Thursday 19 February 2015

22/2/15 Lord, make me know your ways!

First Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Welcome to this week's a little liturgy.  In the weeks leading up to Easter I am trying to look again at the sacrifice of the Mass.  It is sometimes difficult to unpick this for children as we cannot talk and explain things through the consecration.  I hope today's resources help you to make a start.

Summary of Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
Genesis 9:8-15
God tells Noah and his sons that he will not ever send another flood.  He will make a covenant with them and the sign of this covenant will be a rainbow in the sky.

Psalm 24
Your ways, Lord, are faithfulness and love for those who keep your covenant.

Second Reading
1 Peter 3:18-22
St Peter tells us that Christ died for the forgiveness of sins and that Baptism saves us now.  

Gospel
Mark 1:12-15
Jesus went into the desert for forty days and was tempted by the devil.  After this he went into Galilee and proclaimed the good news saying, "the kingdom of God is close at hand". 

Discussion

Today we hear about the Covenant God made with Noah; he promises that the floodwaters would never destroy the world again.  St Peter tells us that Christ died for sins.  Often this act is referred to as God making a New Covenant with humankind.  He promises us that we can have eternal life with him if we follow his ways.  This is what makes up the Good News.  We have a way forward that can free us from sin and death, if we are prepared to listen and to follow.  

Activities for Mass

Activity A
Look at the words of the consecration below:

Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is my body,
Which will be given up for you.

Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
For this is the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
which will be poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.

At the Last Supper, Jesus spoke of this New Covenant and he, himself, was to be the sacrifice that sealed this covenant.  Draw the host and chalice on the altar to illustrate the new covenant.  Now draw a symbol to illustrate the old covenant with Noah.  (You may need to look back at the First Reading.)

Activity B
Now complete the story below:

In the Old Testament days people were ______________________ .  So God decided to punish them by sending a _________________   to destroy the whole ___________________.  However, he told Noah to ___________________________________________________  so that he and his family could be saved.  Afterwards, God made a ____________________________ with the whole of mankind.  The sign of this promise was a ________________ .

In the New Testament times, God sent his son so that he could make a new ___________________ with the people of the world.  Jesus preached the Good ______________  .  He told people to repent and love their neighbours.  When he died on the cross, Jesus made the New Covenant real.  He conquered ______________  and showed us the path to everlasting ____________ . At Mass we witness the making of this covenant at the ___________________ .  This is the sign of the New Covenant.   

Activity C
Today the Psalmist is asking God for help to follow God - the verse printed below makes a good  prayer to learn and shows the links between New and Old Testaments.  Try to learn it!

Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.


Other activities and useful resources

Click below for a useful reminder of Noah's story - probably for younger children:
Youtube cartoon of Noah's story

Below is a good video of the consecration - unlike at Mass, you can pause and rewind to allow for all those questions!
Youtube video of the consecration

I hope you have found something useful today!

Maria

Saturday 14 February 2015

15/2/15 Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord!

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time  (Year B)

A little liturgy focuses this week on doing as Christ does.  We also look at leprosy and the difficulties that accompany this disease.  Lent is upon us already - so enjoy your pancakes and good luck with your resolutions!

Summary of the Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
Leviticus  13:1-2,44-46
The Lord tells Moses and Aaron that somebody with leprosy should be taken to see the priest.  If they have the disease, they should live apart from the community until they get better.  

Psalm
Ps 31:1-2,5,11. R.v.7
You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.  

Second Reading
Corinthians 10:31-11:1
St Paul tells us and the Corinthians that everything we do we should do for the glory of God.  We should never offend anybody and try to be helpful to everyone.  St Paul recommends us to copy him as he copies Christ.  

Gospel
Mark 1:40-45
Jesus cures a man with leprosy who came to him and said "If you want to, you can cure me."  Afterwards, he tells him to go to the priest and make an offering but not to tell anybody else about it.  The man cannot resist telling everyone and soon Jesus found it difficult to go anywhere because of the crowds. 

Discussion

We can take leprosy in the Bible as a metaphor for anything that makes people feel excluded from society.  Sometimes people look or behave differently or have different beliefs.  We often find it difficult to accept these types of people.  In the Old Testament, people were labelled as "unclean" and sent away.  Jesus does not reject these types of people, instead he welcomes them, and, in this case, he heals the man's disease.  
St Paul tells us that we should imitate Jesus.  Today's Gospel shows how we should be welcoming to those people that feel excluded from society.  

