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31st Sunday of Year B

CATHOLIC KIDS BULLETIN

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SERMONS 4 KIDS

RULES TO LIVE BY

Objects suggested: A familiar board game with rules

Do you enjoy playing games? (Pause for responses, and invite children to shout out their favorite games.)

I especially enjoy getting together with family or friends and playing games. Sometimes we play card games or board games. This is one of the games I like to play. (Show the game.) Before we play, we always explain the rules so everyone will know how to play the game. (Invite kids to share some of the rules to the game you showed them.)

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RELATED ACTIVITIES

Crossword
Coloring Page
Word Search

SOURCE: SERMONS 4 Kids – All Rights Reserved; Video added by SermonPrep.org

SERMONS 4 KIDS

GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Objects suggested: A poster with “Classroom Rules”

I imagine that most of you have seen a list of rules like this in your classroom at school. One day last week I walked through the school and every classroom I walked into had a list of rules on the wall. Even though there were some slight differences, most of them said pretty much the same thing. They said things like:

If you were to ask me which classroom rule is most important, I know what I would say. I would say that the most important rule is to respect and obey your teacher and the second is very much like it — be kind and show respect for your fellow students. If we would just follow those two rules, there really wouldn’t be a need for any more.

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SOURCE: SERMONS 4 Kids – All Rights Reserved; Video added by SermonPrep.org

SERMON WRITER

HARD TIMES

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Objects suggested: None

You all look like happy children, but I think we all, at some time, experience difficult things. Most adults can look back on their lives and remember hard times. Some adults have dealt with illness; some have had to work very hard to provide for their families. Others may have experienced the loss of a loved one. (The lesson could be expanded here by inviting someone who has overcome adversity to share an uplifting account of that experience.)

You may not have experienced those types of hard times, but perhaps you have felt frightened, sad or discouraged. Let’s see what we can find in today’s lesson that might be helpful when that happens.

The nation of Israel had experienced hard times and the prophet, Jeremiah, reminds them of God’s goodness. He tells them that they will be cared for like a “watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more…” (31:12). We also read that God will “turn their mourning (sadness) into joy and…comfort them…”(31:13).

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SOURCE: Sermon Writer: Children’s Sermons – All Rights Reserved | © 1997-2020 Richard Niell Donovan; Video added by SermonPrep.org

SERMON WRITER

THE WHOLE THING

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Objects suggested: A beautifully wrapped box that contains small gifts for the children. Include a card as suggested below.

I have prepared a gift for some special young friends of mine. This card, as you can see, is so beautiful that I’m wondering if I should give the card to my friends instead of the gift. The card says, “You are special and I’m glad you’re my friend. Shall I give the card and keep the gift? You obviously think that is not a good idea.

How about if I give the card and this bow? The bow is large and tied from beautiful satin ribbon. Don’t you think my friends would like having this bow? Oh, you don’t think that is a good idea either?

Okay, how about if I give my friends the card, the bow, the beautiful wrapping paper and the box that holds the gift. That seems quite generous to me. You don’t think so?

SOURCE: Sermon Writer: Children’s Sermons – All Rights Reserved | © 1997-2020 Richard Niell Donovan; Video added by SermonPrep.org

SERMON WRITER

FIRST OF ALL

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Objects suggested: None

I’m going to ask you a difficult question. What is love? I’m very interested in your ideas.

Yes, love is when you like someone a lot. Love is when you care for someone so much you want to make sure they have what they need. You want to keep them from harm.

Perhaps it would help to think about whom you love. Yes, you love your parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, your pet, friends and other family members.

Then there are certain things we say we love like ice cream, a teddy bear or a special blanket. We say we love to do certain things such as dancing, reading, playing ball, digging in the dirt, running or going to the park.

There are lots of people we love and many things we love to do. Love is a very deep feeling that is hard to describe, but we know when we feel it, don’t we?

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SOURCE: Sermon Writer: Children’s Sermons – All Rights Reserved | © 1997-2020 Richard Niell Donovan; Video added by SermonPrep.org

SERMON WRITER

A DIFFERENT WAY OF SEEING

By Dr. Dan Wuori

Objects suggested: None

Today I thought we might talk a little bit about rules. We have rules in so many different parts of our lives – there are rules for driving our cars and rules at our jobs. I bet there are rules in your classrooms at school, aren’t there? Tell me a few of them. (Solicit children’s responses.)

Those sound like awfully good rules. Why do you think your teachers made those rules? Is there a reason that rules are important? (Solicit children’s responses.)

That’s right, rules are a way of making sure that everyone is treated in the right way. We have rules that are designed to protect our safety, and rules to protect our things, and sometimes even rules to protect our feelings.

