10th Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle C

10^th Sunday of Ordinary Time   Cycle C

Welcome children to their worship space.

Introduce

            Explain: Today is the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Does anyone remember anything about the season of Ordinary Time?  <it’s the time when there is no feast>  What is the color that the church uses during Ordinary Time?  <green – to symbolize growth of the church and to symbolize hope>

            Ask:  Does anyone remember the symbol for last week?  <host and chalice>  Why?  What did it mean?  <it represented Christ’s Body and Blood that he shared with us and told us to share with each other>

Introduce symbol

            Say:  Today’s symbol <hold up the symbol> is a hand.

            Say:  Let’s look at the poster.  What does it say? <I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.>  This is our Responsorial Psalm for today.  The Responsorial Psalms also come from Scripture, from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament.

Ask:  Does anyone know what the word PRAISE means?  <it means to tell someone that they are doing great... to thank them>  Why do you think we should praise God?  <for all the good things in our lives, for happiness, to say thank you>

Introduce readings

Say:  Let’s light the candle to show that we are ready to listen to the Words of God.

Say: Today’s first reading is from the Old Testament, the First Book of Kings. (1 Kings 17:17-24). In today’s reading, we hear about something that happened when the prophet Elijah stayed in the home of a woman who lived alone with her son.  And then her son died.  Listen closely and see if you can find out what happened. 

Have the reader read the first reading.

Ask:  Did you hear what happened?  <let the children re-tell – Elijah prayed to God and the boy came back to life>  How did the woman feel when her son came back to life?  <happy>  What did she tell Elijah?  <that she was convinced that he was a prophet from God>

Say: Now it is time for the Responsorial Psalm.  Your part is to say:

            I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Say:  Today’s Gospel reading comes from the book of Luke.  (Lk 7:11-17)  The people who lived in Jesus’ time knew the stories from the Old Testament – like the story about Elijah that we just heard.  They heard these stories from their parents and when they went to church.  When Jesus began to teach, things happened that were like those old stories.  Let’s listen to the reading today and see what is the SAME as the first story and what is DIFFERENT.

Say:  Now we will get ready to hear the Gospel.  Please stand up.

Say together: Alleluia, Alleluia.

Have the reader begin:           “a reading from the holy gospel.....”

Read:  Read the Gospel

Ask:  What happened in the Gospel reading that was the SAME as the reading in Kings?  <discuss – the woman whose son died, the son coming back to life>  What did Jesus do differently?  <Jesus raised the boy to life too – the difference is that Elijah prayed to God first. >  Why do you think Jesus didn’t pray to God before raising the boy from the dead?  <discuss – because Jesus IS God>

Say: Both Elijah and Jesus did what God wanted to happen.  They used their hands.  What can you do with your hands that would be what God wants to happen?  <wash dishes, hug family, pick up toys>

Hand out the poster & Offertory symbols to color. (The symbol is a HAND).  Have the children write their names on the small Offertory symbol.

 

Explain: Color this symbol of the HAND and bring it to the altar (don’t forget to put your name on the back!)  to show that we have learned about Jesus’ love for all of us.

If there is time, ask questions and go over the lessons one more time to help the children remember.

Give out stickers and hand-outs as they leave.

Use this graphic to make the small light-colored cut-outs for the communal poster

Use this graphic of a hand for the medium-sized banner symbol and the full-size black-line coloring Offertory symbols

 

 

Parent Letter

Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time  C

Dear Parents,

          Today is the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The children listened to the same readings you did:  1 Kings 17:17-24  and  Luke 7:11-17

To reinforce at home:

         

          In our readings today, we used the symbol of a HAND to think about the ways we can use our hands to do the good things God wants us to do.  In the scripture readings, both Elijah and Jesus used their hands to raise boys from the dead.  God doesn’t usually ask us to do this!  But God OFTEN asks us to do nice things for others!

The Responsorial Psalm talked about praising God for doing good things for us.  We discussed what the word PRAISE means and why we should do it.

Activities to do at home:

          * Talk with your child about things they can do with their hands that will make God happy.... like giving hugs or picking up toys or helping you!

          * Together with your child, talk about praise (compliment or thank).  Talk about how it feels to be praised for your work.  Think of people in your lives who deserve our thanks or praise for a job well done.

          *Make up a prayer thanking God for each other.

                   

Thank you for sharing your children!