LITURGY
Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Sixth Week of Ordinary Time
Seventh Week of Ordinary Time
FirstWeek of Lent
SCHEDULE
PRAYERS
SHARING
LWC
OP
VBS
PP L.W.C.
During Liturgy of the Word with Children it is the catechist's goal to reflect on the readings at a level of a child's understanding. Three ways to do this are
- Involve the children in a DIALOUGE
- Use OBJECT LESSONS
- Or just tell A SIMPLE STORY
FIFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
- First Reading: 1st Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
- Gospel Mark 1:29 -39
Our focus today is God's call and our response/p>
Ask the children:
- Where did Jesus, John and James go? (To Simon and Andrew's home)
- Who was sick? (Simon's mother-in-law.)
- What happened? (She was cured when Jesus took her hand and helped her up.
- What happened when the people heard this? (The people brought anyone who was sick, or lame, or had evil spirits in them to Jesus, who cured them.)
- What did Jesus do the next day? (He went to a place where he could bee alone to pray.)
- What did Jesus tell his disciples? (We must go to other towns to proclaim the Good News.)
- What is the Good News? (The Messiah, Jesus, has come. )
- Can we proclaim the "Good News?" (Yes)
- How do we pray? (Besides the Our Father and Hail Mary, we can simply talk to God - just like we talk to each other. We can do this aloud, or in our hearts and minds, we can do this anytime we want. Anytime we need to talk to God - He is always listening.
OBJECT LESSON
FOLLOWING THE LEADER
SIMPLE STORY
There is an old Jewish- Christian tradition which says: God sends each person into the world with a special message to deliver, with a special song to sing for others, and with an act of love to give.
No one else can speak my message, or sing my song, or offer my act of love. These are entrusted only to me. According to this tradition the message may be spoken, the song sung, the act of love delivered only to the folk in a small town, or to the people in a large city, or even all those in the world.
It all depends on God's unique plan for each person. To which we might add: The gifts of God, one would think, is the gift of life. The greatest sin of humans, it would seem, would be to return the gift ungrateful and unopened.
SIXTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
- First Reading: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46
- Gospel Mark 1:40 - 45
Focus: Compassion and the power of Jesus
DIALOGUE
- What is leprosy? (A dreaded disease)
- If a person has leprosy what did he have to do? (Go to a priest, wear torn clothes, with nothing on their heads, live in camps outside of town)
- What did the leper have to shout as he went into a town? (Unclean - unclean)
People thought that leprosy was a symbol of sin. A leper was an unclean sinner and should be avoided
- A leper went to see Jesus, what did he say? "You can heal me if you want to. ")
- Did Jesus feel sorry for the man? (yes)
- Most people would never touch a leper for fear of catching the disease. What did Jesus do? (He reached out and touched the man.)
- What did Jesus tell him? (You are cured, right now. Go and show yourself to a priest because you are cured but don't tell anyone about this.
- What di the leper do? (He told everyone what happened.)
- What happened to Jesus? (People came from everywhere to see him. He couldn't get out of town)
Object Lesson HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS
SIMPLE STORY
Bob Green, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, relates that one cold night after a game, Chicago Bull's star Michael Jordan, headed through a large crowd of fans toward his car. As he opened the car door he noticed a child in a wheel chair about twenty feet away. The boy's neck was bent in an unnatural angle; his eyes could not look directly forward. Jordan walked over to the boy and knelt beside him. The youngster was so excited that he began to rise out of his wheel chair. Michael comforted him and put his arm around the boy's frail shoulders.
The boy's father tried to snap a picture but the camera didn't work. Jordan noticed. Without being asked, he continued to kneel at the boy's side until the father was able to take the picture. Only then did Michael return to his car.
The boy's eyes glistening with tears of joy. If nothing good ever happens again for that little boy, he will always know that one night Michael Jordan cared enough to include him in his world.
SEVENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
- First Reading: Isaiah 43: 21, 24-25
- Gospel Mark 2; 1-12/li>
The focus is forgiveness.
DIALOGUE:
Ask the children
- Jesus returned to Capernaum, so many people came to the home where he was staying, that the house became so crowded no one else could get in.
- Why were they there? (They wanted to hear Jesus' teachings.
- Why did four men carry their crippled friend to this house? (They wanted Jesus to cure him)
- What did they do when they saw the crowd and could not get in the house where Jesus was? (They climbed on the roof of the house, made a hole in the roof and lowered the man down right in front of Jesus.)
- What did Jesus do? (He forgave the man's sins because of his trust and belief.)
- What did the teachers of law Think? (They thought Jesus was making fun of God, because only God can forgive sins.)
- Jesus knew what they were thinking. What did he tell them? (Which is easier to heal this man or forgive his sins? I will show you I do have the power to forgive sins.)
