Children's Liturgy Guide

1st Sunday of Lent

Year B · Lent

Jesus in the Desert

Reading: Mark 1:12-15

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

After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him into the desert for forty days. Jesus was tempted by Satan, but He stayed close to God. Then Jesus came back and told everyone the Good News that God's kingdom is near.

Key Points

  • The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert to prepare Him for His mission
  • Jesus spent forty days in the desert, where He was tempted by Satan
  • Angels came to help Jesus during His time in the desert
  • After the desert, Jesus began preaching about God's kingdom
  • Lent is our forty days to grow closer to God, just like Jesus did in the desert

Background

This brief but dense passage marks the transition between Jesus' baptism and the start of His public ministry. Mark's account is notably sparse compared to Matthew and Luke, mentioning only that Jesus was tempted by Satan, was with wild beasts, and that angels ministered to Him. The forty days echo Moses on Mount Sinai and Elijah's journey to Horeb, establishing Jesus in the prophetic tradition. The phrase 'The kingdom of God is at hand' announces the inauguration of God's reign through Jesus' ministry. For children, emphasize that Jesus spent special time with God to get ready for His important work, and that we can use Lent to spend special time with God too. Set aside the theological complexities of temptation and the nature of Satan's testing.

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 sending Jesus to show us how to be close to You. Help us during this special time of Lent to listen to You and to follow Jesus with all our hearts. 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.

Have you ever had to get ready for something really important, like a big game or a special performance? What did you do to prepare?

Example: I had to practice my dance a lot before the recital. I practiced every day after school so I would remember all the moves and not be nervous.

Bridge to the reading: Getting ready for something important takes time and focus. In today's reading, we will hear about how Jesus spent forty whole days getting ready for the most important job ever, telling everyone about God's love.

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 the Holy Spirit lead Jesus after He was baptized?

    Example: The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, which is a really dry and empty place with not many people around.

  2. How long did Jesus stay in the desert?

    Example: Jesus stayed in the desert for forty days, which is a really long time to be away from home.

  3. Who was with Jesus in the desert besides the wild animals?

    Example: Angels were with Jesus in the desert, and they helped take care of Him while He was there.

  4. What did Jesus tell people to do when He came back from the desert?

    Example: Jesus told people to believe in the Good News because God's kingdom was very close to them now.

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 being alone in the desert for so long, and when do you feel like you need some quiet time?

    Example: I think Jesus might have felt a little lonely but also peaceful. I like quiet time when I read books in my room by myself.

  2. Jesus used His desert time to get closer to God. What is one way you could spend quiet time with God this week?

    Example: I could say my prayers really slowly at bedtime instead of rushing, and I could talk to God about my day.

  3. Lent is like our forty days to prepare our hearts. What is one kind thing you could do at home to show love to your family?

    Example: I could help my mom set the table without being asked, or I could share my toys with my little brother nicely.

Recap

Today we heard about how Jesus went into the desert for forty days to prepare for His important work of sharing God's love with everyone. The Holy Spirit led Him there, and angels helped Him. When Jesus came back, He told everyone that God's kingdom was near and to believe the Good News. Lent is our special time, just like Jesus' desert time, to get our hearts ready and grow closer to God.

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 beginning their Lenten journey, that they may grow closer to Jesus during these forty days, 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.

The forty days Jesus spent in the desert connect directly to the forty days of Lent that we are beginning today. When we see the violet color on the altar and the priest's vestments, it reminds us that this is a special time of preparation, just like Jesus' time in the desert was special preparation for Him.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Loving God, thank You for teaching us about Jesus' time in the desert. Help us to use this Lent to prepare our hearts, just like Jesus did. May we listen to Your voice and share Your Good News with everyone we meet. 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

Jesus in the Desert

Mark 1:12-15

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.

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

Words to find

  • Jesus
  • desert
  • forty
  • Spirit
  • angels
  • Lent
  • kingdom
  • prepare
  • believe
  • pray
  • heart
  • news

ChildrensLiturgy.org