Year A
Third Sunday in Lent
Images
Water
Life
Points to note
The imagery used for the next three Sundays centres
around the baptism. For this Sunday, the
imagery is that of water. You may wish
to have a bowl of water as the centrepiece in the room but make sure you have a
very efficient mop handy. The reading
used is vivid but very intricately related to the Gospel reading. You may wish to refer to the adults leaflet
for further guidance.
Liturgy
Acclamation before the Gospel
There is no
acclamation as the Gospel is not read.
Reading
Explain that
the people of Israel have left Egypt and are wandering around in the
desert. They have just been fed by God
using the manna bread and quails but they are still not satisfied.
As the Gospel is not read, the sign of the cross is omitted but the
introductory dialogue (i.e., the Lord be with you...) may be used.
The
Lord be with you.
All: And
also with you.
A
Reading from the Book of Exodus
(Ex 17: 3-7)
The people were thirsty and complained against
Moses. “Why did you bring us out of
Egypt?” they asked, “Was it so that I and my children and cattle should die of
thirst?” Moses appealed to the
Lord. “How am I to deal with this
people?” he said “A little more and they will stone me!” The Lord said to Moses, “Take with you some
of the elders of Israel and move on to the front of the people; take in your
hand the staff with which you struck the river, and go. I shall be standing there before you on the
rock, at Horeb. You must strike the
rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This is what Moses did, seen by the elders of
Israel. The place was named Massah[1]
and Meribah[2] because
of the grumbling of the people of Israel and because they doubted the Lord by
asking, “Is the Lord with us, or not?”
This is the Word of the Lord
Dialogue
What do we use water for? For drinking and for
cleaning. Discuss what would happen if
we have no water. Discuss what happens
if there is too much water.
What does the priest pour over the head of a person
during a baptism? Why does he use
water? Why not something like sand? Be
prepared for some really silly answers!
Can you remember two stories in the Bible where there
was lots of water? The crossing of the Red Sea and the
Flood. In each, take the children
through the story, emphasising that in each case, the water drowned the baddies
and saved the good people.
Likewise when we are
baptised with water, the water kills the sinner in us and the Christian is
born. You may need to use concepts like
the naughty child disappearing and the good child replaces the bad. The concept of death and rebirth in the waters
of baptism is very apparent in the practice of baptism by immersion by the Orthodox,
some Protestant and some Catholic churches.
When a person is submerged below the water, he or she is said to have
drowned and a new person, a Christian
emerges from the waters.
Another symbolic
significance in the use of water in baptism is the Church rule that only moving
water may be used for baptism. Water
that is moving is said to be alive.
Ideally we would all be baptised in a flowing river as Jesus was.
You may now bring the discussion back round to the uses of water that we
started the session with. Water gives us
life in Jesus. Water also cleanses us of
our sins. That is why we use water for
baptism. During the Easter midnight
mass, part of the beginning of the mass is devoted to the blessing of the
water. The priest dips the newly lit
Easter candle into the baptismal water (not fully, of course) and blesses
it. The water is then used for baptism
during the year.
The concept of water
cleansing and giving life isn’t all that difficult to impart to the children if
you parallel it with simple everyday examples.
Take your time to explain if necessary, as understanding this will help
them grasp next week’s imagery of light.
If you have the time, you
may wish to discuss other uses of holy water in the Church. We use it to bless ourselves when we enter
the church. Sometimes, people may take
some holy water home as a way of taking a bit of the holiness of the church
home with them.
BAPTISMAL PROMISES
Do you reject sin, so as to live in the freedom of God’s
children?
I do.
Do you reject the glamour of evil, and refuse to be mastered
by sin?
I do.
Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?
I do.
Do you believe in God, the father almighty, creator of
heaven and earth?
I do.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who
was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the
dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
I do.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting?
I do.