Activity for Mass

St Paul tells us to imitate Jesus.  Below is a list of some things that Jesus does in the Gospels and some suggestions about how we might do similar things in our own life.  Continue the list by filling the gaps and adding three more things.


Jesus                                                                  Me

healing a leper                                                   being kind to people who feel left out

praying to his father                                          ......................................                                                       

teaching in the synagogue                                  .......................................

sharing meals                                                     .......................................                                                   

..........................................                      ........................................

..........................................                      ........................................

..........................................                      ........................................


On Wednesday the season of Lent starts.  It is a time when we think about seeking forgiveness for our sins.  At Mass we usually say a prayer called the Confiteor which starts with the words "I confess..."
See if you can fill in the gaps and then check it in a missal.  

I confess to   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   God 
and to you my  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   and  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ,
that I have greatly  _ _ _ _ _ _ ,  
in my   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   and in my   _ _ _ _ _ ,
in what I have done 
and in what I have  _ _ _ _ _ _   to do,
through my fault, throughout my _ _ _ _ _  , 
throughout my most grievous fault;
therefore, I ask blessed  _ _ _ _    ever virgin, 
and all the _ _ _ _ _ _  and  _ _ _ _ _ _   ,
and you my  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _    and  _ _ _ _ _ _ _   , 
to pray for me to the _ _ _ _   our God.  


Other Activities and Resources

Click below to find out more about leprosy:

Leprosy mission video

Thanks for logging on this week!

Maria

Saturday 7 February 2015

8 /2 /15 Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Welcome again to a little liturgy.  This week we see a theme of healing and preaching in the readings. I have focused on the Gloria in the activities section to draw our attention to the loss of this prayer from the liturgy during Lent.  I hope you have fun with the Latin!

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
Job 7:1-4,6-7
Job is in a miserable mood.  He says life is all drudgery.  When it is day he longs for night; when it is night he longs for day.  He reflects on how quickly life goes by saying that it is"swifter than a weaver's shuttle", and "my life is but a breath".  

Psalm
Ps  146:1-6. R.v.3
Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted.

Second Reading
Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
St Paul says he did not choose to preach the Gospel but was called.  He sees it as a big responsibility and hopes to have a share in the Gospel's blessing.

Gospel
Mark 1:29-39
Jesus visits Peter's house and cures his mother-in-law from a fever.  Crowds visited him that evening and he cures many from disease and casts out many devils.  Jesus left in the early morning and when the others caught up with him he said that they would visit many towns throughout Galilee.  

Discussion

Job's complaints reflect how we all feel at some time in our lives.  We are also reminded that our time in this world is brief.  Fortunately the scriptures also provide hope.  This week's psalm shows the healing capacity of God.  The Gospel looks at healing in a very physical way.  We might look at the way in which Jesus casts out devils and see that he can cast out our problems too with his message of salvation.  

Activity during Mass

This week and next week are the last Sundays of Ordinary Time before Lent.  During Lent we stop saying the Gloria.  Take a close look at this prayer to see why we might stop saying it during Lent.  Fill in the gaps.  

Glory* to _ _ _  in the highest,
and on earth* peace* to people of good will.
We pr _ _ _ _ you, we bl_ _ _ you,
we ad_ _ _  you, we gl_ _ _ _ _ you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord*_ _ _ , heavenly _ _ _ _ *, O God, almighty _ _ _ _ _ _. 



Lord Jesus _ _ _ _ _ _ , Only Begotten _ _ _ ,
Lord God*, _ _ _ _  of _ _ _, Son of the Father,

you take away the sins of the world*, have_ _ _ _ _ on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our _ _ _ _ _ _;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father*, have mercy _ _   _ _.



For you alone are the _ _ _ _* One,
you alone are the_ _ _ _,
you alone are the Most _ _ _ _, 
Jesus Christ, with the _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _ ,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.


The Gloria is often sung and sometimes it is sung in Latin.  See if you can match the English words marked with an asterix  and Latin words below:  

domine
deus
mundi
sanctus
terra
pater
rex
pax
gloria


Other Activities and resources


You might like to listen to the Gloria in Latin here:
(be patient with the advert!)

Glori on Youtube

Or look at the areas where Jesus went to preach:

map of Galilee


description and pictures of Galilee



Best wishes for the week!


Maria