31st Sunday of Year B
November 3, 2024
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Children’s Liturgy
of the Word
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CATHOLIC MOM
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Jesus’ Rule about Love
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Word of the Week
FEAST OF ALL SAINTS
The Butterfly Seeds
This is a story of great excitement coupled with sadness of being separated from someone you love. Jake is excited about the adventure of going to a new country (America) but is torn by the fact that his grandfather, whom he loves deeply, will not be traveling to America with him. His grandfather promises him some “magic seeds” that will draw all kinds of beautiful butterflies, Jake’s favorite creatures, to his new home in America. The story is very appropriate for the celebration of All Saint and All Souls, as we recall those who love us from above. The Butterfly Seeds is an exquisite story to use for the Feast of All Saints since the butterfly is also a symbol of resurrected life and hope.
SM1thie (3:09) – This song is taken from Luke 10: 27. It can be played in Sabbath (or Sunday) School. It was recorded for Camp E.D.G.E. Vacation Bible School by the VBS kids.
Love the Lord Your God
CARTOON BIBLE (1:05)
The Most Important
Commandment
November 1-9, 2024
SOURCE: Catechist.com
PRAYER TABLEE
31st Sunday of Year B
Key words and topics appropriate for young children related to the Sunday readings:
FIRST READING
- Love – The primary emotion that we should feel toward God and his commands.
- God’s commands – The rules God gives us to follow and live a good life.
- Heart – A symbol of our inner self, where we keep our love for God and his commands.
- Family – Our close relatives, who help us learn about God and love.
- Generations – Different family members from the past, present, and future.
- Listening to God – Paying attention to what God says and following his guidance.
SECOND READING
- Jesus – The Son of God and our savior, who loves us and helps us.
- Forever – A long, long time that never ends, like the love and help Jesus gives us.
- Priest – A special helper who talks to God for us, like Jesus does in heaven.
- Helping others – Doing kind things for other people, like Jesus does for us.
- God’s love – The warm, caring feeling God has for everyone.
- Praying for others – Talking to God and asking him to help and care for other people.
GOSPEL
- Love – A happy and kind feeling we should have for everyone around us.
- Neighbors – The people who live near us, and everyone else we meet.
- Kindness – Being friendly, nice, and helpful to others.
- Sharing – Giving some of what we have to others, so everyone has enough.
- Caring – Showing love and kindness to others, like God does for us.
- God’s love for everyone – The big and endless love God has for each and every person.
The Gospel reading of Mark 12:28b-34 connects to the Liturgy of the Mass in several ways:
- Proclamation of the Word: During the Liturgy of the Word, the Gospel reading is proclaimed, sharing the teachings of Jesus on the greatest commandment: love of God and love of neighbor. This passage invites the congregation to reflect on the importance of love in their lives and in the celebration of the Eucharist.
- Profession of Faith: The Nicene Creed, recited during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, affirms the belief in one God, aligning with the Shema prayer that Jesus quotes in Mark 12:29.
- Eucharistic Prayer: The Eucharistic Prayer recalls Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, an act of love for humanity. This connects to Mark 12:28b-34, where Jesus emphasizes the love of God and neighbor as the greatest commandments.
- Sign of Peace: The exchange of peace among the congregation during the Liturgy of the Eucharist is a gesture of love and reconciliation, reflecting the love emphasized in Mark 12:28b-34.
- Holy Communion: Receiving the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ, is an act of love and unity with God and the community. This ties back to the Gospel passage’s message of love for God and neighbor.
In summary, Mark 12:28b-34 connects to the Liturgy of the Mass by emphasizing love for God and neighbor, which is experienced and expressed through various elements of the liturgy, such as the proclamation of the Word, the profession of faith, the Eucharistic Prayer, the Sign of Peace, and Holy Communion.
Choose one of the following activities as a way to further reflect on the Sunday readings:
- What can you do as a family of believers to show God that you love him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Brainstorm as a family and then act on those ideas.
- How can you show that you love your neighbors as yourself? Brainstorm as a family and then act on those ideas.
- How do you show love for each other as a family? Do something special together as a family (camping, traveling, game night) to reestablish your commitment to love one another unconditionally.
- Memorize the Greatest and Second Commandments from this Scripture. Ask yourselves each day this week: Did I put anything before God today? Did I love God today with all my heart? All my soul? All my mind? All my strength? Did I love others? Did I love myself?
