The Better Part

Matthew 17.1-9 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection In the Gospel this Sunday, we hear Jesus take three of his best friends away by themselves. At first it seems like an ordinary day, an ordinary hike up a mountain. But, while they are there, Jesus suddenly looks different: And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Jesus is still Jesus, but his face shines just like the sun! How bright that must be! We know th

Matthew 4.1-11 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We will notice at church this week that the colour changes! Instead of green, the priest wears purple . We arrive in the season of Lent, a time of preparation for the great feast of Easter. At Easter, we will celebrate Jesus dying and rising to new life, never to die again! But before we celebrate, we prepare . There will be six purple Sundays to prepare for the feast. This first Sunday of Lent , we hear about what happen

Matthew 5.17, 20-24, 27-28, 33-34, 37++   full reading: Matthew 5.17-37 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, the Gospel reading this week speaks about how to live righteously. 3-6 year olds are at a stage of enjoying the gift of relationship with God, and we ought not to rush them into a moral reflection on what to do to remain in that relationship. This reflection, therefore, focuses on Jesus's voice as he speaks to the people—he who is the Word made flesh.) So

Matthew 5:13 -16   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus speaks about light . We know a lot about light . The light  of a candle is beautiful. It catches our attention. We like to watch the flame. The light  helps us to see. What does Jesus want us to know about light ? Jesus says, You are the light  of the world. Who ? You  are the light  of the world. Us? How can we be light ? Do we catch people's attention? Do we help people to see?

Matthew 5:1-12   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n We know that in the Bible, Jesus walks from town to town teaching about the Kingdom of God . People follow him because they love to hear his voice. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus takes a break from walking. He sits down. But Jesus does not stop teaching about the Kingdom of God . Oh no. The people still get to listen to his voice. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his dis

Matthew 4:12-23   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday is called the Sunday of the Word of God. When we do not read words, we need someone's voice to speak them or sign them to us. Jesus writes down no words. He does not need us to read. He needs us to listen to his voice. In the Gospel, we hear Jesus use his voice to call to four people. We can count them: Simon, Andrew, James, John. One, two, three, four—four names. Simon and Andrew are brothers from one fa

John 1:29-34   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n Once again, this Sunday, we hear about John the Baptist. We might remember that John the Baptist is a cousin to Jesus. Jesus' mother, Mary, and John the Baptist's mother, Elizabeth, are cousins (Luke 1:36). That means their children are cousins, too. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus and John the Baptist are both grown-up men. Jesus comes to John to get baptized. The next day, when John the Baptist sees Jesus again,

Matthew 3.13-17 Click here to listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday is the last of the three Sundays celebrating the feast of Christmas—the feast of Jesus, the Great Light, coming into the world. In the Gospel readings for the first two Sundays of Christmas, Jesus is just a baby, but in the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus is a grown-up man. He comes to get baptized in the river Jordan. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. Wh

Matthew 2.13-15 , 19-23 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel reading this Sunday, we hear about trouble. Some strange visitors come to see Jesus. After they leave, the trouble begins. Trouble makes us feel uncomfortable. What does God do in times of trouble? Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you Jesus' family must leav

Matthew 1:18-24 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday, we light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath. The feast of Christmas is so near, the feast of Jesus the Light coming into the world. We know that Mary is Jesus' mother, and her husband's name is Joseph. On this Sunday, we hear how Joseph finds out—even before he marries Mary—that Jesus will soon be born. Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to

Matthew 11.2-11 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, this reflection focuses on the last line of the Gospel.) This Sunday we light the third candle of the Advent wreath. It is the pink  candle. Pink  is the colour for joy . We wonder—why joy ? Last Sunday, we heard John the Baptist prepare  the people of Israel for Jesus who comes. This Sunday, Jesus talks about John the Baptist. The people wonder if John the Baptist is a prophet. Jesus says, A prophet? Yes, I t

Matthew 3.1-12 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (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. However, the deeper reality, the reason why we repent is the essential point they need to hear, I think.) In the Gospel for this Sunday, we hear about John the Baptist who is a cousin of Jesus. John the Baptist prepares  the people of Israel for Jesus who comes. Jesus comes to speak ab

Matthew 24.37-44 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday involves images that are incomprehensible for little people. This reflection focuses on only the last verse and listens to the first reading from the prophet Isaiah.) This Sunday, the Church begins a new season. Each time the season changes, so does the colour. For weeks and weeks, the colour was green—the priests wore green, the banners in the church were green—but today everything

