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After more than three years, something new!
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The Better Part Podcast
Listen to weekly reflections prior to Sunday Mass!
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Plan of God
thebetterpart
Dec 19, 20244 min read
4th Sunday of Advent (Ages 9-12): At The Sound of Her Voice
Luke 1.39-45 Â Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n This Sunday is the fourth and last Sunday of Advent. Soon we will celebrate our...
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thebetterpart
Sep 13, 20244 min read
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): On Divine Things
Mark 8:27-35 Â Â Listen here to the Gospel and Reflectio n In the Gospel last Sunday, we heard about Jesus healing the man who was deaf....
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thebetterpart
Jul 5, 20245 min read
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Prophet Like Him
Mark 6.1-6 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflection After several Sundays of hearing Jesus teach and travel around Israel, this Sunday we...
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thebetterpart
Mar 15, 20245 min read
5th Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Jesus' Vision
John 12.20-33 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflection The season of Lent can seem very long. We look forward to the celebration of...
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thebetterpart
Dec 29, 20234 min read
Feast of the Holy Family (Ages 6-9): Ordinary and Extraordinary
Luke 2.22-40 Click here to listen here to the Gospel and Reflection After a long Advent, the feast of Christmas has finally arrived! We...
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thebetterpart
Oct 6, 20234 min read
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The Plan of the Landowner
Matthew 21.33-43 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflection (Adults, the parable in this Sunday's Gospel is upsetting, to be followed by an...
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thebetterpart
Sep 1, 20234 min read
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): What Will They Give In Return For Their Life
Matthew 16.21-27 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflection Last week, we listened as Peter—a man with little faith—proclaims boldly that...
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thebetterpart
Jun 3, 20234 min read
Trinity Sunday (Ages 9-12): The Syrup of God
John 3.16-18 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday is Trinity Sunday and our Church asks us to stop and think for a while about...
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thebetterpart
Apr 1, 20235 min read
Passion Sunday (Ages 9-12): The Prayer of Jesus
Matthew 27:24-54 (full reading: Matthew 26.14 - 27.66) (Begin by reading the portion of the Gospel provided. Sometimes it is good to have...
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thebetterpart
Sep 3, 20224 min read
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Plans for the Kingdom
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Better yet, ask someone to read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 14:25-33 In the Gospel for...
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thebetterpart
Mar 12, 20224 min read
2nd Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Connect the Dots
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 9.28b-36 Every...
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thebetterpart
Dec 17, 20213 min read
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, 20214 min read
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
Nov 24, 20213 min read
1st Sunday of Advent (Ages 6-9): Lift Us Up
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
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thebetterpart
Oct 21, 20214 min read
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Living the Miracle
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 10.46-52 Often,...
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thebetterpart
Sep 29, 20214 min read
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Healing from God
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
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thebetterpart
Aug 18, 20214 min read
21st Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Spirit and Life
(Adults, the Bread of Life discourse concludes this week. It is complicated--for adults as well as for children :) You could begin by...
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thebetterpart
Aug 11, 20213 min read
Assumption of Mary (Ages 6-9): She Believes
(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
May 28, 20213 min read
Trinity Sunday (Ages 6-9): Sure of Love
(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent reader.) Matthew 28.16-20 For fifty days, we...
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thebetterpart
Apr 22, 20213 min read
Good Shepherd Sunday (Ages 6-9): The Gift that Gathers
John 10.11-18 (Adults, you could begin by reading the whole scripture passage to the child.) For many of us, the parable of the Good...
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thebetterpart
Mar 18, 20215 min read
5th Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Jesus' Vision
(If your parish is using the readings from year A, please click here for reflection.) John 12.20-33 We have been in the season of Lent...
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thebetterpart
Mar 10, 20215 min read
4th Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Time to Become
(If your parish is using the readings from year A, please click here for reflection.) John 3.14-21 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus...
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thebetterpart
Dec 23, 20204 min read
Feast of the Holy Family (Ages 6-9): Ordinary and Extraordinary
(Adults, you may want to use this reflection instead, written for the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, Feb. 2nd, 2020.) Luke...
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thebetterpart
Nov 12, 20204 min read
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Entrusted to Create
(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the...
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thebetterpart
Oct 28, 20203 min read
Feast of All Saints (Ages 3-6): Poor in Spirit
(Adults, you may have noticed that I keep converting "kingdom of heaven" to "kingdom of God." The phrase that is used in the Bible can be...
81 views0 comments
thebetterpart
Oct 28, 20204 min read
Feast of All Saints (Ages 6-9): Emptying and Filling
(Adults, you may have noticed that I keep converting "kingdom of heaven" to "kingdom of God." The phrase that is used in the Bible can be...
291 views0 comments
thebetterpart
Sep 30, 20202 min read
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Lord's Doing
(Adults, I don't mind saying that it was EXTREMELY difficult for me to find in this Sunday's Gospel the face of God that the youngest...
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thebetterpart
Sep 30, 20204 min read
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Fruit for Joy
(A warning this week: the parable in the Gospel is a difficult one. Read it first, or ask someone to read it to you. The Word is meant to...
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thebetterpart
Aug 29, 20204 min read
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): What Will They Give in Return for Their Life?
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 16.21-27 Last...
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thebetterpart
Jul 11, 20203 min read
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Preparing the Soil
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Better yet, have someone read it to you. This particular Gospel has some great visuals. Close your eyes and...
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thebetterpart
Jun 6, 20204 min read
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...
29 views0 comments
thebetterpart
Apr 4, 20205 min read
Passion (Palm) Sunday (Ages 9-12): The Prayer of Jesus
Passion Sunday, Year A 9-12 year olds (Begin by reading the portion of the Gospel provided. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it...
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thebetterpart
Mar 20, 20204 min read
4th Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Signs and Siloam
4th Sunday of Lent, Year A 9-12 year olds John 9.1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 (full reading: John 9.1-41) In the Gospel reading for this Sunday,...
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thebetterpart
Feb 29, 20204 min read
The Way of God
Matthew 4.1-11 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A 9-12 year olds On Wednesday, the church entered a new season called Lent, the time of...
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thebetterpart
Feb 29, 20203 min read
Gathered into Love
Matthew 4.1-11 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A 6-9 year olds We have entered a new season in the church called Lent, a time of preparation for...
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thebetterpart
Feb 29, 20202 min read
Listening Only to the Voice of God
Matthew 4.1-11 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A 3-6 year olds You will notice at church this week that the colour has changed! Instead of...
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thebetterpart
Feb 1, 20203 min read
Living the Law of the Lord
Luke 2.22-40 Presentation of the Lord 9-12 year olds This Sunday, February 2nd, is exactly 40 days after Christmas. (You can check this...
27 views0 comments
thebetterpart
Jan 11, 20203 min read
What is John the Baptist's problem?
Matthew 3.13-17 BAPTISM OF THE LORD – YEAR A 6-9 year olds We are coming to the end of the Christmas season. Most people think Christmas...
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thebetterpart
Dec 28, 20192 min read
Out of Egypt, I have called my Son
Matthew 2.13-15, 19-23 FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – YEAR 9-12 year olds Last week, we thought about...
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