As we begin our journey through Lent, we are reminded in the first reading at Mass today of God’s love for us and the agreement that He made with Noah.  The rainbow is a symbol of that agreement.

 We begin our prayer by blessing ourselves;

+ In the name of the Father,

and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit. 

Amen

Let us listen to God’s Holy Word

I would invite a parent or an older child to read slowly the reading from the book of Genesis. 

Listen carefully and spend a little time later to discuss the meaning of the reading.

Genesis 9:8-17 (ICB)

Then God said to Noah and his sons, “Now I am making my agreement with you and your people who will live after you. And I also make it with every living thing that is with you. It is with the birds, the tame animals and the wild animals. It is with all that came out of the boat with you. I make my agreement with every living thing on earth.  I make this agreement with you: I will never again destroy all living things by floodwaters. A flood will never again destroy the earth.”

And God said, “I am making an agreement between me and you and every living creature that is with you. It will continue from now on. This is the sign:  I am putting my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of the agreement between me and the earth.  When I bring clouds over the earth, a rainbow appears in the clouds.  Then I will remember my agreement. It is between me and you and every living thing. Floodwaters will never again destroy all life on the earth. When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it. Then I will remember the agreement that continues forever. It is between me and every living thing on the earth.”

So, God said to Noah, “That rainbow is a sign. It is the sign of the agreement that I made with all living things on earth.”

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God      

Activity

I invite each member of the family to draw a rainbow, you will need plain white paper and colouring pencils or crayons and a black marker or a black pen.  Alternatively, as a family you can make one large rainbow with enough colours for each family member.

Draw 7 arches in the shape of a rainbow in 7 different colours. 

Starting on the bottom colour, write week one and a promise you would like to make for that week and so on until you reach week 7 which is Easter Sunday on this colour you will write what you are thankful for.

Things to Do…

• Pray the Hail Mary….

• Draw a picture.

• Write a kind note.

• Clear their dinner plates.

• Help keep their room tidy.

Let Us Pray

1. God our Loving Father we pray for the Church and Its leaders, we remember especially Pope Francis, Archbishop Eamon, his assistant Bishop Michael and all Priest, Deacons and religious of our Diocese.

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

2. God our Loving Father as we journey through this season of Lent, help us to keep, and be faithful to our promises as you are faithful to Yours.

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

3. God our Loving Father, this Lenten season we remember all who are poor and starving in our world, we pray that the world will respond to their needs with generosity and love.

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

4. God our Loving Father, we pray for all who continue to suffer around the glob from Covid-19, we ask you to heal the sick and comfort those who have lost loved ones.

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

5. God our Loving Father, we pray for all our front-line workers, especially those who care for the sick and dying at great cost to their own safety.  We pray that you give them the strength to carry on in these uncertain times.

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

6. Now pray for your own special intentions…….

Lord hear us.

Lord graciously hear us.

We offer all our prayer to God our Father as we pray:

Our Father who art in heaven…….

 Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I Love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my Soul. Since I cannot, at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Bringing Parish Home

Killaloe Diocese has created this wonderful resource that
gives some advice on how we can ‘Bring Parish Home’ during these uncertain and difficult times.