Children's Liturgy Series: 4th Sunday of Lent (Cycle B)

In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches Nicodemus (a powerful pharisee) that those who believe in him will have eternal life.

Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognise when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life. Amen

Jesus said to Nicodemus:“ Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the lightand does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God

Say: Think about a time when you did something you knew was wrong. Ask: What did you do afterward? Did you tell someone else about what you did, or did you try to hide what you had done? How did you feel afterward?

Say: When we have done something wrong, we are often tempted to hide what we have done from others. Sometimes we even think that we can hide our sins from God. 

Ask: According to the Gospel story today, why did Jesus come into the world? (to save the world) How does he do this? (through his death and Resurrection, by exposing and then forgiving our sins)

Say: Because Jesus died for our salvation, we do not hide our sins from God. Instead we confess our sins to God, confident that God forgives us. In what sacrament do we experience God’s forgiveness? (the Sacrament of Reconciliation) During Lent, many people take the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that they can experience the joy of God'’s forgiveness.

Conclude in prayer together, thanking God for his mercy and forgiveness available to us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Allow some time for quiet reflection, and then pray together the Act of Contrition.

Father in heaven, 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