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On Ash Wednesday, March 2, millions of Catholics throughout the world will gather to begin the season of Lent, a solemn period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that will prepare us for the Easter celebration. When we receive these ashes, we are reminded that “we are dust and to dust we shall return.” This is a ritual in which we are invited to look inside and discover that we need God’s mercy.
Ash Wednesday is an obligatory day of fasting for people ages 18–59. A person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. It is also a day of abstinence on which we refrain from eating meat.
May we embrace this period of introspective preparation for Easter with an open heart. May we also look outwards to those who need us the most.
Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and links to many online resources.
Videos of the Sunday Gospel (Luke 6:39–45)
Use these videos as you discuss the Sunday Gospel. Please preview all videos you plan to share with your class:
Gospel Readings for Kids
Holy Heroes
Luke 6:39–45 Text Animation
8th Sunday Gospel Illustration: Judging Others
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Good people do good actions.
For this lesson, you will need scissors, crayons, and a Church Year calendar. We suggest you separate pages 1–2 from 3–4 in anticipation for the cutting activity “Jesus’ Basket of Loving Actions” on page 4. After separating the pages before your session, make the cuts in the basket on page 1 by folding and cutting on the vertical lines. This cut may be hard for preschoolers to make. Still, it is a good idea to have an aide to assist with this activity.
On page 4, there is a Loving Actions Chart to take home. Prepare a little note for parents suggesting that they encourage their child to help, share, and use kind words at home, and that they register those loving actions in the chart. Remind them that March 2 is Ash Wednesday, and invite them to attend church to receive ashes. Don’t forget to include the times when ashes will be distributed at your parish.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Weekly Gospel Video and Saint of the Week
Bible Bag Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
Promise
Lesson Theme: God’s goodness grows in our hearts.
Supplies you will need for this lesson include pencils; crayons; craft sticks or pencils; small white paper plates; glue, tape, or a stapler; and Church Year calendar.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus compares a person’s actions with the fruit of a tree. Explain to the children that just as a good tree grows good fruit, a good person chooses to do good things through kind and loving choices.
The What the Church Believes and Teaches doctrine connection relates the sinful choice of Adam and Eve to the choices the children can make and identifies disobeying God as a sin. The children will recognize that obeying God makes us happy and disobeying God makes us sad. The children will make small white paper plates into happy and sad face signs with which the children will “vote” whether an action will make them happy or sad. If your time is limited, you may do this activity without the paper plates. The children can “vote” with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down gesture instead.
Note that Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday, March 2. Consider planning a Lenten project for your class and encourage the children to make resolutions for making kind and loving choices to pray, give, and sacrifice during Lent. Emphasize that what we choose to do during Lent can help make our Easter celebration happy.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Weekly Gospel Video and Saint of the Week
Bible Bag Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
Good News
Lesson Theme: We share God’s goodness.
Supplies you will need for this lesson include pencils, crayons, a Church Year calendar, scrap paper, and writing paper.
The What the Church Believes and Teaches doctrine introduces the Ten Commandments. Help them to see God’s laws in the context of God’s great love for us and desire for our happiness. The suggested activity will help the children to explore and expand their understanding of what is involved in following the Ten Commandments. You may wish to come up with answers of your own for this activity so you can assist the children with suggestions for each commandment.
Note that Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday, March 2. Consider planning a Lenten project for your class and encourage the children to make resolutions for making kind and loving choices to pray, give, and sacrifice during Lent. Emphasize that what we choose to do during Lent can help make our Easter celebration happy.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Venture
Lesson Theme: Jesus speaks to us in sayings and images.
This Sunday, we return for the third week to the richness of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20–49). In Sunday’s Gospel Reading, Jesus uses familiar images to warn his followers to watch out for hypocrisy. This is a “ditch” that we all can fall into; think of an example of hypocrisy from your own life that you can share with the children.
Note that Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday. Your school or parish may have a Lenten meal or distribution of ashes that you can attend together; prepare now to discuss Lenten commitments, including fasting and prayer.
Make sure to have scissors available to cut out the cards for the Living the Gospel activity, “Play the Sayings Game.”
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
The Mass III – Introductory Rites – Opening Prayer
St. Joan of Arc
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus teaches with sayings and images.
This Sunday, we return for the third week to the richness of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20–49). In Sunday’s Gospel Reading, Jesus uses familiar images to warn his followers to watch out for hypocrisy. This is a “ditch” that we all can fall into; think of an example of hypocrisy from your own life that you can share with the young people.
Note that Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday. Your school or parish may have a Lenten meal or distribution of ashes that you can attend together; prepare now to discuss Lenten commitments, including fasting and prayer.
The story in this week’s lesson will prepare the students to discuss the importance of making and keeping their promises. Encourage the students to fill out Promise Cards and share this idea with their families.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
What Is “Because I Said I Would”?
Real Presence: Catholic Central
Image credit: Corinne SIMON/CIRIC