I asked about rules today, because our Gospel reading is about them. In the bible we read about many different rules, but the ones that are most important have a special name: commandments. Commandments are the rules that God has set for us. In the Old Testament, Moses receives a whole list of commandments. Do you remember how many? (Ten.)

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SOURCE: Sermon Writer: Children’s Sermons – All Rights Reserved | © 1997-2020 Richard Niell Donovan; Video added by SermonPrep.org

31st Sunday of Year B

CATHOLIC KIDS BULLETIN

Recent Issues

Teacher and mom, THERESA, creates Kids’ Bulletins, a resource for Catholic kids about the readings for Sunday’s Mass every week. More resources from Theresa can be found at Teachers Pay Teachers website. Click on image/text to download entire bulletin for your children.

Society of Christian Doctrine

Speak, Lord — Sunday Worksheet

SDC is a society of lay catechists that started in Malta in 1907. Worksheets can be downloaded and printed for use during Sunday Mass or handed out to children at school prior to the weekend. They are also used by parents who download them to use with their children at home.

DIOCESE OF SALFORD

Wordsearch

Feel free to copy and paste it into your parish publications.

Clipart  © McCrimmons used with permission. All rights reserved; Text  © 2018 Diocese of Salford Office for Liturgy

CATHOLIC MOM

Unscramble the Verse Puzzle

Gospel Reading, Sunday Coloring Page,Lesson Plans, Mass Worksheets, Crossword Puzzle, Word Search

31st Sunday of Year B

YOUNG CATHOLICS

This Week’s Resources

The readings for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B help us think of God’s commandments and if we are following them just in our heads or also in our hearts. In the first reading Moses tells the people to love God above all else. The second reading Paul tells us that the priesthood of Jesus is eternal. And in the gospel, Jesus commends the man who accepted the Great Commandment.

SOURCE: Young Catholics: Posts related to upcoming Sunday Mass readings and feast days for saints

OBJECT LESSON

Love the Lord Your God with All Your Heart, Mind, and Soul

Family Activities

SOURCE: Our Sunday Visitor: Lifelong Catechesis

FEATURED SONG

Love the Lord Your God

ADORERS OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

Love

Activity: St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians helps us to understand how we are live with God as the most important part in our life and how we are to love others as ourselves. He says: “Love is patient; Love is kind. It is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrong but delights in the truth.” Using the attached work sheet, write your name into the blanks. Wouldn’t it be great if this is how everyone saw you and remembered you?! (The kids may need some help understanding some of the words.)

SOURCE: Children’s Liturgy

FEATURED VIDEO

The Greatest Commandment

Word Sunday

Love

Children’s Readings

Opening Question: Who is one of the most important persons in your life? How do you show them respect?

In the story for the first reading, James was depressed over a loss in the soccer championship, but it was God who reminded him that he loved the player who was just having a bad day. We, like James, are to love the Lord in return.

Bridging Question: Bridge Questions: Who do you respect? How do they respect you?

In the story for the gospel, Sandra learned the meaning of the Great Commandment when she stopped saying, “If you like me, you’ll do this for me,” to “What would you like to do?”

Closing Question: How can I show God respect? How can I show others I respect them?

Television As a Window to Your Neighbor

Who is my neighbor? Luke’s gospel turned Mark’s account of the Great Commandment into a question of identity. Who are we to really love? Read Luke 10:25-37, then watch television to recognize those who we care for: the outcast, the sinner, the hated.

SOURCE: Word-Sunday.com All materials found in word-sunday.com are the property of Larry Broding (©1999-2021). Viewers may copy any material found in these pages for their personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry. Materials may not be sold or used for personal financial gain.

RECOMMENDED: Resources for Catholic Educators

31st Sunday of Year B

SUNDAY CONNECTION

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

GRADES 4-6

Materials Needed: a tripod

1. Show the group the tripod and show them how to set it up. Ask: Will the tripod stand with just one leg? with two? (No.) Say: All three legs of the tripod are required to make it stand.Next show the group what happens if you try to set up the tripod without setting the legs to equal lengths. Ask: If one or more of the legs of the tripod is shorter than the others, will the tripod stand straight? (No.) Will this tripod work well if it isn’t straight? (No.) Of course not. In order to make this stand up straight and balanced, all three legs must work together.
2. Say: Jesus is asked a question in today’s Gospel about which of the God’s commandments is greatest. His answer reminds me of this tripod, which needs three legs to be balanced. Many of us will find this Gospel very familiar.
3. Invite one or more volunteers to read today’s Gospel, Mark 12:28b-34.

