In the Gospels for the Sundays of February, Jesus heals, forgives, and urges his followers to believe in the good news of God. Help your students answer Jesus’ call to believe and serve with the engaging activities featured in this issue of the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies Newsletter.

This issue of the newsletter is available online at pflaum.com/pgwnewsletter. Look for the March issue in your inbox on February 15.

This issue of the newsletter features ideas for February 5, 2012, the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, through February 26, 2012, the 1st Sunday of Lent.

• February 5—After Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law and many others who are sick or possessed by demons, he leaves Capernaum and travels throughout Galilee, teaching and healing. (Mark 1:29-39)
• February 12—Jesus heals a man with leprosy and warns the man to tell no one. But the man is so excited that he tells everyone he meets about what Jesus has done for him.
  (Mark 1:40-45)
• February 19—The friends of a paralyzed man lower him through the roof of the house in which Jesus is staying. Jesus amazes the crowd gathered in and around the house by forgiving the man’s sins at the same time he heals his paralysis. (Mark 2:1-12)
• February 26—After spending 40 days in the desert, Jesus goes to Galilee, proclaiming the good news that the kingdom of God is near. (Mark 1:12-15)

• Saint of the Month—Introduce students to St. Paul Miki and his 25 companions. Some of these heroes of the Church became martyrs when they were not much older than your students.
• Teacher Tips—Learn what to expect from children at different ages and stages of development. Discover how to set realistic expectations and how to avoid problem behaviors.
• Student Activities—Seeds children learn about the role that grandmothers and other caring older adults play in their lives. Promise children make valentines for those in their communities who may be feeling left out. In response to Gospel stories of Jesus’ healing and forgiveness, Good News children think of ways to reach out to others. Venture students study Scripture and an ancient Cherokee prayer to the Great Spirit to learn what it means to care for and renew Earth. Visions students create and commit to a plan to make things better in their school or neighborhood.
• Family Focus—The Pflaum Gospel Weeklies Family Pages offer activities and resources that parents can use at home to help their families grow in faith! The Winter Family Pages focus on St. Paul as a model for responding to God’s call, and help families prepare for Lent. Families can review Lenten fast and abstinence rules and begin their Lenten journeys with “A Prayer Service for Ash Wednesday.”
  
  Go to the Family Pages at pflaum.com/familypages and choose pages to send home with students or suggest pages for parents to download and print.
• Catechist to Catechist—Are you looking for a fun project for Valentine’s Day? Here’s one children will enjoy—making valentine puzzles with secret messages from the Bible.

Paul Miki lived in Japan over 400 years ago. He was the son of a Japanese military leader. His family was not Catholic, but Paul’s father wanted him to have a good education, so he sent Paul to a college run by Jesuit priests. There Paul learned about Jesus and he became Catholic. Later he joined the Jesuit order as a religious brother and became known for his eloquent preaching.

The great Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier first brought the good news of Jesus to Japan. For a while the government leaders allowed missionaries to preach in Japan. Some of the most powerful men, called “shoguns,” became Christians and so did the people they ruled. Then a military leader named Hideyoshi took control and began to unify the country. He saw the unity of the Christians and feared that they would be a threat to his government. Hideyoshi ordered all missionaries to leave Japan and all churches to be destroyed. Some missionaries left, but others secretly continued to teach about Jesus.

On December 8, 1596, a group of Jesuits, Franciscans, and Christian laymen were arrested in Miako (now Kyoto). They were teachers, a doctor and former samurai, a cook, a merchant who ran a hospice, carpenters, and students. Included were Louis Ibaraki, age 10, with his father and uncle. Other young people in the group were Anthony, age 13, Thomas, age 16, and Gabriel, age 19.

They were tortured and sentenced to death by crucifixion. On January 4, they began a forced march to the city of Nagasaki. Sometimes on horseback, but often walking through snow and freezing streams, they traveled over 300 miles. They sang and prayed the rosary to keep up their spirits. In every town and village, people came out to see them. Some cried out their support; others threw stones at them. Two Franciscans who tried to help the prisoners were arrested and added to their number.

On February 5, they finally reached the end of their earthly journey. Eyewitnesses reported that a crowd was waiting for Paul Miki and his 25 companions. The people offered them food, which they accepted, not out of hunger but as a courtesy. The crosses were also waiting for them, and it is reported that the prisoners ran to the crosses, calling upon Jesus and Mary. Thirteen-year-old Anthony began to lead the others in a psalm he had learned in his religion classes: “Praise the Lord, all you children.”

The execution notice—fixed to a lance which would be used to stab each to death—claimed that the men and boys had come from the Philippines to undermine Japanese traditions and culture. Paul Miki spoke out in a strong voice.

