Sunday Connection

Gospel Reading
Mark 14:12-16,22-26
Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.

Making the Connection (Grades 1, 2, and 3)

Some younger children may be preparing to celebrate this sacrament. We can teach children that we prepare to receive the Eucharist every time we go to Mass.

Materials Needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Invite children to share some of their favorite meals. Then say: Our daily meals don’t just appear on the table! Meals require planning and preparing. Ask: What are some of the things your parents or other caretakers do to plan and prepare your meals? (Answer include writing a shopping list, going to the grocery store, and preparing and cooking food.) Ask: Do you ever help? How? (Accept reasonable responses.)
2. If appropriate, say: Some of you have already celebrated your First Holy Communion. Some of you are preparing to celebrate your First Holy Communion, and the rest of you will be doing that in the next year or two. Even after our First Holy Communion, we still prepare each week to celebrate his sacrament. We pray throughout the week. We read the Bible with our family. On Sunday, we keep our attention focused on God and stay present to Jesus when we receive the Eucharist.
3. Say: In this week’s Gospel, Jesus tell his disciples to prepare for Passover. Then we read about the Last Supper, where Jesus gave us the Eucharist. Listen to the words he says. See if you recognize any of them.
4. Read aloud today’s Gospel, Mark 14:12–16,22–26.
5. Ask: Were any of the words Jesus said at the Last Supper familiar to you? Where have you heard them? (Children might recognize the words from the consecration during the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.) Say: Through this prayer, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus. Jesus is truly present to us in the Eucharist.
6. Close by praying together to thank Jesus for the grace we receive in the Eucharist. Then pray together the Lord’s Prayer.

Gospel Reading
Mark 14:12-16,22-26
Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.

Making the Connection (Grades 4, 5, and 6)

Older children are able to share in the responsibilities for meal planning and preparation. We can help them see that they can also prepare for their celebration of the Eucharist.

Materials Needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Say: Most of us eat three meals a day and we don’t give it much thought. But meals don’t just happen. They require planning and preparation. Ask: What are some things that must be done to prepare daily meals? (planning menus, shopping, cooking, setting the table, cleaning up afterward, and so on) What additional things might be required if we are planning a special holiday meal? (invitations, decorations, seating arrangements, and so on)

2. Say: In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus give instructions to his disciples for preparing a special meal for the Jewish celebration of Passover. We also hear some details about the meal that Jesus shares with his disciples; this meal is called the Last Supper. Let’s listen carefully to this Gospel.

3. Invite one or more volunteers to read aloud today’s Gospel, Mark 14:12-16,22-26.

4. Ask: What do we do today to remember this Last Supper that Jesus shared with his disciples? (We celebrate the Eucharist.) What preparations are made so that we can celebrate the Eucharist each week? (The worship space is prepared; the priest prepares the homily; lectors, altar servers, and Eucharistic ministers are assigned and prepared.)

5. Say: Even if we don’t have an official role at the Sunday Eucharist, we should prepare ourselves for this celebration. Ask: What are some things that we might do to prepare ourselves to celebrate the Eucharist? (Read and reflect upon the Sunday readings, especially the Gospel; keep the Eucharistic fast; make ourselves present and attentive at the Sunday Eucharist.)

6. Conclude in prayer together, inviting each child to make a commitment to do one thing this week to better prepare for his or her celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday. Pray together for God’s help to keep this commitment by praying the Lord’s Prayer.

Gospel Reading
Mark 14:12-16,22-26
Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.

Making the Connection (Grades 7 and 8)

Through careful planning and extra preparations, we demonstrate the importance of holiday meals. Preparing well for Sunday Mass demonstrates the importance of the Eucharist in our lives.

Materials Needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Invite the young people to recall a recent holiday meal that they shared with their family. Observe that planning meals for special occasions is different from planning for everyday meals. Have the young people work in groups of three to identify extra preparations that might be made for a holiday meal. Ask a volunteer from each group to report on the group’s conclusions.

2. Say: In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear the disciples ask Jesus about preparing for their celebration of the Passover meal. Ask the young people what they know about the Passover celebration and its importance to the Jewish people. (Offer additional information as needed from The Passover Celebration.)

3. Say: This Sunday’s Gospel also describes what Jesus did at this meal, the Last Supper he shared with his disciples. Let’s listen carefully to this Gospel reading.

4. Invite one or more volunteers to read aloud this Sunday’s Gospel, Mark 14:12–16, 22–26.

5. Ask: What do we do to remember the Last Supper that Jesus shared with his disciples? (We celebrate the Eucharist.) What preparations are made so that we can celebrate the Eucharist each week? (The worship space is prepared; the priest prepares the homily; lectors, altar servers, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are assigned and prepared.)

6. Observe that these preparations for Sunday Mass demonstrate the importance of the Eucharist. Ask: Why is the Eucharist important to us? (Accept all reasonable answers. For example, in the Eucharist, we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.)

7. Say: Each of us can also prepare ourselves for Sunday Mass so that we can participate fully when we celebrate the Eucharist. Discuss ways to prepare for Sunday Mass, including reading and reflecting on the Scripture passages, especially the Gospel; keeping the Eucharistic fast; arriving on time and being attentive during Mass.

8. Conclude by inviting each person to make a commitment to do one thing this week to better prepare for the celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday. Pray together the psalm for this Sunday, Psalm 116.

Gospel Reading
Mark 14:12-16,22-26
Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.

Family Connection

In the beginning of today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples to make preparations for the Passover meal. Like most meals, the Passover meal required planning and preparation. Our celebration of the Sunday Eucharist also requires planning and preparation. Certainly the ministers at the Eucharist prepare for their roles: the person presiding prays and prepares the homily; the prayers of petition are written; the music ministers prayerfully select music and practice it before Mass; Eucharistic ministers, lectors and altar servers prepare carefully for their roles. As the worshiping assembly, we can also prepare for the Mass through our prayer during the week, by reading the Scripture before Mass, and by making ourselves present to the Eucharistic celebration.

As you gather as a family, talk about some of the things that are required to prepare for your family meals. Plan together a special Sunday meal by choosing the menu, preparing the shopping list, and assigning duties for cooking, setting the table, preparing decorations, leading the prayers, and cleaning. Read together today’s Gospel, Mark 14:12-16,22-26. Notice how Jesus instructed his disciples to prepare for their Passover meal. All meals require some kind of planning and preparation; so, too, our Sunday Eucharist requires planning. What might we do as a family to better prepare for our celebration of the Eucharist? Choose one or more ideas to begin to implement together as a family. Pray together that God will help your family make your celebration of the Eucharist the highlight of your week. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer.