18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C:  August 4, 2013

First Reading: Hosea 11:1-11

Love You When You Whine by Emily Jenkins  (Written for ages 3-6)

Comment: “I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks.” Despite what seems to be constant disobedience and turning away, God continues to love God’s people. Children’s literature provides a slew of examples displaying the gracious love of a parent for their child. Love You When You Whine is a story of a parent’s constant love in the midst of all kinds of bad behavior. Use this story and bible text to help your children understand that their behavior will not change God’s love for them.

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-11

Ant Bully by John Nickle  (Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.” Paul is encouraging the Colossian community to leave behind the destructive ways of their old life in order to embrace a new life in Christ. The renewal they experience will change them, as well as their behavior. Lucas the Ant Bully experiences renewal when the ants give him the chance to live their life. He leaves behind his old, destructive behaviors, and embraces the life of community and care he learns in the colony. Wonder together with the children of your church about the experiences and relationships that may have inspired changes in them.

Gospel Reading: Luke 12:13-21

Ed & Fred Flea by Pamela Duncan Edwards  (Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Jesus’ parable warns against the dangers of greed. In focusing all of our energy on storing treasures for ourselves, we lose sight of the life God calls us to live. Ed & Fred Flea is a great example of this parable. Fred is grumpy and greedy. He gives up community and tells lies all in order to have the dog to himself. But who will this treasure of a dog belong to once the flea powder comes out?! Help the children of your church explore the dangerous foolishness of greed using this text and story.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, August 4, 2013 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.