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Children’s Liturgy of the Word
Easter Sunday
Theme: Jesus is Alive
1. Welcome & Gathering
(Gather children. Place a cloth, a stone, and an empty space in the centre.)
Leader:
“Today is the most important day.”
“Today is Easter.”
Pause.
“Today we hear something amazing.”
“The tomb is empty.”
Make the Sign of the Cross together.
“In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Leader:
“Jesus,
help us to listen,
help us to understand,
and help us to believe.
Amen.”
2. Introducing the Theme
Show the stone.
“Imagine a big stone in front of a tomb.”
Pause.
“Imagine everything feels finished.”
“Sad.”
“Quiet.”
Ask:
“Have you ever thought something was over?”
“Like a game lost, or something broken?”
Take a few answers.
Say:
“That is how the friends of Jesus felt.”
Pause.
“But something has changed.”
3. Gospel (Simplified – John 20:1–9)
(Read slowly.)
Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb.
She saw that the stone had been taken away.
She ran to tell Peter and another disciple.
They ran to the tomb.
They looked inside.
The cloths were there.
But Jesus was not there.
Then they understood.
Jesus was alive.
Leader:
“The Gospel of the Lord.”
Children:
“Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.”
4. Reflection
Ask:
“What did Mary see?”
(The stone moved)
“What did the disciples find?”
(The tomb empty)
Say:
“The body was gone.”
“Jesus was not there.”
Pause.
“Why?”
Say clearly:
“Because Jesus is alive.”
Illustration
Point to the empty space.
“This is important.”
“If something is empty,
it means something has happened.”
“If your coat is not on the hook,
someone has taken it.”
“If a room is empty,
someone has left.”
“The tomb is empty
because Jesus is alive.”
Say:
“This is not a story.”
“This really happened.”
“If Jesus is alive,
then everything changes.”
Ask:
“What do you think changes?”
Take a few answers.
Then say:
“Death is not the end.”
“Sadness is not forever.”
“God has the final word.”
5. Activity – Dead or Alive?
Explain:
“I will say something.”
“You say: Dead or Alive.”
A plant with no water → Dead
A plant growing → Alive
A broken toy → Dead
A person laughing and loving → Alive
Then:
Jesus in the tomb → Dead
Jesus on Easter → Alive
Say:
“Jesus was truly dead.”
“Now He is truly alive.”
“That is Easter.”
6. Quiet Prayer
Ask children to close eyes.
Leader:
“Jesus,
You are alive.”
Pause.
“Help me to believe.”
Pause.
“Help me to follow You.”
7. Living the Gospel This Week
Ask:
“If Jesus is alive,
how should we live?”
Give examples:
Being joyful
Being kind
Helping others
Praying
Telling the truth
Say:
“Easter means life has begun again.”
“We live differently because of that.”
8. Closing Prayer
Leader:
“Jesus,
You are alive.
You have won.
Help us to live in Your light.
Amen.”
Make the Sign of the Cross.
9. Sending Back
Leader:
“The tomb is empty.”
“Jesus is alive.”
“So let us go back to Mass
and live like it is true.”
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 