The long hard journey and public execution had been intended to scare other Christians. But it had the opposite effect. When missionaries returned to Japan 200 years later, they found a strong Christian community, especially around Nagasaki. The heroic example of Paul Miki and his companions inspired Christians to stand firm in their faith and many others to accept Christ.
Though other persecutions followed, Catholicism survived in Japan. The number of Japanese Catholics is small, but they continue to pass on their faith and the story of Paul Miki and his brave companions. Today, many pilgrims from around the world travel to Nagasaki to visit a shrine in honor of the martyrs who died there.

Their story, of course, is not only for Japan. The lives and death of the Nagasaki martyrs remind all of us that nothing is more important than our faith in Christ. We should remember their courage when we face difficult choices as Christians. This kind of courage shows us what a real hero is. The Japanese martyrs also remind us that we are all one in Christ and that his love will endure through all time and into eternity.

• Tell Seeds children that St. Paul Miki wanted people to believe in Jesus so they could be happy. Knowing that Jesus loves and cares for each of us is a reason to be happy.
  
  Give each Seeds child a paper plate. Have each child draw his or her happy face on one side of the plate. Sit in a circle and ask children what makes them really happy. Allow time for children to offer their ideas. When everyone who wishes to has responded, ask, When you give your mom a hug, who is happy? (Mom is, you are, and Jesus is.) Who is smiling when you share your toys? (your friend, you, and Jesus)
  
  Then have children draw another picture on the other side of their plates. Ask them to draw themselves doing something that would make Jesus happy. Encourage children in their efforts to be kind and loving as they share their pictures.
  
  End by singing a happy song from the CD Everything’s Growing (available from Pflaum Publishing Group, at 800-543-4383 or pflaum.com/musiccds), or another song the children enjoy. If possible, let them accompany the music with rhythm instruments.

• Point out to Promise children that St. Paul Miki and his companions did not give up their faith in Jesus. They showed us that Christians always have hope.
  
  Share with the children that the plan was to have Paul Miki and the others killed at a garbage dump outside Nagasaki. But one official felt that they deserved some dignity. He changed the place of execution to a place called Wheat Hill. On February 5, a soft snow was falling, making it peaceful and beautiful. Shoots of new wheat were already pushing up through the earth.
  
  Help the children plant wheat seeds in paper cups or cut-down half-pint milk cartons. As you and the children are working, explain that with proper care, water, and sunlight, the wheat seeds will sprout and grow into blades of bright green—the color that symbolizes hope.
  
  If possible, keep the containers in your classroom or meeting space where children can watch the progress of their plants, or send them home with care instructions.

• Tell Good News children that St. Paul Miki and his companions walked many miles to the place where they were to be crucified. Along the way they prayed and sang songs. Many people came out to see them. Paul Miki preached to the people, sharing his belief in Jesus and the Catholic faith.
  
  Invite Good News children to go on a walk of faith. Plan a walk around your church and parish offices and gathering areas. Ask children to look for signs of faith along the way. One of the most important signs of faith is a cross or crucifix. Be sure children know that if a cross has the body of Jesus on it, we call it a crucifix.
  
  When you return to your meeting place, let children make small crosses out of twigs, straw, or dried wheat, tied together with string or yarn. Encourage children to display their crosses at home and tell their families about St. Paul Miki and his companions

• Remind Venture students that St. Paul Miki suffered and died with 25 men and boys of different ages and backgrounds, but they all shared the one most important thing they could—their faith in Christ.
  
  Help Venture students explore the role of friends and the influence friends have on one another. Ask students to form small groups to discuss the following questions. Ask each group to share their response to one of the questions and provide examples to support their response.
  » How can friends help us stick to our beliefs?
  » How do friends help us to do what is right?
  » How do friends challenge us when we are doing something wrong?
  » Can a person be a Christian all alone? Why or why not?
  » What does it mean to belong to the Body of Christ?

• Explore with Visions students what it means to say that St. Paul Miki and his companions were martyrs. The word martyr comes from a Greek word that refers to a person who gives testimony, or witnesses, to the truth of his or her faith. The term martyr has come to mean someone who is willing to testify to the truth of his or her faith even in the face of suffering and death. The faith of St. Paul Miki and his companions, known as the martyrs of Japan, had an impact on others. Their heroic example is said to be responsible for the existence of a Christian community in Japan, even in the face of persecution.
  
  Visions students will be aware that many of the saints are martyrs. Ask each member of the group to do research to learn the story of a martyr. Their research should focus on the impact the martyr’s faith had on others. Allow time at your group’s next meeting for students to share what they learned.

