4th Sunday of Lent – Year A (2023)

The readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent are about sight and blindness. The first reading (1 Samuel 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13A) is the story of the choosing of David as God’s anointed one. Samuel advised ” Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” The psalm (Psalm 23: 1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 69) is ” The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. “, which reminds us again of the first reading. The second reading (Ephesians 5:8-14) is a reminder that we must live in the light, not it darkness. And in the gospel (John 9:1-41) is the story of the man born blind, whom Jesus cured.

Some possible themes for this weekend are light and darkness, or how we see ourselves, others, and God. Here are some ideas:

All Together Now: A Lesson Plan on Racism

Racism can be a difficult topic to discuss with teens. It is popular to think that we are "color blind". But the fact is that the playing field is not level and that minorities do not have the same advantages as the majority.  This lesson plan introduces the topic of institutional racism.

Glow in the Dark Ring Toss (For youth group or VBS)

This is a fun easy game for any "light" themed youth ministry meeting or Vacation Bible School. It only requires a few materials - glow sticks and water bottles.

Lenten Activities: Give Up Video Games for a Weekend

For many of us, video games have become a way to escape reality and blow off some steam. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, there is a tendency in our culture to spend a lot of time gaming.

Prayer for Our Holy Father

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. One person who often requests our prayers is our Holy Father, Pope Francis.  In fact, his very first Instagram post was simply captioned "Pray for me". 

Lenten Activities: Read a Story from the Gospels

Get together with your family to read a gospel story this Lent. This is also a great activity for Sunday school or youth ministry. You can select one from the daily mass readings. But sometimes the daily gospel can be difficult to understand, especially for younger children. Here are some other suggestions.

Do Yardwork for the Elderly in Your Neighborhood

Service projects are a type of almsgiving during Lent. One popular project with teens and younger children is yardwork for the elderly. There might be some leaves left from the fall. Or fallen branches from winter storms. Or just some spring cleanup needed. An elderly neighbor will appreciate any help you can give.

Lenten Activities: Go for a Quiet Walk

Consider going on a 30 minute walk as a Lenten activity. Turn off the music and walk in silence.  This is an especially powerful experience for teenagers, who have a lot of noise and distraction in their lives.  #Lent #GoForAWalk, #Silence

What Is My Worth?

How is my worth related to my social connections? Should I count my current possessions in my worth? Does my earnings potential play a part in the calculation? If these are the sort of questions you are asking, you are completely heading in the wrong direction.

Prayer of St. Francis

The Prayer of St. Francis is a beautiful prayer of peace and abandonment of our own purpose to God's will. "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace."

GLOW Dodgeball Game (for Youth Ministry or Youth Group)

GLOW dodge ball puts a fun twist on your traditional dodge ball game. It is a glow in the dark version of traditional dodgeball. Play it at night or if you can darken your gym you can play in any time. This is a great game for an open gym night with your teens.

Affirmation Bracelet (Friendship Bracelet)

An affirmation bracelet is both a craft and an activity. The bracelets are made by sharing a bead with a friend and saying what unique quality you like about that person.

Make Votive Candle Holders

For today's advent activity, make some votive candle holders. These votive candle holders are easy enough to make that all of the members of your family can help, no matter what their age.

Prayer to Be My True Self

This is a prayer inspired by Psalm 139.  Use it for your youth ministry meeting or youth group activity focused on authenticity and being your true self. This is a good lesson for teens who are feeling overwhelmed by the need to be popular.

Look Into My Heart

But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”

Glow in the Dark Sidewalk Chalk

Glow in the dark sidewalk chalk is a fun addition to an nighttime activity. You can use it to welcome youth to the event, write inspirational messages, or let your participants have a creative outlet.

Video Clips and Music about Authenticity and Being Yourself

This is a small collection of video clips and music about authenticity and being your true self. Use these with your youth ministry or youth group meeting.