The Better Part

(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) John 21.1-19 On this...

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...

John 20.19-31 The Gospel this week takes place on Sunday evening, the same day that Jesus rises from the dead, so full of the Risen Life...

John 20.19-31 The Gospel for this week takes place the evening of the Resurrection. Only Mary Magdalene has encountered Jesus Risen from...

Luke 24.1-12 At the end of the Gospel reading last Sunday, after Jesus' dead body is wrapped in linen cloths and put into a tomb, we...

(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...

(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 6:39-45 For the...

(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...

(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 3.15-16, 21-22 At...

(Adults, you could begin by reading the first two paragraphs of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with...

(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...

(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 1.39-45 This...

(Adults, in the Gospel for this Sunday the people ask John what they must do to prepare. For the youngest children, it is not important...

(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 9.30-37 In the...

(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. The Magnificat is long for little people, so you could stop reading...

(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 28.16-20 We...

(Adults, almost always, I focus exclusively on the Gospel reading; however, for the feast of Pentecost, I think it is important for the...

(Adults, almost always, I focus exclusively on the Gospel reading; however, for the feast of Pentecost, I think it is important for the...

(The Gospel for Pentecost is John 15.26-27; 16.12-15. Usually, I focus exclusively on the Gospel reading; however, for the feast of...

Mark 16.15-20 We are reaching the end of the forty-nine days of the Easter season and soon will be celebrating the coming of the Holy...

John 15.9-17 We have been thinking about what Jesus says about himself. Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd who gives his life for the...

John 15.9-17 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus continues the parable of the True Vine. Last week, we thought about Jesus' invitation...

John 15.9-17 The Gospel for this Sunday picks up where it ended last Sunday. Jesus continues the parable of the True Vine. We hear...

John 20.19-31 Last week, on Easter Sunday, we heard about Jesus full of his Risen life, calling Mary Magdalene by name, so that she would...

John 20.19-31 The Gospel this week takes place on Sunday evening, the same day that Jesus is Risen from the dead, filled with the eternal...

John 20.19-31 The Gospel for this week takes place the evening of the Resurrection. In the morning, people discover that Jesus' body is...

John 2.13-25 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, the most holy city in Israel, to celebrate the Passover meal, the...

John 2.13-25 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Each year at the time of Jesus, the...

Mark 1.12-15 We have entered a new season in the church called Lent, a time of preparation for the great feast of Easter. At Easter, we...

Mark 1.12-15 On Wednesday, the church entered a new season called Lent, the time of preparation for the great feast of Easter. At Easter,...

Mark 1.21-28 Last week we thought about the voice of the Good Shepherd. We know that it is good to follow the voice of Jesus. In the...

John 1.35-42 Last week, the Gospel took place by the Jordan River at Jesus' baptism. The Gospel for this Sunday takes place the very next...

Mark 1.7-11 We are still celebrating the feast of Christmas! This is the last of the 3 Sundays celebrating the light coming into the...

Mark 1.7-11 We are coming to the end of the Christmas season, but we are still celebrating! Most people think Christmas ends on December...

Mark 1.7-11 At the close of the Christmas season, we leave the secret years of Jesus' childhood behind and join the grown-up Jesus in the...

(Adults, when reading this to the child, omit verses 34 and 35, the verses in red parentheses. Also, you may want to use this reflection...

Mark 1.1-8 We are in the season of Advent, the time when we prepare for the feast of Christmas, the feast of the Light coming into the...

(Adults, the Gospel reading this week includes both a maxim (vv. 21-22) of Jesus and a parable (vv. 23-35). The parable requires quite a...

(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child.) Matthew 16.13-20 The Gospel for this Sunday occurs after the disciples have...

(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent reader.) Matthew 13.44-52 In the Gospel for...

Trinity Sunday, Year A 9-12 year olds (Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is...

Pentecost, Year A 3-6 year olds (Adults, the Gospel for Pentecost is John 20.19-23, the same as the 2nd Sunday of Easter. This reflection...

Pentecost, Year A 6-9 year olds (Adults, the Gospel for Pentecost is John 20.19-23, the same as the 2nd Sunday of Easter. This reflection...

Pentecost, Year A 9-12 year olds (The Gospel for Pentecost is John 20.19-23, the same as the 2nd Sunday of Easter. This reflection will...

6th Sunday of Easter, Year A 3-6 year olds (Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could...

6th Sunday of Easter, Year A 6-9 year olds (Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent...

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year A 6-9 year olds (Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent...

2nd Sunday of Easter 3-6 year olds (Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the...

2nd Sunday of Easter, Year A 6-9 year olds (Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent...

2nd Sunday of Easter, Year A 9-12 year olds (Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word...