Hear My Voice, A Children's Translation of Gospel Readings of the Catholic Mass for 2009

These passages are suggested for parents to read with children the evening before Mass. As the hectic schedule of our Saturdays winds down, take time to shift gears for the time we put aside for worship, reflection and communion. Including your children in the message of the Mass with a reading and discussion of the week's gospel will make the Mass a shared experience of hearing God's word for both parent and child. These translations are also an extraordinary teacher's aid for Sunday school and children's bible study. Each passage is translated in large text that is inviting to the beginning reader, and is printed side-by-side with the adult text for comparison, explanation and parents' review.

These pages are not fictionalized children's stories, they are translations of Jesus' story, true to His message. They are not sugar-coated or watered-down; children can understand the truth in God's word when it is simply written for their reading level, offered in their cadence and vocabulary. Even educated adults often find the language of the Gospels difficult to fully understand, and often turn to study guides and footnotes to wring more understanding out of words written in an old storytelling cadence so far removed from our own daily language. The voice of these stories is not changed to be hip or to use the latest slang. The gravity and holiness of God's word demands better than that. But there is no reason for an adult pace and too-advanced language to stand between our children and Jesus' message. Adults as well, have gained insights into the passages through the shared process of bringing the word to children.

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