- What happened next? (Jesus told the man to stand up, pick up your stretcher and walk.)
- What did he do? (He got up, picked up his stretcher, and walked.)
OBJECT LESSONGRAB A CORNER OF THE BLANKET
A SIMPLE STORY:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
That may sound like a silly rhyme, but it isn't. It isn't as silly as it sounds. It asks this very important question: If all the king’s horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again, who could? Was there anyone, anyone at all, who could pick up the broken pieces and put Humpty Dumpty together again?
Do you remember the story in the Bible of the boy who would foam at the mouth, grind his teeth, and throw himself into the fire or into the water? The poor boy was so miserable that he wanted to destroy himself. He was a Humpty Dumpty boy. No doctor could put him back together again..
The disciples told the father, " Sorry, but Jesus is up on the mountain. "
The father asked Jesus' disciples, " Can you please put my Humpty Dumpty son back together again? " They tried but they couldn't help him.
If only Jesus would come back, the father thought. And suddenly Jesus was there.
" What's going on? " Jesus asked/ When the father told him Jesus made the boy whole. Jesus put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
So this nursery rhyme isn't silly as it sounds. What it says is true that all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. It took the king himself to do that. It took King Jesus.
First Week of Lent
- First Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15
- Gospel Mark 1:12 - 15
Our focus today is on Temptation
Ask the children:
DIALOUGE
- What did God ask us to do in today’s Gospel? (Change our lives and believe in the Gospel )
- Do you know what a covenant is ? (The dictionary say it is a binding agreement – a promise )
- Do you know what Gospel means? (Good News)
Lent is a special time in our church. It is a time when we try to change our lives for the better. We use this time 40 days of Lent to bring us closer to God.
- How can we do this? (Let the children answer)
(See the SHARING section on this page for the Corporal Acts of Mercy and the Spiritual Acts of Mercy)
OBJECT LESSON Extra, Extra Read All About It
SIMPLE STORY
During the Lenten Season our SIMPLE STORIES will be on Reconciliation and forgiveness. The First Reading during the Third Week of Lent is The Ten Commandments, we hope to reflect on the Commandments during this season. This week the Commandment is , "Thou shall not say the name of God in a way that is not Holy."
Take a tube of tooth paste. Take off the cap and then gently squeeze it. Out comes a fat, shiny worm of toothpaste.
You do that each time you brush your teeth. But there’s a problem, When you squeeze to hard, there’s no way of putting the extra toothpaste back into the tube.
Try it sometime. Try to put toothpaste back into the tube. That is impossible.
Words are like toothpaste. Once words leave your mouth that’s it. There they are. You can’t put them back into your mouth again. That too, is impossible.
Of course, it’s better to waste toothpaste than it is to waste words. When you make a mess with toothpaste, than it is to make a mess with words. When you make a mess with toothpaste you can clean it up before you mom or dad sees it But how can you ever clean up a mess you make with words?
How can you clean up a mess when you say things like, " You’re the stupidest person in the world. " or " I hate you " or " Drop dead. " ?
Once you say things like that, that’s it. You can’t put them back into you mouth again.
Of course, you can say you’re sorry for having said them. That’s the least you can do. But the damage has been done. The mess has been made.
You want my advice? Treat words the same way you treat toothpaste. Don’t squeeze the tube too hard!
John Timmer Once Upon A Time # 85 pg 119 Used with permission.
Liturgy ofthe Word with Children
| DATE | 5PM Mass | 9AM Mass | 10:30 AM Mass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb-4-5 5th Week of Ordinary Time | Donna&Sister Donna (B) | Nancy & Bonnie | Dori & Marcia | |
| Feb-11-12 6th Week of Ordinary Time | Kathy & Brian | Leo & Marcia(B) | Corey& Michelle | |
| Feb 18-19 7th Week of Ordinary Time | Kathy & Marianne | Kay & Marcia | Diane & Marcia(B) | |
| Feb 25-26 First Week of Lent | Angel & Marianne | Bill & Marcia | Bev & Marcia(B) | |
| Mar 3-4 Second Week of Lent | Sister Donna & Donna(B) | Nancy & Marcia | Michelle & Marcia | |
| Mar10-11 Third Week of Lent | Kathy & Brian | Leo & Bonnie (B) | Diane & Marcia | |
| Mar 17-18 Fourth Week of Lent | Angel & Marianne | Kay & Marcia& Marcia | Dori & Corey (B) | |
| Mar 24-25 Fifth Week of Lent | Kathy & Donna | Bill Marcia | Bev & Marcia | |
| Mar 31-Apr1 Palm Sunday | Angel & Marianne (B) | Bill & Bonnie | Dori & Marcia | |
| Apr 7th-8th EASTER SUNDAY | NO LWC(B) | NO LWC | NO LWC | |
| Apr 14-15th Second Week Easter | Angel & Brian | Nancy& Marcia | Diane & Marcia (B) | |
| Apr 21-22 Third Week Easter | Marianne & Angel | Leo & Bonnie | Bev & Marcia | |
| Apr 29-28 Fourth Week Easter | Kathy & Donna K | Kay & Marcia | Michelle& Marcia |
PRAYERS
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."