• Seeds children can understand who takes care of them. Preschoolers have formed bonds with their teachers and childcare providers as well as with their parents. They are beginning to understand family relationships outside their primary family units and to identify the names of these family members—grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They can also understand that there are many different kinds of families.
• Because Promise and Good News children can understand how it feels to be left out, they can respond to being encouraged to reach out to others. They can also see how showing care and concern can bring healing.
• Venture students can recognize that human beings live in a worldwide community and depend on one another in many ways. They will be interested in discovering what the Bible teaches about the connection between caring for Earth and meeting the needs of human beings. They can understand that human beings are responsible for caring for Earth.
• Because of their growing sense of justice and fair play, Visions students are interested in making a difference. They will be willing to make a commitment to making things better in their school and neighborhood.

Preschool (Seeds)
“A Grandmother Follows Jesus,” February 5, 2012

Preschool children should be able to:

• identify and understand who takes care of them
• draw and name the members of their families
• use their listening skills to listen and respond to a story about grandmothers

Materials: Our Granny, a picture book by Margaret Wild (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1998), drawing paper, crayons, copies of Seeds for February 5, 2012, one for each child

Preparation: Read the book before you meet with the children.

Procedure

1. Tell children the part of the Gospel story that involves Jesus’ healing a grandmother. Put the story in your own words or use the child-friendly version in the teaching guide for Seeds for February 5.
2. Have children point out the grandmother on the first page of Seeds. Explain that this grandmother was the mother of Peter’s wife. She lived with Peter and his wife and was part of their family.
3. Ask, Who belongs to your family? Who takes care of you? Distribute drawing paper and crayons and ask each child to draw the members of his or her family. Ask each child to identify and name the members of his or her family. Help children to write the names as they say them. Have children who wish to share their pictures. Help children to see how their families are alike and how they are different.
4. Explain that grandmothers are called by many different names such as Nana, Granny, Grandmother, or Nona. Ask, What do you call your mother’s mother or your father’s mother? Read Our Granny by Margaret Wild. Ask children how Granny in the story is like their grandmothers and how she is different.
5. Ask, How do your grandmothers or other older family members help take care of you? What things do you like to do with your grandmother or with another older family member? (Answers will vary. Some children may not have grandmothers in their lives, so be sure to remind them that others—aunts, uncles, baby-sitters, teachers, family friends, and neighbors—take care of children as well.)
6. End with a simple prayer such as this one.
   
   Heavenly Father,
   Thank you for mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers.
   Thank you for grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles.
   Thank you for giving us families to take care of us.
   Thank you for all the people who take care of us. Amen

Grades K-1 (Promise)
“I Can Care,” February 12, 2012

Promise children should be able to:

• enjoy giving valentines as well as receiving them
• relate to the experience of feeling left out
• make a valentine card for someone who is left out

Materials: Drawing paper, red construction paper, markers, heart-shaped patterns, scissors, glue sticks, copies of Promise for February 12, 2012, one for each child

Procedure

1. Tell children the story of Jesus and the leper that is pictured on page 2 of Promise. Use your own words or the child-friendly version in the teaching guide. Children will enjoy acting out the story. Ask for volunteers to take the roles of Jesus and the leper. Suggest that the rest of the children choose roles depicted on page 2. After they have acted out the story, ask children if any of them felt a little sad because they didn’t get to be Jesus or the leper.
   
2. Ask children to tell about times in which they have felt left out. Give them the opportunity to share their experiences. Point out that everyone feels this way sometimes. Ask the children what they should remember when they feel left out. (Jesus always loves us and cares for us.)
3. Help children think of people in your community who may feel left out. (people who live alone, children who are sick in the hospital, people who live in a nursing home) Direct children to page 1 of Promise. Ask them to read the words printed on the chalkboard in the picture: I can care. Assure children that they can love and care for others as Jesus does.
4. Suggest that children show they care by making valentines for sick or lonely people. As a group, decide who will receive the valentines. Give children their choice of drawing paper and other art materials. Encourage children to work with care to make their cards as nice as they can. Make arrangements to deliver or mail the valentines to their recipients.
   

