Children’s Liturgy
of the Word
Mark 10 Mission
Heidi Witte
Big Al and
Fr. Joe
Isabella
D’Angelo
Sunday
Connection
52 Sundays
Catholic Kids
Bulletin
CATHOLIC MOM
Being Kind
READ ALOUD (10:05) – Ms. Kathy reads a beautiful story about a boy named Alexander, who helps a poor old man he finds lying in the snow. Alexander learns that it isn’t what you have to give, but how you give of yourself that matter most.
Word of the Week
SACRIFICE
The Light of Christmas
High in the mountains lies the town of Noel, surrounded by walls and a great silver gate. Every year, Alexander and his mother walk the long distance to Noel to watch the lighting of the village Christmas tree. This particular year, Alexander learns that the Keeper of the Flame will be choosing the person who has given the truest gift of Christmas to be the one to light the Christmas tree. On his way to Noel, Alexander helps a poor old man he finds lying in the snow. What Alexander doesn’t know is that the poor old man is really the Keeper of the Flame, and because of the Alexander’s great kindness and sacrifice, Alexander is chosen to light the Christmas tree. Alexander learns that it isn’t what you give, but rather how you give of yourself that matters the most. It is an ideal story to convey the virtue of sacrifice.
PAULINES (2:16)
“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant…”
KIDS ON THE MOVE (5:15)
The Request of
James and John
PRAYER TABLEE
Key words and topics appropriate for young children related to the Sunday readings:
FIRST READING
- Love
- Forgiveness
- Sacrifice
- Helping others
- Being kind
- Jesus’ love for us
- God’s special plan
SECOND READING
- Talking to God (prayer)
- Trusting God
- God’s love and care
- Helping each other
- Being confident
- Jesus understands us
- God’s mercy and grace7:7-11 and Hebrews 4:12-13.
GOSPEL
- Serving others
- Being humble
- Helping friends
- Jesus as our teacher
- Being kind and loving
- Jesus’ example
- Making good choices
The Gospel of Mark 10:35-45 can be connected to the liturgy of the Mass in several ways:
- Entrance Procession: As the priest and other ministers process into the church, they model the humility and service that Jesus teaches in Mark 10:35-45. They come to serve the people of God, just as Jesus came to serve and not to be served.
- Penitential Rite: During this part of the Mass, we confess our sins and ask for God’s mercy, recognizing that we have fallen short of Jesus’ example of humility and service. We seek to follow his call to love and serve one another.
- Liturgy of the Word: The readings and Gospel proclaimed during the Liturgy of the Word bring forth the message of servant leadership, humility, and love found in Mark 10:35-45. The homily often explores these themes as well.
- Offertory: As the bread and wine are brought to the altar, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice and his role as a suffering servant. This act of offering connects to Mark 10:45, where Jesus says he came to give his life as a ransom for many.
- Eucharistic Prayer: During this prayer, the priest asks the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. This act of consecration recalls Jesus’ sacrifice and service, echoing the themes of Mark 10:35-45.
- Communion: As we receive the body and blood of Christ, we are reminded of our call to serve others, following Jesus’ example. We become one with him and commit to living his message of love and service in our daily lives.
- Concluding Rite: The Mass concludes with a blessing and a call to go forth and serve the world. We are sent out to live the message of Mark 10:35-45, modeling humility, service, and love as Christ did.
In these ways, the liturgy of the Mass reflects and reinforces the themes found in Mark 10:35-45, highlighting the importance of humility, service, and devotion to God’s will.ng, fostering spiritual growth and a deeper commitment to the Christian life.
Choose one of the following activities as a way to further reflect on the Sunday readings:
- Jesus showed us how to serve by serving others. As a family, plan how you can show God’s love by serving others. Keep your eyes open and look for opportunities to serve at home, in school and in your community. Decide on one way to serve others this week.
- Ask your family to suggest names of people in your parish, or community who serve the needs of others. Write a thank-you note to one of these persons, thanking them for their service to others.
- Make a helping-hand coupon. On the coupon, write one thing you will do to help someone in your family. Cut the coupon out and give it to the person you will help.
- Watch for stories in magazines or newspapers which tell about someone whose suffering led them to reach out to others. Share the stories with your family.
CHILDREN’S LITURGIES
SOURCE: Holy Family FdL
What can we learn from James and John in this week’s Gospel? That we should all strive to love God the best we can, Fr. Edward tells us in this Children’s Liturgy of the Word. Watch to learn more about the Gospel and what Cheetos and Heaven have in common.
SOURCE: Mary Jo Cole
SOURCE: Redemptorist Publications / Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph
True greatness in following Jesus is found in selfless love and service to others, rather than in seeking power or status.
