In today's Gospel, we learn about how Jesus spend forty days in the desert, to prepare for his teaching ministry, and how Satan unsuccessfully tried to tempt him with worldly pleasures. We learn that we can fully trust in God's protection to resist temptations of the world.
Father in Heaven we praise and glorify you. We thank you for bringing us together today for this Children's Liturgy lesson. Please send us the Holy Spirit and open our hearts and minds so we can understand your message of how we can pray and call on You for protection in times of trial and temptation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, ""All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”
Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu_RC9cr5UI (Accredited to Catholic Kids Media)
Say: Sometimes we are tempted to do things that we know are not right. Let’s make a list of the things that can tempt people your age. (avoiding chores, skipping homework, talking unkindly about a friend)
Say: We all experience many kinds of temptations. When we are tempted, what helps us resist temptation? (Accept all reasonable answers.)
Say: Jesus also faced temptations. The Gospels tell about a time when Jesus went to the desert to pray and fast, and the devil tempted him. Let us listen carefully to that story.
Ask: What three temptations did Jesus face? (to use his power to turn stones into bread; to test God’s promise to protect him; to worship the devil in order to receive rule of the world) In each case, what did Jesus depend on to resist temptation? (Scripture)
Say: Jesus trusted God’s word in Scripture and was able to resist the temptations of the devil. Scripture can also help us resist temptation. When we read the Bible, we learn about God and what God wants of us.
Ask: Let’s name some things in Scripture that can help us resist the temptations that we listed when we began. Help the children think of ideas or verses from Scripture that address a temptation they might face. (We know that we are supposed to be honest from the Ten Commandments.)
Pray together that we will be confident in God’s word as found in Scripture and trust it when we face temptations. Conclude by praying together the Lord’s Prayer with particular emphasis on the words “and lead us not into temptation.”
Father in heaven, for the sake of bringing others closer to you, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