- Pray the Lord’s Prayer. Be reminded that this is the prayer our intercessor, Jesus, taught us to pray. Pray it each day this week as a family.
CHILDREN’S LITURGIES
31st Sunday of Year B
SOURCE: Holy Family FdL
What does God want us to do? Fr. Edward shares that all comes down to love in this week’s Children’s Liturgy of the Word.
SOURCE: Mary Jo Cole
SOURCE: Redemptorist Publications / Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph
Bartimaeus’s persistent faith in Jesus leads to his healing and serves as a reminder to express our desires and concerns to Him with trust.
SOURCE: Edmonton Catholic School District
All Souls Day is a meaningful occasion to honor and pray for deceased loved ones, celebrating the promise of eternal life through Christ and God’s healing love.
BIG AL & FATHER JOE
31st Sunday of Year B
SOURCE: Most Sacred Heart Parish, Eureka, MO
Writing names of deceased loved ones in a remembrance book fosters prayer and healing, while embodying love and kindness as taught by Jesus brings lasting happiness.
HANDOUTS
31st Sunday of Year B
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
31st Sunday of Year B
SOURCE: Ministry to Children
Core Teachings
Q: What is the greatest commandment according to Jesus?
A: Jesus teaches that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, stating there is no other commandment greater than these.
Q: How does Jesus relate the greatest commandment to sacrifices and offerings?
A: Jesus indicates that loving God and loving others is more important than all sacrifices and offerings, emphasizing the primacy of love over ritualistic practices.
Biblical Context
Q: How is the greatest commandment reinforced in the Bible?
A: The Bible provides repeated reminders of the greatest commandment in both the Old Testament and New Testament, underscoring its fundamental importance across biblical teachings.
Practical Application
Q: How can the greatest commandment serve as a foundation for life?
A: The greatest commandment acts as a foundational rule for living a fulfilling life, similar to how the alphabet is foundational for communication, providing a basis for all other aspects of Christian living.
Q: What is the “JOY” acronym and how does it relate to the greatest commandment?
A: The JOY acronym represents putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last, aligning with the greatest commandment by prioritizing love for God and others over self.
Spiritual Growth
Q: How does following the greatest commandment impact one’s spiritual journey?
A: By putting God first and loving others more than oneself, individuals can experience the joy Jesus promises and move closer to the kingdom of God, as implied in Jesus’ response to the scribe.
RULES TO LIVE BY
OBJECTS: A familiar board game with rules
Do you enjoy playing games? (Pause for responses, and invite children to shout out their favorite games.)
I especially enjoy getting together with family or friends and playing games. Sometimes we play card games or board games. This is one of the games I like to play. (Show the game.) Before we play, we always explain the rules so everyone will know how to play the game. (Invite kids to share some of the rules to the game you showed them.)
Have you ever played a game with someone who didn’t follow the rules? Touch your nose if your answer is yes and touch your ears if your answer is no. (Pause for responses.) Do you always follow the rules? Touch your nose if your answer is yes and touch your ears if your answer is no. (Pause for responses.)
There are rules we must follow in the game of life, too. I have the rulebook right here. (Hold up the Bible.) To really enjoy life the way God intended, it is important to follow His rules in the Bible.
During Jesus’ time on earth, religious leaders liked to sit around and discuss the law. They would sometimes ask Jesus questions about the law to try to trick Him into saying something that would cause people to turn against Him. One day, they were questioning Jesus, and He answered them with one good answer right after another. One Jewish teacher asked Him, “Of all of the commandments, which is the most important?”
SOURCE: Sermon 4 Kids
HARD TIMES
OBJECTS: None
You all look like happy children, but I think we all, at some time, experience difficult things. Most adults can look back on their lives and remember hard times. Some adults have dealt with illness; some have had to work very hard to provide for their families. Others may have experienced the loss of a loved one. (The lesson could be expanded here by inviting someone who has overcome adversity to share an uplifting account of that experience.)
You may not have experienced those types of hard times, but perhaps you have felt frightened, sad or discouraged. Let’s see what we can find in today’s lesson that might be helpful when that happens.
The nation of Israel had experienced hard times and the prophet, Jeremiah, reminds them of God’s goodness. He tells them that they will be cared for like a “watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more…” (31:12). We also read that God will “turn their mourning (sadness) into joy and…comfort them…”(31:13).
SOURCE: Sermon Writer