Saturday, May 17, 2014

Sixth Sunday in Easter

Year A

Sixth Sunday of Easter



Images

Holy spirit


Points to note

This Sunday’s reading is an opportunity to introduce the sacrament of confirmation.  This is especially relevant to those who have already received Holy Communion and for whom, Confirmation is the last sacrament of initiation yet to be received.

It is not recommended to go too much in depth into the sacrament itself as that will anticipate the preparation for the sacrament.  The reading itself concentrates on Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit, emphasising the fact that the promise was made in love.


Avoid getting too entangled in the reading itself, as it can be a rather confusing one on a single read through.  To go through the reading to ensure proper understanding of it is outside the time scope of this Liturgy of the Word.  The reading should be a backdrop to the themes to be discussed.  Nevertheless, sufficient attention must be given to the reading to accord it the importance and respect it deserves as the Word of God.

 

Liturgy


Acclamation before the Gospel

Alleluia!  Alleluia!
Jesus said: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him.”
Alleluia!

Reading

Explain to the children that at the Last Supper, Jesus has just prophesied the treachery of Judas and the denials of Peter.  The apostles were disheartened and Jesus was quick to console them.

The Lord be with you.
All:   And with your spirit.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John
All:   Glory to you O Lord
(Jn 14: 15-21)
Jesus said to his disciples:
     “If you love me you will keep my commandments; 
     I shall ask the Father,
     and he will give you another Friend to be with you for ever,
     it is the Spirit of truth whom other people can never receive
     since they do not see or know him, but you know him,
     because he is with you, he is in you.
     I will not leave you orphans; I will come back to you.
     In a short time I will no longer be here;
     but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
     On that day you will understand that I am with my Father
     and you with me and I with you.
     Anybody who receives my commandment and keeps them
     will be one who loves me,
     and anyone who loves me will be loved by my Father,
     and I shall love him and stay with him.”

This is the Word of the Lord


Discussion

Have you ever had a visit from an uncle or aunt from far away?  Sometimes, they give presents before going away.  Discuss the presents they may give.  Sometimes it is a present that is of use to us.  Sometimes it is a present to console us when we are sad that they are leaving.  Sometimes it is a present that will remind us of them.  Sometimes they leave us their address so that we could write to them.

The original Greek word that I have translated as ‘Friend’ in the reading does not translate well into English.  It refers to the Holy Spirit and various versions of the Bible translate it differently.  The most common translation is ‘counsellor’ while the Catholic Missal renders it as ‘advocate’.  Other translations include ‘comforter’ and ‘intercessor’.  In truth, the Greek word means all these and probably a little more.  Quite appropriately therefore, the gift Jesus left us cannot be adequately expressed in the English language.

Explain that Jesus, too, left a gift to his disciples, the Holy Spirit.  Explain the nature of the gift in the light of what was discussed on presents by the departing uncles and aunts.  The present is of use to us:  the Holy Spirit will help us and advise us.  The present will comfort us.  The present will remind us of Jesus.  The present will enable us to contact God:  he is our intercessor.

There is one time in the life of a Catholic Christian that he celebrates receiving this gift from Jesus.  We call that Confirmation.  Explain that only baptised Catholics aged 15 and above may receive the sacrament of Confirmation.  Ask if any of the children has seen such a celebration.  Describe what happens:  the bishop places oil on the forehead of the confirmant and lays his hands on the head of the confirmant.  The bishop then prays that the Holy Spirit will descend upon the confirmant.  Upon confirmation, the confirmant becomes a full member of the Church and may now, among other things, seek to be ordained, be a godparent and be married in the Church.

If there is time, discuss the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:  wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and respect for the Lord. 

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Fifth Sunday in Easter


Year A

Fifth Sunday of Easter



Images

The Way, the Truth and the Life


Points to note

Although the theme sounds very straight forward, it is not an easy concept to get across.  Of the three sub-themes, the second is the most abstract and requires a great deal of careful planning: if you do not have time (and most likely you will not), it may be easier to run through all the truths about Jesus that the children can expand on if they are asked by a friend..  The third is easily linked to the story of Lazarus (cf. Lent 5) and can be used to reinforce the idea of Easter as the season of new life.  The first is probably the most tangible of all, especially in forming the bridge to last Sunday’s reading of the shepherd seeing his sheep home.

