The four-book series of The Gospels for Little Ones is now complete, with the publication by Marian Press of The Gospel of John for Little Ones. Alleluia! Allison Hsu and I have been heartened by the wonderful response to the series, including from Bishop David Toups of Beaumont, Texas. “I highly recommend The Gospel for Little Ones series for any parent or catechist desiring to hand on the faith to our children,” he said. “Beautifully animated and written with great care, your child will learn and grow in their relationship with the Lord Jesus, who loves His little ones!” John’s challenge For supporters and eager readers of our earlier volumes on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the anticipation became palpable. Wherever I presented on any of the first three books in The Gospels for Little Ones series, a curious listener would inquire, “Are you going to do John?” After all, of the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all share many similarities, and we hear largely from each one during our different lectionary years: Matthew in Cycle A (the cycle for 2026), Mark in Cycle B, and Luke in Cycle C. They are known as the synoptic Gospels, from the Greek for syn (with) and optic (view), as they focus on many of the same stories and miracles. The Gospel of John was written much later — and begins much earlier! Whereas the Gospel of Mark (now widely considered the first written of the four) starts with Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan, John begins before the beginning of time. Full of beautiful imagery and deep truths, the Gospel of John uses the philosophical terms and concepts of both the ancient Greeks and Jews, showing their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus: the Word Incarnate. When approaching this beautiful book, known for its “high Christology,” my illustrating friend, Allison, and I tread lightly, and with a great deal of prayer. After striving to tell familiar and similar stories in three unique ways, we faced the new challenge of sharing profound theological development and particularly adult themes in simple, rhyming verse appropriate for little ones. Life and light Now, we are blessed to share The Gospel of John for Little Ones. Readers will immediately recognize the Little Ones’ art style and rhythmic telling, now recounting the Gospel of the Beloved Disciple, chapter by chapter, from the Prologue all the way to the Epilogue. Here’s a sneak peek at our telling of the first half of John, chapter 1: Back in the beginning, with nothing seen or heard There was the Eternal God, and His holy Word. He was the source of life and light; then to show God’s grace, He took flesh and came to dwell among the human race. In preparing our evergreen Advent wreaths and lighting the candles (symbols of everlasting life and light respectively), let us contemplate the “source of life and light” and consider sharing copies of The Gospel of John for Little Ones with loved ones of all ages. 28 Marian Helper • Winter 2025-26 • Marian.org Life and Light for Little Ones By Sara Beth Meyer To order The Gospel of John for Little Ones (Product code: B68-JHNG) and the other three books in the series, visit ShopMercy.org.
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