May 1,
2016
Gospel:
Jn 14:23-29
Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will
keep my word, and my Father will love
him, and we will come to him
and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me
does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is
not mine but that of the Father
who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, will teach you
everything and remind you of all
that I told you. Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives
do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts
be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I
will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I
am going to the Father; for the Father is
greater than I. And now I have told you
this before it happens, so that when it happens
you may believe.”
(http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/050116.cfm)
This
week’s spotlight
The Holy Spirit
The
Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. He is the gift that God
gives to believers. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to pray, and to know
Jesus better. Through baptism, the Holy Spirit leads and unites us, despite our
differences, as the family of God, the Church. He teaches us to cry out to God
as ''our Father", and makes it possible for us to love one another.
The Church and the church
The
Church, with a capital C, means the group of all the Christians in the world
who have been baptized and who believe in Jesus, the Son of God. The church,
with a small c, means the building where Christians gather together for the
Mass. When Christians are gathered in a church, they make up a part of the
Church of Jesus Christ. The Church is the great family of Christians, no matter
what nationality they are or what language they speak.
Reflection
The peace of Christ
Did you ever wonder why we don't start the Mass with a sign of
peace, instead of waiting almost until the end between the Our Father and
communion? One of the reasons may be found in this Sunday's Gospel. The peace
that Jesus gives to his friends, his peace, is not merely "getting
along," or "not being angry" with one another. The peace of
Christ is the peace that makes people brothers and sisters, that creates
"communion" between children of the same Father. Giving one another
the sign of peace, therefore, is actually a preparation for communion. We can't
each receive the same Jesus in the Eucharist without also having communion with
each other. It is through this peace that we form "one body and one spirit
in Christ."
This peace doesn't erase or deny our differences; it celebrates
them! We are so united in Jesus that we can still be different too! Christ's
peace makes each person more himself, more special, more unique. At the end of
the Mass, you are sent out "in the peace of Christ." Are you ready to
get going, and to share the peace of Christ with others? Peace be with you!
Discussion
questions
1.Where is Jesus
going?
2.Who will be sent to
help the disciples?
3.What gift does
Jesus leave with his disciples?
4. How
can you thank Jesus for the gift of peace?
5.How can you share
Jesus’ gift of peace with others?
Praying after Communion
After receiving Holy Communion, you can
say this prayer
silently to yourself. If you have not yet received your First Communion, you
can still
say this prayer
because of your desire to receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Your Son
has brought us peace and forgiveness through his death and resurrection. Help
me to go forth from this Mass and share your gift of peace with everyone I
meet. Bless all those who are working to bring peace to our world.
This week…
This week, try not to shout, fight, or argue. Let
the peace of Christ live in your heart. You will see that this peace is
contagious.
Offer a sign of peace
Is there something you do that
bugs your family? Do you, for example, fail to put away your backpack, shoes,
or bike? This week, decide to take better care of these things, so that
everything is peaceful at home.
Word search
Source: http://www.usccb.org - Magnifikid - www.sermons4kids.com – http://www.loyolapress.com - http://usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm