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Contact Us Email Us © ECS Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. This Sunday’s Readings First Reading Responsorial Psalm Second Reading Gospel Reading Background on the Gospel Reading Matthew continues the Sermon on the Mount with a three part instruction by Jesus on the Way of Life in the kingdom of heaven. Today’s reading is part one and deals with the Law. Part two deals with worship and religious practice and contains the Lord’s Prayer. Part three deals with trusting God and deeds of loving service to our neighbor. When Matthew speaks of “the Law and the prophets” he means the whole Scripture. When the Messiah brings the fullness of the kingdom none of scripture will be done away with. Instead it will be fulfilled. Matthew’s Jesus does not overturn the Law of Moses, nor does he set his followers free from the Law. He requires his followers to go beyond the Law by doing more than the Law requires. The Law condemned murder. Jesus condemns anger. The Law condemned adultery. Jesus condemns even lustful looks. As Jewish Christians who had always been faithful to the Law Matthew’s community need a way to understand the difference Jesus and the kingdom he brings have made. They affirmed that God had always been at work in history through “the Law and the prophets.” But God’s work goes beyond that to be embodied by the Messiah who reveals the definitive will of God. The written scriptures and their interpretation in tradition are surpassed by Jesus whose life and teaching are the definitive revelation of the will of God. Gospel Reading Making the Connection (Grades 1, 2, and 3) Children at this age consider the right course of action to be the one that allows them to avoid punishment. Jesus teaches us that obeying God’s Law of love is to be done not just to avoid punishment but to show love to others. Materials Needed
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
Gospel Reading Making the Connection (Grades 4, 5, and 6) Children at this age are building their vocabulary with larger words. Jesus says that he has come, not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. We understand this Gospel better if we understand the meaning of the word abolish. Materials Needed
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
Gospel Reading Making the Connection (Grades 7 and 8) Young people at this age often strive to get by with making only minimum effort. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus challenges us to go beyond the minimum requirements of the Law and to respond to others in love. Materials Needed
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
Gospel
Reading Family Connection Families have rules. Without rules, family life would be chaos. As a family, brainstorm a list of rules that you are all called to follow in your home in order for you all to get along together. Think about rules for play time, rules for eating, rules for how to speak to one another, rules for going out with friends, and so on. Emphasize that families follow rules as a way of showing love and respect for one another. Explain that in this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus talks about following the Law. Say: God’s Law of love can be thought of as rules that we are to follow in order to show our love and respect for one another. Read aloud this Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew 5:17–37. Talk specifically with one another about how anger is to be dealt with in your family. Conclude by praying for the grace to overcome anger and to show respect for one another as a family by following God’s Law of love. |