Turning Points and New Beginnings

Shaving Cream Sculptors

This silly icebreaker helps break the tension and gets everyone laughing. It’s a great way to get youth moving and relaxed before diving into a deeper topic.

What You Need:

• One can of shaving cream per group
• Paper plates or plastic lids
• Timer
• A list of silly sculpting prompts (examples below)
• Paper towels or wipes for cleanup

How to Play:
Divide the youth into small teams of 3–5. Give each team a paper plate and a pile of shaving cream. One person on each team will be the sculptor. The rest will be the guessers.

Call out a silly item to sculpt—like “toothbrush,” “banana,” “roller skate,” or “cat wearing sunglasses.” The sculptor has 30 seconds to shape it out of shaving cream on the plate while the others try to guess. Keep it fast-paced and funny. Switch sculptors each round. Keep playing for a few rounds or until the energy starts to dip.

Follow-Up Questions for the Group:

• What was the weirdest thing you tried to sculpt?
• How did it feel when you couldn’t figure it out right away?
• What made you laugh the most during the game?

That game was messy and fun—but it also showed us something important. Things don’t always turn out the way we expect. You had an idea in your head of what you were making, but it didn’t always look that way. And sometimes your team just had to take a guess and go with it.

Life can be kind of like that. We make plans, we imagine how things will go—and then something unexpected happens. We don’t always feel ready. Sometimes it’s confusing or frustrating. But that’s also where we start to learn, grow, and lean on each other.

In today’s Gospel, we’ll hear about a big moment in Jesus’ life. Something hard happens, and he has to make a choice. Does he give up—or does he step into something new? Let’s listen and see how this turning point became the start of his mission.

Read Matthew 4:12-23 (Jesus Begins His Ministry), the Gospel for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A:

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.

He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Life doesn’t always go the way we want. One day things feel fine, and the next day everything can turn upside down. Maybe you’ve felt that before. A friend suddenly stops talking to you. A parent loses a job. Someone close to you gets really sick. Or maybe you’re just struggling inside, and no one knows. It can feel like everything is shifting, and you don’t know what to do next.

That’s exactly the kind of moment we see in today’s Gospel. Jesus hears that John the Baptist, his cousin and friend, has been arrested. John had prepared the way for Jesus. Now he’s in prison. That’s big news. It could have stopped everything. It could have made Jesus hide or wait for a safer time. But Jesus doesn’t stop. He doesn’t run away. He moves forward. He leaves Nazareth and goes to Galilee. And there, he begins something new. He begins preaching. His first words are simple but strong: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

That moment is more than a move from one town to another. It’s the beginning of his mission. Jesus starts telling people that God’s kingdom is close. That something better is coming. That hearts need to change. And what’s amazing is that it all begins right after something painful happens. Jesus doesn’t wait for the perfect time. He steps into his calling during a time of loss.

Now, think about your life. Have you ever had a moment when something hard pushed you to grow or change? Maybe it didn’t feel good at the time. Maybe it still doesn’t. But looking back, can you see anything new that came from it? Sometimes when life is shaken up, we begin to see what really matters. We stop wasting time on things that don’t help us. We notice people who care about us. We start asking deeper questions.

These moments are turning points. They don’t always look important when they happen. Sometimes they just feel painful or confusing. But they can be the start of something better. Not because the pain goes away fast, but because God shows up in that pain. Jesus shows us that. His own turning point came at a moment of fear and loss, but he still chose to bring light.

So how do you respond when life shifts? Do you pull back and hide? That’s easy to do. Or do you step forward and trust that God is doing something in you? That’s not always easy, but it’s the path of faith. It’s what Jesus did. And it’s what we’re invited to do too.

God doesn’t promise that life will be easy. But he does promise to be with us in the middle of it. He promises that even the darkest moments can become something new. Jesus brought light to Galilee. He can bring light to your life too.

Maybe this week, take time to think about what you’re going through. Is there a place in your life where something hard might actually be a turning point? Can you ask God to help you grow from it? Can you trust that God is close, even if you don’t feel it right now?

Jesus began his mission after something went wrong. And from that moment, he changed the world. That same God is with you today. And he can help you begin again too.

In small groups, give everyone a chance to speak. Let youth know that it’s okay to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable. There are no wrong answers. Remind them to listen with respect and kindness. Encourage them to think about their own lives and how the Gospel connects to what they’re going through.

• What do you think Jesus might have felt when he heard that John the Baptist was arrested?
• Why do you think Jesus chose to begin his ministry right after something bad happened?
• Have you ever had a time when something changed in your life and it was really hard?
• Did anything good come out of that hard moment, even if it didn’t feel good at the time?
• What does it mean to “repent” in your own life?
• Do you think it’s possible to grow in faith when things aren’t going well? Why or why not?
• How can we support each other when life gets difficult?
• What are some small ways you can bring light to someone else’s life this week?
• Do you believe God is close to you during hard times? Why or why not?
• What do you think God might be inviting you to do right now?

