First Sunday in Lent

Year B

First Sunday in Lent

Images

Sacrifice

Lent

Points to note

As this is the first Sunday of Lent, we should discuss the significance of Lent and Ash Wednesday.  Facilitators may need to take note that this may have already been discussed with some children last Sunday but there really is no harm going through the same ground for the benefit of absent children.  Provided such practice is not done too often, children are usually happy to display what they have learnt the previous Sunday.

In line with the reading, children should walk away with the idea that they make at least one sacrifice during the season of Lent.  If possible, the children should make a public acknowledgement of the sacrifice they will make.  In discussions with the children, link up sacrifice of Jesus with the sacrifices that they will have to make.  Also, emphasise the fact that in undergoing sacrifices, there will be temptations to lure us away.  This will linkup with the reading.

Liturgy

Before the reading, explain that this is the season of Lent and the implications of it.  You may refer to the box at the end of this leaflet.

Acclamation before the Gospel

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Man does not live on bread alone

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Gospel

Discuss with the children about the new season of the Christian calendar that we are entering.  This is available in the end panel of this leaflet & for a more complete explanation, at Soundbites about Lent and Easter

The Lord be with you.

All:   And also with your spirit.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Luke

All:   Glory to you O Lord

 (Mk1:12-15)

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness, and he remained there for forty days and was tempted by Satan.  He was with the wild beasts and the angels looked after him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee.  There he proclaimed the Good News from God.  “The time has come,” he said, “and the kingdom of God is close at hand.  Repent, and believe the Good News.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Discussion

This discussion should be kept short as the bulk of the discussions take place before the reading.

Discuss the reading and bring out again interesting parts of the story:

·            After his baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness to pray.

·            In the wilderness, he fasted.  Discuss about people who fasted to help them in their prayer.  Fasting is a reminder of our sacrifice.

·            Jesus was tempted when he fasted.  We, too, will be tempted when we fast.  We, too, will be tempted when we try to keep to our sacrifices.

   
You may wish to discuss what kind of sacrifices that we could make.  Emphasise that we do not make sacrifices and suffer for the sake of suffering but to be with Jesus and all his friends in the world today in their sufferings 

Explain that during Lent we fast and abstain.  Fasting involves having a normal breakfast, no more than half a normal lunch and a normal dinner.  No additional snacks, too.  Abstinence involves not having meat and meat products.  Fish is not considered as meat for this purpose.  There are no compulsory rules. So, these rules may be tailored to individual circumstances.  For instance, if you are someone who likes fish and hates meat, maybe you should be abstaining from fish rather than meat?

Penitential



If there is time, you may want to pray the I confess together.