Please log onto the live stream at OLSV  church for Mass  at 9.30 am as we celebrate a school Mass for our school patron St Paul VI.

Yesterday  we celebrated the twin founders of the Church in Rome. Both St. Paul and St. Peter proved that they were committed and faithful disciples by laying down their lives for Jesus and His Gospel.  St. Paul was beheaded and St. Peter was crucified upside down.

Read about their lives in the link below

http://www.wednesdayword.org/downloads/features/St-peter-&-paul-pop-

Read the Gospel that is read in Church on the feast of St Peter and St Paul

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

Jesus went to the territory near the town of Caesarea Philippi, where he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

“Some say John the Baptist,” they answered. “Others say Elijah, while others say Jeremiah or some other prophet.”

“What about you?” he asked them. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

“Good for you, Simon son of John!” answered Jesus. “For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven. And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Why did Jesus give Simon Peter a new name and the keys to the kingdom?

Simon Peter recognised and believed that Jesus was the Son of God. He had great faith and was willing to put that faith into words but also into actions.

Because of Peter’s great faith, Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. What are keys usually used for?

Keys lock doors, but they also open them. As a disciple, Peter spent his time sharing Jesus’ message with other people. He opened their hearts to God’s love, just like a key opens a door.

 

We can open our hearts by taking some time to stop and listen, to pray and to try to hear what Jesus is asking us to do. We can show our faith in our prayers and in our actions. We can try to follow Jesus’ commandments to love God and to love our neighbour. We can be kind and generous to others and we can try to make the world a fairer place where all people get what they need.

 

Can you think of some key words that show us what Jesus asks us to do? (eg. love, believe, forgive, give, share, hope etc)

These are just like the keys to God’s kingdom – which open us up to God’s love.

This week let’s try to be more loving, more forgiving and more generous to others. Let us try to bring hope to others. And let’s try to open our hearts to welcome Jesus in.

What will you do this week to show your faith in Jesus and to welcome him into your heart?

Draw a large outline of a  key and write  or draw what you will do to open your heart to Jesus in the coming week or the “key words” that sum up what Jesus asks us to do.

Matthew, the Gospel Writer writes about the Kingdom of Heaven in a type of story called a parable.

What is a parable?

1. A parable is a type of narrative.
2. Parables are always made up; they haven’t happened (although they talk about everyday things so they could have happened).
3. Parables are short; they compare two things. One is called the subject; the other is called the vehicle. It’s a funny word but it’s called that as it ‘carries meaning.’
4. You have to figure out what parables mean.

The Kingdom of Heaven… is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. Mt 13:31- 33

 

• Watch the parable in these  short videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKH0-y7O_I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONkzy7ffUFQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY89DzlwbN4

The parable of the mustard seed helps us to see that from small beginnings something big can happen.  The life of Jesus and the lives of many people down through history show us that from small beginnings something big can happen. One person can make a difference to the world, no matter how small and unimportant they might seem.

Although every Gospel talks about how Jesus wants us to build a new, fairer, more just world, Matthew’s Gospel talks about this more than any other Gospel writer does. Other Gospel writers talk about this new world as the Kingdom of God, Matthew calls it the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven isn’t a real place – it’s a place in our minds and hearts where we imagine that God is in charge (like a king) and everyone lives their very best selves – the way God hoped we would.

 

Choose from some of the activities below

• Look at the emojis. List  all the feelings you think people would have in God’s kingdom.

 

Make a list of all the feelings and actions that you would expect to see and find in God’s kingdom. Use the emojis above to help you, but try to add to it.

Read the Parable of the Mustard seed again then divide the story into 3 parts; someone planting a tiny seed; it growing into a tree; the birds coming to nest in it. Draw each part in your book.

 

Create the final mustard tree with the birds perched in the branches

Make and illustrate a book mark which tells the story of the mustard seed.