Children's Liturgy Guide

Baptism of the Lord

Year A · Christmas

God Calls Jesus His Beloved Son

Reading: Matthew 3:13-17

Leader Prep

Don't worry about doing this perfectly. If the children hear one good idea about God, Jesus, prayer, kindness, forgiveness, or the Gospel, this time has been worthwhile.

Summary

Today we hear about when Jesus went to the river to be baptized by John. When Jesus came up out of the water, the sky opened up and God the Father spoke from heaven, saying that Jesus is His beloved Son and He is very pleased with Him.

Key Points

  • Jesus chose to be baptized even though He did not need to be, showing us how important baptism is
  • God the Father spoke from heaven, calling Jesus His beloved Son
  • The Holy Spirit came down like a dove, showing us the Trinity together
  • Just like God called Jesus His beloved Son, God calls each of us His beloved children at our baptism

Background

This Gospel presents a theophany, a visible manifestation of God, where all three Persons of the Trinity are present: the Son in the water, the Spirit descending as a dove, and the Father speaking from heaven. John initially resists baptizing Jesus because Jesus has no sin to repent of. Jesus insists in order to 'fulfill all righteousness,' meaning He identifies fully with humanity and consecrates the waters of baptism for all who will follow. The voice from heaven echoes Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1, identifying Jesus as both the messianic king and the suffering servant. For children, emphasize the beautiful moment when God the Father speaks words of love over Jesus, and connect this to how God speaks those same words of love over each child at their own baptism. Set aside the theological complexities of why the sinless Jesus submitted to a baptism of repentance.

Session Flow

Opening Prayer

Invite the children to pray with you, then read the opening prayer below. If many don't know the sign of the cross, teach the whole group.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear God, thank You for calling us Your beloved children. Help us to listen to Your voice today and know how much You love us, just as You love Jesus. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Warm-up

Ask the warm-up question before the reading. There are no wrong answers; this is just to help the children connect today's reading to their own lives.

Has anyone ever said something really kind to you that made you feel special and loved, like when a grown-up said they were proud of you?

Example: My mom told me she was so proud of me when I learned to tie my shoes all by myself, and it made me feel really happy inside.

Bridge to the reading: It feels so wonderful when someone we love tells us they are proud of us. In today's reading, we will hear God the Father say something very special to Jesus, calling Him His beloved Son and saying He is very pleased with Him.

Read the Scripture

Read the day's selected passage aloud. The full Scripture text is not included here. Use a Children's Lectionary if your parish has one available. A children's Bible may also be helpful for younger children. Otherwise, read from a standard lectionary, Bible, or USCCB.org. Read slowly, with short pauses.

Reading Questions

Ask the questions conversationally. You do not need to use every question if time is short. The example answers are for leader preparation, not scripts or required answers.

  1. Where did Jesus go to be baptized, and who was there to baptize Him?

    Example: Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized, and John the Baptist was there waiting to baptize people.

  2. What did John say when Jesus came to him asking to be baptized?

    Example: John said that Jesus should be the one baptizing him instead, because Jesus is so much greater than John.

  3. What happened right after Jesus came up out of the water?

    Example: The heavens opened up and the Holy Spirit came down from the sky like a dove and landed on Jesus.

  4. What special words did God the Father say from heaven about Jesus?

    Example: God the Father said that Jesus is His beloved Son, and that He is very well pleased with Him.

Application Questions

Use these questions to help the children connect the reading to their own lives this week. Simple, concrete answers are best.

  1. How do you think Jesus felt when He heard His Father in heaven say He loved Him and was pleased with Him?

    Example: I think Jesus felt really happy and warm inside, like when my dad tells me he loves me very much.

  2. God calls you His beloved child too. How could you help someone in your family feel loved and special this week?

    Example: I could give my little sister a big hug and tell her that I love her and she is a good sister.

  3. When you make the Sign of the Cross with holy water at church, what could you remember about your baptism?

    Example: I could remember that God calls me His child and loves me, just like He said He loved Jesus at the river.

Recap

Today we heard about Jesus going to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. When Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit came down like a dove, and God the Father spoke from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.' God calls each of us His beloved children too, especially at our baptism.

Prayer of the Faithful

Before returning to the assembly, invite the children to share their own prayer intentions. Their prayers may be serious, simple, funny, or very specific. After each child's prayer, the group may respond: "Lord, hear our prayer." Lastly, include the suggested prayer below.

For all children who will be baptized soon, that they may know how much God loves them and calls them His own, we pray to the Lord.

Mass Connection

If time allows, point out this connection just before returning to Mass. This helps children see that Children's Liturgy is still part of the Mass.

At Mass, we bless ourselves with holy water when we enter the church. This reminds us of our own baptism, just as today's reading tells us about Jesus's baptism in the river. The Sign of the Cross we make with holy water connects us to the moment when the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were all present at the Jordan River.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Loving God, thank You for calling us Your beloved children. Help us to remember that You are always pleased when we try to follow Jesus. May we share Your love with everyone we meet this week. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

ChildrensLiturgy.org

God Calls Jesus His Beloved Son

Matthew 3:13-17

Word Search

Optional activity: use the word search after the discussion if you have time, or send it home with the children. The words relate to today's Children's Liturgy Scripture passage.

N W F F C I L O C B M R T K D
M J J M R G L H F T Z P G Z U
R P Z N O S W E R T X N Y Q F
I L K Z D Q B O T N Z N Q W P
V E F X N H L E E E C U V C S
E A M T L E K V L J E S U S P
R S S B I Q V Y W O M Y Y Z I
T E I W S E V A M A V W R T R
T D T B N C N G E M K E W Y I
E M P P W L K K C H I J D A T
U Q A S I L U I U Q T V O F Y
G V B O F A T H E R Z Z X J A
S E O N H F U R D E V O D X P
I I G K D H A X W P F T X R R
F J O H N W A T E R Q G J Q A

Words to find

  • Jesus
  • baptism
  • John
  • river
  • dove
  • heaven
  • Father
  • beloved
  • water
  • Spirit
  • Son
  • pleased

ChildrensLiturgy.org