5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Light of the World
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first...
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Reflections for 3-6 year olds
thebetterpart
- Jan 27
- 2 min
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Who Are The Poor In Spirit?
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 20
- 2 min
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Why Do They Follow?
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first...
28 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 13
- 3 min
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Knowing That Can Only Come From God
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first...
34 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 5
- 3 min
Epiphany of the Lord (Ages 3-6): What do they know?
Matthew 2.1-12 Most people in our world think that Christmas is over. Not yet! Still we celebrate our joy! We know that when Jesus is...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 31, 2022
- 4 min
Mary, Mother of God (Ages 3-6): Treasure
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle before reading the reflection to your child. The quotations you could read directly from...
15 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 24, 2022
- 2 min
Christmas (Ages 3-6): In A Manger
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle before reading the reflection to your child. The quotations you could read directly from...
33 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 16, 2022
- 2 min
4th Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): From the Holy Spirit
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle before reading the reflection to your child. The quotations you could read directly from...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 9, 2022
- 2 min
3rd Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): The Least in the Kingdom
(Adults, this reflection focuses on the last line of the Gospel.) Matthew 11.2-11 This Sunday we light the third candle of the Advent...
28 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 2, 2022
- 2 min
2nd Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): The Hidden Kingdom
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday talks about repentance in the sense of turning from sin which our 3-6-year olds are not needing yet....
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 25, 2022
- 2 min
1st Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): Come, Lord Jesus!
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday involves images that are incomprehensible for little people. This reflection focuses on only the last...
32 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 17, 2022
- 2 min
Christ The King (Ages 3-6): Jesus Is King!
(Adults, with 3-6 year olds we never mention Jesus' death without in the same breath proclaiming the Resurrection. Young children are not...
39 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 11, 2022
- 3 min
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Our Best Gift
(Adults, this Gospel speaks of end-times and the cost of discipleship-—two topics that are beyond the needs and questions of the 3-6 year...
27 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 4, 2022
- 2 min
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Children of the Resurrection
(Adults, you could begin by reading the scripture passage to your child but it is a little confusing. Alternatively, read through the...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 28, 2022
- 3 min
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Seeing Jesus
(Adults, you could begin by reading the scripture passage to your child. Alternatively, read the intro to the reflection, then the...
31 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 22, 2022
- 2 min
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Making Ourselves Small
(Adults, this week we hear another moral parable. Our 3-6 year olds do not need to hear this yet. But as small little people, they know...
34 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 14, 2022
- 2 min
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Pray Always
(Adults, petitionary prayer is not natural to 3-6 year olds. Their prayer is characterized by thanksgiving and praise. This post focuses...
28 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 6, 2022
- 2 min
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Praise God!
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection, then...
65 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 1, 2022
- 2 min
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed
(Adults, you could begin by listening to verses 5 and 6 with your child.) Luke 17.5-10 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus' friends want...
29 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 21, 2022
- 2 min
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): A Man Who Lost His Name
(Adults, the parable in the Gospel for this Sunday does not have much to say to 3-6 year olds who are asking, "Who are you, God?" and,...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 16, 2022
- 2 min
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Faithful in the Very Little
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday contains a difficult moral parable that really does not apply to our 3-6-year-olds! But then Jesus...
19 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 10, 2022
- 2 min
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Good Shepherd Finds
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday includes all three lost and found parables. This reflection looks at only the first. Because the...
29 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 3, 2022
- 3 min
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Disciples Follow
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday deals with the cost of discipleship. Three years ago I decided that I could not write a reflection...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 27, 2022
- 2 min
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Sitting with Jesus at the Table
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel to your child.) Luke 14:1, 7-14 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus eats a meal at the...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 20, 2022
- 2 min
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Where do you come from? Who do you belong to?
(Adults, for our youngest children, we spend time enjoying the relationship with God before ever considering what happens when we break...
19 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 13, 2022
- 2 min
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Jesus Cannot Wait
(Adults, this reflection considers simply the first verse of the Gospel reading, but hopefully somehow captures Jesus' meaning.) Luke...
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thebetterpart
- Aug 6, 2022
- 2 min
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Listening for the Treasure
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday is quite long and involves concepts young children are not ready for yet! Here we look instead at the...
27 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 30, 2022
- 2 min
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Abundantly
(Adults, we think of covenant relationship with God in terms of God's gift and our response. With young children, we focus on the gift so...
15 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 21, 2022
- 2 min
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): How To Pray
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
23 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 15, 2022
- 2 min
16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Together With Jesus
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
27 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 9, 2022
- 3 min
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Name of God is Mercy
(Adults, this is a moral parable and 3-6 year olds do not need this yet! They simply need time to enjoy falling in love with God. We will...
12 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 29, 2022
- 2 min
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Spreading the Peace
(Adults, the Gospel is long and complicated and speaks of wolves and demons, snakes and scorpions. You might opt not to read the entire...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 25, 2022
- 2 min
13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Setting His Face
(Adults, for the 3-6 year old, I consider simply the first verses of the Gospel reading. You could begin by reading these verses aloud to...
12 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 17, 2022
- 3 min
Body and Blood of the Christ (Ages 3-6): Everyone Full
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
21 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 11, 2022
- 2 min
Trinity Sunday (Ages 3-6): We Know Truth
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
18 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 27, 2022
- 3 min
Ascension of the Lord (Ages 3-6): Blessings
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
21 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 21, 2022
- 3 min
Sixth Sunday of Easter (Ages 3-6): Remind Us
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 13, 2022
- 2 min
Fifth Sunday of Easter (Ages 3-6): Love Never Ends
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
30 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 6, 2022
- 2 min
Good Shepherd Sunday (Ages 3-6): Know and Follow
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. In this reflection, we wonder who the sheep of the Good Shepherd might...
48 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 30, 2022
- 4 min
3rd Sunday of Easter (Ages 3-6): Joy of the Risen Life
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 22, 2022
- 2 min
2nd Sunday of Easter (Ages 3-6): Peace Be With Us
John 20.19-31 Last week, on Easter Sunday, we heard about Jesus full of his Risen life, calling Mary Magdalene by name. Now she knows...
31 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 16, 2022
- 3 min
Easter Sunday (Ages 3-6): The Good Shepherd Lives
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
13 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 9, 2022
- 3 min
Passion (Palm) Sunday (Ages 3-6): Family Forever
Luke 22:14, 19-20 (full reading: Luke 22.14 - 23.56) (Adults, the VERY abbreviated reading is for the 3-6 year old. The full reading is...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 31, 2022
- 3 min
5th Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): Time Out With Jesus
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday hardly seems fitting for 3-6 year olds! What is the face of God they need to see? I think it is the...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 25, 2022
- 4 min
4th Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): Who Is God Like?
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday is the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son. We can call it, though, the parable of the Forgiving...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 17, 2022
- 2 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): The Good Gardener
(Adults, this reflection considers only the parable in verses 6-9. How does your child answer the questions? It is difficult for us not...
34 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 12, 2022
- 3 min
2nd Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): While Jesus Prays
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
28 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 4, 2022
- 2 min
1st Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): Bread and the Lord
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
47 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 25, 2022
- 2 min
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Best
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
45 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 16, 2022
- 2 min
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Mercy Overflows
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday contains many instructions for how to live as a child of God. Our 3-6 year olds are not yet in that...
34 views0 comments
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