Weekday LIturgies for Children

weekday liturgies for children
174 e kingdom of God Is within You (Page W11) IsaIah 40:25–26, 29–31 • Luke 7:17–26
Our God who comes to save us is mighty. ose who trust in God are also strong. ey are like John the Baptist, who wasn’t afraid to be tough on himself and to stand up for what was right. During this Mass let us pray that Jesus, whom John preached about, will make us strong witnesses like John.
Universal Prayer
e response is “god, give us strength!”
at the pope, bishops, and other church leaders look to God for strength and wisdom, we pray to the lord.
at our country’s leaders realize that those who are in power have a responsibility to help the weak, we pray to the lord.
at those who su er in prisons or on the streets or in hospitals may nd hope and strength in Jesus, we pray to the lord.
at all of us may be renewed during advent to live as followers of Jesus and to spread the Good news of his love, we pray to the lord.
Special Features
• As a communion re ection, show slides that demonstrate the power of God: mountains, stars, canyons, oceans, an eagle. during the presenta- tion, play one of the songs listed under “songs” or pray a prayer about God as our strength.
• For the responsorial psalm, have the children fold their hands for “let your mercy be on us” and raise them for “as we place our trust in you.”
Songs
God Gives his People strength; if God is for us; e King of Glory comes; e King shall come;
Mighty lord; o come, divine Messiah; on eagle’s wings; on Jordan’s bank
Homily Ideas
Visual: Vitamin pills
ask the children if they have ever felt so tired that they couldn’t keep their eyes open or couldn’t stand. ey had no energy le . Tell them that one christmas song has the line “ e weary world re- joices.” in advent we look forward to christ’s coming to wake us up and ll us with new life and energy. Jesus the Messiah gave new life and hope to the blind, the lame, the deaf, the crippled, and the poor. he was strong enough to do this then, and he can ll us now with life.
•••
recall that the reading from isaiah promises us that if we trust in God we will be as strong as eagles that soar in the sky. an eagle that weighs from eight to twelve pounds is capable of carry- ing away an animal of seven and a half pounds. ask what kind of strength isaiah is talking about (strength to do good, to su er, to love). God is al- mighty. we can see that from the billions of gigan- tic stars God has created. God will give power to those who ask for it.
•••
remind the children that Jesus said that John the baptist was strong and not like tall grass blown by the wind. John did not live a comfortable, easy life. he called people to repent, and he prepared the way for Jesus and God’s kingdom. in the end John was killed for it. ask the children if they are strong enough to be a follower of Jesus, to witness to Jesus, to be a christian. Give examples of strength, per- haps examples shown by the children themselves. •••
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