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With Sunday, January 14, we begin Unit 3 of the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies and also return to Ordinary Time. If you’re curious about why there is no First Sunday in Ordinary Time, see this explanation by Philip Kosloski on Aleteia.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is observed January 18–25. This year’s theme is “You shall love the Lord your God . . . and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Jesus’ Law of Love is followed by his telling of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. “Christians are called to act like Christ in loving like the Good Samaritan, showing mercy and compassion to those in need, regardless of their religious, ethnic, or social identity. It is not shared identities that should prompt us to come to the aid of the other but love of our ‘neighbor.’ . . . During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we ask the Lord to come to our assistance, to tend our wounds, and so enable us to walk the way of ecumenism with confidence and hope.”
Join us in praying for Christian unity:
O Prince of Peace,
rule over our hearts, souls, and minds
with your peace that passes all understanding.
Wherever there are differences,
let us rejoice in what we have in common.
Where divisions creep in,
let unity restore us as one in you.
Where hate threatens to tear us apart,
let the promise of your love for all the world
bring calm amidst strife and quiet out of clamor.
In all our words and deeds,
may the harmony of your presence among us be shown.
Amen.
Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and information about our online resources and seasonal activities. Here are tips for teaching the Gospel Weeklies lessons this week:
Videos of Sunday’s Gospel
Use these videos as you discuss today’s Gospel. Please preview all videos you plan to share with your class:
Holy Heroes
Jesus Calls Peter
Gospel Readings for Kids
Seeds
Lesson Theme: We listen to Jesus in the Gospel.
For this lesson, you will need a Bible, a tablecloth for the prayer table, crayons, a box full of noisy objects, and a Church Year calendar.
This week, Seeds celebrates the sense of hearing as Jesus invites us to follow him and listen to him. Prepare in advance a box with several noisy objects for children to recognize without seeing. Some examples are a bell, a timer, a small ball to bounce, a piece of paper to rattle, etc.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Bible Bag: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Promise
Lesson Theme: Jesus invites us to follow him.
For this lesson, gather scissors, tape, pencils, crayons, drawing paper, story coloring page (one per child), and a Church Year calendar. You may wish to arrange for the help of an aide or aides to assist with cutting and taping in the “Jesus makes friends” activity on page 3.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Bible Bag: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Good News
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to come and see.
For this lesson, gather pencils, crayons, drawing paper, Bibles, coins, game markers, and a Church Year calendar.
The children will be locating the Sunday Gospel in their Bibles. We discourage you from skipping this activity even if time is limited. Save class time by putting a bookmark or sticky note in every Bible at the beginning of the Gospel of John in advance. You might also consider pairing the children so they can work together to find the Gospel passage.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Venture
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls his first followers.
For the cover activity, prepare by bringing copies of the parish bulletin or provide for access to the parish website so the young people can find the names of the pastor and parish staff. Before proclaiming the Gospel, you may wish to use a Bible map to show the young people where the River Jordan flows into the Dead Sea. The traditional site of Jesus’ baptism is just north of the Dead Sea. This is also the site of Sunday’s Gospel. If you do not have time to complete the Living the Gospel activity, “Who Were Jesus’ First Followers?” take time in class to read aloud the directions and answer any questions, so that the children may complete the activity at home.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
The Election of Pope John XXIII
John XXIII: Key Points in the Life of ‘The Good Pope’
Vocation 101: What Is Vocation?
Saint Andre of Montreal
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls his first followers.
Set up Sunday’s Gospel in three scenes as noted in the Teaching Guide. The young person who takes the part of Andrew will move through all three scenes to show the calls.
In the Catholic Leaders section of the lesson (page 8), you may choose to allow the young people to view one of the videos (linked by QR codes in the student lessons) on their smart phones. Or select a video to watch together as a class.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Rutilio Grande, the martyred priest whose death changed St. Óscar Romero’s life
Fr. Joncas’s Hymn “Shelter Me”
The Meaning of Icons/Fr. Donat Lamothe
Brother Guy Consolmango
Sister Lisa Maurer
Vocation 101: What Is Vocation?
Image credit: Yandry Fernández Perdomo via cathopic.com
Text credit: © Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches
Prayer credit: © Mark Zimmerman, Creative Communications for the Parish, Bayard Inc.
