First Sunday of Lent [CYCLE B]

MAIN MESSAGE
[This is for reference only. Please do not read it at Mass]

On the First Sunday of Lent the Church invites us on a special journey: a journey that leads
us to the new life of Easter.
Noah, too, was called to a ‘journey’ that led to new life. He trusted God and obeyed his
instructions and so he and his family were saved from a watery grave.
If we trust God and are ready to walk the path of Lent in a meaningful way, we must obey
God’s word. The first words we hear are from Jesus in the Gospel: “Repent and believe!” In simple
language, his words mean, ‘Say no to all that keeps you away from God and say yes to God.

INTRODUCTION:
Celebrant: Children, suppose you received a phone call from your Daddy and he said, “Get dressed
quickly and take a rickshaw to my office. I am going to take you for a wonderful treat.” Would you do
what your daddy asked you?... Most of you would, because you trust your daddy and want to go for a
treat with him, even if it is a bit scary to go alone to his office.
Today God is calling us to a wonderful treat. Only he really knows how wonderful it is. But if we want to
enjoy it, we must trust God and be ready to do what he says.

LITURGY OF THE WORD:

Commentator: Noah was a man who obeyed God. God told him to build a big boat and to go into it with
his family and some animals. He obeyed God and so he was saved from the floods which came. When the
rain stopped and the floods went down, God made a promise to Noah.
First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15.

Psalm: 25:4-5abc, 6&7cd.

Commentator: Jesus also obeyed when the Holy Spirit led him into the desert for 40 days.
Gospel: Mark 1:12-15.

Homily:
Celebrant: I think all of you must have heard the story of Noah, but maybe some don’t remember it very
well. At the time that Noah lived people had completely forgotten God. They became very wicked and so
God decided to destroy the whole world.

• But he didn’t want to destroy Noah and his family, because they were not wicked like the others. So he
asked Noah to build an ark, a special boat, and to gather two of every kind of animal and bird and put
them into the ark. Even though people laughed at Noah, he obeyed God’s voice. He built the ark and
collected all the animals as God had told him to. Then he stocked up with food and drink and went
into the ark with his family.

• What happened next? The sky became dark with clouds and it began to rain. It rained and rained for
40 days and nights. Everyone was drowned in the flood water, except for those in the ark. When the
rain finally stopped and after the waters had dried up, Noah and his family came out of the ark and
lived in the new world, where there was no evil.

• What would have happened if Noah had not listened to God? [He and his family would have drowned]

• Why do you think he obeyed God? [Because he believed him. He was ready to leave his home and get
into the ark because he trusted God.]
• Today God is calling us on a kind of journey, just as he called Noah. He wants to save us and give us
new life. This journey is called Lent and it lasts for about 50 days. During this time, if we listen, we
will hear God saying certain things. If we obey, God will be able to save us and bless us. Easter will be
a time of new life for us and we will one day reach heaven, the best place of all.

• Are you ready to go? Do you want to obey God? Do you trust him?... Then let’s listen to the first
message. Today in the Gospel Jesus said, “Repent and believe!” Repent means to turn away from all
the things that pull us away from God, and to say ‘No’ to them. [Refer to poster] And believe means to
turn to God, to put your hand in his, and say ‘Yes, Lord, I trust you. I will go where you lead me!’

• We have made a special calendar to help you walk on this path to new life. Every evening, sit with
your family and do what the calendar says. It will help you to listen to God’s words and to do them.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS PREPARATION REQUIRED:

ENTRANCE: Come Lets Share • Practice the readings.

OFFERTORY: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
COMMUNION: Just a Closer Walk
RECESSIONAL: One More Step
• Make poster and put up.
• Give out Family Lenten Calendars* to the
children after mass, one per family.
*Available with your parish priest. If not,
contact the Catechetical Centre,
 FIR ST REA DING : A reading from the book of Genesis.
God told Noah and his sons:
“I am going to make a solemn promise to you and to all who will live after you. This
includes the birds and animals that came out of the ark.
I promise every living creature on earth that the earth and those living on it will never
again be destroyed by a flood.
The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature
on earth. It will tell you that I will keep this solemn promise forever. When I send clouds to
cover the earth, and the rainbow appears in the sky, I will remember my promise to you
and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let flood waters destroy all life.”
This is the Word of the Lord.

PSALM : Response: Your ways, O Lor d, are love and truth

to those who keep your covena nt ..

Show me your paths Please, Lord, remember,

and teach me to follow; you have always been
guide me by your truth patient and kind.
and instruct me. Show how truly kind you are
You keep me safe. and remember me.

ACCLA MA TION : Alleluia, alleluia. No one lives on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL : A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark.

Right away God’s Spirit made Jesus go into the desert. He stayed there for forty days
while Satan tested him. Jesus was with the wild animals, but angels took care of him.
After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from
God. He said, “The time has come! God’s kingdom will soon be here. Repent and
believe the good news!”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.

NB. All Readings are taken from the ‘Lectionary for Masses with Children’ canonically approved for use in the USA.