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The Epiphany of the Lord. - cycle B - |
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Theme:
Epiphany, Jesus is missionary and we are missionaries of Jesus.
- Objetive :
That the children understand that because they have received Jesus they have a commitment to help others to know Him.
- 1-Environment:
Put the following drawing on the notice board. Put the figures of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in the center of the room. Nearby put a lighted candle.
2- Greeting:
Dear children, the church invites us to live this new year with a renewed heart. We know that many people still does not know anything about Jesus. If we renew our heart, we will be able to help other people to know Jesus.
3- Renewal of commitment.
- How have you spent these days of Christmas?
-What have you done for Jesus?
4- Prayer.
Dear Jesus, You were sent to us by God the Father, You completed your part of the mission to the end and You want us to continue. We want to know you and to be able to help others to know You. Help us never to get tired of being your missionary. Amen.
5- Activity
(The catechist should prepare the game before hand) Give to each child a page with the activity THE WAY TO BETHLEHEM. In this game you follow the wise men on their way to Bethlehem. The following words are used in the game: WAY, JERUSALEM, STAR, MYRRH, INCENSE, ADORE, BETHLEHEM, HEROD, BALTHASAR, MELCHIOR, CASPAR.
(The catechist can give some tips to help the children)
6- Gospel
Mathew2, 1-12.
The Visit of the Magi
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
7- Reflexion
-Who are the three characters who followed the star?
-Why did Herod want to kill the baby Jesus? What do the gifts that the wise men give to Jesus mean?
8- Enlightenment
The gospel tells us that these three characters who we call kings were not kings nor magicians but they knew the prophecies of the Old Testament and were waiting for the Messiah just as many other Jews. They knew that the star was a sign that would lead them to Jesus. They told that Herod that they had seen the star and came to adore him. What was wrong with Herod and the teachers of the law that they did not know about the coming of the Messiah? The same thing happens nowadays God is in the poor and we do not see him, God is in the bible but we do not read about him nor listen to him, God speaks to us through the pope, bishops, priests, our parents and our catechists and we do not pay attention. More important, Jesus came for everyone, not just for a few and because of this we have to help others to know Him. We have to be like the star that carried many to Jesus in our words, our actions and our lives.
9- Celebration
Before hand the catechist should prepare stars for the children. All the children should sit around the crèche with the stars in their hands. The catechist invites all to think about how they could be like stars that lead others to Jesus in the New Year. The children do this in silence and then they write their ideas at the back of the stars. When they have finished, the catechist invites them to give thanks to Jesus for all he has given us. The meeting should end with a Christmas carol.
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