Grades 2-3 (Good News)
“Jesus Heals and Forgives,” February 19, 2012

Good News children will be able to:

• understand what a miracle is
• illustrate the miracles Jesus performed in the Gospels for the Sundays in February
• think of ways they can reach out to people who need help

Materials: Sheets of 18” x 24” drawing paper folded in half horizontally, one for each child; colored markers; copies of Good News for February 19, one for each child

Procedure

1. Ask children what the word miracle means. (A miracle is an extraordinary event, such as a healing, that is a sign of the power of God.) Help children to remember what Jesus did in the Gospels for the first two Sundays in February. (Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and many others and cured a man of leprosy.) Ask, If you had seen Jesus doing these things, would you have realized that these were miracles? Would you want to see more miracles?
2. After reading the Gospel story on page 3 of Good News for February 19, ask, What two things did Jesus do for the paralyzed man? (Jesus cured the man’s paralysis and forgave his sins.)
3. Ask, How did the paralyzed man’s four friends get Jesus’ attention? Why did they have to make a hole in the roof? (The house was crowded with people who had heard about Jesus' healing power and wanted to see a miracle. But the four men believed Jesus could heal their friend, and they refused to give up.)
4. Ask children to imagine that they are the friends of the paralyzed man. The friends realized that they could open the roof because it was made of clay tiles or branches covered with thatch. Ask, Can you think of other ways to get Jesus’ attention? (Answers will vary.) Ask, What words would you use to describe the paralyzed man’s friends? (creative, cooperative, determined, hopeful, faithful)
5. Ask, How would the paralyzed man get into a building to see Jesus today? (Explain that today there are laws that require special accommodations so disabled persons can enter public buildings and use public transportation. These laws are part of the Americans with Disabilities Act.) Ask, What are some challenges you might face if you were disabled or sight or hearing impaired? Why are laws to protect the rights of the disabled important?
6. Ask, Why did Jesus not only heal the man’s paralysis, but also forgive his sins? (Jesus wanted the man to be whole and happy so he healed the man both spiritually and physically. Jesus also wanted others to understand that God had sent him.)
7. Remind children that in each of these Gospels, Jesus reaches out to help others. Discuss the ways children can reach out to others. Distribute markers and the folded drawing paper. Have each child choose and draw a miracle that Jesus performed on one half of the paper. Then, on the other half of the paper, ask each child to draw one way that he or she can reach out to someone. Display the children’s pictures around the room. Allow those who wish to talk about what their drawings show.

Grades 4-6 (Venture)
“Reconciling Earth,” February 19, 2012

Venture children will be able to:

• understand that they are called to redeem or reconcile Earth
• learn about the Cherokee Nation’s concern for the Earth
• create a collage showing the beauty of the Earth
• participate in a project to renew the Earth

Materials: Recorded Native American music, such as the CD Mission Music of California (available from OCP, Oregon Catholic Press, at 877-596-1653 or www.ocp.org); a CD player; information on the Cherokee Nation; magazines and calendars that feature landscape and nature photos; scissors, glue, and a large sheet of poster board; copies of Venture for February 19, 2012, one for each child

Preparation: Collect magazines and calendars. Visit the official website of the Cherokee Nation at www.cherokee.org for more information. If there are other Native American tribes in your area, you may want to provide children with information about those tribes as well.

Procedure

1. Begin by having children who are good readers take turns reading aloud the Cherokee “Prayer for the Earth” on page 5. Ask, What does the prayer ask of the Great Spirit? Then read, or have one of the children read, Leviticus 25:2. Ask children to compare the prayer with the Scripture verse.
2. Explain that the Cherokee people are the second largest Native American tribe. They originally lived in the southeastern United States, but are now settled in northeastern Oklahoma. Ask, Why are they concerned about replenishing the creatures, cleansing the waters, and restoring Earth’s beauty? (Like other Native American tribes, the Cherokees believe that their lives depend on the land and its resources and that if they care for Earth, Earth will care for them.)
3. Have children discuss, Why is it our task to redeem or reconcile Earth? Allow time for all who wish to contribute to the discussion. (to preserve not only the Earth's beauty, but also its resources, to allow the Earth to rejuvenate in order to be able to continuously sustain life)
4. Ask, What beauty of Earth do you treasure most? Have children look through the magazines and calendars for photos that show their answers to that question. Ask each child to select and cut out one photo. Explain that they will use the photos to create a collage. As children glue their photos to a large sheet of poster board, allow time for each child to explain why he or she has chosen a particular photo.
5. Follow up by brainstorming for ways to reconcile Earth to add to the list on page 5. As a class, choose one action and pledge to take this action either as a group or as individuals. Encourage children to think creatively. Instead of just promising to pick up litter on the parish grounds, challenge children to look at the causes of litter and get to the root of the problem. Perhaps more trash cans are needed on the parish grounds and children could work to bring this about. In addition to deciding that they will collect aluminum cans, encourage children to consider packaging in general and to select products that use recyclable packaging.
6. To conclude, play recorded Native American music and pray the “Prayer for Earth” together.
   

