Mary, Mother of God (Ages 6-9): Two Ways To Respond
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle before reading the reflection to your child. The quotations you could read directly from...
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The Better Part Podcast
Listen to weekly reflections prior to Sunday Mass!
Prayer
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...
35 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 22, 2022
- 3 min
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Who Are Our Eyes On?
(Adults, after you have settled yourselves, you could begin by listening to the full scripture passage. Alternatively, you could read the...
28 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 22, 2022
- 3 min
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): The Jesus Prayer
(You could begin by reading the scripture passage. Better yet, ask someone to read it to you. The Word of God is meant to be heard.) Luke...
37 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 14, 2022
- 3 min
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The One With the Power
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection, then...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 14, 2022
- 3 min
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Deeper Knowing
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Better yet, ask someone to read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 18:1-8 In the Gospel for...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 6, 2022
- 2 min
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Treasure of the Kingdom
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday is quite long and yet the first verses of the reading somehow get to the essential. We'll just focus...
21 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...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 21, 2022
- 3 min
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Persistent Prayer
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
20 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 21, 2022
- 4 min
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Just Ask! (and keep on asking)
(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.) Luke 11.1-13 In...
31 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 21, 2022
- 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...
16 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 12, 2022
- 4 min
2nd Sunday of Lent (Ages 6-9): Encounter
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
31 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 12, 2022
- 4 min
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...
18 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 4, 2022
- 3 min
1st Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Prayer in Preparation
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 4.1-13 On...
23 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 13, 2022
- 3 min
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Listen To His Voice
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 13, 2022
- 4 min
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): The Seventh Jar
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) John 2.1-12 The...
55 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 8, 2022
- 3 min
Baptism of the Lord (Ages 3-6): Let God Love
(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
- Jan 8, 2022
- 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...
28 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 8, 2022
- 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...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 29, 2021
- 4 min
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Treasure
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 10.2-16 The...
20 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 8, 2021
- 4 min
24th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): On Divine Things
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
11 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 1, 2021
- 4 min
23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Aside, In Private, Away From
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
35 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 11, 2021
- 4 min
Assumption of Mary (Ages 9-12): Soul Outpouring
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 1.39-56 This...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 15, 2021
- 4 min
16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Prayer and Compassion
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 6.30-34 Last...
35 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 4, 2021
- 2 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): A Place Set Apart
John 2.13-25 (for the 3-6 yr old, just verses 13-16) In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover...
37 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 3, 2021
- 2 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Private Time With God
Mark 1.29-39 Last week, we heard about Jesus at the synagogue on the Sabbath, the holy day of the week for the Jewish people. The Gospel...
30 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 3, 2021
- 4 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Seeking or Hunting?
Mark 1.29-39 Last week, we heard about Jesus at the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath day. His disciples, Simon and Andrew, James and...
27 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 3, 2021
- 4 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Intimate
Mark 1.29-39 Last week, we heard about Jesus ordering an unclean spirit out of a man at the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath day....
40 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 23, 2020
- 4 min
Feast of the Holy Family (Ages 9-12): The Holy Family of God
(You might choose to use this reflection instead, written about the same scripture passage, for the Feast of the Presentation in the...
20 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 14, 2020
- 3 min
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Praise God!
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
24 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 30, 2020
- 2 min
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...
42 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 16, 2020
- 3 min
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Who is this Landowner?
(Adults, the Gospel reading this week is a parable that I would not choose to share with 3-6 year olds who are not concerned with labour...
53 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 9, 2020
- 2 min
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Perfect and Even More than Perfect
(Adults, the Gospel reading this week is about mercy and forgiveness, both incommensurable gifts from God. The young child, not yet at...
21 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 5, 2020
- 4 min
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Problem solving
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
11 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 5, 2020
- 5 min
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): The Power of the Community
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 18.15-20 Jesus...
10 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 14, 2020
- 2 min
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Who Does Jesus Help?
(Adults, children of this age usually pray in thanksgiving and praise unless taught otherwise by adults. They enjoy a time of unwavering...
20 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Aug 14, 2020
- 3 min
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Eyes on Jesus
(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent reader.) Matthew 15.21-28 The Gospel this week...
32 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 20, 2020
- 2 min
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): To Reveal the Hidden
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 6-9 year olds (Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very...
14 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 23, 2020
- 3 min
Ascension Sunday (Ages 6-9): Not Another Death
Ascension Sunday, Year A 6-9 year olds (In Canada, on the 7th Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus. Adults,...
21 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 4, 2020
- 5 min
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...
29 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 1, 2020
- 3 min
Salvation and Light
Luke 2.22-40 Presentation of the Lord 6-9 year olds Today we are moving back in time it seems! You might have thought we had left the...
18 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 4, 2020
- 3 min
Forever changed
Matthew 2.1-12 EPIPHANY OF THE LORD – YEAR A 9-12 year olds In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise...
39 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 4, 2020
- 2 min
Gold and Frankincense
Matthew 2.1-12 EPIPHANY OF THE LORD – YEAR A 3-6 year olds We know that when Jesus was born, people came to visit him. God wanted people...
40 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 30, 2019
- 2 min
Come, Lord Jesus!
Matthew 24.37-44 1st Sunday of Advent, Year A 3-6 year olds Today is the beginning of a new season in the Church. Each time the season...
20 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 1, 2019
- 3 min
Seeing Jesus
Luke 19:1-10 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he...
31 views2 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 25, 2019
- 2 min
The Jesus Prayer
Luke 18.9-14 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Begin by reading this reflection. We know, because Jesus tells us, that our prayer...
13 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 25, 2019
- 3 min
Who are our eyes on?
Luke 18.9-14 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus tells a parable about how we should be when we pray....
30 views0 comments
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