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2006 Back to School
Children Talking with God
Leading Children to Sunday with Angels, Saints and Kings
Teaching Children To Love All God's Creatures
Gospel Talk With Children: Mark's Portrait of Jesus

Patricia M. McCormack

Much like the ebb and flow of the ocean, two life-seasons intersect with each other from September through November. Fall initiates a new year in the lives of students and simultaneously marks the closing of the liturgical year. To a catechist, the intersection of the two presents an opportunity for Christian character development.

"Who is Jesus?"
Liturgical Year B began in November 2005 and with it, concentration on the Gospel of Mark and Old Testament prophets. In this shortest of all the Gospels, Mark wrote to a Gentile audience. His Gospel strengthened new Christians to stand firm in companionship with Jesus, despite persecution or personal rejection. The stories, characters, relationships and interactions in Mark's Gospel helped Christians, then and now, answer the primary question, "Who is Jesus of Nazareth?"

Beginning with the proclamation of John the Baptist, Mark concentrates on ministry and the last week of Jesus' life. He presents a Jesus who is passionate about bringing the kingdom of God to the "here and now," to the rich and powerful as well as the poor, outcasts and sinners. It is Mark's Jesus that we will meet in the Sunday Gospels from September 3 to November 19, 2006. These twelve weeks in Ordinary Time (weeks 22–33) bring Year B to a close.

The liturgical year ends with the Thirty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 26, when we celebrate the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. We will see Jesus stand before Pilot. We will hear him say, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Even though the Gospel will be John's (John 18:33–37) it adds a final comment to Mark's mosaic. It suggests Jesus' answer to the question, "Who is Jesus of Nazareth?"

Create a Liturgical Environment
Catechists with a permanent classroom might dedicate a bulletin board to the liturgical season as the backdrop for a prayer table that displays the Bible and, perhaps, a mini-easel to feature a Sunday Gospel character, personality traits or "one liner" Scripture quotes. Mobile teachers can create a similar effect via a tri-fold presentation board or portable easel display. Make green, the liturgical color of Ordinary Time, the predominate color. Here are a few additional ideas to engage children in the moment and also to prepare them to hear God's word in the Sunday Gospels.

• Display the Sunday dates with corresponding Gospel citations.

• On colorful person-die-cut(s) name the character featured in the Gospel and, perhaps, a characteristic that emerged. For example, the apostles, arguing about unclean hands (September 3, Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 22–23), the deaf man with speech impediment, cured in private (September 10, Mark 7:31–37), or Peter, being reproved by Jesus (September 17, Mark 8:27–35).

• Make a list of character lessons learned from the Gospel story. For instance, when Jesus said, "Do you not yet understand?" (September 3), we might conclude that the apostles were not different from us. Like us, they did not always understand even though they walked daily with Jesus. Or, that we, like them, forget too easily the wonders that Jesus has already worked in our lives. Or, that Jesus is calling us to trust him even when we do not understand.

• Print a "one liner" to serve as a mantra for the week. For instance, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak." (September 10) or "Who do people say that I am? … Who do you say that I am?" (September 17) or "For God all things are possible" (October 15).

• Depending on age level, students or groups could be responsible for one of each of the above parts. In class, proclaim the Sunday Gospel followed by students announcing their "piece" and adding it to the display.

• Celebrate "A Moment with Jesus." Weekly a group of students act out the Sunday Gospel. Follow it with silence, then faith sharing.

• Throughout the season assemble a word-portrait of Jesus. For instance, Jesus preferred to avoid the limelight (September 3 and 10), respectfully assertive (September 3 and 17), compassionate (September 3, 10, 29), focused (September 17 and November 5).

As children learn more about Jesus each week through the Gospel of Mark, they can see how the Gospel is a living word—God's word for us today.

Patricia M. McCormack, Ed.D., is an associate of the Center for Catholic Education at the Catholic University, Washington, D.C. She taught in elementary schools, served as elementary school principal and directed teacher education at the collegiate level. She speaks and writes frequently on topics of formation education.