Luke 23.35-43 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, with 3-6 year olds we never mention Jesus' death without in the same breath proclaiming the Resurrection. Young children are not yet sinful, and the suffering of Jesus, the one they love, is horrific. We never leave the young child in the darkness—we always move to the reality of the light—we always proclaim the Good News.) This Sunday is a special feast day for Jesus. We call it the feast of Christ the King. Ch

Luke 21.5-19 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (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 old child. This reflection focuses on the first two verses and on the gift to God that endures, which ties into the last verse of this reading.) When we listen to the Word of God, we often hear about Jerusalem, the most holy city in Israel. Within Jerusalem, the most holy place is the T

John 2.13-25   (for the 3-6 yr old, just verses 13-16) Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover meal, the most holy  meal for the Jewish people. He goes to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover because Jerusalem is the most holy  city in Israel. It is holy  because on the highest hill is the Temple, and in the Temple is God. The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In

Luke 7.11-17 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday is a special day. We think in a particular way about people who died. We know a little bit about dying. We know that seeds fall to the ground and die. New life grows out of the death of those seeds. So we know that death is part of life. But what does Jesus know about death? Photo by Osama Khan on Unsplash As Jesus approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. Where are the people

Luke 18.9-14 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (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 how to be in right-relationship with God.) In the Word of God, we often hear about prayer. We know that prayer is listening to God and talking to God. We know that we can pray with our words and we can pray with our bodies, too. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells a parable about t

Luke 18:1-8 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, petitionary prayer is not natural to 3-6 year olds. Their prayer is characterized by thanksgiving and praise. This reflection focuses on how our lives can be prayer.) In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells us something about prayer. Some people say that prayer is "talking to God." That is true—prayer  can be  talking to God. But we have to wonder if prayer is only  talking to God. "Jesus told them a parable ab

Luke 17.11-19 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, we hear about ten people who are sick who ask...

Luke 17.5-10 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus' friends want him to give them something. We...

Luke 16.19-31 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, the parable in the Gospel for this Sunday does not have much to say to...

Luke 1 6:10-13 (full reading: Luke 16 .1-13 ) Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus speaks a...

John 3.1 3-17   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday is a feast day called the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In the...

Luke 14:25-33 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n So many times when we listen to the Bible, we hear about people following Jesus....

Luke 14:1, 7-14   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus eats a meal at the home of one of the...

Luke 13.22-30   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, for our youngest children, we spend time enjoying the relationship...

Luke 12:49-53 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, this reflection considers simply the first verse of the Gospel reading,...

Luke 12.32- 34   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n (Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday is quite long and involves concepts young...

Luke 12.13-21 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells a parable. We know that parables are...

Luke 11.1-13   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n Already we know that prayer is listening to God and talking to God. Already we...

Luke 10.38-42   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus visits two sisters—one named Martha, and...

Luke 10.25-37   Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n Often, when we listen to stories about Jesus in the Bible, we hear the word "...

Luke 10.1-9 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n We know that Jesus walks all around the land of Israel, spreading the good news...

Matthew 16.13- 19 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n Jesus and the disciples travel together for a long time. They spend so much...

Luke 9.11b-17   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Everywhere Jesus walks, people gather to listen to him speak about the Kingdom of...

John 16.12-15   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Deep in our hearts, we all want to know God. How can we know? Jesus helps. He tells...

Acts 2.1-11 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday is a new feast. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit . We call this...

Luke 24.44-53   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday is the seventh Sunday of the Easter season. For seven weeks, we celebrate...

John 14.23-29   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Here we are, still celebrating the great feast of Easter! Because it is our greatest...

John 13.1,31-33a, 34-35   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday, we celebrate the fifth Sunday of Easter. In this time of...

John 10.27-30   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter. We know...

John 21.1-19   Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday we celebrate the third Sunday of Easter. There will be seven Sundays...

John 20:19- 22    (full reading John 20:19-31) Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that early in the morning, after Jesus rises...

John 20:1-18 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that Jesus died on the cross and now he is Risen to new life, never to die...

Abbreviated reading for 3-6 year olds: Luke 22:14, 19-20   (f ull reading: Luke 22.14 - 23.56 ) Click here to listen to the Gospel and...

Abbreviated reading for 3-6 year olds ( full reading: John 8.1-11 ) Click here to listen to the Gospel and Reflection (Adults, the...

Luke 15.1-3, 11-32   Click here to listen to the Gospel and Reflection (Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday is the well-known parable of...

Luke 13:1-9   Click here to listen to the Gospel and Reflection (Adults, this reflection considers only the parable in verses 6-9. How...

Luke 9.28b-36   Click here to listen to the Gospel and Reflection In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus needs time to pray. He wants to...