Session FOUR: Sunday is Special
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Opening Prayer
God, our loving Father, thank you for all the ways you bless me. Help me to be aware that every person, place, and adventure I experience is an opportunity to love you more. Fill me with a desire to change and to grow, and give me the grace to become the-best-version-of-myself in every moment of every day.
Amen.
Amen.
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First Communion
Your journey with God is a great spiritual journey. Along the way you will have many decisions to make. Some will be big and some will be small. Every decision you make changes who you are forever. This is just one of the many reasons that God wants to help you become a fabulous decision maker. You are preparing for your First Communion. Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is one of the greatest blessings of our lives. But Holy Communion is not just a one time blessing. It is a lifelong blessing. Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist each and every Sunday at Mass will fill you with everything you need to live a fabulous life.
Jesus gives himself to you in the Eucharist. He gives you his encouragement so that you can persevere in times of difficulty. And he gives you his wisdom so you can become a great decision maker.
After your First Communion you will be able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist every Sunday for the rest of your life. In the Eucharist, Jesus wants to encourage you. He wants to help you persevere in times of difficulty, he wants to give you the wisdom you need to become a
great decision maker, and he wants to teach you how to be a good friend to others.
One of the promises Jesus made to the disciples before he ascended into heaven was that he would always be with us. Jesus keeps this promise in the Eucharist. We go to church on Sunday to be with Jesus. In fact, anytime you are confused or upset or have some great news to share, it’s great to stop by church and sit with Jesus for a few minutes. He waits for us in the tabernacle. It is a great blessing that Jesus will always be with us in the Eucharist.
Jesus gives himself to you in the Eucharist. He gives you his encouragement so that you can persevere in times of difficulty. And he gives you his wisdom so you can become a great decision maker.
After your First Communion you will be able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist every Sunday for the rest of your life. In the Eucharist, Jesus wants to encourage you. He wants to help you persevere in times of difficulty, he wants to give you the wisdom you need to become a
great decision maker, and he wants to teach you how to be a good friend to others.
One of the promises Jesus made to the disciples before he ascended into heaven was that he would always be with us. Jesus keeps this promise in the Eucharist. We go to church on Sunday to be with Jesus. In fact, anytime you are confused or upset or have some great news to share, it’s great to stop by church and sit with Jesus for a few minutes. He waits for us in the tabernacle. It is a great blessing that Jesus will always be with us in the Eucharist.
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What is the Eucharist?
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God Loves to Celebrate
We celebrate a lot as Catholics. We celebrate Easter and Christmas, we celebrate feast days and birthdays, we celebrate God, and we celebrate each other. Have you ever wondered why we celebrate so much as Catholics? The reason is because God loves to celebrate.
Every day is special in its own way because life is special. Every day of life should be treasured. Life is precious. Life is sacred. Life is special.
Still, we all have favorites—favorite colors, favorite songs, and favorite foods. Do you have favorite days?
Some of my favorite days each year are Christmas, Easter, my birthday, and the feast days of my favorite saints.
Every day is special in its own way because life is special. Every day of life should be treasured. Life is precious. Life is sacred. Life is special.
Still, we all have favorites—favorite colors, favorite songs, and favorite foods. Do you have favorite days?
Some of my favorite days each year are Christmas, Easter, my birthday, and the feast days of my favorite saints.
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Video on God Loves to Celebrate
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The First Time
Firsts matter. The first time you get to do anything is important. You never get that first time again. Firsts can be very special.
As we prepare for your First Communion, let’s remember that you will never have this first again. Every Sunday when you go to Mass you will be blessed to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. But there is something very special about the first time. So it is important for you to pay attention to everything that your parents and teachers are sharing with you about this very special event in your life. You will never have this first again. Cherish it.
As we prepare for your First Communion, let’s remember that you will never have this first again. Every Sunday when you go to Mass you will be blessed to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. But there is something very special about the first time. So it is important for you to pay attention to everything that your parents and teachers are sharing with you about this very special event in your life. You will never have this first again. Cherish it.
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God's Favorite Day
God loves spending time with us. He loves it when we take a few minutes each day to talk to him. He loves it when we come to visit him at church on Sunday. He loves spending time with you. God smiles when he sees you at Mass on Sunday. Sunday is God’s favorite day.
Sunday is a special day. Most people only get to enjoy about four thousand Sundays in their lives. Now, that may seem like a lot, but they go quickly. You have probably already experienced about 420 Sundays. So don’t waste a single one. Make every Sunday a special day.
What are three ways you make Sunday a special day? Go to church. Spend time with your family. Rest. There are lots of special days, but most of them happen just once a year, and some of them only happen once in your lifetime. One of the beautiful things about Sunday is it happens every week.
Sunday is the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship. We all need to take a break from time to time to rest. Each night we rest by sleeping. And once a week, God wants us to take a special rest so that we can be filled with joy and share that joy with everyone who comes into our lives.
The first story in the Bible is about God creating the world. He finished creating on the sixth day, and the Bible tells us that he rested on the seventh day. That’s why we rest on Sunday. Rest is holy.
God loves you so much that he wants you to take good care of yourself. We take care of ourselves by:
° Eating well
° Drinking plenty of water
° Exercising regularly
° Praying each day
° Getting enough sleep
° Resting on Sundays
Sunday is also a day of worship. We go to Mass to worship God. There are many ways to worship God, but one way we can do this every day is by thanking him for the many ways he has blessed us.
