2nd Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle B

Liturgy Instructions

2nd Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle B

Welcome children to their worship space.

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

Introduce yourself and your helpers.

Ask:  Last week’s symbol was a scallop shell.  We talked about how Jesus was baptized and showed us that we should be baptized too.

Introduce symbol

Say:   Today’s symbol is a telephone.  When God calls us, will we hear him?  When we hear his call, will we answer?  These are a couple of questions that we will talk about today.   

Say:  How do you know when God calls you?  <discuss>  It is different for everyone but some things are similar. Usually, it is something that you know is a good thing to do.  Often you think someone else should do it.  When you are in a situation and you have a feeling that you really should do something specific that is good, sometimes that is God on the phone!

Say:  Let’s look at today’s poster.  What does it say? <Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.>  This is our Responsorial Psalm for today.  The Responsorial Psalms also come from Scripture, from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament.

Say:  The psalm today tells us what to say when God calls!  Do you think it is always easy to say YES! to God?  <discuss>

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 first Old Testament book of Samuel. (1 Samuel 3:4-10, 19)  In this reading, Samuel is a young boy and he is sleeping.  Listen to the story about how God called Samuel and decide what you would think if God called you in the way God called Samuel.

Have the reader read the first reading.

Ask:  How do you think you would feel if God called you in the way that God called Samuel?  <discuss>  Do you think you would be able to give God the same answer that Samuel gave him?

Say:  God calls us all the time.  Many times we say NO to God when we are tired or don’t feel good.  Can you think of some times when you might say NO to God?  <examples if needed:  being nice to someone that your friends don’t like, skipping Mass on Sunday, pretending to be sick so you don’t have to go somewhere or do your chores>

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

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Say:  Today’s Gospel reading comes from the book of the Apostle John.  (John 1:35-42). John tells of the time that he was called by God to be Jesus’ follower.  Listen to this story and decide if you would act the way John did. 

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

(hold up card)  Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Read:  Read the Gospel

Ask:  Do you think it is a normal thing for John to act the way he did?  <not really>  Usually we don’t see someone, leave our homes, and go with him.  Jesus’ apostles heard and saw something that we can’t understand – but it turned out to be a really good thing!  Do you remember when and why you decided to follow Jesus? <discuss> 

Say:  For many of you, you follow Jesus because your parents share God’s call with you.  Remember that we learned a few weeks ago that our families are a gift from God.  God uses them to bring love to you!  And God calls YOU to bring his love to others.  We are all called by God to do his work.

Hand out the poster cut-outs of a phone so that the children can write their names on them for the poster. 

Hand out the symbols to color. (The symbol is a telephone).  Ask the older children to write one thing they can do this week to answer God’s call in their lives.

 

Explain: Color this symbol of telephone and bring it to the altar (don’t forget to put your name on the back!)  to show that we have learned about recognizing the call that God makes to each 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 as the poster symbol

Use this graphic as the medium sized banner symbol and the Offertory gift symbols

Parent Letter

2^nd Sunday Ordinary Time  B

Dear parents:                                                                 

           Today your children listened to simplified versions of the same readings that you heard: 1 Samuel 3:4-10, 19 and John 1:35-42

Symbol: Telephone

To reinforce at home:

When God calls us, will we hear?  When we hear, will we answer?  Those are the questions we talked about in relation to today’s readings.  We heard about the way that God called Samuel to do his work and the way that Samuel answered.  We heard about the way that Jesus called his first disciples and the way that they answered.  In the Responsorial psalm today, we answered God, “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.”

Activities to do at home:

*Recognize God’s call!  Talk with your child about times when you know the right thing to do.  Help them to recognize God’s call in their own lives.

*Answer God’s call!  Find something this week to share with your child that is an answer to God’s call.  Some examples might be: a response to an estranged friend or relative, a donation to a charity mentioned in church or on the news, giving food coupons to a homeless person you see this week.

*Love God’s people!  As caregivers to young children, you are answering God’s call in a very special way.  Set a good example for them and help them understand how you are called in your particular ministries and how you try to answer God.

Thank you for sharing your children!