Children’s liturgy – Second Sunday of Lent (Year A)
Sunday 12 March 2017
Preparing the worship space
Colour:purple
Props: net, bowl with water in it, fish/cut out fish (see below).You may like to display the CAFOD Lent Fast Day poster for primary schools: visit cafod.org.uk/primary
Song suggestions:Christ be our light (883, Laudate)Be still for the presence of the Lord (720, Laudate)
Welcome: Today we hear a voice from the clouds saying “This is my Son, the Beloved... Listen to him.” How do we listen to Jesus in our lives? Let’s think a bit more about that today.
Opening prayer: God of love, you ask us to listen to your Son, Jesus. Open our ears to hear your Word and fill our hearts with your love so that we may change our lives and so change the lives of others. Amen.
First reading (optional): Genesis 12:1-4
Psalm (optional): Ps 32:4-5, 18-20. 22 r. 22
Gospel acclamationeveryone stands and sings the acclamation together. For Lent we use an acclamation that doesn’t use the word ‘Alleluia’. We suggest ‘Change your lives and believe in him’ by Christopher Walker (OCP Publications).
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
Gospel reflection: What do you remember about that reading?
Jesus went up a mountain to be alone with his friends, the disciples Peter, John and James. While he was on the mountain, a great change came over him. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as bright and white like lightning and Moses and Elijah appeared and talked to Jesus.
How did Peter, John and James feel when they saw the change that had happened to Jesus? Why were they frightened?
Then a cloud came over and the disciples heard a voice, saying “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him”. Whose voice do you think this was?
What do you think Peter, John and James must have felt when they heard God speaking to them from the cloud?
A huge change came over Jesus on the mountain and the disciples saw and heard that he really is the Son of God.
If we listen to Jesus and spend time with God in our lives then we too can be changed for the better.
We also need to listen to people around us. Do you remember last week when we heard about Florence in Zambia, a country in the middle of Africa? People in her village listened to Florence and what life was like for her.
When we listen to other people, and really actively listen to what they are saying and how they are feeling, we respect them, and we respect their dignity. Every person deserves our respect, even if we are very different from them, or don’t like the same things as them. We should still respect them.
Having listened to Florence, people in the village helped her to learn a new skill – fish farming – so that she could earn enough money for food for her family. Turning those little fish into big fish has made a big difference to Florence’s life– it was transformed – because people had listened to her and then helped her. The people who helped Florence were sharing God’s love with her.
This week, let’s all try to listen properly to the people we meet at home and at school, and to share God’s love with them by treating them with respect.
Intercessions:You may want to ask the children to offer their own prayers or you can use the suggestions below.
Jesus was changed on the mountain and God’s love shone out for all to see. As we try to share God’s love with others, we pray:
We pray for world leaders: that they may be guided by the light of God’s love to make wise decisions for the good of all people. Lord, in your mercy…
We pray for our sisters and brothers throughout the world who don’t have jobs and so can’t afford food and clothes: that God will bring them hope, and we may help them to change their lives for the better. Lord, in your mercy…
We pray for our parish, family and friends: that we may take the time to listen to what God asks of us and act to make the world a fairer place for all people. Lord, in your mercy...
Closing prayer: God of life, help us to listen to your Son Jesus and to live our lives as he asks us, making a real change to ourselves and the lives of all the people we meet. Amen.
Activity suggestions
Ask the children to colour in the accompanying optional illustration of the transfiguration and to write or draw on the back how they will help let God’s love for everyone shine out this Lent.
Alternatively, the children could write how they will help let God’s love shine out on a fish shape and it could be placed on a net or display board (if you started this last week you could add to it).
Ask the children to write a prayer for all their global sisters and using the response: Let your love shine through us, Lord.
Ask the children to go home and share all that they have heard and thought about in the liturgy this week. Ask them to do at least one thing in the coming week to help God’s love for everyone shine out in the world. If they have written a prayer ask them to say it at home during the week.
Ask the children to watch our animated film atcafod.org.uk/primary where we meet a fish called Bob and find out more about the fishing group Florence is part of in Zambia.