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Every Sunday is “of the Word of God,” and the Gospel Weeklies help catechists, teachers, parents, and young people recognize this. In September 2019, Pope Francis instituted the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as the Sunday of the Word of God, a special Sunday “devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God” (Instituting the Sunday of the Word of God [Aperuit Illis], 3). He closed his apostolic letter with the prayer: “May the Sunday of the Word of God help [God’s] people to grow in religious and intimate familiarity with the sacred Scriptures” (15). To this prayer, we say, “Amen!”
We encourage catechists, teachers, and families to place a Bible in a special location as a sign to the children of the value of the Word of God in Sacred Scripture. Catechists and teachers may begin class with a Bible procession, enthroning the Bible in a place of honor where the Gospel is proclaimed. You may wish to use or adapt our Bible Enthronement Prayer and Bible Blessing Prayer Service as they fit your needs. In observance of the Sunday of the Word of God, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), through a grant from the American Bible Society, will offer a “Sunday Seminar Series” of four videos about Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church. These videos, available in English and Spanish, will feature some of the bishops and biblical scholars and will be accompanied by discussion/reflection questions. The videos will be made available on January 19, 2024 here. You may also find catechetical, ecumenical, liturgical, and prayer resources related to this observance here and several other videos with reflection questions here.
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 His Disciples
Pope Frances Establishes Sunday of the Word of God
Seeds
Lesson Theme: Jesus gathers followers.
Note: This Gospel (Matthew) about Jesus calling his first followers differs in detail from last Sunday’s Gospel (John). Both Gospels convey the truth that Jesus called these men to follow him.
For this week’s lesson, you will need crayons, pencils, a puppet, coat hangers or dowel rods (one per child), tape, hole punch, yarn, story coloring page (one per child), small photos of the children (optional), and a Church Year calendar.
We suggest that you cut in advance the fish on pages 3–4 and bring pictures of the children small enough to paste on each of the fish. For the “I follow Jesus at home” activity on pages 3–4, it is a good idea to send home a note with instructions reminding parents to fill in each line after the children have done a loving action at home.
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 listen to him.
Note: This Gospel (Matthew) about Jesus calling his first followers differs in detail from last Sunday’s Gospel (John). Both Gospels convey the truth that Jesus called these men to follow him.
For the What the Church Believes and Teaches doctrine section of the lesson plan, we suggest that you play reflective but joyful music as the children complete their drawings. If time allows, you may invite them to share their pictures and dramatize the Gospel of Jesus blessing the children.
For the Thank you, God! Megaphone activity (page 4), no cutting, taping, or gluing is needed. You will, however, need to separate pages 1–2 from 3–4 in advance. The children will fold the bottom corner of the page and roll it into a megaphone. Plan for an aide or aides to assist if needed.
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 share the Good News.
Note: This Gospel (Matthew) about Jesus calling his first followers differs in detail from last Sunday’s Gospel (John). Both Gospels convey the truth that Jesus called these men to follow him.
For the What the Church Believes and Teaches doctrine section of the lesson plan, we suggest that you invite the children to each choose one of the Good News bulleted statements and illustrate it. Express an aspect of the Good News in this way will help them share the Good News with others.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Video
“All That God Wants You to Be” by Carey Landry
Venture
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to follow him.
The story “The Gospel According to Mark” (pages 2–3) is presented in interview form. We suggest that you read it aloud with different pairs of readers reading the interviewer’s questions and Mark’s responses.
An important concept in this lesson is that the message of Jesus to his disciples more than 2,000 years ago still applies to us today in 2024. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Tradition is covered in the Catholic Faith Word and in the What the Church Believes and Teaches doctrine section of the lesson plan.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
A Professional Tour in Capernaum w/Zahi Shaked
Book of Jonah Summary
St. Monica
Bishop Robert Barron on The Calling of the Disciples
Visions
Lesson Theme: Jesus calls us to serve.
The students will need Bibles to look up the verses in the Living the Gospel activity on pages 6–7. If you have enough time after reading the Catholic Leaders feature about Father Patrick Desbois on page 8, view the “Holocaust by bullets” video together. Follow the QR code to view the prayer against racism from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Pope Francis – Journey to the Papacy
Priest Investigates the “Forgotten” Holocaust
Prayer to Overcome Racism
Image credit: Vytautas Markūnas SDB via cathopic.com
