Feast of Christ the King Cyle B

Christ the King Sunday   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. 

Introduce

              Explain: Today is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, the feast of Christ the King.  Today we celebrate that Jesus Christ is king, a special kind of king.  Next week we begin a new season, the season of Advent.

Ask:  Does anyone remember what our symbol was for last Sunday? (star )  And what did it mean?  The star represented the wonderful life God has ready for us in heaven.

Introduce symbol

Say:  Today’s readings are about our King.  Who would that be?  <Jesus> Our symbol <hold up symbol - crown> represents the special kind of king that Jesus is.

Say:  Now we are going to practice the Responsorial Psalm, that part between the readings where you get to help.  The Responsorial Psalm comes from the Bible just like our readings do.  Today’s psalm is: The Lord is King; he is robed in majesty.  Can you say this with me?  <Have the children repeat it.>

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 book of of the prophet Daniel. (Dn 7:13-14)  This reading is about a vision of the prophet Daniel.  Does anyone know what a vision is?  <like a dream>  Remember, this is a story from the Jewish Scripture so Daniel lived a very long before Jesus.

Explain: Daniel had a vision about Jesus being the King of Heaven.  Let’s hear what Daniel had to say about kings.

Have the reader read the first reading.

Ask:  What did you hear about Jesus the King?  <He would be honored in heaven, given power by God, rule forever, everybody worships Him, His kingdom would never be destroyed.>

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

The Lord is King; he is robed in majesty.

Say:  Next we’ll have the Gospel reading.  The Gospel selection today is from the book of John. (John 18:33-37).  For the last month or so, we have been hearing readings from the book of Mark,  Today is a special Sunday, so we hear from John.  We have heard this passage from John earlier this year on a Sunday when many of you were here.  Listen closely and see if you can remember when you might have heard this passage before.

Say:  Now we will get ready to hear the Gospel

(hold up card)  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

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

All respond:  Lord, let your Word be in my mind <make cross on forehead>, on my lips <make cross on lips>, and in my heart <make cross on heart>

Read:  Read the Gospel

Ask:  Does anybody remember when we read this before?  It was right before a great feast.  <Lead the children to remember the great feast of EASTER and then to identify the Sunday before it - Palm Sunday - when this Gospel passage was read.>    What does this passage tell us?

Hand out the poster and Offertory symbols to color and cut out. (The symbol is a crown )  Remind the children to put their names on the back of the smaller poster symbol so that they can make a poster together.

 

Explain: Color this symbol of the crown and bring it to the altar (don’t forget to put your name on the back!)  to show that we have learned about Jesus, our king.    

Ask:  What can you do this week to show that you believe that Jesus is your king?  If you can, write that on the back of your symbol.

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

While they are coloring, explain how we will go back into the church, up to the front with our gifts and rejoin our families.

Count out the parent letters and hand-outs to go home.

Give out stickers and hand-outs as they leave.

 

Use this graphic for the small poster symbol

Use this graphic for the mid-sized banner symbol and the large Offertory symbol

Parent Letter

Christ the King Sunday

                                                                   

             

              Today your children heard a simplified version of the same readings that you heard: Daniel 7:13-14 and John 18:33-37

             

To reinforce at home:

Today’s readings told us about Jesus as our King!  We emphasized to the children that Jesus’ kingdom was not like the kingdoms here on earth.  Jesus is a much more important king, the king of heaven, the king of our hearts.

Activities to do at home:

*Help your child think of ways that we show that Jesus is our king.  Examples would be: to tell a friend about Him, to ask Him for help, to make up a song about Him, to thank Him for something He did, etc.

*Together with your child, write a letter to Jesus thanking Him for the good things He has done for your family.

Thank you for sharing your children!