A LITURGY OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN

Fourth Sunday of Easter 2008

Before the Liturgy

Children gather with their families in church for the Introductory Rite of the Mass. After the Opening Song and the Greeting, the children, together with their leaders, are called forward.

Focus

We belong to Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd. A Good Shepherd is concerned more about the sheep than himself.

Introduction to the Liturgy

•  All make the Sign of the Cross.

•  What have we come here to do?

•  We have come here so that we can listen to God's Word and be helped to understand God's message more easily .

•  Today we're going to hear in the gospel Jesus telling his followers that if we listen to his voice and follow him, we are like sheep in the safety of a sheepfold.

Gloria is led by the musician   

Introduction to the Gospel

The leader asks the children what they know about sheep and shepherds. Don't be afraid to use a few pictures to illustrate this. The leader explains to the children about the role of shepherds, now and at the time of Jesus, pointing out some differences:

• At Jesus' time, the shepherds had to live with the sheep night and day.
• There were no wire fences like we have today.
• Wild animals such as wolves could attack the sheep.
• The shepherd lived very closely with his sheep they know him and recognise his voice.
• There were no trained sheepdogs to help the shepherd.

Gospel Acclamation

Everyone stands to greet the gospel in song   

Gospel (John 10)

The reader proclaims the gospel for the 4 th Sunday of Easter A from the children's lectionary:

Jesus said ‘Whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. The one enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.'

Exploring the Scripture

Practical Demonstration:

• Get a young person to be a volunteer. Maybe use a teatowel to make them look like a ‘nativity play shepherd'.
• Ask the children the kind of things that they would need to take with them if they were going to live out in the wild like a shepherd. Produce from a hidden place a suitcase or large rucksack, and begin to fill it with heavy items, such as potatoes and other food, a large bottle of water, change of clothes, a coat, maps, wood for a fire, first aid kit.
• Just when the shepherd seems fully laden, remind them that the shepherd is outside overnight and so needs a pillow, blankets, a torch and more layers of clothes – the idea is to laden the shepherd with so many items that they find it hard to move.
• Ask the shepherd (and other children) if this is a sensible way of travelling if you ware walking in the hills.

The Leader guides a dialogue with the children to elicit the following:

• The example we have just used shows that it isn't practical to carry a lot of things around.
• It portrayed someone is more concerned about themselves than the sheep.
• A good shepherd would not take as many things (material possessions).
• A good shepherd does however need human qualities that the sheep will respond to.

Practical Task:

• Either give each child a cut-out paper suitcase and ask them to write one quality that a good shepherd would have on it, or maybe use sticky labels and place these on the suitcase.

Then, we respond in prayer (perhaps repeating this prayer, line by line after the leader):

    Jesus, our good shepherd, we thank you for your love and care for us.

You gave your life for us on the cross, so that we could live with you for ever.

Help us to listen to you and to follow you always.   Amen

Intercessions

Each Intercession to be followed by an appropriate response (Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer)

Leader:    We pray to God our Father for our needs

Reader:   We pray for our Pope Benedict, our bishop and all priests that they may help people grow closer to Jesus.

We pray for all married people and our own families.

We pray for all those who follow Jesus as monks, nuns, religious sisters and brothers. May God help them as they serve in Jesus' name.

We pray for ourselves that we will hear the voice of Jesus the Good Shepherd. As we grow older we ask that God will guide us in our vocation or way of life whatever it may be.

Leader:    Father, help us to live like Jesus. As our Shepherd, may he look after us and help us to follow your ways. May we always listen to his voice, so that we live good and happy lives. Help us to say ‘yes' to serving you and others. Amen.

The children and their leaders return to join the assembly in the church for the preparation of the gifts.