Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Images

What are your ambitions?

Points to note

Remember the life cards that we used to have in school, which charted our growth as children throughout our school years and which the teachers have to call us one by one to fill them up once a year.  There is a question there about what our ambitions were when we grow up.  This is always a good game for the children and it should prove to be fun to talk about it.

Liturgy

 

Acclamation before the Gospel

Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand;

Believe the Good News.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Explain that Jesus has just been baptised by John the Baptist, who was arrested by King Herod and Jesus is just about to begin his public ministry around the Galilee area, his home region.

The Lord be with you.

All:   And also with you.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Mark

All:   Glory to you O Lord

(Mk 1: 14-20)

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 in the Good News.”

As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.”  And at once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets.  He called them at once and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Discussion

What is your ambition?  What do you want to be when you grow up?  Most children should have one and give each child a chance to describe his or her ambition and why.

Pull the stated ambitions together and see that the main ones have attributes in common:  respect, success, comfortable work and life, etc.  Discuss if these are important.

What if you were told that your job will involve

©   Long hours – you could be on call at all hours and you have to work Sundays and over Christmas as well

©   Little pay – basically you only get some pocket money every month

©  You will not be allowed to own anything – no house (well, you get a little room to sleep in), no nice car (there is a cheap one to use if needed), no fancy restaurants (unless someone invites you), no nice clothes allowed

©   You will not be allowed to marry and raise a family or even have a boyfriend/girlfriend for the rest of your life.

©  Oh, and you have to follow orders which your bosses may not need to consult you before deciding on your future.

Well, these are what the priests, brothers and sisters get when they agree to become priests, brothers and sisters.  Discuss what types of people would agree to turn their backs to respect, success and comfortable life that everyone else aspires to.  Would the children want to be such people?  Would it be important for there to be priests, brothers and sisters?

In the story of the calling of the disciples, they had even less to go on.  Potential priests, brothers and sisters are quite clear what they are getting themselves into.  All the disciples have is a stranger asking them to follow him and to leave their familiar and comfortable life behind for a life of hardship, uncertainty and death.

Discuss what Jesus means when he asked them to be fishers of men.  Note that the leading disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John, were fishermen.  That is why St Peter is the patron saint of fishermen.  Sometimes, the Pope is also referred to as a fisherman as the first Pope was a fisherman.  Becoming a Pope is sometimes described as ‘stepping into the shoes of the fisherman’.  The Pope wears a ring with a picture of a fisherman on it.  Do you know that when the Pope dies, his ring is broken to avoid fraud, as in times past, it was his personal seal?  A new one is made for the new Pope.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year A

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Concepts

Fishers of men

Points to note

This reading continues to introduce the public ministry of Jesus.  A recurring image is the sea.  Jesus’ hometown was on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, which is actually a lake.  It is therefore not surprising that the first disciples he called were fishermen.

Matthew has a habit of referring to obscure Old Testament passages.  You see, he was aiming to convert the Jews by pointing out that Jesus was the one foretold by the prophets.  It will not be necessary to dwell on this aspect with younger children.

Note that the missal has a short version of the reading, which I am ignoring.  This is because the short version comprises only the prophecy rather than the calling to be fishers of men, which is more relevant to children.

Liturgy

Acclamation

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom,

and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.

Alleluia!

Reading

Explain where Jesus lives: in a town by the side of a lake.  You may wish to use the maps to show where Nazareth and Capernaum are.  Ask what we would expect to see in a lakeside town.  Get them to imagine the scene.

The Lord be with you.

All:   And also with your spirit.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew

(Mt 4: 12-23)

When he heard that John has been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee.  He then left Nazareth and lived in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.  In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

            Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

            Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

            Galilee of the nations!

            The people that lived in darkness

            has seen a great light;

            on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

            a light has risen.

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.  At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

He went round in the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.

This is the Word of the Lord

Dialogue

Has anybody gone fishing before?  What do you need to go fishing?  Hopefully you would have some experience of fishing to be able to talk about it.  Get them to discuss not just the things they bring along to go fishing but that a good fisherman always prepare; he needs a lot of patience; he must have a good sense to where to fish; he must have perseverance; for those who go out into the open sea to fish, courage to face storms at sea is required; it may also be necessary to keep himself out of sight to lure fish; and anything you can think of.