Although it may be important to introduce the theme to the children, it may not help to dwell on it for too long, particularly with the younger ones.  Move on to the sub-themes as smoothly as possible, where you are able to reduce them to more tangible concepts that the children can grasp. 


Liturgy

Acclamation before the Gospel

Alleluia!  Alleluia!
Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!

Reading
Explain to the children that at the Last Supper, Jesus has just prophesied the treachery of Judas and the denials of Peter.  Due to this, the apostles were disheartened and Jesus was quick to console them.

The Lord be with you.
All:   And with your spirit.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John
All:   Glory to you O Lord
(Jn 14: 1-12)
Jesus said to his disciples:
     “Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God and trust in me.
     There are many rooms in my Father’s house;
     if there were not, I would have told you so.
     I am now going to prepare a place for you,
     I shall return to take me with you;
     so that you will be with me where ever I am..
     You know the way to the place I am going.

Thomas said, “We do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  Jesus said:
     “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
     No one can come to the Father except through me.
     If you know me, you know my Father too.
     In fact, you now know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Let us see the Father and then we shall be happy.”  “Have I been teaching you all this time, Philip,” said Jesus to him, “and you still do not know me?
     To see me is to see the Father,
     so how can you say, “let us see the Father’?
     do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
     The words do not tell you things by myself
     it is the Father, who is in me, who is telling you this..
     You must believe me when I say
     that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;
     believe it on the proof of my work, if for no other reason.

     I tell you most solemnly,
     whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself,
     he will perform even greater works because I am going to the Father.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord


Discussion

I have taken the sub-themes separately.  You may pick and mix them as it fits your session or you may opt to concentrate on one and expand on it.

Way
Have you ever lost your way, or know of some one who has?  How did you or that some one find the right way?  Allow them to talk of their experience.  How would you make sure that you do not lose your way?  Discuss getting prepared using things like maps (Does anyone know how to read a map?), making sure of the way by going through it with someone who does, learning up all the landmarks, etc.  If someone were to ask you for directions, can you give them?  Discuss how they are to give directions.

Jesus said that the Father has a house with many rooms for us.  Discuss that this is heaven.  What if someone were to ask you for directions to heaven?  Explain that the disciples did ask Jesus for such directions and he was able to just point at himself.  Can we just point at him?  Discuss how we can prove that we follow Jesus by carrying out the commandments that he has given us.  Explain that Jesus is the map by which we all go to heaven.  Just as we can find our way to our destination by a map, we find our way to heaven by Jesus and living by what he has asked us to do.

Also, when you get lost, you can ask directions.  But you make sure you ask the right person.  Similarly, we ask other Christians for directions to heaven.  Just make sure you ask the right person.

Also, when you get lost, you can ask directions.  But you make sure you ask the right person.  Similarly, we ask other Christians for directions to heaven.  Just make sure you ask the right person.

Nowadays, we use GPS if we lose our way. If we are in an unfamiliar place, we tend to trust the GPS completely. What is similar to the GPS for us? The Bible.  We too should trust the Bible because it is our guide when we are on unfamiliar grounds and we need some directions to lead our lives.  The only difference is that we can use a GPS without referring to other people but we cannot use the Bible by ourselves.

Truth
If somebody were to ask you to tell the truth about Jesus, what would you say?  Can you list out all the truths about Jesus?  That he is the son of God, he died for us on the cross and his death sets is free.  He is in heaven and prepares a place for us with him.  You can also go through some of the key lessons that Jesus taught us.

Do not spend too much time on this as this is not a revision class.  Jesus make sure that the children know what to say if they are asked by a friend.

Life
What does a miserable person look like?  Emphasise the fact that a miserable person does not seem to want to do anything, like someone who is tired, or sick, or even dead.  Contrast this with a lively person, who seem to want to do everything, is energetic, is healthy, is just alive.

