church.
[00:29:36 --> 00:29:41] I'm building this side right here in the dock area here.
[00:29:43 --> 00:29:45] What do you know about Vikings?
[00:29:45 --> 00:29:48] The Vikings were alive in the 700s.
[00:29:49 --> 00:29:53] The word Viking comes from an old language
[00:29:53 --> 00:29:55] called Pirate Ray.
[00:29:55 --> 00:29:58] The Vikings came from Norway.
[00:29:58 --> 00:30:01] They had funny hats.
[00:30:01 --> 00:30:02] Yeah, cool shapes.
[00:30:03 --> 00:30:06] Were Vikings good guys or bad guys?
[00:30:06 --> 00:30:08] Bad guys.
[00:30:08 --> 00:30:12] Vikings went around on their boats and stole from villages.
[00:30:12 --> 00:30:17] So I'm building the base where there's gonna be rocks.
[00:30:17 --> 00:30:21] It's gonna look rocky once I start building up.
[00:30:21 --> 00:30:24] What did Vikings look like?
[00:30:24 --> 00:30:27] They looked kinda like pirates
[00:30:27 --> 00:30:31] and some had big beards.
[00:30:31 --> 00:30:35] Now we're basically building the walls.
[00:30:35 --> 00:30:39] (dramatic uplifting music)
[00:30:39 --> 00:30:41] Did Vikings have any churches?
[00:30:41 --> 00:30:44] The Vikings rode around in different villages,
[00:30:44 --> 00:30:46] and some of the villages had monks.
[00:30:46 --> 00:30:50] And when the Vikings tried to steal from the monks,
[00:30:50 --> 00:30:52] the monks told them about Jesus.
[00:30:52 --> 00:30:55] And that's how Vikings learned about Christianity.
[00:30:55 --> 00:30:57] Once they learned about Jesus,
[00:30:57 --> 00:31:01] they started to build churches like this one.
[00:31:01 --> 00:31:05] Now we're using bag number five to mostly build the wall.
[00:31:06 --> 00:31:09] You're gonna build the wall separately sometimes,
[00:31:09 --> 00:31:11] so we're building these little pieces
[00:31:11 --> 00:31:13] that will help the wall click in.
[00:31:13 --> 00:31:16] Are there any Viking saints?
[00:31:16 --> 00:31:19] There's a Viking saint called Saint Olaf,
[00:31:19 --> 00:31:21] but not like the snowman.
[00:31:21 --> 00:31:23] He was a Viking warrior.
[00:31:23 --> 00:31:25] He became a Christian king.
[00:31:25 --> 00:31:28] Saint Olaf worked really hard to bring Christianity
[00:31:28 --> 00:31:29] to his people.
[00:31:29 --> 00:31:33] Even though it wasn't easy, he ended up dying for his faith.
[00:31:33 --> 00:31:35] That makes him a martyr.
[00:31:35 --> 00:31:39] I'm building this chair part
[00:31:39 --> 00:31:42] and I'm putting the tiny circles there
[00:31:42 --> 00:31:46] so the priest could click in.
[00:31:46 --> 00:31:50] Right now I'm building the back wall.
[00:31:50 --> 00:31:53] (dramatic uplifting music)
[00:31:55 --> 00:31:56] Joke Time!
[00:31:56 --> 00:31:58] Wanna hear Viking joke?
[00:31:58 --> 00:32:01] Nevermind, there's Norway you'll get it.
[00:32:01 --> 00:32:02] (laughs)
[00:32:02 --> 00:32:04] What is a Viking's favorite sea creature?
[00:32:04 --> 00:32:06] A swordfish.
[00:32:06 --> 00:32:07] (laughs)
[00:32:07 --> 00:32:10] (uplifting music)
[00:32:12 --> 00:32:14] These pieces are rounded,
[00:32:14 --> 00:32:18] so it looks like we built the church from logs,
[00:32:18 --> 00:32:19] just like the Vikings would have.
[00:32:19 --> 00:32:21] We have to finish this wall
[00:32:21 --> 00:32:25] and then we have to build the doors and the roof.
[00:32:25 --> 00:32:29] Now we're building one of the details on the sides.
[00:32:29 --> 00:32:31] (uplifting music)
[00:32:32 --> 00:32:36] Now we're building the pointy areas here
[00:32:36 --> 00:32:39] when we lay down the roof on it.
[00:32:39 --> 00:32:41] (uplifting music)
[00:32:41 --> 00:32:45] In the church, these pointy bits are called steeples.
[00:32:45 --> 00:32:47] Now I'm building the door.
[00:32:47 --> 00:32:50] Doors are important so you keep the cold air out.
[00:32:50 --> 00:32:53] And Vikings lived in a cold place.
[00:32:53 --> 00:32:56] Right now we're building the roof.
[00:32:56 --> 00:32:59] And I'm gonna connect this one to this one.
[00:33:01 --> 00:33:04] And then I'm putting it at the top.
[00:33:04 --> 00:33:07] So there's gonna be a cross at the top
[00:33:07 --> 00:33:10] so people know it's a church.
[00:33:10 --> 00:33:12] What type of churches have you seen before?
[00:33:12 --> 00:33:16] I've seen lots of different types of churches.
[00:33:16 --> 00:33:19] I've seen big ones and small ones
[00:33:19 --> 00:33:21] and medium sized ones.
[00:33:22 --> 00:33:26] The big churches have giant crosses and organs.
[00:33:26 --> 00:33:29] This one's gonna be a little church.
[00:33:29 --> 00:33:33] Churches in Viking villages would have been small at first
[00:33:33 --> 00:33:36] because the Vikings were just learning about Jesus.
[00:33:36 --> 00:33:38] Here's one half the roof done.