In the reading, Jesus called some fishermen to become fishers of men instead.  What did he mean by being fishers of men?  How does someone become fishers of men?  Basically, the same qualities needed of a fisher of fish are also needed of a fisher of men.  To talk to people about Jesus, patience and perseverance is needed, because people sometimes do not want to listen; courage is needed, as some Christians have died to spread the Gospel; a good Christian must always remember that to teach others about Christ, he must always keep Christ, the ultimate teacher, in sight and not himself.

Are we also called to be fishers of men, or was it only the disciples?  Of course we too are fishers of men!!  Doesn’t a fisherman out in the open sea get drenched?  Haven’t we too once been drenched?  At our baptism, we too are called.  Discuss how we can tell others about Jesus and the Gospel.  We not only tell others about the Christian way of living by preaching to them, but also by our way of living.

Do you know that the fish was once a very important symbol of Christians?  This was because the initials of the words ‘Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour’ in Greek spelt the word ‘fish’.  Christians used to draw a fish on the walls, of the underground rooms where they had mass, as a secret symbol to other Christians that that room has been used by other Christians for mass.

The reading tells about how Jesus called Peter to be an apostle.  Jesus later made Peter the leader of the apostles.  This means that our first pope was a fisherman.  That is why the ring that the Pope wears has a fisherman inscribed on it and why it is called the ring of the fisherman.

 

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C

Third Ordinary Sunday

Concepts

Listening enthusiastically at mass

Points to note

This reading is the first of a two-part reading.  Again as in last Sunday, it is an apt commencement to a year (the ordinary Sunday series, not the liturgical year itself).  A little like a movie within a movie, ala French Lieutenant Woman style: there is a reading within a reading.  Jesus reads about proclaiming a new beginning: the beginning of his ministry.

While we can discuss about the content of Jesus’ reading, I have chosen to discuss the way that Jesus did the reading and the way that the people responded to him.  This can be further discussed in reading of Mary and Martha in Sunday 16.  In today’s session, I am focussing a bit more on the Liturgy of the Word itself.

With older children, you may want to take a bit more time explaining the Liturgy of the Word, which may be a little too technical for younger children.  If so, you may spend a bit more time on discussing listening at mass, using parts of the Sunday 16 reading if necessary.

Liturgy

Acclamation before the Gospel

Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Explain that Jesus has just emerged from the temptation in the desert.  Strengthened, he is about to launch his public ministry. (Note: I have omitted the first part of the reading (Lk1:1-4) for the children as they are the introduction to Luke needed to kick off the Luke series of Gospel readings but may confuse the children)

The Lord be with you.

All:   And also with you.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St John

(Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21)

Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside.  He taught in their synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did.  He stood up to read, and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.  Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,

for he has anointed me.

He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor.

to proclaim liberty to captives and sight to the blind,

to set the downtrodden free

to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down.  And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him, then he began to speak to them, “This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.”

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Discussion

Discuss the reading and draw parallels with our mass:  where was Jesus?  In a synagogue.  Explain that a synagogue is like a church for Jewish people.  Jews only worship in two places:  the Temple and in synagogues.  There is only one Temple, though, where Jewish priests may make sacrifices but there are many synagogues where people listen to readings, sermons and prayers led by rabbis.  There is no longer a Temple, and so, Jews today worship only in synagogues all over the world.  The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 ad, leaving only a wall behind.  To this day, we see Jews on TV praying along a wall in Jerusalem.  It is called the Wailing Wall because Jews lament the destruction of the Temple.

What was Jesus doing?  Reading a reading in the synagogue and then giving the sermon.  Isn’t that what happens at mass?  Who does it at mass?  The lectors read the first two readings while priest reads the Gospel reading and gives the sermon.

What are the two parts of mass?  The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist?  Which is the one that happens first and is the one with the reading?  The Liturgy of the Word.

Explain about the Liturgy of the Word.  The next page is an extract from the leaflet on the Mass. You may want to refer to the full leaflet for the context.

If there is time after explaining, discuss the importance of listening at mass, referring to the leaflet of Sunday 16 if necessary.

I love this story.  The priest went up to the mike for the Gospel reading and said, “The Lord be with you.”  But, nothing came out because the mike wasn’t working.  So, he said in a louder voice, “There is something wrong with the mike!”  The people heard him say something but wasn’t sure what, so they responded ............... The importance of listening at mass!!

