Sunday Connection

Gospel Reading
Luke 1:39-45
Mary visits Elizabeth, who sings praise to Mary and her child.

Making the Connection (Grades 1, 2, and 3)

Younger children are learning about trusting others and being trustworthy. Hearing how others trust God can support them in learning to trust God. Mary and Elizabeth both trusted in God’s promise that Mary would become the mother of Jesus.

Materials Needed

• Ball (large and soft enough for young children to handle)

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Say: Let’s play a game called Trust. We can trust someone when they tell the truth and keep their promises. I’m going to throw the ball to [name a child]. Gently toss the ball to that child. Did I tell the truth and keep my promise? (Yes.) Turn to the child with the ball. Say: Now it’s your turn. Tell us whom you will throw the ball to. As each child throws the ball to the person he or she has named, ask: Did [child] tell the truth? or say: We can trust [child]. She kept her promise!
2. Say: Today’s Gospel reading is about two women who trusted God. One of them is Mary. Ask: Who is Mary? (Jesus’ mother) Say: Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of his Son, Jesus. Ask: What did Mary say when God asked her to be Jesus’ mother? (Yes.) Say: Mary trusted God. After she said yes to God, she went to visit Elizabeth. Let’s hear about their visit.
3. Read today’s Gospel, Luke 1:39–45.
4. Say: Elizabeth was so happy! She trusted God. She knew Mary was going to be Jesus’ mother. Ask: What did Elizabeth call Mary? (blessed) Say: Mary was blessed because she was going to be Jesus’ mother. Mary trusted God and said yes to God. God took care of Mary, and he takes care of us. We can trust in God’s promises, just as Mary did.
5. Pray together, telling God that you trust in his promises, just as Mary did.

Gospel Reading
Luke 1:39-45
Mary visits Elizabeth, who sings praise to Mary and her child.

Making the Connection (Grades 4, 5, and 6)

One way that older children learn to trust God is by witnessing the ways others in their lives trust God. In the story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, we find an opportunity to observe ways in which people show their trust that God's promises will be fulfilled.

Materials Needed

• Beanbag

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Say: You know that Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. We will understand today's Gospel better if we take some time to remember the story about how Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Let's work together to tell this story.

2. Pass a beanbag among the children. Tell them that when they have the beanbag, they can offer one sentence telling how Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Help as needed until the story of the Annunciation is told (Luke 1:26-38).

3. Say: Mary trusted that God's promises to her would be fulfilled. Today's Gospel tells the story of what Mary did next. Let's listen carefully to this Gospel.

4. Invite one or more volunteers to read today's Gospel, Luke 1:39-45.

5. Ask: What did Elizabeth call Mary? (blessed) Why do you think that Elizabeth called Mary blessed? (because she was to be the mother of Jesus; because Mary trusted God and said yes when God asked her to be the mother of his Son, Jesus) Say: There is another word that we use to call someone blessed; that word is happy.

6. Ask: Are there people in your life who trust God? Who are they? How do you know that they trust God? (Accept all reasonable answers.) We can be happy like Mary if we trust that God is always taking care of us.

7. Pray together that Mary will help us trust in God's promises as she did. Pray the Hail Mary.

Gospel Reading
Luke 1:39-45
Mary visits Elizabeth, who sings praise to Mary and her child.

Making the Connection (Grades 7 and 8)

Young people are still learning how to put the events and circumstances of their lives into perspective. One way we can help them learn to do this is to teach them to look for and recognize God's action in their daily lives.

Materials Needed)

• A word search or a hidden-picture puzzle

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Show the young people the word search or hidden-picture puzzle. Ask if anyone has ever done this kind of puzzle before. Talk about their experiences doing these kinds of puzzles. Ask questions such as the following: Has anyone ever gotten stuck when trying to do these kinds of puzzles? What helps us find the hidden words or pictures? How can others help us when we are doing these kinds of puzzles? Is it easier to work on these puzzles alone or with others?

2. Say: Sometimes finding God in our lives can feel like doing a word search or hidden-picture puzzle. Our faith tells us that God is present in our lives, but we may not readily see God or God's actions. When that happens, we may need help to find God. Often we can find that help from other people. In today's Gospel, we hear about Mary's visit to her cousin, Elizabeth. These women helped one another see God working in their lives. Let's listen to this Gospel.

3. Invite one or more volunteers to read today's Gospel, Luke 1:39-45.

4. Ask: Do you remember what led Mary to visit Elizabeth? (The angel Gabriel told her that her cousin, Elizabeth, was with child.) What was this a sign of? (that Mary herself was to bear a child; that nothing is impossible with God) What did Elizabeth say happened at the sound of Mary's greeting? (Elizabeth's child leapt for joy.) Note that this child was John the Baptist.

5. Say: Mary traveled to see Elizabeth because Elizabeth's pregnancy was a sign that everything the angel told Mary would truly happen. Elizabeth and Mary rejoiced together at the wonderful things God was doing in their lives. We too are blessed when we have people who help us recognize God's action in our lives. Think now if there are people in your life who help you in this way. This is one of the things people try to do for one another in our Church community.

6. Conclude in prayer thanking God for people who help us recognize God's presence and action in our lives. Pray together the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Gospel Reading
Luke 1:39-45
Mary visits Elizabeth, who sings praise to Mary and her child.

Family Connection

In the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth described in today's Gospel, we learn that other people can help us recognize God's presence and action in our lives. Mary traveled to see Elizabeth because Elizabeth's pregnancy was a sign that everything the angel told Mary would truly happen. Elizabeth recognized Mary as the mother of her Lord because her unborn child, John the Baptist, leapt at the sound of Mary's greeting. Elizabeth and Mary rejoiced together at the wonderful things God was doing in their lives. We too are blessed when we have people who help us recognize God's action in our lives. We pray that our family can be this for one another.

As you gather as a family, work together on a word search or hidden-picture puzzle. Help one another until everyone has found each of the words or pictures in the puzzle. Talk about this experience, noticing how some people found words or pictures more easily than others and how easy it was to see the word or picture once someone else pointed it out. Observe that sometimes we need the help of others to recognize God's presence and action in our lives. Read together today's Gospel, Luke 1:39-45. Ask: What did Elizabeth recognize about Mary? (that she was to be the mother of Jesus, the Lord) How did Elizabeth know this? (Her baby, John the Baptist, leapt with joy at Mary's greeting) Pray together that as we share our faith together as a family, we may help one another recognize God's presence and action in our lives. Pray together the Hail Mary.