Cycle B 1st Sunday Advent

First Sunday of Advent [CYCLE B] MAIN MESSAGE

[This is for reference only. Please do not read it at Mass] With the Season of Advent the Church turns its attention to the Lord, who is coming. It is a time of waiting for the coming Saviour. On the first Sunday of Advent we focus on the aspect of waiting, of longing for the one who loves us and saves us. In the first reading, the Israelites cry out, ‘O that you would tear open the heavens and come down!’ The story of Rapunzel brings out the message in a way the children could identify with. Rapunzel was a beautiful maiden who was imprisoned in a high tower by a witch. She spent her time at the window singing songs, calling for help. We too are helpless. We are prisoners to sin and selfishness. We need a Saviour. Jesus our Saviour came to this earth to rescue us. He promised to return to take us to his heavenly kingdom. Like Rapunzel we must dream of him, long for him and await his coming. We encourage the children to prepare for Christ’s coming by reading and reflecting on a Bible verse everyday. An Advent calendar is attached which can be photocopied and distributed to the children after mass.

INTRODUCTION: Celebrant: Children can you tell me how many days are left for Christmas? (25!) Some of you may already be thinking of Christmas and how you will celebrate. • Why is Christmas such a big feast? What’s so special about it? It’s the day that Jesus our Saviour was born! For thousands of year the world was waiting for Jesus. Without him we would all be lost… we would die in our sin! Finally on Christmas day 2000 years ago, he came! • These weeks before Christmas are called the season of Advent. It is a time of waiting for Jesus. LITURGY OF THE WORD: Commentator: Long, long ago, the people of Israel realized that they needed God. Only he could save them from their sins. They looked up to the sky and said -‘Lord tear open the sky and come down to save us.’ First Reading: Isaiah 64:1-4 Commentator: After Jesus came, he died on the cross for us and rose again. Then he went up to heaven. But before going he promised that he would come back again on the last day. St.Paul tells us that God will help us to be good as we wait for him to come back. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9. Psalm: 85: 8, 9, 10 Gospel: Mark 13:33-37.

Homily: Celebrant: Children let see if you understood the readings and the commentary! • Why did I the people cry out to God to come down to earth? (Because they needed his help… they knew he was powerful and that he loved them.) • Did God come? (Yes Jesus came to this earth, first he was a baby then he became a child like you… and then a man.) • Did he save the people of the world? (Yes, by living and dying for us and rising from the dead.) • Why are people still waiting for him? (Because he promised to come back to take us to heaven) I’d like to tell you a story that may help you understand better. Once upon a time there was a young girl called Rapunzel. She lived with a wicked witch who had taken her away from her mummy and daddy when she was just a baby. Rapunzel grew into a very pretty child. She had beautiful long thick hair which grew down to her feet. Her voice was as sweet and as clear as a bird’s. The witch wanted to keep her for herself forever. So when she was 12yrs old, she built a high tower without any doors or stairs. There was only a room right at the top of the tower with one window. The witch put Rapunzel into that room by magic. Now Rapunzel was a prisoner. (Look at the picture of Rapunzel in the tower.) The window was too high for her to jump from and the witch’s garden was so big and scary that no-one came into it. Besides, the witch had planted a thorny hedge all around the garden. What could Rapunzel do…? She could dream, and she could sing. Every night she would dream that a handsome and brave young man would rescue her from her tower. Every day she would sit at her window and sing in her clear, sweet voice. What did she sing about? Sometimes she sang about the sky, the sun and the birds, but mostly her song was a call for help… a call to the brave young man of her dreams to rescue her from the tower and from the wicked witch. One day the king’s son was riding in the forest nearby when Rapunzel’s clear sweet song came to his ears on a breeze. At first he thought it was a bird’s song and he decided to look for this wonderful bird and try and capture it. But as he came nearer he could hear words… words calling for help… and he realized it was the voice of a young girl. He managed to cut through the thorny hedge and enter the witch’s garden. He looked up and saw Rapunzel at the window and decided there and then that he would not rest until he had rescued her from the witch’s power. Did he manage to save her? We will hear about it next Sunday! But we have something to think about for this week: • We are all like Rapunzel,: we need God’s saving help. The devil, like the witch wants to make us his prisoners. He doesn’t want us to be free. • The witch built a tower and put Rapunzel into it. The devil traps us by tempting us to sin, to forget about God, to be selfish and greedy. • Should we give in to the devil? No! We cannot save ourselves. But we have a brave saviour, Jesus who will help us. All we have to do is call out to him for help. Like Rapunzel we must think of him everyday, wait for him and call out to him. • To help you think of Jesus, we will give you a calendar. Everyday, sit with your family and read God’s word from the Bible. Then talk about it and pray about it. This will help you get ready for Jesus when he comes again. APPROPRIATE HYMNS ENTRANCE: Sing to the Mountains OFFERTORY: Take our Bread COMMUNION: Jesus, You are my Salvation RECESSIONAL: Jesus Sets me Absolutely Free.

PREPARATION REQUIRED: • Make large tower with blocks (this will be used for all 4 Sundays of Advent) • Write the words ‘WAIT FOR GOD’ on the top. (other words will be added each Sunday) • Photocopy Advent calendar and distribute as children leave the church. Teachers could explain again how to follow it.

FIR ST REA DING : A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah: Why don’t you tear the sky apart and come down? The mountains would see you and shake with fear. They would tremble like water boiling over a hot fire. Come and reveal your power to your enemies, and make the nations tremble at your presence! There was a time that you came and did terrifying things that we did not expect; the mountains saw you and shook with fear. No one has ever seen or heard of a God like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in him. This is the Word of the Lord. NB. This reading has been taken from the Good News Bible, as it was not included in the Lectionary.

PSALM :

Response: Give peace, O Lord, t o t hose who wa it for you.

I will listen to you Lord God, because you promise peace to those who are faithful and no longer foolish. ACCLA MA TION :

You are ready to rescue everyone who worships you, so that you will live with us in all of your glory.

Love and loyalty will come together; goodness and peace will unite.

Alleluia, alleluia. Lord, show us your mercy and love, And grant us your salvation. Alleluia, alleluia.

SE COND READ ING :

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians:

Brothers and sisters: My prayer is that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace! I never stop thanking my God for being kind enough to give you Christ Jesus, who helps you speak and understand so well. Now you are certain that everything we told you about our Lord Jesus Christ is true. You are not missing out on any blessings, as you wait for him to return. And until the day Christ does return, he will keep you completely innocent. God can be trusted, and he chose you to be partners with his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Word of the Lord. GOSPEL :

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Watch out and be ready! You don’t know when the time will come. It is like what happens when a man goes away for a while and places his servants in charge of everything. He tells each of them what to do, and he orders the watchmen to be on their guard. “So be on your guard! You don’t know when the master of the house will come back. It could be in the evening or at midnight or before dawn or in the morning. But if he comes suddenly, don’t let him find you asleep. I tell everyone just what I have told you. Be on your guard!” This is the Gospel of the Lord. NB. All Readings are taken from the ‘Lectionary for Masses with Children’ canonically approved for use in the USA.