Work together

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today, we will once again witness Jesus’ anger at the disciples’ pride. Jesus warns us that we are to work together and not against each other. The disciples were complaining because someone was doing good deeds in Jesus’ name. According to them, this person was not one of them. Jesus gives a very clear answer, “whoever is not against us is for us.” How many times, do we fall into this same trap? How many times do we put ourselves or our group on a high pedestal?  This is indeed not the way that we should live our faith or follow Jesus! In the Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate, Pope Francis states that, “A community that cherishes the little details of love, whose members care for one another and create an open and evangelizing environment, is a place where the risen Lord is present, sanctifying it in accordance with the Father’s plan.” We are all one family: God’s family. Jesus wants everyone, no matter who he or she is, to experience the Father’s love and mercy.

What example does Jesus give? It is not a something difficult to do, or an action which requires a big sacrifice! He mentions giving someone a glass of water. Although this is a small gesture, at times we find it difficult to do. We do not look at others, in the same way as God looks at them. We have prejudices, we are jealous and proud, we gossip. All of this hinders us in serving each other, because we perceive ourselves as being better than they are. We need help to overcome these difficulties. We find this help in prayer and in the sacraments, from receiving the Eucharist frequently and going regularly to confession.

Jesus warns about the sin we commit, about being a bad example to others and tempting others to do wrong. Jesus mentions the little ones. The little ones are our children, our vulnerable friends, our elderly who are confused and cannot think straight. The little ones are those whom we can influence in one way or another. For Jesus, sin has no place in our lives. This is why he uses this graphic imagery, to show the seriousness of sin and its consequences. With this warning, Jesus shows us how important it is to move away from anything which separates us from him. These harsh words show that Jesus understands that it is difficult for us, because sin attracts us to it, he knows how easily we give in to temptation. We need to remember other words of Jesus. We need to remember his promise that he will always be with us and also remember what he said when he spoke about the parable of the Prodigal Son. When we move just one step towards him, we will find him there, already waiting. 

The film, 127 hours, is the true story of Aron Ralston. He is a mountain climber. During one of his adventures in Utah, he gets caught between some boulders and he cannot free his arm. He spends five days thinking of what he could do to free himself. He wanted to live and with great courage and great pain he saves himself. His life was precious to him, that is why he manages to amputate his arm. Jesus does not expect us to amputate any part of our body. Aron Ralston’s will to live gave him the necessary courage. So how much more, should we find the courage to overcome our temptations, so that we gain everlasting life.

A reading from the Gospel of Mark  (Mk 9, 38-43, 45, 47-48)

At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. 

Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. Reread Mark 9, 42-28. What is leading you to sin? Is it your friends, places you go to, films you watch, lack of patience, alcohol …? Be sincere and pray to the Holy Spirit. Ask for the strength and will to overcome these weaknesses.
  4. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” How are these words reflecting upon you, as a parent?
  5. During this coming week go to confession. Try and go together as a family.
  6. Together with your family find the right time to read this gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare:
    i. The Bible reading from St Mark (9, 38-43, 45, 47-48)
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with a green clot
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
  7. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  8. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  9. Be creative 😊
  10. Go to the Prayer Corner section to continue praying as a family

Today, Jesus tells us something very simple to understand: whoever does good deeds, is his friend!

  • Although we are all different, we are all special to God
  • Even the least good thing we do, pleases Jesus
  • Plain chocolate
  • White chocolate
  • A dish which fits in the fridge
  • Baking paper
  • Some of the following (choose according to children’s preferences):
    • Nuts (peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, if there are no allergies)
    • Small sweets like smarties, M&Ms
    • Raisins, sultanta, currants
    • Cereal such as rice crispies, corn flakes, frosties 

Although in today’s Gospel, we meet some difficult words, Jesus’ message is that we should always choose to do what is right. Jesus knows that this is not always easy, and that is why he uses words like, ‘cutting off your hand’! Jesus does not want us to cut off our hands, but he wants us to be so strong, that we can say no to what is wrong.

Jesus continues and tells us something else too. Let us first give an example of something which can happen at home. Mummy wants you and your younger brother to pick up the toys, and to put everything in its place. She promises that whoever finishes first, will get a surprise. What will you do? (allow the children to answer)

Since my brother is younger than me, I can clear up the things quicker so that mummy gives the surprise to me. Yet, I can also choose to help my brother so that we finish together and tell mummy that no one was first. What do you think, Jesus would prefer?

Today, Jesus is telling us that we should not be sad when someone else is praised for doing something. When we play a game and we do not win, we should not get angry that we did not win, if the others played fair! This is what happened to Jesus’ friends. They heard that someone was doing good things in the name of Jesus. They did not know who this person was and they were angry that he was being praised and they were not. They thought that after all they were Jesus’ best friends and not this man!

