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:

The Prodigal Son (AKA The Forgiving Father) – Luke 15:11–32: This is a favorite parable about God’s mercy. Our loving Father is always waiting for us to return to Him.  It is especially good before going to the sacrament of reconciliation.

The Judgement of the Nations – Matthew 25:31-46: Jesus tells of the final judgement. And the criteria for judgement? Not how pious we are. Not how much we prayed. Not if we went to mass every Sunday. The one criteria Jesus mentions in the gospels is how did we serve Jesus by taking care of the marginalized.

The Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25–37: Another parable about how we need to treat each other. Who is really doing the will of God in this story? It is not the “holy” people, but the outsider who takes time to help another.

The Foolish Rich Man –  Luke 12:16-21: This is a story about seeking the wrong things in life. We should not be focused on seeking wealth and comfort for ourselves. Instead, we should spend our energy doing God’s will.

The Beatitudes – Matthew 5:3–12: Jesus tells us what makes us truly blessed. Instead of the things the world values – like fame and wealth – true blessings come from doing the things which please our heavenly Father. Read each beatitude and think how it might apply to your life.

The Temptation in the Desert – Matthew 4:1–11: Even Jesus, the Son of God, faced temptation. Think about the three temptations and how Jesus responded to them. What are similar temptations in our modern lives? How do we respond?

The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin: Luke 15:1-10: The two stories proceed the parable of the prodigal son. Both tell of our infinite value to our Father and how much He longs for us to be with him.  A good discussion point is if we really feel that valuable or not.