Sunday Connection

Gospel Reading
John 14:23-29
Jesus promises his disciples that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

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

Jesus promised he would send the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate. Explain to younger children that the Holy Spirit, who comes to us in Baptism and fills us with God’s life, helps and guides us.

Materials Needed

• none

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Ask: When we need help with something or we don’t know how to do something, what can we do? (Accept all reasonable answers, including ask someone for help.)
2. Ask: Whom do you think the Apostles asked when they needed help or wanted to learn about God? (Jesus) How do you think they felt when they learned Jesus was going to die on the Cross? (Accept all reasonable answers, including afraid and worried.) Say: Today we’ll hear what Jesus told his disciples before he died.
3. Read today’s Gospel, John 14:23–29.
4. Say: Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to be with God the Father in heaven. Ask: Whom will Jesus send to guide and teach the disciples? (the Holy Spirit)
5. Say: The Holy Spirit comes to us when we are baptized. He fills us with God’s life. When we need help and guidance, we can pray to the Holy Spirit.
6. Pray together a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help and guide you.

Gospel Reading
John 14:23-29
Jesus promises his disciples that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

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

When touring a place of interest that we are not familiar with, it is helpful to have a guide who can help us to get the most out of our tour. Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit to help us and guide us during our journey of life.

Materials Needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Ask if any of the children have gone on a trip that included a tour guide (for example: to a museum, a national park, or a foreign country). Invite volunteers to share their experiences.

2. Ask: Why is it helpful to have a tour guide? (to help us understand what we are seeing and to guide us along the way)

3. Say: Jesus knew that we are in need of guidance in our lives, so he promised to send his Holy Spirit.

4. Invite one or more volunteers to read aloud today's Gospel, John 14:23-29.

5. Ask: What title does Jesus use when referring to his Holy Spirit? (Advocate)

6. Explain that an advocate is a helper. Say: Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit to be our advocate—our guide—so that we do not get lost on our journey to heaven.

7. Tell the children that we can benefit from the guidance of the Holy Spirit through prayer. Encourage them to pray often to the Holy Spirit for help and guidance.

8. Conclude by praying together the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Gospel Reading
John 14:23-29
Jesus promises his disciples that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

Making the Connection (Grades 7 and 8)

For most of us, peace is understood as the absence of conflict. We long for “peace and quiet.” Jesus gives us the gift of peace but not as the world gives peace. The peace of Christ is that state of being that exists when heaven and earth (God's will and our lives) connect in our hearts.

Materials Needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Invite the young people to identify places in the world for which we should be praying for peace. (Accept all reasonable answers.)

2. Ask them to explain in their own words what they are asking for when they pray for peace. In other words, how do they define peace? (absence of conflict; justice)

3. Tell them that in today's Gospel Jesus offers the gift of peace but tells us that his peace is different from the peace that the world gives.

4. Invite one or more volunteers to read aloud today's Gospel, John 14:23-29.

5. Ask: What does Jesus mean when he says that he gives us peace but not as the world gives it? (Jesus' peace means his presence in our lives.)

6. Explain to the young people that the Holy Spirit and peace go together and that peace is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

7. Say: When we offer people a sign of peace at Mass, we are doing much more than saying “hi” to them. We are offering them our deepest wish that Jesus be always present in their heart.

8. End by inviting the young people to offer one another a sign of peace, encouraging them to use the words, “Christ's peace be with you.”

Gospel Reading
John 14:23-29
Jesus promises his disciples that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

Family Connection

Parents are always helping their children prepare for something, whether that consists of getting ready for school, preparing for an exam, or making preparations to go on vacation. In today's Gospel, Jesus prepares his disciples for his Passion, death, and Resurrection. He promises his Holy Spirit, gives them the gift of his peace, and tells them not to be troubled.

As a family, talk about the kinds of events that you have prepared for together; surgeries, funerals, vacations, and first days of school are some examples. Talk about why it is important to prepare for important events in our lives. Then read aloud this Sunday's Gospel: John 14:23-29. Talk about how Jesus prepared his disciples for his Death and Resurrection and how he wanted them to be prepared for what would happen so that they would be able to believe.

Talk about how, as a family, you can prepare for Pentecost (only 2 weeks away), when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, our Advocate.