Sunday of the Ladder

Today we celebrate the Sunday of the Ladder, honoring St. John Climacus and his writings on the ascetic struggle, and we think about today's Gospel Reading, from the Gospel of Mark 9: 7-31.

Sunday of the Ladder

Activities for the whole family:

Use masking or painter's tape to shape a “ladder” on a window, wall, or mirror. Have each family member create a paper “self” and tape it up somewhere on the ladder. Leave it up all week (or even for the rest of Lent) to remind yourselves to keep climbing the Ladder!

Play The Ladder! Set up a step ladder (six-foot size would work well; or create one with chalk or tape if you don't have a ladder) and create point cards for each rung. Attach the point cards to the rungs with the highest point values near the top and the lower point values at the bottom. Give each player three bean bags. (If you don’t have bean bags, you could fill zipper bags with beans or use sponges.) Each player takes a turn tossing their bean bags between the rungs and scoring the points shown on the card of the nearest rung. If someone manages to get a bean bag to land on a rung, she gets double the points shown.

Act out the Gospel reading. Consider recording your presentation to share with family and friends.