In today's Gospel, Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount and reminds us that the law of Moses still stands but that we are to go one step beyond it.
Father in Heaven we give you praise and glory. 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 teaching of the Beatitudes and how to follow your law and use the Beatitudes to find ultimate peace an joy in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful -causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stDKxXgWNBc (Accredited to Catholic Kids Media)
Draw an octagon on the board (the shape of a STOP sign, with eight sides)
Ask if any of the children recognize this shape. Explain that the shape is an octagon meaning that it has eight sides.
Tell the children that this shape is also used for a traffic sign and that it is colored red and has one word on it. (a STOP sign)
Say: We have STOP signs and other traffic signs to protect us and to keep us safe. These signs remind us that we have laws to obey.
Write the word LAW on the board. Ask for volunteers to explain what a law is. (a rule that we must obey)
Say: In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus talks about the Law that God has given us and how he has come to fulfill this Law.
Ask: What does it mean to fulfill something? (to make it complete)
Say: Jesus tells us in this Sunday’s Gospel that the best way to understand God’s Law of love, is to listen to Jesus and to live like him.
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
