33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Into the Heart of God
Matthew 24.36; 25.14-30 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflection In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells us another parable. It is...
top of page
After more than three years, something new!
​
The Better Part Podcast
Listen to weekly reflections prior to Sunday Mass!
​
Discipleship
thebetterpart
- Sep 1
- 3 min
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Peter's Choice
Matthew 16.21-27 Listen here to the Gospel and Reflection Last Sunday, we heard Peter say boldly that Jesus is the Messiah, the One...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 1
- 4 min
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...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 7
- 2 min
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Ploughing Together
Matthew 11.25-30 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus speaks of carrying burdens. He knows people...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 1
- 2 min
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Comfortable in Our Home
Matthew 10.37-42 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Last Sunday we heard Jesus tell the disciples that they are more special than...
14 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 1
- 3 min
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The Right Order of Loving
Matthew 10.37-42 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Last Sunday, when we heard Jesus preparing his disciples to go out to teach about...
11 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 1
- 2 min
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Welcoming and Being Welcomed
Matthew 10.37-42 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection Last Sunday, when we heard Jesus preparing his disciples to go out to teach, we...
16 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 24
- 3 min
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Acknowledged
Matthew 10.26-33 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection This Sunday, we hear Jesus preparing his disciples to go out into the world to...
14 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 17
- 3 min
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Gifts for Kingdom Work
Matthew 9.36 - 10.8 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection During Jesus' time on earth, he speaks often about the Kingdom of God. He shows...
11 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 20
- 2 min
Ascension Sunday (Ages 3-6): Disciples
Matthew 28.16-20 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that after Jesus dies and rises to new life, never to die again, he spends...
21 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 20
- 3 min
Ascension Sunday (Ages 6-9): Not Another Death
Matthew 28.16-20 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection On Ascension Sunday, or the Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate the moment in...
16 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 20
- 3 min
Ascension Sunday (Ages 9-12): I-With You-Am
Matthew 28.16-20 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection On Ascension Sunday, or the Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate the moment in...
9 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 2
- 3 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Salt and Saltiness
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first...
71 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 2
- 3 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): A City Built On A Hill
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Better yet, ask someone to read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Matthew 5:13-16 In the Gospel...
46 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 20
- 2 min
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Why Do They Follow?
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could read the first...
30 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 20
- 4 min
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): They Have To Go See
(Adults, you could begin by lighting a candle and reading the Word of God to your child. Alternatively, you could simply read the...
21 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Dec 31, 2022
- 4 min
Mary, Mother of God (Ages 9-12): At The Threshold
(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...
14 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 1, 2022
- 3 min
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Not For Thanks
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Better yet, ask someone to read it to you. Close your eyes and just let the words fall over you. What do...
25 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 21, 2022
- 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...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 21, 2022
- 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...
19 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 16, 2022
- 2 min
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Faithful in the Very Little
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday contains a difficult moral parable that really does not apply to our 3-6-year-olds! But then Jesus...
19 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 3, 2022
- 3 min
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Disciples Follow
(Adults, the Gospel for this Sunday deals with the cost of discipleship. Three years ago I decided that I could not write a reflection...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 3, 2022
- 3 min
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The Building Group
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel to your child.) Luke 14:25-33 In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus looks out at the large...
11 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 3, 2022
- 4 min
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...
14 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jul 15, 2022
- 2 min
16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Together With Jesus
(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
- Jul 15, 2022
- 3 min
16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Focusing
(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
- Jul 15, 2022
- 3 min
16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Head and Heart
(I am considering this Sunday the feast day of this website. When you read the Gospel, you will know why. The whole Gospel is included in...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 29, 2022
- 3 min
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Peace and Joy
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
18 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 29, 2022
- 4 min
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Living Vocation
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 10.1-12, 17-20 In...
14 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 25, 2022
- 3 min
13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Taken Up
(Adults, for the 6-9 year old, I consider simply the first five verses of the Gospel reading. You could begin by reading these verses...
11 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 25, 2022
- 4 min
13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Vocation
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 9.51-62 In the...
15 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jun 11, 2022
- 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...
6 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 27, 2022
- 4 min
Ascension of the Lord (Ages 9-12): Everything Must Be Fulfilled
Luke 24.44-53 We are reaching the end of the forty-nine days of the Easter season and soon will be celebrating the coming of the Holy...
15 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- May 13, 2022
- 2 min
Fifth Sunday of Easter (Ages 6-9): Love This Way
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
36 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 30, 2022
- 5 min
3rd Sunday of Easter (Ages 6-9): Abundance, Mercy, Matter
(Adults, you could begin by reading the Gospel aloud to the child. Alternatively, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to...
32 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Apr 22, 2022
- 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...
12 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 10, 2022
- 3 min
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Level is the Kingdom
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
27 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 10, 2022
- 4 min
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Blessed Are You Prophets
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 6:17, 20-26 The...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 4, 2022
- 3 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Abundance
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Feb 4, 2022
- 4 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Noticed
(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
- Feb 4, 2022
- 4 min
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Work Enough For All
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 5.1-11 In the...
23 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 28, 2022
- 4 min
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Prophets Along the Way
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Luke 4.21-30 Last week...
22 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Jan 13, 2022
- 3 min
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): The Mother of Jesus Knows
(Adults, you could begin by reading the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the...
25 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
- Nov 4, 2021
- 3 min
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 6-9): Math With Jesus
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
17 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Nov 4, 2021
- 4 min
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): At the Temple
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 12.38-44 In the...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 14, 2021
- 4 min
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): Sharing in His Mission
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 10.35-45 As Jesus...
32 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 6, 2021
- 2 min
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Treasure
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
38 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Oct 6, 2021
- 4 min
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ages 9-12): God Alone
(Begin by reading the Gospel. Sometimes it is good to have someone read it to you. The Word is meant to be heard.) Mark 10.17-30 In the...
39 views0 comments
thebetterpart
- Sep 22, 2021
- 3 min
26th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Ages 3-6): Close to Jesus
(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)...
37 views0 comments
bottom of page