Sacrament Reconciliation & The Prodigal Son
The Sacrament of Reconciliation was formerly known as the Sacrament of Penance and is also still commonly referred to as a child's First Confession. The emphasis in preparing children for this sacrament is based on asking the children to reflect on times when they did not live as Jesus asked them. The children may, for example, draw a picture of a time when they did not show love for others. This picture is sometimes used by the child as a prompt to talk to the priest while they are receiving the sacrament. Confessional boxes are no longer used, the child and priest sit to one side of the church.
The Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32
A father had two sons. He was a very wealthy man who had a lot of money. One day, his younger son, asked his father if he could have his inheritance early. The father said "YES" and the man left his home. While he was gone, the man squandered his money on wealthy living and expensive food.
A huge famine started where the man was and as he had wasted all his money, the man did not have enough money to spend on food and he started to starve. The only job he could find that would pay him food was a pig farmer. Here still, he did not get enough food and was thinking about eating the pig food.
After this, the man finally came to his senses and thought "i should go to my father an tell him that i have sinned against him and against heaven. I will go and tell him to treat me like a slave."
So he got up and he started walking home. While he was quite far back, he saw his father and ran to him. The man said "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and you. Treat me like one of your slaves." But the Father said, " You are back!!!" Then he called to his slaves, "Get him the finest clothes and put a ring on his finger. Kill the fatted calf that we have been saving for a special occasion. WE WILL HAVE A HUGE PARTY!!!!!" Everyone came over and they had a huge feast.
Then the older brother came from taking care of the sheep. He heard the music and festivity and he asked a servant, "What is all this partying for?" The servant replied "Your younger brother has come back and your Father has thrown a celebration for him." The young man refused to enter the house to join the celebration until it was so bad, that his father had to go out and beckon him. "Son come in" he said. The man replied "why have you thrown a party for him? He has wasted all your money! All these years, i have been working hard and slaving away for you and you have not even cared to give me a lamb for my friends and I to celebrate. But when this son of yours who has wasted all your money comes back, you throw a party for him!!!" The father said, "My son, Your Brother Was dead and is now alive, lost and is now found"
A huge famine started where the man was and as he had wasted all his money, the man did not have enough money to spend on food and he started to starve. The only job he could find that would pay him food was a pig farmer. Here still, he did not get enough food and was thinking about eating the pig food.
After this, the man finally came to his senses and thought "i should go to my father an tell him that i have sinned against him and against heaven. I will go and tell him to treat me like a slave."
So he got up and he started walking home. While he was quite far back, he saw his father and ran to him. The man said "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and you. Treat me like one of your slaves." But the Father said, " You are back!!!" Then he called to his slaves, "Get him the finest clothes and put a ring on his finger. Kill the fatted calf that we have been saving for a special occasion. WE WILL HAVE A HUGE PARTY!!!!!" Everyone came over and they had a huge feast.
Then the older brother came from taking care of the sheep. He heard the music and festivity and he asked a servant, "What is all this partying for?" The servant replied "Your younger brother has come back and your Father has thrown a celebration for him." The young man refused to enter the house to join the celebration until it was so bad, that his father had to go out and beckon him. "Son come in" he said. The man replied "why have you thrown a party for him? He has wasted all your money! All these years, i have been working hard and slaving away for you and you have not even cared to give me a lamb for my friends and I to celebrate. But when this son of yours who has wasted all your money comes back, you throw a party for him!!!" The father said, "My son, Your Brother Was dead and is now alive, lost and is now found"
Merriam-Webster gives two senses for the definition of "prodigal":
1: one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly
2: one who has returned after an absence
1: one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly
2: one who has returned after an absence
How does this story relate to my life?We are the Prodigal son. We all sin and move away from God. God is like the Father in that story. When you go to reconciliation, you are basically walking back to The Father (God) God will be waiting for us with open arms to give us a nice big HUG. It is like when i fought with my sister. She would not come near me again and i was waiting for her to come and say sorry. Eventually, she came and said sorry and we had a very nice session of playing outside. This is like the celebration in the Prodigal son.
Jesus is ready to forgive everyone – both sinners (bad people) and self-righteous (good people). God is Father to all. This lesson shows children that God’s love has no limits and they are always welcome to come back to HIM.
Ask the children to make up different good and bad things these two different pretend children might do. After each suggestion, have the adult helpers act out that behavior. Here are some examples.
Say: Jesus liked to teach people that God really does love everyone, but many times the “church-people” would get upset and think they were better than the “sinners.” This is a story that Jesus told them to show that both kind of people need forgiveness and that God wants to save everyone.
It’s a special kind of teaching story called a parable. The Father in the story shows us what God is like. The brothers in the story show us what we are like. The point is that God wants to save both people who follow the rules and people who break all the rules.
Compare Two Sons: Use the following questions to help students create a T-Chart
Young Brother (ran away)
Ask the children to make up different good and bad things these two different pretend children might do. After each suggestion, have the adult helpers act out that behavior. Here are some examples.
- Kyra throws fits, but the Amy always uses good manners
- Kyra steals, but the Amy always share her things
- Kyra calls people bad words, but Amy always says nice things
- Kyra is lazy at school, but Amy always works very hard
- Kyra thinks church is dumb, but Amy loves going to church
Say: Jesus liked to teach people that God really does love everyone, but many times the “church-people” would get upset and think they were better than the “sinners.” This is a story that Jesus told them to show that both kind of people need forgiveness and that God wants to save everyone.
It’s a special kind of teaching story called a parable. The Father in the story shows us what God is like. The brothers in the story show us what we are like. The point is that God wants to save both people who follow the rules and people who break all the rules.
Compare Two Sons: Use the following questions to help students create a T-Chart
Young Brother (ran away)
- How did this brother dishonor his father?
- How did the Father respond to this bad behavior?
- What do you think it would take to make the Father stop loving this Son?
- What do you think the Son will do next?
- How did this brother dishonor his father?
- How did the Father respond to this bad behavior?
- What do you think it would take to make the Father stop loving this Son?
- What do you think the Son will do next?