Catechist Training Master 1 - Pflaum Home

The Grain of Wheat
PREPARATION: Make five groups by having people
number off from 1 to 5. Each group reads the words
in the Grain of Wheat Prayer Service corresponding
to their number. Prepare seeds and dirt for planting.
Choose a familiar song of thanks to end the service.
Add sound dimensions to the Gospel tone poem by
asking individuals to make certain musical sounds each
time certain words occur; for example, improvise with
such simple sounds as these:
solemnly (tap pencils together rapidly),
falls (run a pencil down the spiral of a notebook),
dies (drum softly on a hollow object),
ground (crumple paper),
eternal life (jingle key rings).
LEADER: In the Gospel for the 5th Sunday of Lent,
cycle B, Jesus compares himself to a grain of wheat.
A grain of wheat indeed must fall into the earth to
germinate. It does not really die. A seed that falls
into the earth and dies does not sprout. Jesus’ image
is one of transformation. In the seed that sprouts, the
life within the seed bursts its hull and takes new form.
Listen to this tone poem version of the Gospel. Let the
sounds fall and flow over and around you. What life
within you wants to burst its hull?
The Grain of Wheat
Gospel Tone Poem
1 I tell you
2 tell you
3 solemnly tell you
4 I tell you solemnly:
5 Unless
1 unless a grain
2 I tell you solemnly
3 unless a grain
4 a grain of wheat
5 unless it falls
1 the wheat falls
2 on the ground
3 and dies,
4 unless the wheat dies
5 unless it falls on the ground
1 it stays a single grain
2 a single grain
Catechist Prayer Service 3
3 only grain
4 lonely grain
5 a single grain
1 it stays forever
2 forever alone
3 a single grain of wheat.
4 But if it dies
5 if the wheat dies
1 on the ground
2 in the ground
3 under the ground
4 a single grain
5 if it dies
1 if a single grain dies,
2 it yields
3 it increases
4 it multiplies
5 it brings forth
1 a single grain
2 it brings forth
3 from the ground
4 it brings a rich
5 a very rich
1 an extremely rich
2 a single grain brings forth
3 a joyfully rich harvest
4 many grains of wheat
5 harvest of eternal life. John 12.24
REFLECTION: Talk together about a seed within you
that wants to burst its hull this Lent. How can each of
us plant this seed and expect transforming growth?
SIDE 1: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth, it
remains a single grain.
SIDE 2: But if it germinates, it yields a rich harvest.
LEADER: Lead us through Lent to transformation,
Jesus. We want to germinate, sprout, and yield a
hundredfold. We want to be fruitful in ministering your
Word to those we teach.
ALL: We are your seed, Christ Jesus. Amen.
SONG: Sing a familiar song.
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