SOURCE: Edmonton Catholic School District
True greatness is found in selfless love and service to others, rather than in the pursuit of power or glory.
BIG AL & FATHER JOE
SOURCE: Most Sacred Heart Parish, Eureka, MO
Water represents the life and joy found in Jesus, while a plunger symbolizes the humility and service needed to help others.
HANDOUTS
Download 8 1/2 x 10 (PDF)
S.D.C. is a Catholic Society that works in the field of Catechesis and the spreading of the Word of God in different ways. READ MORE
SOURCE: SDC Sunday Liturgy Resources
Download 4-pages (PDF)
The Kids’ Bulletins are a resource for Catholic kids who would like to have some fun while learning about the readings from the Sunday Mass every week. (Ordinary Form) They are made by a mom in Canada who is happy to share them with anyone who can use them to help learn or teach about the truth and beauty of the Faith.
SOURCE: Catholic Kids Bulletin
Download Activity (PDF)
Enjoy Catholic coloring pages, lesson plans, Mass worksheets, puzzles, and more to help you prepare for Sunday Mass. These activities, prepared by the Catholic Mom Sunday Gospel Team, are free for you to print and share with your family, classroom, or parish.
SOURCE: Catholic Mom
OBJECT LESSONS
RELATED: 2021 Video from Ministry to Children
Core Message
Q: What is the central call of Jesus in this message?
A: Jesus calls us to follow Him and put Him first and foremost, requiring us to eliminate distractions that hinder our relationship with Him, even if we perceive them as important.
Spiritual Priorities
Q: How does the story of the rich young ruler illustrate spiritual priorities?
A: It demonstrates the necessity of letting go of seemingly important things to focus on what’s truly essential, allowing God to be the ruler of all in our lives.
Q: What did Jesus say about prioritizing God’s kingdom?
A: Jesus instructed to “seek first the kingdom of God”, promising that everything else will be added afterwards, emphasizing that when we prioritize Him, other aspects of life fall into place.
Salvation and Eternal Life
Q: Where does salvation come from, according to the message?
A: Salvation comes from the Lord Jesus, not from following the law or possessing wealth, and is based on His actions for us and His ongoing work in our lives.
Q: How can one attain true eternal life?
A: By following Jesus and letting go of things that obstruct our relationship with Him, we can experience true eternal life, avoiding the sadness of the rich man who walked away.
God’s Provision
Q: How does God respond when we prioritize our relationship with Him?
A: When we’re willing to release excess to truly follow Him, God honors that commitment and ensures we have all that we need, demonstrating His love and care for us.
WE SERVE LIKE JESUS
OBJECTS: A chicken wishbone (alternative: a branch resembling a wishbone)
For some people, the best thing about having chicken for dinner is the “wishbone.” After you finish eating, two people each hold one side of the wishbone, close your eyes and make a wish. Then you pull on the wishbone until it breaks apart. The one who gets the biggest piece is supposed to have his or her wish come true. (If you have a wishbone, allow a boy and girl to try it.)
Have you ever wished for something? On the count of three, say out loud what you wish for: 1, 2, 3. (Pause for responses.)
Sometimes we make a wish without thinking about what would happen if our wish really came true.
Have you ever planned to have a picnic and it rained? Perhaps you sat and watched the rain and grumbled to yourself, “I wish it would stop raining.” What if that wish came true and it really stopped raining FOREVER? There would be no grass, no trees, no flowers. Rivers, lakes, and streams would dry up, and all life would begin to disappear. This world would be a miserable place if it stopped raining, wouldn’t it?
James and John were two brothers who were disciples of Jesus. One day, the two of them came to Jesus and said to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
SOURCE: Sermon Writer
BEING A HELPER
OBJECTS: None
How many of you like to help your teachers at school? Sometimes being the special helper to someone important can make us feel important too.
When I was in 5th grade I had a teacher that I liked a lot. And one of the things I loved to do was doing special jobs for her in the classroom. I was always asking if I could help her hand out papers, or take messages to the school office. I think I must have asked her an awful lot – but it made me feel special to be her helper.
Then one day something happened that I still remember all these years later. Our class was doing some math problems and I finished doing mine much faster than most of the other kids. So as I often did I got up from my desk to go ask her if she had any special jobs I could her with.
Unfortunately, I picked a bad time to ask – because at the time she was actually crouched down next to the desk of another student helping him out. When I interrupted to ask if I could do a job for her she told me she was in the middle of helping my friend and that I needed to go sit down. But then as I was walking back to my chair she called my name and she told me that if I really wanted to help her that I should go and help another one of my classmates who was having trouble with his work.
SOURCE: Sermon Writer