8th Sunday Ordinary Time A

8th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A

Welcome children to their worship space.

Ask them to get their carpet squares and sit down in a circle.

Introduce yourself and your helpers.

Introduce

            Explain: Today is the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ask:  Can anyone tell me what we talked about last week?  <hold up the symbol of the heart > We talked how God’s laws help us to show love to one another.

Introduce symbol

            Say:  Today’s symbol <hold up the symbol> is a bird.  Today we will hear that we need to trust God to take care of us…. Just like God takes care of the birds in the sky.

            Say:  Let’s look at today’s poster.   What does it say? <Rest in God alone, my soul.> This is our Responsorial Psalm for today.  Psalms were originally songs, so make sure you pray the response clearly and loudly.  You can sing it if you like.

            Ask:  What does this psalm mean?  How do people rest in God?  <by having a calm mind and by trusting that God will take care of them> 

Introduce readings

            We have two readings today.

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

Say: Today’s first reading is from the Old Testament book of the Isaiah. (Isaiah 49:14-15)  In this reading, Isaiah tells the people of Jerusalem how much God loves them.

Have the reader read the first reading.

Ask:  What is Isaiah saying about God’s love?  <that God will always be there, that God loves us more than our mothers do (and that is hard to imagine!)>

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

            Rest in God alone, my soul.

Say:  Today’s Gospel reading comes from the book of St. Matthew.  (Matt 6:24-34).  St. Matthew uses this reading to tell us not to worry so much.  Listen closely and try to remember ONE thing St Matthew says about worrying.

Say:  Now we will stand and get ready to hear the Gospel

              Alleluia!  Alleluia!

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

Read:  Read the Gospel

Ask:  Can anyone remember what St Matthew said?  <let the children retell what they heard – not to worry about food and clothing, that we are like the flowers or tha birds and God will take care of us>  What does he tell us to do?  <put God’s work first!>

Hand out the poster cut-outs and Offertory symbols.

Ask the children to add their names to the cutouts (birds) so that they can be glued onto the poster.

 

Explain: Color this symbol of a bird and bring it to the altar (don’t forget to put your name on the back!)  to show what we have learned about trusting God.

If there is time, ask the older children to write one thing that they can do this week to show trust in God by putting God's work first.

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 enlarged black-line for Offertory coloring sheet; use any light color for smaller  poster cut-outs; use any color to make banner symbol

Parent Letter

8th Sunday Ordinary Time A

Dear Parents,

            Today we celebrate the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The children listened to two of the same readings you did: Isaiah 49:14-15 and Matthew 6:24-34.

Symbol: bird

To reinforce at home:

           

            The readings today talk about how God loves and takes care of us.  We are reminded that we need to trust in God’s care.  We need to put God’s work before our own.  By that we mean that the things God asks us to do (LOVE) are more important than the things we do every day that keep us so busy!

           

Activities to do at home:

           

            *Take a walk!  With your child, notice the birds.  If you are lucky, maybe you will have some spring plants to notice too.  Talk about what God provides for the birds and plants.  Talk together about what God provides for your family.

            *Put God’s work first!  What is God’s work?  Jesus told us to love God and to love our neighbors.  Talk about what that means to each of you.  Talk about how to reduce the ‘busy-ness’ in your lives so that you can show God’s love to each other.

Thank you for sharing your children!