focus

View Lent
as a time to
prepare for the
Easter Triduum.

Refl e c t i on : P a r e n t s / C atec h i sts

:: LI ST ENI NG ::
“We know what love is because Jesus
gave his life for us. That’s why we must
give our lives for each other.”
(1 John 3:16)

:: R E FL ECTI N G : :
The season of Lent begins
on Ash Wednesday and ends
before the Mass of the Lord’s
Supper on Holy Thursday
evening. Lent is followed by
the most important time in
the Church’s year - the Easter
Triduum (The Mass of the
Lord’s Supper, Good Friday
and the Easter Vigil).
Lent is a time to ask ourselves,
“What must I give you, Lord, for
being so good to me?” (Psalm 116:12).
Paul exhorts us to express our
thanks by the way we live:
“Do as God does. After all, you
are his dear children. Let love
be your God. Christ loved us
and offered his life for us as
a sacrifice that pleases God.”
(Ephesians 5:1-2)
We begin to see the many
trifles that occupied our
thoughts throughout the year
from a different perspective
when we let ourselves be
touched by the Lord’s love.
This love, which poured out
through Christ’s sacrifice, gave
us an enduring hope: union
with the Divine. Lent is a time
to sow the seeds of love:
“You cannot fool God, so don’t
make a fool of yourself!
You will harvest what you plant.
If you follow your selfish desires,
you will harvest destruction, but
if you follow the Spirit, you will
harvest eternal life.”
(Galatians 6:7-8)
Lenten Preface No.1 describes
this time of change:
“Each year you give us this
joyful season, when we prepare
to celebrate the paschal
mystery, with mind and heart
renewed...
As we recall the great events
that gave us new life in Christ,
you bring the image of your Son
to perfection within us.”

To d i s c us s Jesu s’ great love fo r us,
a s d e mons t ra te d by h is su fferin g an d death
Lead your child to understand
what is meant by sacrifice.
Have you ever given away
or given up something that
belonged to you? What was
hardest for you to give up?
Why was it hard for you to give
it away?
Why did you give it away
anyway?
When you give away
something that means a lot to
you, it’s like giving up a part of
yourself.
Sometimes we give ourselves
by giving our time to someone.
Have you ever given up your
play time or TV time to help
someone? Was it easy to give
up play to do work?
Then why did you do it?
Did you ever give up doing
something you liked so that
you could make someone else
happy?
Adapted excerpt from the Roman Missal ©2010 ICEL
:: PAG E 1 ::
Talk about what you did.
Why did you do what (Name)
wanted you to do?
When you give up something
important to you for another
person, you are sacrificing
yourself for others.
You may give up something
you like because you love
the person for whom you are
making the sacrifice.
Look at Page 1 and find the
story that tells about the
greatest sacrifice ever made.
Read the first part and the
people’s part. Then discuss:
Why did Jesus go to the
garden after the Last Supper?
(To pray)
Why did soldiers come to the
garden?
(To lead Jesus away)
What happened to Jesus the
next day?
(He carried a big cross)
What did some people do
when Jesus was on the cross?
(They made fun of him)
Let’s read aloud what the
people said.
(If you are the King…)

Read aloud the next 4 parts
then ask:
What do you think Jesus
meant when he said, “It is
finished”?
(Jesus meant he had finished
the work his Father had given
him.)
He had already offered himself
to his Father at the Last
Supper when he said, “This is
my Body, which will be offered
up for you. This is my Blood,
which will be shed for you.”
Now Jesus was giving up his
life by dying on the cross.
Read the last part and ask:
What sacrifice did Jesus offer
for us?
(The sacrifice of his life for us)
What is a victory?
(To win)
Jesus’ death was a victory
because after his death, he
received a new and glorious
life. He won a victory over sin
because he made up for sin by
his suffering, dying and rising.
Because of Christ’s sacrifice,
we too, can have a glorious
new life in heaven.
Let us read the last three lines
again. They tell us about Jesus’
victory.
Guide your child to
understand why Jesus’ death
on the cross was the greatest
sacrifice ever offered.
Jesus’ death on the cross was
a sacrifice. It was a gift of love
that Jesus gave to his Father.
At the beginning of our
lesson, we talked about some
sacrifices you have made for
others because you love them.
Mothers and fathers also
make many sacrifices for their
children. What are some of
them?
These sacrifices show that
mothers and fathers love their
children. All of these sacrifices
are very good, because
through them, people help
others. But the sacrifice that
Jesus offered was the greatest
sacrifice anyone ever made.
Why do you think Jesus’
sacrifice is the greatest?
(Jesus offered his life to
his Father for us. He gave
everything he had.)
Jesus’ life is the best gift that
can be offered to God our
Father because Jesus is the
Son of God. Sacrifices are
offered with love. No one ever
loved God our Father and
people as much as Jesus. Jesus
gave himself on the cross to
save us from sin.
 :: PAG E 2 : :

To t r y to s how love fo r Jesus by makin g Lent

a t i me of s p ecial prayer an d sacrifice.

During Lent we remember Jesus’ great love by

offering him many sacrifices with our love.

What sacrifices might you make?

(Read through the suggestions on Page 2.)

The lines are there for you to add your own suggestions.

:: PAGE 3 ::

There is a drawing of a path for you to follow through

the days of Lent.

Each day that you try to do something in the way

of a sacrifice tick or mark in some way one of the
stepping stones on the path.

Each Sunday is represented by a cross.

Circle the cross on the day we go to Mass to show our

love for Jesus.

:: PAGE 4 ::

Use the Family Prayer as something

special for Lent.