Grades 7-8 (Visions)
“Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy,” February 12, 2012

Visions students will be able to:

• think about what the leper says to Jesus: “If you want to, you can heal me and make me clean.”
• verbalize desires for themselves or others
• recognize the need to work together, with God’s grace
• commit themselves to making things better

Materials: Small pieces of scrap paper, pencils, poster board, colored markers, copies of Visions for February 12, 2012, one for each student

Procedure

1. Give each Visions student a small piece of paper and a pencil. On the chalkboard or on newsprint, write the words, I want. Ask students to write I want on their papers. Then tell them that they can write down anything they want. The only condition is that they may not write down anything material. Give them a minute or two to complete their sentences.
2. Collect the papers and compile the results. List on the chalkboard or on newsprint any ideas that get more than one “vote.” Can the group see a pattern or theme emerging? It’s okay if there is no pattern or theme.
3. Read the Sunday Gospel on page 4 of Visions. Then discuss these or similar questions. What does the man with leprosy want? (He wants Jesus to heal him.) Why does he think Jesus will heal him? (He has faith; he believes Jesus has the power to heal him.) What does Jesus say? (I do want to heal you. Be cured!) Direct students back to the list of things they want. Explain that we don’t have the power to make everything we want happen, just as the man with leprosy couldn’t heal himself. But we can do many things if we want to. If we have faith in the promises of Jesus and we accept and use the grace Jesus gives us, we can do wonderful things.
4. Have students turn to page 8 of Visions. After reading the profile of Father Daniel Groody, ask, What do the people that Father Groody studies want? What do they do to make it happen? What does Father Groody want? What does he do to make it happen? What does he suggest others can do?
5. As a class, or in small groups, have students talk about what they really want. Could it be to make sure that all kids are treated well at school or in the neighborhood? Direct students to page 1 of Visions. Ask students to work together to make a poster or several posters that express the desire of the class: WE WANT___________________. Display the poster or posters in the area where the group meets. Give students time to plan how they will work together toward their goal. Suggest that each week when they gather, they ask Jesus to give them the grace to help them reach their goal.

Check out the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies Family Pages for activities and resources that parents can use at home to help their families grow in faith! The Winter Family Pages focus on St. Paul as a model for responding to God’s call, and help families prepare for Lent. Families can review Lenten fast and abstinence rules and begin their Lenten journeys with “A Prayer Service for Ash Wednesday.”

Go to www.pflaum.com/familypages and log in to find “Saints of the Season,” “Feasts of the Season,” “Catholic Culture,” “Family Prayer,” and activities for children at each level of the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies. Choose pages to print and send home with students or send notes home suggesting pages for parents to download and print.

The Family Pages are a free service available to all families in schools and parishes that use the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies. On the Family Pages home page, click on “Tips for using these pages” for a sample letter you can send home.

Finding Secret Valentine Messages in the Bible

Are you looking for a fun project for Valentine’s Day? Invite children to make valentine puzzles with secret messages from the Bible.

Catechist Patricia Banner uses these valentine puzzles to teach children how to find passages in the Bible. And here’s how she
does it.

To prepare for the activity, make a heart for each child in your group. On an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of red construction paper, draw the outline of a heart that fills up most of the paper. Inside the heart, write the book, chapter, and verse of a Scripture passage containing the word love. Write the Scripture citation—such as John 3:16 or Mark 12:30—in letters large enough to fill up most of the space in the heart.

Use a concordance to find additional Scripture passages so that each heart will have a different message. Or, do an Internet search for “love Bible verses.” Vary the writing style from one heart to another. Print some citations, write some in cursive, use all caps for some, and so on. Then cut out the hearts and cut each heart into three puzzle pieces of about equal size. Make sure that each puzzle piece has some writing on it. From each puzzle, choose one piece and set these pieces aside. Scatter the remaining puzzle pieces on a table. Because the pieces will be similar in size and shape, the only significant differences will be in the words written on the pieces.

Begin by telling children that they will be looking for secret valentine messages in the Bible. Give each child one of the puzzle pieces you have set aside. Ask children to search the puzzle pieces on the table to find the two pieces that fit the one piece they were given. Explain that the three pieces will form a heart with a secret valentine message from the Bible.
        
When all the children have found the pieces of their puzzles, have them glue the pieces onto a sheet of contrasting paper and read the citations found on the hearts. The next step is for the children to look up their Bible verses and write the messages they find just below the hearts on their papers. For example, the child who finds the citation Luke 6:35 may write “Love your enemies.” When everyone has had a chance to finish, invite volunteers to read their valentine messages.

To use the activity with younger children, have children complete the valentine puzzles and decorate the hearts with lace, stickers, and other art materials you supply. Then look up and read several of the Bible verses to the children.