Visions - Pflaum Home

Teaching Guide
November 11, 2012 • 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 17.10-16; Hebrews 9.24-28; Mark 12.38-44
Gospel Theme: Christians share
without thought of reward.
The widow in this Sunday’s Gospel gives to the Temple two
small coins she could use to live on. Jesus contrasts her gift
with the showy gifts of some teachers of the Law. The widow
with her small but wholehearted gift is the exemplary believer,
rather than the scribes. The Gospel calls us to be generous in
the giving of ourselves to others.
Visions involves young people in a values inventory.
Share Our Life Stories
Opening Prayer Ask the young people to print clearly the name
of a person or a group of persons they want to pray for on a piece
of paper. This can be anyone from a sick grandfather to people in
Haiti who don’t have clean water to drink. Ask them to crumple
their paper into a ball and place it in an empty container. Pray:
God of Life, we are in awe of your creation and understand
our responsibility to look out for one another. Please hear our
prayers for those who need you the most.
Pass around the container and ask the young people to take
one and read aloud the special intention of one of their
classmates. When everyone has finished, focus on all the people
mentioned as you pray the Our Father together.
Objective: The young people will identify the values that
their choices express.
Cover Activity: What Are You Willing To Give? Read the
directions on the cover aloud. Give the young people enough
time to complete the activity and compare their answers in
pairs. Have the pairs report their similarities and differences
to the class. Record on the board or on newsprint what your
class finds to be the most valuable. Encourage discussion
about what makes possessions valuable or dispensable.
Story: The Widow’s Gift (pages 2-4) Ask your young people to
speculate what this story is about by looking at the illustration.
Have students read this story aloud or alone silently. Young
people who help and volunteer at soup kitchens or homeless
shelters might see themselves in this true story. Discuss TALK on
page 3. Answers: 1. Mike has a permanent home, lots of food
in the house, and doesn’t need to work to help support his family.
Mike’s not afraid of hard work; he’s willing to help out others.
Open-ended. 2. Julie realizes Mrs. Martinez gave food that her
family depended on while Julie and her friends gave their extra
food. 3. Mike realizes he eats too much and doesn’t really
know what it’s like to be hungry.
Listen to the Gospel
Objective: The young people discuss what giving really is.
Gospel: How Much Is a Penny Worth? (page 4) Have two
young people proclaim the Gospel. Discuss TALK. Answers:
1. By giving what she needs to live on, the widow gave more
than all the others. Mrs. Martinez is like the widow because
she brings food to the farm workers even though she is poor
herself. 2. The widow, because she gives all she has.
3. To share all that we have with others, not just what we
have extra.
WCBT, page 32, God’s law, grace. Use the widow as an
example of a graced person.
Definition: Charity (page 4) Read the definition aloud to
conclude discussion on the Gospel.
Objective: The young people will connect the collection
at Mass and the Gospel call to generosity and justice.
Our Catholic Faith: Christians Share Their Gifts (page 5)
Have the students read this feature silently. It connects the
purpose of the collection at Mass with the Gospel’s call to be
generous. Complete the checklist as a group.
WCBT, page 47, The Mass. Have the students read and
identify when the people offer their gifts to God at Mass.
Build Christian Community
Objective: The young people will identify activities,
people, and things they value.
Living the Gospel: Choices + Actions = ? (pages 6-7)
Read the opening paragraphs and directions aloud. This
activity has no right or wrong answers.
• Do this activity aloud as a class one grid at a time. Give the
students time to fill out the first grid. Then have them look over
the information. They may learn things such as, “I only like
things I buy with my own money” or “I don’t do enough with my
family.” Have them respond on the lines at the end of each grid.
• Invite students to share what they learn about themselves
in groups of three.
• Point out that the activity’s title is like a math equation in
need of an answer. Invite the students to suggest ways to
complete the title/equation (e.g., Choices +Actions=My Values).
Doctrine: Who Is a Christian? (page 8) Read this feature as
a summary of Sunday’s Gospel concept of generous giving.
Prayer: Let Me Tell You About Jesus (page 8) Assign parts
by asking the young people if they remember the Gospel
story of each character. If you have a large class, you can
assign two students to each part, one reading in the first half
of the prayer and the other reading in the second. Invite the
young people to get into character and even act out the parts.
Assume the role of Leader and begin the prayer. Read
the directions in the middle of the page aloud and allow the
young people time to think and fill in their responses. Once
everyone has completed this, continue with the second part
of the prayer. Allow enough time for everyone to share his or
her answer near the end of the prayer.
TG1-10