This week, your challenge is to look for a turning point in your own life. Think about something that feels hard, confusing, or uncertain right now. Ask God to help you see it in a new way. You don’t have to fix it all at once. Just take one step forward in trust, like Jesus did when he left Nazareth and started something new.

Here are a few ways to try this. You could write a short prayer asking God for courage or guidance, and say it each morning. If someone around you is having a hard time, be the light—send them a kind message or sit with them at lunch. Or take a quiet moment at the end of the day to ask, “God, how are you working in my life today?” These small actions can help you notice God’s presence, even in the middle of hard things.

Let’s take a moment to quiet our hearts and pray together.

Loving God,
thank you for being with us today.
Thank you for showing us how Jesus stepped forward even when things were hard.
Help us to trust you when life changes and feels uncertain.
Give us courage to move forward, even if we are afraid.

Help us to see the turning points in our lives.
Teach us to listen for your voice in hard times.
Show us how to bring your light to others, just like Jesus did in Galilee.
Be close to us this week and guide our steps.

We ask all this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Themes for the Turning Points and New Beginnings Lesson Plan

• Trusting God in change: Life is full of changes, and some are hard. Jesus moved forward after John’s arrest. We can trust God to guide us during uncertain times.
• God brings new beginnings: Even in painful moments, God is working. Jesus started something new in Galilee. God can bring good from our struggles too.
• Jesus brings light: The people in darkness saw a great light. Jesus brings hope to those who feel lost. His presence gives us strength.
• Following God’s call: Jesus didn’t wait for a perfect moment. He followed God’s plan, even in a hard time. We are called to do the same.
• Repent and turn back: Jesus invites us to change our hearts. God always welcomes us back. Turning toward God brings healing.
• God works through us: Jesus shared God’s message with others. We can also share faith with the people around us. Every person has a role.
• Courage during hard times: Jesus didn’t run from trouble. He stepped forward with courage. God gives us strength to do the same.
• Hope in dark moments: Even when life feels heavy, God is near. Jesus showed up in a hurting world. We are never alone.
• Everyday faithfulness matters: Jesus went to Galilee, not a big city. He met people where they lived. God meets us in our daily lives.
• Being a light for others: Jesus brought light to those in darkness. We are called to reflect that light. Our actions can lead others to God.
• God’s timing is different: Jesus started his mission after a crisis. God’s plan doesn’t always follow our schedule. We can trust his timing.

Background Material for the Turning Points and New Beginnings Lesson Plan

Matthew 4:12-17 shows us the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. After John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus leaves Nazareth and goes to Galilee. This is a turning point. It is the start of something new. Jesus begins preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This simple message calls people to change and to trust that God’s kingdom is near.

This moment teaches us that God works even when things are hard. The arrest of John could have seemed like a big loss. But it becomes a moment of action. Jesus steps forward and begins his mission. He brings light into a land that has seen darkness. This connects to what the prophet Isaiah said: “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus fulfills this promise. His presence brings hope and healing.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that when Jesus says the kingdom of God is at hand, “He does this by gathering men around his Son Jesus Christ.” (CCC 541). This means that Jesus comes to bring us close to God. He invites us to turn away from sin and begin again. That is what repentance means—changing direction and following God. This is not just about one-time choices. It is something we do throughout our lives.

The Church teaches that hard times can help us grow in faith. When we face struggles, we are not alone. Jesus understands suffering. He faced rejection, loss, and even death. He knows what it means to feel pain. But he also knows that new life can come from those painful moments. The cross leads to resurrection. That is the pattern of our faith. As Saint Paul writes, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him” (Romans 8:28).

This lesson fits with Catholic teaching about conversion and discipleship. Conversion is not always dramatic. Sometimes it begins with a small change. A moment of prayer. A kind act. A choice to do what is right. These small moments add up. Jesus invites us to live each day in a way that builds God’s kingdom on earth.

Jesus also shows us that God’s call does not always come at easy times. It may come during a crisis or when we are feeling low. But that is often when we are most ready to listen. God does not waste anything—not even our pain. He uses it to shape us and call us to something new.

By reflecting on this passage, young people can begin to see that God is with them in every moment—especially the hard ones. The Church reminds us that “Christ invites all people to enter the kingdom of God” (CCC 541). This invitation is for each of us, right now. No matter what is going on in our lives, Jesus calls us to follow him and to trust that something good can begin today.

Music Suggestions for the Turning Points and New Beginnings Lesson Plan

• You Are The Light by Josh Blakesley
• Christ Be Our Light by Bernadette Farrell
• Be Not Afraid by the St. Louis Jesuits

More Youth Ministry Lesson Plans and Reflections

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