WK2 of preparation for our children’s first Communion
The story-line: a boy, a lunch sack filled with 5 loaves and two fish. The boy’s mom packs a lunch, and he goes off to hear Jesus preach. We know the rest of the Gospel story; we’ve heard it many times: exhausted and hungry people turn to Jesus for some relief, and they cry out: “We are hungry!” His disciples freak out wondering, how are we going to feed all these people? The story continues, the boy with the lunch sack in hand approaches Jesus with the sincere desire to share his lunch. Jesus accepts the gift of loaves and fishes, gives thanks, blesses, breaks and shares. The people are feed, and there are lots of leftovers. The Gospel Story of the loaves and the fishes can be found in all four Gospels.
And so it happened in the SCORE classroom with the reading from the Gospel according to Luke. Crossing our foreheads, lips and heart we prayed: May the word of God be in mind, on my lips and end my heart. The children were asked to listen to a word that Jesus is telling them from the Gospel story. The children “broke open” the Scriptures and shared their word(s): Share, Bread, Poor, Hungry, Jesus, Help, Life,
- Read together the Gospel for the 4th Sunday of Lent. Begin with signing the cross on your forehead, on your lips and in your heart asking: “May our words of God be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart.” Sunday’s Gospel, The Prodigal Son, invites us to hear a father’s love and mercy for his son. Lk 15:1-3, 11-32. Invite your child to listen for words and phrases, and share the word(s) with each other. When I listen to the Gospel, I hear: Mercy, Compassion.
- The children have a perfect opportunity “to practice” processing for Communion, as well as approaching the Table with reverence. Remind your child, when approaching the Eucharistic Ministers, place his/her arms cross their chest for a blessing.
May Lent 2016, renew within us a deeper awareness of the Risen Christ present in our humble gifts of Bread and Wine, and within us as we gather to give praise and thanks to our God. As we draw closer to Easter, and to our child’s first experience of Eucharist, may our hearts and minds be opened to experience the abundance of God’s grace.
Categories: Sacramental Preparation