Resources for Family Mass: February

Click here to download or print our February Resources for Family Mass.

Orla Walsh is a Deputy Principal in St Vincent’s Secondary School, Dundalk, Co Louth

Email walshorla@icloud.com

 

5 February • Matthew 5:13-16

Theme: I Want You to Shine

Sacred Space: Tea lights on mirror tiles/Opening procession of
children bringing their light to the altar.

Gospel Thoughts
I Want You to Shine
I want you to shine, my friend,
and show the world your greatness.
God lives in your every smile,
in the beauty of your laughter.
Your gifts and talents are unfolding
for the whole world to share.
I’m happy when you take centre stage
and play the leading role there.
Sometimes it’s hard to mean these words,
when jealousy and envy stand in line,
but I want you to know that I pray
that your light might shine.

This poem was written about the Gospel message today. It is about encouraging others (as well as oneself) to let the light of life and God’s love in your life shine. We are made to be great! We are made to do extraordinary things, we can if we set out in earnest with an open and honest heart. God did not will us into life for nothing, we are called to live life to the fullest as we journey to the Kingdom.

Prayer of the Faithful
1. God of Light, help me to shine brightly and to allow others to shine brightly. Let your love shine through us.
2. God of Love, help us to live our lives to the fullest in your love and for the Kingdom.
3. God of Peace, empower us with an honest heart for all the world to witness.

*****

12 February • Matthew 5:17-37

Theme: Showing and Sharing God’s Love

Sacred Space: Sacred Heart/Wall of good deeds

Gospel Thoughts
The Gospel story this Sunday helps us to find the right pathway to Heaven, peace in our hearts and love in our lives. In this Gospel, Jesus is telling us that showing love and being faithful to ourselves, others and God takes time and effort and a lot of energy. Also it calls for our ego to be le tucked up in bed every morning! Our ego can oen take over and draw us completely towards our appearance and our popularity. Sometimes it is good to suggest that ‘ego’ stands for ‘edging God out’! If we go the road of life alone taking selfies and tweeting our ‘great times’, what becomes of our inner thoughts and spirit? Nourish the soul and spread genuine love and care for others, grasp every opportunity to do a good deed. This can be greatly helped by spending time in prayer. The only way to become good at something is to practice and so it is the same with prayer. Try to say a prayer in your own words regularly and so praying becomes a happy habit and not just something you do when you are worried or in trouble!

Prayer of the Faithful
1. Saving God, help us to see you more clearly, love you more deeply and follow you more closely every day.
2. Loving God, grace us with the ability to embrace each possibility to show your love that is presented to us each day.
3. Gentle Jesus, thank you for walking with me, for showing me the way and for carrying me when I am lonely and tired.

*****

19 February • Matthew 5:38-48

Theme: Love Your Neighbour

Sacred Space: Cut-outs created by youth, joined together/ Circles to symbolise unending love

Gospel Thoughts
This Sunday’s Gospel is about love, love, love! It is not always easy to love others all the time but it is easy to give it a shot all of the time. Jesus invites us to follow in his footsteps and think of ourselves as a flame flickering away sending out a glow to keep people warm and feeling that they are called to positivity and kindness. God asks us to love our enemies and pray for those who hurt us. For many this is one of the most difficult tasks in life, but we are called to be extraordinary, we are called to love. Sometimes love is the easiest emotion to feel and other times it is the most difficult. Forgiveness and understanding play a pivotal role in-between. Forgiveness can be the greatest gift of love one can offer.

Prayer of the Faithful
1. Jesus our Saviour, help us to appreciate and understand your ministry here on earth, help us to love as you loved.
2. Jesus our Light, thank you for loving us with such perfection and unyielding love, help us when we falter.
3. Jesus our Source, we celebrate your birth, death and resurrection. We live graciously in thanksgiving for you.

*****

26 February • Matthew 6:24-34

Theme: Do Not Worry

Sacred Space: Basket containing parishioner’s worries and anxieties.

Gospel Thoughts
This Sunday’s Gospel is about living in the moment. One might suggest that it is summed up by the following saying: ‘Don’t worry about yesterday because it is in the past and gone, don’t worry about tomorrow because it is in the future and not here yet, so focus on today, it is a gi, that is why it is called the present’! Mindfulness is very popular at the moment. Jesus asked us to be mindful over 2000 years ago. Jesus shared with us that worrying about our lives is a waste of time and that the only effective way for change is to work hard now. To use right judgement now, to use our courage now, to try to understand and know now, not next week, not in ten days’ time when we come back from our midterm break, but now! This is the only effective way to begin to live a life of love that holds no regrets. God our Father wants us to attend to the moment, the present, the immediate. In this way we create a wonderful yesterday and remain poised to create a wonderful tomorrow as we follow our chosen path of love and integrity.

Prayer of the Faithful
1. Gracious God, thank you for waking us up! For calling us to pay attention to our minutes and not our years.
2. Gentle God, allow us to be patient with ourselves, our families and our friends. Let us grasp every opportunity and possibility for love.
3. Generous God, thank you for loving us, warts and all.

 

Click here for more resources from our February issue.