Download the St. Francis Bulletin: https://container.parishesonline.com/bulletins/05/0622/20250105B.pdf
Find the LITURGY of the WORD readings on pages 4 and 5, especially the Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
Read the Gospel two or three times
What word or words stood out for you?
Matthew 2:1-12 : Wisemen from the East (Good News Translation)
1Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the time when Herod was king. Soon afterward, some wisemen who studied the stars came from the East to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard about this, he was very upset, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem.
4 He called together all the chief priests and the teachers of the Law and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?”
5 “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea,” they answered. “For this is what the prophet wrote:
6 ‘Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least of the leading cities of Judah; for from you will come a leader who will guide my people Israel.’”
7 So Herod called the visitors from the East to a secret meeting and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem with these instructions: “Go and make a careful search for the child; and when you find him, let me know, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9-10 And so they left, and on their way they saw the same star they had seen in the East. When they saw it, how happy they were, what joy was theirs! It went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
11 They went into the house, and when they saw the child with his mother Mary, they knelt down and worshiped him. They brought out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and presented them to him.
12 Then they returned to their country by another road, since God had warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod.
UNDERSTAND IT
Because Jesus is God and the Savior of the world, his birth was VERY special. When he was born, a new star appeared in the sky. A new star was a sign that a king was born. Wisemen from a far away country noticed that star. So they traveled to see the new king. The star guided them on their journey.
In this Bible story from Matthew, the travelers were very happy to find the new king, who turned out to be our Savior. They presented him with wonderful gifts. They believed that he was the king of the Jews.
We know from God that Jesus is the king of ALL people and ALL creation.
LIVE IT
We read these wonderful stories in the Bible as lessons to teach us how to live with God in His Kingdom now and forever. What can we learn from the Wisemen?
There has been a lot of research done to know more about these wisemen and the kingdom they came from. (They came from the Nabtean Kingdom over 100 miles from where Jesus was born in Bethlehem.)
They had read and studied what God's prophets wrote about the Messiah or coming king who would come to save God's people.
They were determined to seek out and WORSHIP the new KING.
When they found Jesus, they bowed down and worshipped him, and gave him very special gifts from their treasures.
They were very wise men and could tell that King Herod was not trustworthy when he said he wanted to worship the new king too.
They listened to God's warning through a dream and were not afraid of King Herod. They wisely avoided Herod on their trip home.
The wisemen help us to believe that God sent his only Son to be the Savior of us ALL!!!
The wisemen teach us to stay focused on and WORSHIP only Jesus as our King and to follow only God's guidance!
TELL IT!
REVIEW: RECEIVING JESUS: My Guide to the Mass
Questions to Guide your note taking at MASS. Be sure to DATE your notes and add them to your Family Catechesis portfolio, showing how you are learning and growing in your relationship with Jesus.
Whisper a prayer from your heart: "Jesus, Please help me listen to you today at Mass.
What do you notice?
What color CHASUBLE is the priest wearing?
Describe or draw what else you notice that might be different or new from last Sunday.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
What was OUR response in the Psalm? Write it out.
What was the Gospel Reading
What word or words seemed important to you?
In the Gospel Reading?
In the HOMILY?
In the Nicene Creed?
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Watch closely as they prepare the Altar for the Eucharist.
Draw the Missal, the Chalice, the Paton that you see (page35)
What is a blessing you received as you WORSHIPPED and honored God by attending and actively participating in Mass?
DRAW what comes to your mind or heart:
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