In our culture, Easter is not a celebrated season. After Easter Sunday, little is made of this 50-day period that culminates on Pentecost Sunday. Before praying this service, (which should be done shortly after Easter Sunday), talk to children about the importance of remembering Jesus and his resurrection, not just on Easter Sunday, but all through the Easter season and indeed, all through the year.
To prepare:
Place on your prayer table a Bible (open to Mark 16:16), a battery-operated candle, and spring flowers.
Leader: On Easter Sunday we all hear the words: “Alleluia, Alleluia!” Does anyone know what the word means? (Allow time for answers or comments.) “Alleluia” means “Praise God.” We use the word “Alleluia” because it sounds so happy and excited.
Easter Sunday is over, but when you go to church for the next few weeks you will still hear the words “Alleluia, Alleluia!” This is because Christians are so happy about the resurrection of Jesus that they want to keep on remembering and celebrating it.
One of the ways we can keep celebrating Easter is to tell other people about it. We can spread the good news that Jesus is risen from the dead and is still with us in spirit. This is what Jesus asked his followers to do when he spoke to them after the resurrection. Let’s listen to what he said.
Reader 1: A reading from the Gospel of Mark:
After he had risen from the dead, Jesus showed himself to his followers while they were at supper.
Reader 2: First, he scolded them for not believing that he was alive. And then he said to them: “Go out to the whole world; spread the good news that I am alive to all creation.”
Reader 3: After he had spoken to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up to heaven; there at the right hand of God he took his place.
Reader 4: His followers, doing as he asked, went out and spread the good news.
The Word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Have a moment of silence for children to reflect on the good news that Jesus is risen and what Jesus asked the disciples to do (spread the good news). Invite them to think about whom they would like to share the good news with.
This article was originally published in RTJ’s creative catechist April/May 2013.
Photo: FatCamera, istock
