• What is a parable? 

  • A parable is a story that teaches a lesson.

• Why did Jesus use parables to teach his message?

  • Stories are easier to remember than a long lecture.

• What is Ash Wednesday and Lent? 

  • Ash Wednesday is the dirst day of Lent. Lent is the season in the Liturgical year in which we repent and ready our hearts for Easter through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Activity 1: All Grades

Read the readings for Sunday, March 14, 2021, the Fourth Sunday of Lent.  Light a candle and read aloud as a family. 
 

Discussion:

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. (John 3:16)

We have often heard this Bible verse.  It is worth memorizing. We even see it on bumper stickers, magnets and bookmarks, but what does it mean? The very notion that God descended from heaven to save us is amazing!   This is tremendous love! Love is the theme that we see repeatedly in the scriptures.  Where do you see acts of love in your life? In your family? In your community?  Love involves sacrifice, but when we love the other person, it is not as hard as it seems. Try to show some sacrificial love to your family this week as a gift to God. 

Activity 2: All Grades

Watch these short videos of Jesus's first miracle and the most public miracle.

The Miracle at the Wedding at CanaThe Miracle of Feeding the 5,000 with Loaves and Fishes

Activity 2: Younger Grades 

Color the picture of Jesus’ first public miracle at a wedding and the picture of Jesus feeding the 5,000. Think about what it would have been like to be at that wedding reception or to be in that improntu picnic with a menu of bread and fish.

Wedding at CanaFeeding the 5,000

Activity 2: Older Grades 

Activity 1: All Grades

Read the readings for Sunday, March 21, 2021, the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Light a candle and read aloud as a family. 
 

Discussion:

In science class or out in the garden, you may learn that a plant grows from seeds.  The seed itself doesn’t live unless the shell is broken to allow the sprout to grow out of it.  In the Gospel, we hear Jesus foreshadow his death and resurrection by telling the story or parable about the seed.  We often think that if something is broken it needs to be thrown away.  But in breaking, it can be transformed. Being a Christian means that we know that from death comes new life. What is something that is broken that then becomes wonderful by up-cycling it? Click here for some ideas or come up with your own. (Ask your parents for permission before you start.)

AND/OR

This is a great time a year in our area to start planning a garden or window herb garden.  Buy some seeds or save some from your fruits or veggies and sprout them in some water or plant them in some soil.  You can click here for some ideas if you need help getting started.
 

Activity 2: All Grades

Watch this video about Jesus’ friend Lazarus.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead

Activity 2: Younger grades

Color this picture of Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb.

Lazarus coloring sheet 

Activity 2: Older grades 

Take this quiz about Lazarus.

Lazarus Quiz

Activity 1: All grades

Read the readings for Sunday, March 28, 2021, Palm Sunday. Light a candle and read aloud as a family.  
 

Discussion

Palm Sunday is a special Mass. It actually combines two separate celebrations that used to be done on different days. The first half of the Mass celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem when everyone loves Him on Palm Sunday. So at the beginning Palms are distributed to the congregation, the priest and deacon may start the Mass at the back of the church with a reading and then process in blessing the palms with holy water. It is upbeat, and we sing songs that say “hosannah!”

But by the middle of Mass the mood changes and the long story of Jesus trial and death is read by several readers who play various roles. Even the congregation plays the role of the crowd at several points. It is a long Gospel, but it helps to put us in the right frame of mind as we enter into Holy Week. 

Share some memories of Palm Sunday Masses.  For example, my grandfather made elaborate crosses out of the palms each year.  I also found it very difficult and would get emotional, even teary, when we said “Crucify him! Crucify him!” How do you feel reading what Jesus went through?
 

Activity 2: All grades

Watch this video about Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday

Activity 2: Younger grades

As you color this picture of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, think about how excited people were to see Him. 

Palm Sunday

Activity 2: Older grades 

Take this Palm Sunday quiz.

Palm Sunday quiz 

Activity 1:  All grades

Read the readings for Holy Thursday, April 1, 2021, the Lord’s Last Supper. Light a candle and read aloud as a family.   