Jesus tells us that every good thing that we do, and every good thing that any person does, pleases God. He does not want us to be sad when others are praised. Jesus wants us to love others, to help them become better persons. The same will happen to us. We will be loved by others and we will be helped to learn how to do things which are good.

Today’s activity will help us remember what we have spoken about and at the end we will also have something good to eat!

Parents show the chocolate and other sweets that you prepared, and ask:

Do you like chocolate?

Do you like … (mention the other sweets)

All of these are good and we like to eat them. However now we are going to mix them together and instead of having different sweets we will have just one!

Note to parents: help the children to melt the plain chocolate. Spread it onto the dish, which is covered with baking paper. On the chocolate put the peanuts and/or other sweets. Melt the white chocolate and spread it on top. Put the dish in the fridge until the chocolate is hardened, or else leave it outside, if the room is not too hot. When ready, break it up into smaller pieces. The following part and prayer can be continued after the children taste the prepared chocolate mixture.

Whilst doing this recipe, listen to, Love each other,  In this song, verse 10 from Romans 12 is mentioned. This is the verse: Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honouring each other. 

Did you like the chocolate you made?

This is what Jesus is teaching us. We are all good children and we know how to do different things, just as the chocolate on its own was good and the smarties on their own are good. However, when we mixed them together we had something which also tasted good. So, we can do good things on our own, and our friends too, can do things on their own, but when we do things together, we can do something which we couldn’t do on our own.

Sign of the cross.

Jesus, you teach us that we are all different, and that to you we are all special and important. Help us to be friends with everyone and not to be sad when others are praised. 

Pray the Our Father which reminds us that God is father to all and we are part of one family. It pleases God when we help others to become better and when we do things together.

Today we continue listening to a reading from the Gospel of St Mark. If you remember, last week the apostles were discussing who was the best among them. Jesus was not pleased by their attitude. Again, today, Jesus is angry at them because they are jealous of someone, because he was doing good things in the name of Jesus.

  • God sees even the smallest good thing that we do
  • All that God created is good, our body is a gift from God, to be used for our good and for the good of others
  • Printout of today’s activity
  • Pencil 
  • Colours
PrintoutDownload

Last week, we saw how Jesus corrected his friends when they were discussing who was the best and the greatest. According to today’s Gospel, they wanted to be known and praised since they were Jesus’ friends and like him, they could do good deeds. Fearing the success of other disciples, when they witnessed a man whom they scarcely knew, doing good things, they betrayed their jealousy of him. Do you know what it means to be jealous?

We are jealous, when someone has something which we do not, such as when we are jealous of our friend who comes first in the maths test, or we are jealous of another, because he received a prize for staying with a friend who is in a wheelchair, during break time. When we are jealous, we are not happy for that person’s achievement.

When we are jealous, we cannot appreciate the good in others. So, for example, in the case of that boy who received the prize, for staying with someone who was in a wheelchair, instead of seeing his good deed, we downplay what he did and say that he stayed with him so that he would get the prize and be praised, and not because he loved his friend who is in the wheelchair!

We all want to be praised; however, we should not be sad when others are praised for their good deeds. Jesus scolded his friends when they were jealous of the man who drove demons out in Jesus’ name. He wanted to teach them, and he teaches us too, that whoever does good things, is special in God’s eyes. Jesus wants us to work together to make the world a better place, where everyone does what is good and right.

Today’s Gospel ending is somewhat confusing. Does Jesus want us to hurt ourselves? Jesus uses these vivid descriptions, like cutting off our hand and foot and plucking out our eyes, not because he expects us to this, but to show us how important it is to make good choices. We can use our body to do what is wrong. For example, we kick others, we hurt others with our words, we push others, we lie, we look at pictures or watch films which are not appropriate for our age, we go to places, which our parents have forbidden us to go. These are wrong choices, and Jesus does not want us to choose them. God gave us this great gift of our body, and we are to use it for our own good and for the good of others. Whatever good we do, even the slightest thing, God appreciates it. We know this, because Jesus says so in the Gospel: “who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

In today’s activity we will see how we can please Jesus. In the printout you have a picture of a hand, a foot and an eye. You have an empty space on the side. Think of examples of good things you can do with your hands, your feet and your eyes. Write these examples near the corresponding picture. You may also colour them. Leave this handout in a place where you can see it, so that it reminds you of the good deeds that you can do!To conclude this activity, listen to Be careful little eyes.

Sign of the Cross

Jesus we want to make good use of the gift of our body. Please help us to love others with all our hearts, to use our mouths to say the truth and compliment and praise others, to listen to others with our ears, to use our hands and feet to help others. Thank you Jesus for all the love that you give us. Amen. 

Let us also say a prayer that we pray at the beginning of mass, where we accept responsibility for our wrong choices. Afterwards pray the Act of Contrition.

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Check out the Act of contrition.

Coming soon.

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.