26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): A Man Who Lost His Name
(Adults, the parable in the Gospel for this Sunday does not have much to say to 3-6 year olds who are asking, "Who are you, God?" and,...
Parables
thebetterpart
- Sep 21
- 2 min
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): We Have Been Named
(Adults, the parable in this Sunday's Gospel presents us with two very different people. With the 6-9 year old, we can consider which...
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thebetterpart
- Sep 21
- 4 min
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Holy Obligation
(Before reading the reflection, take a moment and read the Gospel, or better yet, have someone read it to you. The Good News is meant to...
16 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 10
- 2 min
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Good Shepherd Finds
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday includes all three lost and found parables. This reflection looks at only the first. Because the...
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thebetterpart
- Sep 10
- 3 min
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): For Love To Be Whole
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday includes all three lost and found parables. This reflection looks only the second. If you like,...
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thebetterpart
- Sep 10
- 5 min
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): The Father Forgives
(The Gospel for this Sunday includes all three lost and found parables. This reflection looks only the third.) Luke 15:11-24 (full...
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thebetterpart
- Aug 27
- 3 min
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The Right Order of Things
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel to your child.) Luke 14:1, 7-14 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus and his friends are...
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thebetterpart
- Aug 27
- 2 min
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): We Are Invited
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Better yet, ask someone to read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 14:1, 7-14 In the Gospel...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 30
- 2 min
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Abundantly
(Adults, we think of covenant relationship with God in terms of God's gift and our response. With young children, we focus on the gift so...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 30
- 3 min
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Possessions or Gift?
(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
- Jul 30
- 3 min
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Right and Just
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 12.13-21 The...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 9
- 3 min
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): The Name of God is Mercy
(Adults, this is a moral parable and 3-6 year olds do not need this yet! They simply need time to enjoy falling in love with God. We will...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 9
- 3 min
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): How to Love
(Adults, it would be good to begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. The parable is beat when heard all at once. The reflection...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 9
- 4 min
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Who Would Jesus Choose?
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 10.25-37 The...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 25
- 4 min
4th Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): Who Is God Like?
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday is the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son. We can call it, though, the parable of the Forgiving...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 25
- 5 min
4th Sunday of Lent (Ages 6-9): No Matter What
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
20 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 25
- 6 min
4th Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Our Family
(Begin by reading the parable in this Sunday's Gospel. It is so good—should be heard all at once and not broken up as it is in this...
18 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 17
- 2 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): The Good Gardener
(Adults, this reflection considers only the parable in verses 6-9. How does your child answer the questions? It is difficult for us not...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 17
- 3 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 6-9): Poor Fig Tree
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
34 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 17
- 3 min
3rd Sunday of Lent (Ages 9-12): Unless and Until
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 13:1-9 The Gospel...
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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...
29 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 12, 2021
- 3 min
11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Marvellous Growth
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
44 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 12, 2021
- 3 min
11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The Grace of God
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
26 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 12, 2021
- 5 min
11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Blastano!
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 4.26-34 At long...
34 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Mar 18, 2021
- 3 min
5th Sunday of Lent (Ages 3-6): A Grain of Wheat
(If your parish is using the readings from year A, please click here for reflection.) John 12.20-33 (for the 3-6 yr old, simply verse 24)...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 18, 2021
- 3 min
5th Sunday of Lent (Ages 6-9): Possibility of More
(If your parish is using the readings from year A, please click here for reflection.) John 12.20-33 For many weeks of Lent we have been...
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thebetterpart
- Mar 18, 2021
- 5 min
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
- Nov 18, 2020
- 3 min
Feast of Christ the King (Ages 3-6): The Shepherd Who is King
(Adults, this reflection attempts to help the child answer the question "Who are you, God? It also tries to help them answer for...
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thebetterpart
- Nov 18, 2020
- 3 min
Feast of Christ the King (Ages 6-9): Helping the Least, Serving the King
(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the...
41 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 18, 2020
- 3 min
Feast of Christ the King (Ages 9-12): Sheep and Goats
(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.) Matthew 25.31-46...
34 views1 comment
thebetterpart
- Nov 12, 2020
- 3 min
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Into the Joy
(Adults, there are two versions of the Gospel for this Sunday. I have provided the shorter version here. You could begin by reading the...
77 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 12, 2020
- 6 min
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Into the Heart of God
(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.) Matthew 24.36;...
61 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 7, 2020
- 2 min
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Invited to the Celebration!
(Adults, once again, this is a difficult Gospel to share with little ones. There are frightening images. But if we strip the parable...
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thebetterpart
- Oct 7, 2020
- 3 min
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Who Wouldn't Come?
(Adults, here we are again with a difficult parable! For the 6-9 year old, who is beginning an exploration of the moral life, this...
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thebetterpart
- Oct 7, 2020
- 5 min
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Kingdom Clothing
(Another warning this week! The parable in the Gospel is another difficult one. Read it through first, or ask someone to read it to you....
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thebetterpart
- Sep 30, 2020
- 4 min
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...
24 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 23, 2020
- 3 min
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Saying and Doing the Will
(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
- 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 16, 2020
- 3 min
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Everyone is Needed
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
43 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 16, 2020
- 5 min
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): An Abundance of Joy
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 20.1-16 In the...
43 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 25, 2020
- 2 min
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Together with the Pearl
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
22 views0 comments
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
- Jul 25, 2020
- 4 min
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Kingdom Living
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 13.44-52 In...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 18, 2020
- 3 min
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): What Does Jesus Want Us to Know?
(Adults, the Gospel this week is quite long and considers three of Jesus' parables. This reflection focuses on the parable that is...
45 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 18, 2020
- 4 min
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Weeds to Strengthen the Wheat?
(Adults, begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child, unless the child is a very fluent reader. It is a long Gospel, and a little...
31 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 18, 2020
- 4 min
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Three Measures
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 13.24-43 For...
42 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 11, 2020
- 3 min
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Who is this Sower?
(Adults, the reflection is about the short version of this Sunday's Gospel. You might choose not to read the Gospel to the child before...
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thebetterpart
- Jul 11, 2020
- 4 min
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): We Will Listen
(Adults, the reflection is about the short version of this Sunday's Gospel. There is a great visual in this Gospel, so you might invite...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 11, 2020
- 3 min
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
- Jan 25, 2020
- 3 min
The people who...?...have seen a great light
Matthew 4.12-23 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A 9-12 year olds The Gospel this week begins with disturbing news. John the Baptist...
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