Jesus forgives us

Zacchaeus loved money more than anything else. He made people pay more than they should. He was very selfish.

Then he heard, from lots of people, what Jesus was saying about building the new world. He began to wonder and realised that what he was doing was not building the new world.

Zacchaeus went to listen to Jesus as soon as he could. When he heard what Jesus had to say about loving and caring for each other, he decided to change his ways.

Zacchaeus invited Jesus to his house to tell him exactly how he was
going to change his ways. Jesus praised him in front of all the people and gave him God's forgiveness.

When we go to Confession, we tell the priest how we are changing our ways. He gives us God's forgiveness.

He was a scoundrel. He loved to lend money, and get it all back with big interest.

Most of the people that he lent money to were poor and needy. He had them by the throat.
They had to borrow to live. He loved buying things from alcoholics or drug addicts. They wanted
money so badly to feed their habits that they offered quite valuable items at less than half-price.
And if a widow was left running a farm after her husband's death, he would offer her a tidy sum
for farm and stock to save her all the trouble, or so he said. It was sometimes hard to resist the offer
of money. And it was always a deal that favoured him out and out. A bargain for him. A loss for everyone else.

When there was famine in the land he sold food at blackmarket prices. When there was drought he had water for sale. He was called a rat, a thief, a conniving devil, a grave robber. He didn't seem to mind. He continued to build up his fortune.

He visited a cabin one day after a death to see if there was a bargain going. During the visit he felt unwell and got weak. He fell ill with the very disease that had swept away the much-loved man of the place. The mother and two children knew the sort of their visitor, knew he was despised, knew he was low and mean. They knew he came to their house to offer them what he called ‘a bargain' in their distress, but no matter. They tended to him in his sickness. They wiped the perspiration from his brow and tried to cool the fever that was killing him. When they thought he was able to take it, they gave him a few spoons of water on his lips and then a little soup on his tongue. Every day for a week they nursed him. The fever passed. He survived and was ready to go home. And when he was leaving they gave him flowers.

What happened in the little house, where his life was saved by three brave women, changed him completely. He had experienced a special kind of love and tenderness. It melted his hard heart. It touched him and changed him. Like St Paul on the road to Damascus, he changed his ways.

People thought he was up to new tricks. It took time for people to be convinced that he really had changed. But changed he had. He became
a community person. He showed signs of caring. He took an interest in people.

He really did change his ways. And, for what it was worth, he did try to make amends.

God our Father,
You gave us kindness and a heart full of love.
You give us the gift of forgiving.
Help us to forgive people who get on our nerves
just as you forgive us. Amen. 
                                                        Amy F. 9 yrs.

Dear God,
Jesus asks us to forgive.
He says this is the way to build a new world.
Help us to have a spirit of forgiveness. Amen.

Dear God,
Forgiveness is needed at home and at school
and in the playground.
May the gift of forgiveness
always find a place in our hearts. Amen

1. The Wink murder

This game needs ten or more players. The children sit in a circle. Take one child outside the door. While he/she is outside, pick one child in the circle to be the murderer.

The first child is brought in and sits in the centre of the circle. His/her job is to be detective and to catch the murderer before too many children are killed. When the murderer winks at a child, the child drops down dead and stays dead until the end of the game.

Only the murderer is allowed to wink and it is by catching someone winking that the detective will know he/she has caught the murderer. If the murderer manages to kill everyone in the circle, he/she gets to be detective for the next round. Otherwise two new people are picked.

This game needs no words and it can be quite difficult for some children to admit they have been winked at and they may refuse to die.

2. True of False.

 3. Name that Story. 

 4. A story to remember

5.  Drama improvisation

Picture to colour: Jesus heals the little girl