Discussion

Jesus celebrates Passover as a good, observant Jew should.  What's Passover? The Passover meal (today called a Seder) is very an important holy day for Jews, as it commemorates the Hebrews fleeing Egypt and out of slavery.  By God’s command, Moses told the Jewish people to get ready to leave Egypt and eat a special meal made quickly that included a young unblemished lamb- whose blood should be painted over the doorframe of their house so that the angel of death would not visit them. The family had to eat the cooked lamb as part of the ceremony. The lamb was a sacrafice to God. This meal and its prayers asked for God’s protection so that death would “pass over” them and not take their first born Sons. This was the last of the ten plagues God sent to Egypt to help free his captive people. Later Moses led the freed slaves to freedom and into a new relationship with God in a covenant at Mount Sinai. You can read about the various covenants by clicking here. 
  
On Holy Thursday, Jesus made THE NEW COVENANT with us.  By instituting the Eucharist at the Passover meal, Jesus gave HIMSELF to us in this sacrament. That is why we pray: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.  Have mercy on me. Just like in the original Passover, we have to eat the lamb in order to receive eternal life- as explained very clearly in John 6.  The apostles did not understand the miracle that occurred- but they would when the Holy Spirit came upon them later at Pentecost.
Holy Thursday is a very special day for the Church. The Catholic Church has a lot of deeply symbolic practices it uses that are important to know about.

For example, Holy Thursday is the anniversary of the priesthood- since Jesus established the priesthood at the Last Supper and gave His apostles the ability and command to share the Eucharist with the world. You can wish our priests a happy anniversary if you like!
Holy Thursday is also special because a unique ceremony happens at all the Masses- the washing of the feet. This is a special re-enactment of the loving service Jesus did to his apostles at the Last Supper. Leadership really involves service!

In addition, at the end of the evening Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper some special things happen. Since Jesus went out from the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemani to prepare to suffer and die, the altar is stripped down and the congregation exits in silence. The Eucharist is processed into a place in the back- perhaps a chapel and is only brought back in the next day for folks to receive communion. 

To celebrate Holy Thursday families can do a special pilgrimage. They visit three to seven churches throughout the diocese on Holy Thursday evening- stopping to pray briefly at each one. Usually the diocese and parishes list which ones are open and available to do this on Thursday evening. This is an ancient practice that goes back many centuries.
Share some traditions your family has for Holy Thursday.

Activity 2: All grades

Discussion

There are many traditions for Good Friday. On Fridays in Lent we often pray the Stations of the Cross. This is especially the case on Good Friday. In addition, we can attend special services on Good Friday. At the formal services on Good Friday, there is a special ceremony called the veneration of the Cross. We can approach the cross and kiss the cross as a sign of reverence for the love poured out by Jesus for us. The Cross is the only physical object Catholic reverence and adore, because it is soaked through with the blood of Christ. 

Many families pray at Noon and at 3 pm while remaining thoughtful and quiet in between time.  Why would you do that?  Discuss what other ways we keep Good Friday holy. Discuss how such a sad day be called “Good.”  HINT:  It is a celebration of God’s love and the triumph of the Cross.

Bonus Trivia Question:

Good Friday is the only day that Mass is not celebrated.  True or False? True.  You may receive Holy Communion but no Masses are celebrated.

Activity 3: All grades

Join Brother Francis as he takes you along Jesus’s path to the cross in this video about the Stations of the Cross.  

Activity 4: All grades

Enjoy this coloring page.

Activity 1:  All Grades

Read the readings for Sunday, April 4, 2021, Easter Sunday. Light a candle and read aloud as a family.  
 

Discussion:

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen and by His resurrection has defeated death.  Through this mystery of our faith, we look forward to eternal life. His resurrection is both a vindication that Jesus’ offering to the Father was accepted and a taste of what God has in store for us. Death no longer has sway over us because there is life after death! This life is only a taste of what God has in store for us forever in heaven.
 

Activity 2: All Grades 

Join Brother Francis as he shares an Easter message in this video.

He Is Risen

Color this Easter picture.

Easter Sunrise