25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Faithful and True
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday contains a parable that is difficult for both adults and children to understand. This reflection...
Holy Spirit
thebetterpart
- Aug 13
- 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 13
- 3 min
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): New Life
(Adults, this reflection considers simply the first two verses of the Gospel reading, but hopefully somehow captures Jesus' meaning.)...
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thebetterpart
- Jun 11
- 2 min
Trinity Sunday (Ages 6-9): All-in-All
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
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thebetterpart
- Jun 11
- 3 min
Trinity Sunday (Ages 9-12): One Step at a Time
(Begin by reading the Gospel. It is a short one, but you might ask someone to read it to you. The Word is better heard.) John 16.12-15 We...
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thebetterpart
- May 27
- 3 min
Ascension of the Lord (Ages 6-9): Promise
Luke 24.44-53 This Sunday we celebrate the last Sunday of the Easter season. For forty days following his Resurrection, Jesus appears to...
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thebetterpart
- May 21
- 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...
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thebetterpart
- May 21
- 2 min
Sixth Sunday of Easter (Ages 6-9): Before and After
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
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thebetterpart
- May 21
- 3 min
Sixth Sunday of Easter (Ages 9-12): Fruit of the Spirit
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. It is good to hear the Word of God.) John 14.23-29...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 30
- 6 min
3rd Sunday of Easter (Ages 9-12): Signs by the Sea
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 22
- 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...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 22
- 3 min
2nd Sunday of Easter (Ages 6-9): Peace and Forgiveness
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...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 22
- 4 min
2nd Sunday of Easter (Ages 9-12): Encounter
John 20.19-31 The Gospel for this week takes place the evening of the Resurrection. Only Mary Magdalene has encountered Jesus Risen from...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 16
- 3 min
Easter Sunday (Ages 9-12): Remember the Good News!
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...
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thebetterpart
- Feb 25
- 4 min
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Specks and Logs
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
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thebetterpart
- Feb 25
- 4 min
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Treasure and Fruit
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 8
- 4 min
Baptism of the Lord (Ages 6-9): The Power of Prayer
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 8
- 4 min
Baptism of the Lord (Ages 9-12): Soaking Up the Love
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Dec 17, 2021
- 3 min
4th Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): Knowing and Joy
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first two paragraphs of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with...
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thebetterpart
- Dec 17, 2021
- 3 min
4th Sunday of Advent (Ages 6-9): She Says Yes
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
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thebetterpart
- Dec 17, 2021
- 4 min
4th Sunday of Advent (Ages 9-12): At the Sound of Her Voice
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Dec 10, 2021
- 3 min
3rd Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): Our Joy
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Sep 15, 2021
- 4 min
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Ask a Good Question
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Aug 11, 2021
- 3 min
Assumption of Mary (Ages 3-6): Knowing and Joy
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. The Magnificat is long for little people, so you could stop reading...
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thebetterpart
- May 28, 2021
- 4 min
Trinity Sunday (Ages 9-12): The Great Gathering-in
(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...
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thebetterpart
- May 21, 2021
- 3 min
Pentecost (Ages 3-6): Together
(Adults, almost always, I focus exclusively on the Gospel reading; however, for the feast of Pentecost, I think it is important for the...
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thebetterpart
- May 21, 2021
- 4 min
Pentecost (Ages 6-9): Tongues, as of Fire
(Adults, almost always, I focus exclusively on the Gospel reading; however, for the feast of Pentecost, I think it is important for the...
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thebetterpart
- May 21, 2021
- 3 min
Pentecost (Ages 9-12): Each of Us
(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...
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thebetterpart
- May 13, 2021
- 3 min
Ascension of the Lord (Ages 9-12): Signs of the Spirit
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...
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thebetterpart
- May 6, 2021
- 2 min
6th Sunday of Easter (Ages 3-6): Living in Joy
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...
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thebetterpart
- May 6, 2021
- 2 min
6th Sunday of Easter (Ages 6-9): That Same Love
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...
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thebetterpart
- May 6, 2021
- 3 min
6th Sunday of Easter (Ages 9-12): Fruit of the Kingdom
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...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 8, 2021
- 2 min
2nd Sunday of Easter (Ages 3-6): From Fear to Joy
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...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 8, 2021
- 3 min
2nd Sunday of Easter (Ages 6-9): Peace and Forgiveness
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...
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thebetterpart
- Apr 8, 2021
- 5 min
2nd Sunday of Easter (Ages 9-12): Physical Beings
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...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 4, 2021
- 4 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 6-9): A Home for God
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...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 4, 2021
- 5 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): A Two-part Cleansing
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...
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thebetterpart
- Feb 18, 2021
- 3 min
1st Sunday of Lent (Ages 6-9): What Will We See?
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...
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thebetterpart
- Feb 18, 2021
- 3 min
1st Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Wilderness of Time
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,...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 27, 2021
- 2 min
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): God Astounds Us
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...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 14, 2021
- 3 min
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Where are you staying?
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...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 7, 2021
- 3 min
Baptism of the Lord (Ages 3-6): Loved by God
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...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 7, 2021
- 3 min
Baptism of the Lord (Ages 6-9): Sitting Down With People
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...
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thebetterpart
- Jan 7, 2021
- 3 min
Baptism of the Lord (Ages 9-12): Desire for God
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...
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thebetterpart
- Dec 23, 2020
- 3 min
Feast of the Holy Family (Ages 3-6): Revealing Jesus
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Dec 3, 2020
- 2 min
2nd Sunday of Advent (Ages 3-6): Good News!
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...
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thebetterpart
- Sep 9, 2020
- 3 min
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Perfecty-Perfect
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Aug 22, 2020
- 3 min
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Given to Peter, Given to Us
(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child.) Matthew 16.13-20 The Gospel for this Sunday occurs after the disciples have...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 25, 2020
- 3 min
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Trespassers in the Kingdom
(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...
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thebetterpart
- Jun 6, 2020
- 4 min
Trinity Sunday (Ages 9-12): The Syrup of God
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...
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