What gives us life?  Discuss food and water.  Discuss the intangibles like love and happiness.  What is the source of all love and happiness?  God, but discuss Jesus’ role in it all.  Jesus gave us baptism, which gives us life (cf. Lent 3).  Jesus taught us to love as he has loved us.  Jesus also raised people form the dead (cf. Lent 5).  It will help to revisit the lessons of the Sundays in Lent as this session will help bring them all together.

Fourth Sunday in Easter


Year A
Fourth Sunday of Easter

Images

Sheep following a shepherd

Shepherd risking his life


Points to note

This Sunday is known as Good Shepherd Sunday.

This is one of the most endearing images of Christ: Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  In many ways, there are two images of the Good Shepherd.  One, as a leader after whom his disciples will follow.  And his disciples include us.  His disciples will follow him because we know him.

The other image is that of a shepherd risking his life for his sheep, fighting off wolves and the like.  Jesus, however, not just risked his life for us, he laid down his life for us.  For younger children, you may not wish to emphasise this image.


Liturgy

Acclamation before the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Good Shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me.
Alleluia!
 
Reading
The Lord be with you.
All:   And with your spirit.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John
All:   Glory to you O Lord
 (Jn 10:1-10)
Jesus said: “I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand.  The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hears his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out.  When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice.  They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.”

Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.  So Jesus spoke to them again:

     “I tell you most solemnly,
     I am the gate of the sheepfold.
     All others who have come are thieves and brigands;
     but the sheep took no notice of them.
     I am the gate.
     Anyone who enters through me will be safe:
     he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture.
     The thief comes only to steal and destroy.
     I have come so that they may have life
     and have it to the full.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord


Discussion


This is a good opportunity for everybody in the group to share his or her name.  Make sure that each gives his name out loud to the group and not just to the facilitator. 

Anyone has a dog?  Does your dog come when you call?  Explain that sheep flocks in the Middle East tend to be small and the many flocks need to search for scarce grazing land.  Grazing grounds generally overlap and flocks tend to mix freely.  Interestingly, though, when the shepherds leave at dusk, each has no problem in identifying his sheep and leading them home.  The sheep all knew their master and each will respond only when its master calls and not another, very much like how dogs recognise their masters.

Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd and that his sheep, i.e., we, know him and will follow him when he calls.  How do you think he will call us?  By our names.  Discuss those who God called by their names:  Abraham, Samuel, etc.  Discuss how Mary Magdalene did not recognise Jesus at the tomb until he called her by her name.  A good example of the sheep who knew the shepherd.

Have you seen how cows are branded?  With a red hot metal rod, which then imprints the owner’s name or sign on the side of the cow.  Cows are branded so that everyone knows to whom those cows belong.

If we are Jesus’ sheep, do we also need to be branded like the cows?  Yes!! Like the cows, we are branded with Jesus’ name on us (not with a branding iron of course).  We are all called Christians.

Is there any way other people can know that we belong to Jesus?  Discuss that following is not just to physically to follow a person somewhere like the sheep following the shepherd.  A follower also follows what his or her master does.  When other people see that we are doing the same thing as our master, they know that we are followers of our master.  Discuss the things we should be doing so that people will know.  

Have you ever been tempted before?  What is being tempted?  Have you ever seen in cartoons, etc that when a person is tempted, there are two little persons, one on each shoulder telling the tempted person what to do?  Discuss what the little angel and the little devil are trying to do.

As a Christian, do you know which one is carrying a message from Jesus?  Would you know what Jesus would like you to do?  Explain that if we are the sheep of Jesus, we would know which one of these promptings is the voice of Jesus and we should know what to do.  Do we?

 

Text Box: Have you noticed the bishop’s staff?  It is called a crozier and has a crook at the end of it.  This is to symbolise a shepherd’s staff.  The crook is there to hook any straying lambs by their necks.  In giving him the crozier, we are acknowledging the bishop as the shepherd that Jesus asked to take care of us.