In the years since the Second Vatican Council

In the years since the Second Vatican Council, the RCIA has developed into a wonderfully successful process not only for preparation of catechumens for baptism, ideally at the Paschal Vigil, but also for the renewal of parishes at large. In lectionary Years B and C, and especially when candidates for baptism are part of the assembly, liturgy preparers have the option of using the baptism-oriented readings of Year A on the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent. But the choice of the Year A readings comes at the cost of suppressing the readings of Year B or Year C, each of which set of readings supports a genuine Lenten focus. This essay offers a few ideas for proclaiming and explaining the Year C Gospel readings to children.

Jesus and the Tempter
On the First and Second Sundays of Lent the Gospels of all three lectionary years ask us to ponder the person of Jesus. The temptations show Jesus to be truly human, subject, like us, to temptation and yet our model in rising above temptation. His transfiguration hints strongly that Jesus, who has already announced his suffering unto death and resurrection, is also divine. Children love these stories. Leaders of children’s Liturgy of the Word can use the Gospels to draw children into the meaning of the season by urging that they take Jesus as their model in resisting their own temptations and that they imitate his life of sacrificial love. On the First Sunday of Lent give the children drawing paper folded in two (these will be diptychs), and ask them to follow up their Liturgy of the Word later at home by drawing, on one side of their papers, a picture of Jesus giving praise to God after his besting of the tempter.

Jesus Transfigured on the Mountain
On the next Sunday give the children wide construction paper frames for their pictures, and suggest that they surround their portraits of Jesus with light to suggest his divinity and then attach their frames. It is always wise to send home instructions for anything but the most obvious take-home activity.

Jesus Reveals God’s Patience and Kindness
The next three Gospels in Year C celebrate the patient and forgiving love of God revealed in Jesus: God is the gardener who won’t give up on the deficient tree; God is the prodigal parent, who won’t give up on a lost child; God is one who won’t condemn a sinner. Present the parables and stories as the joyful and joyfully-repeated news they are: we can count on God’s gracious and generous love to support us and bring us back, even when we don’t deserve it. Each week give the children a medallion with the psalm refrain. All of these refrains sing of the kindness and the mercy of God. The children can decorate their picture frames with the medallions. Younger children might prefer medallions with pictures reminding them of the Gospel, perhaps a tree, a young boy and a young woman.

The Passion of Jesus According to Luke
On the final Sunday of Lent we will proclaim the Passion according to Luke. An alert reader will notice several details of the Passion that are unique to Luke and that complement the Year C Lenten Gospels beautifully: at the Last Supper only in Luke does Jesus pray for Peter and indicate Peter’s return after his betrayal of his Lord; only Luke reports that Jesus restored the severed ear of the high priest’s servant; only Luke tells us that Jesus turned to look at Peter after Peter denied him; only in Luke does Jesus cry from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;” only in Luke does Jesus welcome the repentant crucified criminal into Paradise. On Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion the children might listen for some of these reminders of the loving compassion of Jesus and later at home complete their diptychs with a picture of a scene from the passion.

Mary Catherine Berglund has advanced degrees in Scripture and liturgy. She is an experienced teacher, and has ministered with children in the Liturgy of the Word in Richmond, Virginia, for many years. She is married and has three grown children.