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Gathering for Mass
Hmm . . .
Gathering for Mass
I Think About This
1 Make a Bridge
One of our duties as Catholics is to participate in Mass on the Lord’s Day.
Guide the children to identify where and how we celebrate God’s love by asking them these “What Am I?” questions: • I am a building with doors, windows, seats, and a special table. What am I? • I am a celebration when people gather with the priest to sing songs, read the Bible, receive Communion, and pray together. What am I?
2 Present Say: Like the people of Israel who gathered to welcome the Ark of the Covenant, we gather to celebrate God’s presence and his love. Our church is also a special sign of God’s love and presence. It’s where we gather together as God’s people for our special celebration, the Mass.
Sunday is the Lord’s Day. It is a special time for us. On Saturday evening or on Sunday, we prepare to go to Mass. We travel with our families to our parish church. We gather with our friends and neighbors to celebrate the Mass. We celebrate the presence of God in our lives. God is present in us as we gather together. He is present in the priest. He is present in the readings we will hear. God is present especially in the Eucharist that we are preparing to receive.
Have volunteers read aloud the text on page 14. Ask: What are we celebrating when we go to Mass? Who are the people who gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day? Have the children look at the second paragraph on page 14 and underline each of the ways that God is present with us at Mass.
14
God’s Gift Eucharist
What We Know in Faith
I Think About This
Ask a volunteer to read this feature. Discuss with the children the importance of keeping holy the Lord’s Day.
When we gather for the Eucharist, Christ is present in many ways. He is present in his Word, in the community that gathers in his name, and in the person of the priest. Most especially, we celebrate the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the center of the whole Christian life. We gather to praise and thank God for his love and his presence among us. God makes the whole world holy in Christ.
14 God’s Gift Eucharist
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~ pg 14 ~
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