Have you counted your blessings today? What are you most grateful for today? One of the things that make Sunday a special day is that we go to church. We praise and thank God by going to Mass each Sunday. What is the name of the church you go to for Mass on Sundays?
Sunday is a special day. Most people only get to enjoy about four thousand Sundays in their lives. Now, that may seem like a lot, but they go quickly. You have probably already experienced about 420 Sundays. So don’t waste a single one. Make every Sunday a special day.
What are three ways you make Sunday a special day? Go to church. Spend time with your family. Rest. There are lots of special days, but most of them happen just once a year, and some of them only happen once in your lifetime. One of the beautiful things about Sunday is it happens every week.
Sunday is the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship. We all need to take a break from time to time to rest. Each night we rest by sleeping. And once a week, God wants us to take a special rest so that we can be filled with joy and share that joy with everyone who comes into our lives.
The first story in the Bible is about God creating the world. He finished creating on the sixth day, and the Bible tells us that he rested on the seventh day. That’s why we rest on Sunday. Rest is holy.
God loves you so much that he wants you to take good care of yourself. We take care of ourselves by:
° Eating well
° Drinking plenty of water
° Exercising regularly
° Praying each day
° Getting enough sleep
° Resting on Sundays
Sunday is also a day of worship. We go to Mass to worship God. There are many ways to worship God, but one way we can do this every day is by thanking him for the many ways he has blessed us.
Have you counted your blessings today? What are you most grateful for today? One of the things that make Sunday a special day is that we go to church. We praise and thank God by going to Mass each Sunday. What is the name of the church you go to for Mass on Sundays?
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What is Holy Mass?
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From the Bible: Creation
On the first day God created day and night, light and time. On the second day God created the sky. On the third day God created the earth, the seas, plants, and trees. On the fourth day God created the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the fifth day God created birds and fish. On the sixth day God created cattle, insects, wild animals, and human beings. And God didn’t just create us; he created us in his image. What does it mean that we are created in the image of God? It means God made us to resemble him. We can reason, we can dream, we know right from wrong, we are capable of holiness, and we thrive on healthy friendships.
To be made in the image of God is a great blessing, and blessings come with responsibility. God made humanity responsible stewards of all creation. He gave us the mind and the morality necessary to take care of all of creation. When God had finished the work of creation, “he saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). God said—It is good! God blessed creation. On the seventh day God rested. We call this the Sabbath, which means a day of rest and prayer.
Sunday is a day of rest. God blessed rest by resting himself. By blessing rest he teaches us that rest is holy. Sunday is also a day of gratitude. One Sunday on the way to church, Max asked his dad, “Why do we go to church every Sunday?” His dad smiled and replied, “Lots of reasons. But one very important reason is to say thank you to God for all the ways he has blessed us this week.” Every blessing comes from God! Did you ever give someone a gift and he wasn’t grateful? Perhaps he didn’t say thank you, or maybe he tossed the gift aside as if it were a piece of junk. How did that make you feel? God has blessed us with so many gifts. Going to Mass on Sunday is a great way to show God that we are grateful.
To be made in the image of God is a great blessing, and blessings come with responsibility. God made humanity responsible stewards of all creation. He gave us the mind and the morality necessary to take care of all of creation. When God had finished the work of creation, “he saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). God said—It is good! God blessed creation. On the seventh day God rested. We call this the Sabbath, which means a day of rest and prayer.
Sunday is a day of rest. God blessed rest by resting himself. By blessing rest he teaches us that rest is holy. Sunday is also a day of gratitude. One Sunday on the way to church, Max asked his dad, “Why do we go to church every Sunday?” His dad smiled and replied, “Lots of reasons. But one very important reason is to say thank you to God for all the ways he has blessed us this week.” Every blessing comes from God! Did you ever give someone a gift and he wasn’t grateful? Perhaps he didn’t say thank you, or maybe he tossed the gift aside as if it were a piece of junk. How did that make you feel? God has blessed us with so many gifts. Going to Mass on Sunday is a great way to show God that we are grateful.
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Listening to God at Mass
Listening to God at Mass Have you ever wondered, “What is God really like?” It’s a great question. We know many things about God and still he is a beautiful mystery because we do not know everything about him. We know that God is love. We know God keeps his promises. We know that God cares about every single person. We know that God knows everything. We know that God is holy. We know that God is all-powerful. We know God has a plan. And we know that God is unchanging. In the Bible we read about God speaking to Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, Mary, and many others. Remember the last thing we said we know about God? God is unchanging. And just as he spoke to people in ancient times, he speaks to people in every time, and he speaks to you and me today. He speaks to us through the Scriptures. He speaks to us through other people. He speaks to us through the Church. And he speaks to us in our hearts. At Mass on Sunday God wants to speak to you. I like to bring a little journal with me to Mass to jot down the things he says to me in my heart. I ask him at the beginning of Mass: “God, please show me one way in this Mass I can become a-better-version-of-myself this week.” Then I listen to the readings, the prayers, the music, the homily, and the quiet of my heart, and write down the one thing that I sense God is saying to me. Every Sunday at Mass, write the one thing God says to you in your Mass Journal. You will be amazed how God encourages you and challenges you to become the-best-version-of-yourself, grow in virtue, and live a holy life. Every day is a new day in your journey with God—and every day God has a message he is trying to share with you.