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SOURCE: SUNDAY CONNECTION (LOYOLA PRESS) – All Rights Reserved

THE LITURGY CENTRE

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

8-12 Year Olds

A good place to begin is with the question: What did you hear? Allow children the opportunity to respond in their own words to hearing the Word of God. When each has had an opportunity to speak you might begin general discussion by building on to their responses, perhaps using some prepared questions, like the following, to stimulate ideas:

• Refer to the chart/s you have on the focus table and ask the children to share some of the things that they know “off by heart”. ( songs, times tables, alphabet, poem, table manners, rules for games…)
• Then ask what is useful about knowing some things “off by heart”. (trains your memory, helps you to read, play, do maths or other difficult tasks more easily, work things out in your head without needing paper, helps you to do good things automatically)
• Today’s Gospel clearly tells us how to love and serve God. “With all your heart, and with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” and “Love your neighbour as yourself”. If we do this then we are living exactly the way that God wants
• In fact this commandment is so important that people sometimes refer to it as the “golden rule” Why do you think they might have given it that name? If we can concentrate on following this teaching how simple everything becomes. Renewing our intention to live in this way at the beginning and end of each day is a good way forward.
• So we are going to try learning this golden commandment that was first given to Moses, for the people of Israel, then later given by Jesus, to all his followers, as a new way of life, “off by heart”. Practice the following words and actions with the children, then use it prayerfully as the Liturgical Action. This can be sung to the tune of “London’s Burning”

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SOURCE: the Liturgy Centre, Catholic Diocese of Auckland

The Feast of All Saints

Cute simple story about an unusual friendship! Please join us for a dramatic read of Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry read by Miss Jill.

The Butterfly Seeds

This is a story of great excitement coupled with sadness of being separated from someone you love. Jake is excited about the adventure of going to a new country (America) but is torn by the fact that his grandfather, whom he loves deeply, will not be traveling to America with him. His grandfather promises him some “magic seeds” that will draw all kinds of beautiful butterflies, Jake’s favorite creatures, to his new home in America. The story is very appropriate for the celebration of All Saint and All Souls, as we recall those who love us from above. The Butterfly Seeds is an exquisite story to use for the Feast of All Saints since the butterfly is also a symbol of resurrected life and hope.

Virtue of the Week

Hope

Reading I: Revelations 7:2-4, 9-14

This particular passage is addressed to a people who are anticipating persecution and possible martyrdom. Although highly symbolic in its language, this passage seeks to offer encouragement and hope. The hope that it offers is of future vindication. This is a fitting reading for the Feast of All Saints because it speaks to all who are in the midst of struggle. This is a feast that celebrates the saints who have arrived and persevered through their struggles and the saints (that’s us) presently in the midst of struggles. It is indeed a feast for all, including those living now and those who have gone forth to everlasting life.

Reading 2: 1 John 3:1-3

Saint John’s letter is indeed a letter that sends a message of hope as it reminds us of God’s ever-present and everlasting love for us. God’s love for us is made abundantly clear in our identification as God’s children. As we live now, we cannot understand the true magnitude of God’s love for us.

Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12a

This section of Saint Matthew’s gospel is referred to most often as The Beatitudes. This passage is very important for those who wish to be followers of Jesus Christ. The Beatitudes, along with the 10 Commandments, comprise guidelines for Kingdom living that outlines the virtues of a disciple. This passage speaks of the hope that will be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. The same hope that encouraged the saints before us continues to encourage us today.

SOURCE: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University; “Build. Plant. Grow.” = a free faith formation resource which aligns with the Liturgical Year of the Roman Catholic Church. The accompanying video is NOT associated with Markkula Center.

ACTIVITY of the Week

Hanging Onto Hope, Saying Good-Bye to Bullying

Step One: Using a search engine such as Google, find “butterfly cutout free.” Choose a cut out large enough so students can paste pictures of saints on the wings (The pictures of the saints can also be found with the use of a search engine (images)).

Step Two: The students will do the search for various pictures of some of the saints and will choose the image of the saints they wish to paste to their butterfly’s wings.

Step Three: Have each student present their butterfly and the saints that adorn their butterfly’s wings to the class.

Step Four: Use a section of the classroom wall or a large bulletin board to construct a barren tree with brown construction paper. The students can then decorate with their “saintly” butterflies.

DOWNLOAD LESSON (PDF)

SOURCE: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University; “Build. Plant. Grow.” = a free faith formation resource which aligns with the Liturgical Year of the Roman Catholic Church. The accompanying video is NOT associated with Markkula Center.

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