[00:33:38 --> 00:33:41] Here's some pretty designs on the side.
[00:33:43 --> 00:33:45] We are taking this,
[00:33:45 --> 00:33:48] laying it on there until it like clicks in,
[00:33:48 --> 00:33:51] and then you could take it on and off.
[00:33:51 --> 00:33:54] (dramatic uplifting music)
[00:33:54 --> 00:33:56] We know that it's a Viking church
[00:33:56 --> 00:34:00] because there's these markings and it's by the water.
[00:34:00 --> 00:34:05] Here is the dock where they could put their boats.
[00:34:05 --> 00:34:08] Here are the doors.
[00:34:08 --> 00:34:09] And it's probably during winter
[00:34:09 --> 00:34:12] because there's like some snow here,
[00:34:12 --> 00:34:15] some snow here, and some snow here.
[00:34:15 --> 00:34:20] We added the water, the wine, and the body of Christ,
[00:34:21 --> 00:34:22] and we put a priest.
[00:34:22 --> 00:34:25] Now the Vikings could go to church.
[00:34:25 --> 00:34:27] "Have you heard about Jesus?
[00:34:27 --> 00:34:29] He preaches love and peace,
[00:34:29 --> 00:34:31] not fighting and violence.
[00:34:31 --> 00:34:33] Come join me for church."
[00:34:33 --> 00:34:36] (dramatic uplifting music)
[00:34:36 --> 00:34:40] Even people who do bad things could turn their lives around
[00:34:40 --> 00:34:43] with God's help, just like the Christian Vikings.
[00:34:43 --> 00:34:44] Thanks for watching.
[00:34:44 --> 00:34:48] Don't forget to like and subscribe for more videos.
[00:34:48 --> 00:34:49] See you next time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who Was Queen Esther?
Queen Esther is one of the central figures in the Book of Esther in the Old Testament.
Esther was Jewish and had lost both of her parents. She was raised by her relative Mordecai, who cared for her as his own daughter.
Esther was eventually brought into the royal palace and chosen to become queen. At Mordecai’s instruction, she did not reveal her Jewish heritage at first.
When Haman’s plot threatened the Jewish people, Esther was faced with a serious decision. Speaking to the king could endanger her own life, but she chose to act.
Her story is remembered especially for her courage, prayer, fasting, faithfulness, and willingness to put herself at risk for others.
For Catholic families, Esther is a powerful example of how God can work through faithful people who freely choose to cooperate with his grace.
Why Did Esther Fast and Pray?
Esther knew that approaching the king without being summoned could be dangerous.
Instead of relying only on her own strength, Esther and her people fasted and prayed as she prepared to act.
The Catholic Bible makes Esther’s prayer to God especially explicit. She asks God for help as she prepares to face the king and plead for her people.
Prayer did not mean Esther knew exactly what would happen. She still had to make a difficult choice and accept a real risk.
Her example can remind families that when we are frightened, uncertain, or facing an important decision, we can turn to God for courage and guidance.
What Does Esther Teach Kids About Courage?
Esther’s story gives children a powerful picture of courage because Esther was afraid.
She understood the danger she faced. She did not know how the king would respond. Yet she still chose to act because her people needed her help.
That means courage is not the same thing as feeling fearless.
Courage means choosing what is good and right even when doing so is difficult or frightening.
Esther prayed, trusted God, and courageously accepted the risk of approaching the king without knowing what would happen.
Why Did Esther Become Queen?
At the beginning of the story, Esther could not have known how becoming queen would later affect the lives of her people.
When the Jewish people were threatened, her position gave her an opportunity to speak directly to the king.
Esther’s story does not mean that God causes every difficult or painful circumstance. Instead, it reminds us that we may not understand right away how God will guide us or bring good from the circumstances of our lives.
God worked through Esther’s faithfulness and courage as she freely chose to use the position she had been given to help others.
What Does Esther Teach Us About True Greatness?
Why did Esther fast and pray?
Esther becomes a queen, but the most important part of her story is not her crown, palace, clothes, or status.
Esther shows that true greatness is not found merely in a crown or palace. It is found in trusting God and courageously doing what is right.
She was willing to use the position she had been given to serve others rather than simply enjoy the privileges of being queen.
That is what makes Esther’s story worth remembering.
Why did Esther fast and pray?
Esther and her people fasted and prayed as she prepared to approach the king during a dangerous moment for the Jewish people.
In the Catholic Bible, Esther’s prayer to God is made especially explicit. She asks God for help and courage as she prepares to plead for her people.
Who was Mordecai in the story of Esther?
Mordecai was Esther’s relative and guardian. After Esther’s parents died, he raised her as his own daughter.
Mordecai later discovered a plot against the king and told Esther, who reported it to the king. He also warned Esther when Haman’s plan threatened the Jewish people.
Who was Haman in the Book of Esther?
Haman was a powerful official who became angry with Mordecai and plotted against the Jewish people throughout the kingdom.
Esther eventually revealed Haman’s plan to the king and asked that her life and the lives of her people be spared.
If your kids asked a big faith question this week, you’re not alone. Subscribe so you’ve always got a short, safe, Catholic video ready for car rides, bedtime, or Sunday prep.
Free Queen Esther Activity Worksheet for Kids
Continue the story of Queen Esther with this free Crown of Courage printable activity.
Kids color and cut out five jewels, then match each one to the correct shape on Esther’s crown. Each jewel highlights a virtue connected to Esther’s story: brave, faithful, prayerful, wise, and selfless.
What's Inside:
A Queen Esther crown coloring page
Five cut-and-paste jewel shapes
Shape matching practice
Perfect to use while watching the companion Juice Box video
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