A little elaboration on the following Liturgy of the Word notes:  Children like to hear this explanation about the sign of the cross before the Gospel.  It is a prayer made with our hands: Glory (we touch our foreheads = When we hear your word, God help we think good thoughts) to you (we touch our lips = God, help us proclaim good news) O Lord (we touch our hearts = God, help us love)

The form of this liturgy follows very much that of the Jewish synagogue service, from which it descends.  The readings are read by one or more readers, or lectors, from the reading desk, or ambo.  The response to the first two readings should be a period of silence to reflect on the readings, but is rarely achieved.

First reading and the Responsorial psalm

This is normally from the Old Testament, or from the Acts of the Apostles during the season of Easter.  The readings are chosen to relate to the Gospel reading.

The psalms, as a response to the reading, follow a verse-and-response format and are chosen to fit the readings.

Second reading

The epistles have a sequence independent of the Gospel reading and therefore do not relate to the other readings, except during the great feasts and the seasons of Lent, Easter, Advent and Christmas.

Acclamations

The Gospel is greeted by an acclamation. Alleluias are sung except during Lent, when the Glory and Praise is sung instead.

Gospel

As a mark of respect for the Gospel, which represents Christ, we receive the Gospel standing up.  In the Greek Church, they even have a little procession to emphasise that.

The introductory dialogue between the priest and the community has much significance.  To the priest’s greeting, the community responds: “And also with you”.  Then, the priest introduces the Gospel and the community responds: “Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ”.  Note that the ‘you’ in the two responses are directed at different persons.  In the first, it refers to the priest, while in the second, it refers to Jesus.  This underlines the presence of Jesus when the Gospel is read.  It is no longer the priest we hear, but Jesus.

The sign of the cross we make during the second response is the older form of the more conventional sign normally used.  Being less overt, it was a more discreet way of identifying oneself during times of persecution as a Christian to others who know what the sign means.

Homily

The sermon that follows will explain the readings.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Images

What are your ambitions?

Points to note

Remember the life cards that we used to have in school, which charted our growth as children throughout our school years and which the teachers have to call us one by one to fill them up once a year.  There is a question there about what our ambitions were when we grow up.  This is always a good game for the children and it should prove to be fun to talk about it.

 

Liturgy

 

Acclamation before the Gospel

Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand;

Believe the Good News.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Explain that Jesus has just been baptised by John the Baptist, who was arrested by King Herod and Jesus is just about to begin his public ministry around the Galilee area, his home region.

The Lord be with you.

All:   And also with your spirit.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Mark

All:   Glory to you O Lord

(Mk 1: 14-20)

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 in the Good News.”

As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.”  And at once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets.  He called them at once and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Discussion

What is your ambition?  What do you want to be when you grow up?  Most children should have one and give each child a chance to describe his or her ambition and why.

Pull the stated ambitions together and see that the main ones have attributes in common:  respect, success, comfortable work and life, etc.  Discuss if these are important.

What if you were told that your job will involve

• Long hours – you could be on call at all hours and you have to work Sundays and over Christmas as well
• Little pay – basically you only get some pocket money every month
• You will not be allowed to own anything – no house (well, you get a little room to sleep in), no nice car (there is a cheap one to use if needed), no fancy restaurants (unless someone invites you), no nice clothes allowed
• You will not be allowed to marry and raise a family or even have a boyfriend/girlfriend for the rest of your life.

Well, these are what the priests, brothers and sisters get when they agree to become priests, brothers and sisters.  Discuss what types of people would agree to turn their backs to respect, success and comfortable life that everyone else aspires to.  Would the children be such people?  Would it be important for there to be priests, brothers and sisters?

In the story of the calling of the disciples, they had even less to go on.  Potential priests, brothers and sisters are quite clear what they are getting themselves into.  All the disciples have is a stranger asking them to follow him and to leave their familiar and comfortable life behind for a life of hardship, uncertainty and death.

Discuss what Jesus means when he asked them to be fishers of men.  Note that the leading disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John, were fishermen.  That is why St Peter is the patron saint of fishermen.  To this day, the Portuguese fishing village in Melaka celebrates the feast of St Peter is a big way every year.  Sometimes, the Pope is also referred to as a fisherman as the first Pope was a fisherman.  Becoming a Pope is sometimes described as ‘stepping into the shoes of the fisherman’.  The Pope wears a ring with a picture of a fisherman on it.  Do you know that when the Pope dies, his ring is broken to avoid fraud, as in times past, it was his personal seal?  A new one is made for the new Pope.