"He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, 'Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."
(From the Gospel)
(Read the quote, then each line slowly, with pauses to allow the children (and us!) to reflect on the questions.)
(Read the quote, then each line slowly, with pauses to allow the children (and us!) to reflect on the questions.)
He says, "Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me". What do you think of that? It's a bit like He's saying that a child is like Him.
And we know that you are like Him, because you were baptised and became a part of His Mystical Body, the Church. (All the people in the Church, all over the world, make up what we call Jesus' Mystical Body.)
Thinking about what Jesus said, how do you think people should treat children? What about at Mass? Do you think people at Mass are welcoming to children? What do you think they could do differently to make children feel more welcome?
Is there a place where you feel very welcome? Is it just for children, for adults and children, or more for just adults? What about it makes you feel welcome?
Sometimes it is hard for adults to welcome children at Mass or other places, because they don't want to be disturbed while they are praying, and it's hard for children to stay quiet and still. It's important for these adults to understand that children sometimes can't be quiet and still, but it's also important for children to try their best not to distract other people. Can you think of ways to help yourself be quiet at Mass? Is there something you wish you had to help you pay attention, or something you could use to keep your hands busy while you listen? Maybe you and your parents could come up with a plan to help the whole family get the most out of attending Mass, without people getting bored or distracted or grumpy.
Thank you, Jesus, for loving little children so much. Thank you for telling us how important children are to you.
(Allow any spontaneous prayers, perhaps leading by example. 3-6 year olds relate most naturally to God through prayers of praise and thanksgiving; 6+ will have started thinking about their needs and the needs of those around them in prayers of intercession. Some children may also just want quiet time to speak with God in their hearts.)
(Sing a simple hymn or chant if your children like singing. Or even if they don't ;) This can also be done at the beginning. )
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