God, help me to be honest so my children will learn honesty.
Help me to be kind, so my children will learn kindness.
Help me to be faithful so my children will learn faith.
Help me to be loving so that my children will be loving.
(Marian Wright Edelman Guide My Feet p11 Beacon Press)
Jesus, I am preparing for this week's Liturgy, trying to keep in mind what you would do and how you would interpret today's readings.
Jesus, sometimes these children are so young, help me to reach them without losing the older children.
Jesus, help me find the words and to communicate them to the children in a way they will understand your Words and teachings. I pray you will guide me and so I rely on you to speak through me in a way that will plant the seed of faith within these children.
Jesus, remind me to listen to them, also, for they have so much to teach me. This is my prayer. Amen
SHARING
December 22, 2008 Angelina was born. Her first introduction to this world was her mom, Randi, my granddaughter. Her second was Bacterial Meningitis. She was very ill for over a month. But today, my great granddaughter is healthy, very bright and a complete joy to all who know her. She started walking around nine months and began " baby speak " beyond MAMA, right about the same time.
Like all babies, (before she became proficient in " baby speak ") her first words were ga ga and goo goo. Her great aunt, Debbie, translated ga to mean Great Aunt – GA. Debbie went on to translate goo into GU meaning Great Uncle, which of course is Great Uncle Tim.
I have told you this story before. Angelina often plays in a room right off the living room in her home. Late one afternoon, she was playing and began walking in circles, much like pacing. She was in a serious conversation. She was flinging her arms, crossing them, putting them behind her back and then pointing up to the ceiling. She had something to say!
Her mom and grandma watched for awhile, laughing at her facial expressions and wondering what she was saying. Finally her grandmother asked, " Angelina, who are you talking to? "
Angelina said, " God. "
Grandma, thinking she meant GA (great aunt Debbie) replied, " Ga’s not here. She’s at her own house. "
Tiny Angelina left her play room walked over to where her mom and grandmother were sitting. She put her hands on grandma’s knees, looked up into her face and again said, " God! "
Now, I ask you what do you think? Was that "baby speak " Or was she talking to God?
When my daughter, Angelina’s grandmother, told me this story, it made me think of another story I heard a long time ago.
When mama and daddy came home with his new baby sister Billy was very excited. He always wanted to be with her, he would touch her, kiss her and play with her tiny fingers and toes. His parents were happy that he loved her so much and wasn’t jealous, but they were also afraid to leave him alone with her. They feared he might accidently hurt her. He always wanted to be near her.
Then one night when everyone was asleep he woke up. He quietly went to the nursery. As he touched his sister’s shoulder, he said, "Baby sister wake up, wake up " The tiny baby opened her eyes and looked at her brother. The little boy said to her, " Little sister, I have been trying to ask you something but mama is always around. Would you please tell me about HIM, I’m beginning to forget. "
I wonder did Angelina remember HIM? We all prayed that He would be with her when she was so sick. We also know children learn more in their first five years than they do in many years to follow. But my wandering and wondering mind asks just what and how much do they forget?
Chase is my great grandson. He was born on April 9 2009. he also had a medical problem at birth, and had four operations before he was one. We all prayed for him and our prayers were answered. Today he is the perfect little boy, not always in behavior maybe, but in every other way.
His grandma, my other daughter – Angelina’s Great Aunt – picked Chase up from his Day Care, (which she does every Friday). Chase was staring out the back window and looking toward the sky. " Gramma, I wanna go there " he said, pointing to the sky. Debbie thought he had seen a plane and wanted to fly to see his great uncle and great aunt who live in North Carolina, but he continued, " I wanna see Grandpa Tom. "
Grandpa Tom died suddenly of a heart attack, last October and his parents told Chase he went to heaven.
Debbie choked up and told Chase that one day he would see grandpa again. Chase told her that Grandpa Tom was all alone. How do you answer that? So she began telling him about other people from his family, who Chase never even heard about, that was with Tom along with Jesus.
Do you wonder why I’m telling you these very personal stories? It is because for many years I have spent so much time with children, listening to them play, telling them stories about Jesus, praying with them. It is one of my deepest beliefs that there is something precious about children way beyond our understanding. It is something that I will never truly understand until, perhaps, the day that my life’s journey is over. Until then I will continue to share my love of God with kids, remembering that we don’t know all the things that we do not know.”
I hope you found this page valuable in your work with children. Please let me know what I can do for you that will be helpful in your ministry.
Write to me at LWC
