5th Sunday of Easter

Year A:  May 14, 2017

First Reading: Acts 7:55-60

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz

(Written for ages 10+)

Comment: This brief text describes Stephen’s martyrdom, but in its brevity does not include the reasons. In the 21st chapter of Gidwitz’s fabulous novel, the mentor of the three protagonists is rather surprisingly martyred while trying to save every Jewish Talmud in France from being burned. Pairing this text and novel helps bring fuller understanding to Stephen’s story and what it looks like for someone to be willing to die for their beliefs. This lesson might lead you to enquire of the adults in your congregation, “I wonder if you have ever known a person who was willing to die for a belief or cause…”

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10

Pomelo Begins to Grow by Ramona Badescu

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: Peter explains to the newly baptized that they must be nourished, nurtured, and grow up into the people and community God has created them to be. Pomelo’s story of growth is filled with wondering and eventually allows him to say goodbye to the comforts of his childhood and step out into adventure. As you read this text and story, invite the children of your church to wonder about what their spiritual growth has been and will be like. What future adventures might God have in store for them?

Gospel Reading: John 14:1-14

The Wonderful Book by Leonid Gore

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: Jesus is providing clarification as he seeks to help the disciples understand that in seeing him, they have seen the father. When the animals of the forest encounter a book, each recognizes it as wonderful, yet none of them seem to truly understand it, until a boy comes and reads it to them. When the story is finished, they all agree it is truly wonderful. May our eyes, ears, and hearts be as open to Jesus’ story as the animals were to the boy’s.

Thank you to Noell Rathbun for writing the Revised Common Lectionary Links this week.

Lectionary Links (RCL): May 14, 2017 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.