Focus:

Jesus will be sending us a helper, the Advocate to continue his work after he has gone to the Father.

Materials Needed:

• Candle
• Bible
• Blowing Bubbles

Create a special table or sacred space in your home you can where you focus during prayer and your in-home Sunday celebration.  Here is a video on how to do so: https://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2020/04/pop-up-catechesis-creating-a-prayer-space-in-your-home/

Light the candle. Call your family to prayer.

Opening Activity:

Head out side with your bubbles (or another item that you can see move in the air).  Spend some time blowing bubbles together. Point out to your children that after they blow the bubbles that the bubbles keep moving.  How do they keep moving like that?  We can see them move, but we cannot see what is moving them.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that he will be leaving, but he will send us a helper called the Advocate.  We know the Advocate as the Holy Spirit.

Music:

Choose one of the music suggestions below.  Sing together as a family.

Make the Sign of the Cross.

Sunday Gospel:  John 14:15-21

Together read the Sunday Gospel.  Feel free to use your family bible or children’s bible.  Be creative.  Read it in parts.  Act out the story. http://usccb.org/bible/readings/051720.cfm

 Discussion:

• Do you ever need help with things? What kind of things do you need help with?
• Is it hard sometimes to be a follower of Jesus? What things make that difficult?
• Jesus knows that it will be difficult sometimes, but that is why he has sent the Holy Spirit to help us. We receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism. The Holy Spirit helps us to be good followers of Jesus and to love God and other people.
• When you feel like you need extra help, ask the Holy Spirit to come and help you by simply praying, “Come, Holy Spirit, be my_________.” Maybe you need strength or courage or hope. Ask the Holy Spirit to be that for you.

Apostles Creed:

Together pray:

I believe in God the Father almighty Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

Music:

Choose another song to sing together.

Universal Prayers:

As a family, offer prayers for our Church, our world, your local communities, and your families.

The Lord’s Prayer

Together pray the words that our Savior gave us:

Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Conclude with the Sign of the Cross.

Music:

Choose another song to sing together.

Family Activity Suggestions:

• Send thank you cards to those who have helped you during this pandemic or to those in service to our communities.
• Research a saint or other holy person who has done good works in the world. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, just as we are.  The Spirit helps us to do good works, too.  We do what we do to bring Christ to the world.  Find a way to be a saint inspired by the Holy Spirit and do an act of service to your family or neighborhood.

Music Suggestions:

Gathering: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiLHPcPHqIY

Psalm Response: Psalm 66: Let All the Earth Cry Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqdkPtbBoX0

Presentation of the Gifts: How Can I Keep from Singing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnsCKkveqnU

Communion: You Are Mine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9iTK4Ryq5M

Hymn of Praise: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8BP9_luk3Q

Other Web Resources:

Loyola Press:

https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/sunday-connection/sixth-sunday-of-easter-a-sunday-connection/

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) (official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and part of Caritas International):

https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy

Catholic Mom:

http://catholicmom.com/kids/catholic-gospel-coloring-worksheets-sunday-mass/

USCCB:

https://catholicdotbible.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/easter-6.pdf

Strong Catholic Faith:

http://www.catholicfamilyfaith.org/easter-season-resources.html

Pop-Up Catechesis:

https://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/tag/pop-up-catechesis/