Cycle B 6th Sunday Ordinary

Sixth Sunday of the Year [CYCLE B]

MAIN MESSAGE

[This is for reference only. Please do not read it at Mass] The Gospel gives us the touching story of Jesus healing the leper and restoring him to his community. In the last cycle we thought about how we can reach out to the outcasts in society. This time we focus on what the Lord does for us when we feel left out or excluded. Each of us has certain faults, bad habits or fears which adversely affect our peace of mind and also our relationships with others. Like the man in the gospel if we come to Jesus and humbly ask him to help us, he will touch us, cleanse us and restore our relationships. We use a series of four sketches to highlight the stages in our ‘story of restoration’.

INTRODUCTION: Celebrant: Children, do you sometimes feel that you have no friends and that nobody likes you? Sometimes you may even feel that your family members don’t love you. • Today we are going to hear the true story of a man who had no friends. He had to stay away from his home and community. He was very unhappy. But one day he met someone wonderful and his whole life changed. We’ll hear about it in the Gospel. LITURGY OF THE WORD: First Reading: 1 Corinthians 10: 31-11:1. Psalm: 32:1, 5ab, 11. Commentator: Listen to the story of the man who had no friends. Because he had a skin disease, he had to live outside the town. No one would come near him or touch him. [Put up first picture.] Gospel: Mark 1:29-39. Homily: Celebrant: • Did you follow the story of the man with leprosy? People who had this disease were forced to go and live outside the town. If anyone came near them they had to shout out, “Unclean! Unclean!” [Refer to first picture] How sad it was for the man. How lonely he must have felt! When you have pain in your body it is bad, but pain in your heart is worse! •

But then the man saw Jesus. [Put up second picture.]

He came to him and knelt down. He said, “Jesus, if you want to, you can make me clean.” He knew that Jesus was a healer. Then the wonderful thing happened. [Put up third picture.] Jesus came forward, bent down and touched him. No one had touched him for such a long time! As Jesus’ hand touched him he felt something happening in his body. God’s power filled him. His skin became soft and smooth as a child’s. • Then Jesus sent him to the priest to show him that he was well. He could go back to his home and family. Now he would have friends again. [Put up fourth picture.] •

There was a girl called Mary who used to feel all alone, just like the man in the story. When she was a little girl her mother said to her, “What a naughty girl you are! You are always causing trouble.” Little Mary thought, “Yes, I am bad. And no one likes me.” And so she became naughtier that ever. When Mary was a child, her father’s company kept sending him to new places to work. Every few years the whole family had to shift to a new town. That meant a new school and a new class for Mary. It was very tough to find new friends. The other girls used to say “Hi!” to each other and eat their lunch together, but Mary felt too shy to ask anyone to sit with her. “Maybe they won’t like me,” she thought, and would go off and sit as far away as possible. Once she heard them whispering, “She’s a proud cat! Leave her alone!” This made Mary very angry. She stuck out her tongue at the girls when they were not looking and whenever she got the chance she would cause trouble for them, hide their books, or complain to the teacher about them. She was not a happy girl. Then one day, she decided to talk to Jesus about it. She went to the small chapel in the school and knelt down. “Jesus I’m so lonely and I’m so bad. No one likes me, not even my family. I don’t want to be bad. I want to become good. Can you help me?” As she looked at the tabernacle, she felt as if Jesus was saying, “I like you. In fact I love you very much. You are my beautiful daughter. Come and visit me often.” Every morning Mary would put her bag in her classroom and then run to the chapel. As she sat in front of Jesus, she thought, “At last I have one friend who likes to be with me.” She would tell him everything that was going on in her life. Bit by bit Mary began to change. She stopped making faces at the girls and telling tales. As she became happier, she began to smile more. The other girls began talking to her and found her fun. Soon she was the centre of a big group of friends. One day, her mother hugged her and said, “Mary, I’m so lucky to have such a sweet, happy daughter like you!” Mary smiled and whispered, “Thank you Jesus!” •

Jesus is the one who can touch your heart and make you happy. He is the one who can make you good and help you become friends with others. All you have to do is ask.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS ENTRANCE: OFFERTORY: COMMUNION: RECESSIONAL:

Here We Are What Can We Bring to Offer Oh How I Love Jesus Jesus You are a Wonder/Thank You

FIRST READING: the Corinthians.

PREPARATION REQUIRED: • •

Practice the readings. Make sketches and put up as the homily proceeds. If this is a problem, they could be put up before hand.

A reading from the first letter of Paul to

Brothers and sisters: When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honour God. Don’t cause problems for Jews or Greeks or anyone else who belongs to God’s church. I always try to please others instead of myself, in the hope that many of them will be saved. You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

PSALM:

Response: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble.

Our God, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away.

ACCLAMATION: among us;

Mark.

GOSPEL:

So I confessed my sins and told them all to you.

And so your good people should celebrate and shout.

Alleluia, alleluia. A great prophet has appeared God has visited his people. Alleluia, alleluia. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St.

A man with leprosy came to Jesus and kneeled down. He said to Jesus, “If you want to you can make me clean.” Jesus felt sorry for the man. He stretched out his hand and touched him and said, “I do want to. Be made clean.” At once the man’s leprosy left him and he was made clean. After Jesus strictly warned the man, he sent him on his way. He said, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Just go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift to the temple as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed.” NB. man All Readings are taken from ‘Lectionary for Masses with Children’ The talked about it sothe much and told so many people, that