Fourth Sunday of the Year [CYCLE B]

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

After calling his disciples, Jesus begins his public ministry. The Gospel draws our attention to
his teaching. The people who heard it were amazed at the authority with which he spoke.
In Jesus’ encounter with the man with an evil spirit, we hear another ‘voice’, the voice of the
enemy, which Jesus commands to be silent.
In our lives, too, we hear both the voice of God and the voice of the enemy. One brings truth,
love and peace. The other destroys us.
If we do not learn to differentiate between the two, we may land in trouble, as did the little
goats in the fairytale. We learn to discern who is speaking and respond accordingly.

INTRODUCTION:
Celebrant: Children, two weeks ago we talked about listening. Remember the boy Samuel who heard
God calling to him in the temple? Today we are going to hear some more about listening. We are going to
learn how to listen to the right person and close our ears to our enemy.

LITURGY OF THE WORD:

Commentator: In this reading God tells us to listen to the prophet whom he sends to talk to us.
First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:18-19.

Psalm: 95:1-2, 6-7abcd.

Commentator: Listen carefully to the Gospel. You will hear that Jesus taught in an amazing way. You
will also hear someone else talking. Be ready to answer Father about what you hear.
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28.
Homily:
Celebrant:
• Children, did you listen to the Gospel? Why were the people so amazed when Jesus taught them?
[Because he spoke in a different way, a powerful way.] He spoke God’s word to them and it touched
their hearts.

• We heard another voice in the Gospel. Whose voice was that? [It was the voice of the evil spirit.]
Jesus said to it, “Be silent and come out of him!” And the evil spirit had to listen.

• I’ll tell you a short story which may help us understand what God wants to say. It is about a family of
goats.

One day Mama Goat went to the market, leaving her ten little kids alone at home. Before she
left she warned them not to open the door to anyone except herself.
While she was away a big, hungry wolf came and knocked at the door. He said, “Open the door
and let me in!” But the little got kids remembered their mother’s words and refused to open the
door.
The wolf sat down and thought about what to do. Then he ate some honey and made his voice
sweet and soft. “Children, now you can open the door. I have come back!” The little kids opened
the door and the wolf rushed inside and gobbled them all up.

• In our lives also there are two different voices speaking to us: The voice of God, and the voice of the
devil, our enemy. God speaks the truth to us. He brings us peace. [Refer to right side of poster]
He tells us to love and be humble. If we listen to him we will be safe and happy.

• But the enemy (like the wolf in the story) only wants to spoil our lives and the destroy us. What
kinds of words does he say? [Refer to poster] He tells us to fight with others. He tells us that we are
bad and that God doesn’t really love us. He encourages us to be proud.

• What should we do?

• Recognise who is speaking in your mind (and sometimes through others). If the voice is telling you
to do something bad, or mean; if it tells you to fight with others, then say, like Jesus said, “Be silent
and go away, in Jesus’ name!”

• Spend more time listening to God’s voice, like the people in the Gospel. Read the Bible. Talk to good
people, God’s people. Listen to hymns and good music.

• Stop watching bad movies and listening to bad music. Talk about this with your family and decide
what is good and what is not. Don’t get fooled, like the little goat kids, or you will end up like them!

APPROPRIATE HYMNS PREPARATION REQUIRED:

ENTRANCE: God’s Love is So Wonderful • Practice the readings.

OFFERTORY: The More I Hear of the Word • Make poster and put up.
COMMUNION: Jesus You are A Wonder.. Teacher
RECESSIONAL: In the Name of Jesus
 FIR ST REA DING : A reading from the book of Deuteronomy
The Lord said to Moses:
I will choose one of their own people to be a prophet like you. I will give my message to
that prophet, who will tell the people exactly what I have said. That prophet will speak in
my name, and anyone who doesn’t obey the message will have to answer to me.
This is the word of the Lord.

PSALM : Response: If today you hear God ’s voice , harden not you r hearts .

Sing joyful songs to the Lord! Bow down and worship

Praise the mighty rock the Lord Our Creator!
where we are safe. The Lord is our God,
Come to worship him we are his people,
with thankful hearts the sheep he takes care of
and songs of praise. his own pasture.

ACCLA MA TION : Alleluia, alleluia. A people in darkness have seen a great light;
a radiant dawn shines on h lost in death. Alleluia, alleluia.

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

Jesus and his disciples went to the town of Capernaum. Then on the next Sabbath he
went into the Jewish meeting place and started teaching. Everyone was amazed at his
teaching. He taught with authority, and not like the teachers of the Law of Moses.

Suddenly a man with an evil spirit in him entered the meeting place and shouted,
“Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us? I know
who you are! You are God’s Holy One.”

Jesus told the evil spirit, “Be quiet and come out of the man!” The spirit shook him. Then it
gave a loud shout and left.

Everyone was completely surprised and kept saying to each other, “What is this? It must
be some new kind of powerful teaching! Even the evil spirits obey him.”

News about Jesus quickly spread all over that part of Galilee.

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.