Children's Liturgy Series: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

In today's Gospel, we learn about how Jesus healed 10 lepers and how only one of the ten, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks to God.

Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and our minds. Fill us with your peace, love, and understanding. Help us to hear God's message today and recognize His voice in our daily activities. Amen

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said," Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply," Ten were cleansed, were they not?Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."

Ask each person in the group to make a list of 10 gifts they have been given from God (for example, family, friends, health, talents, and so on).

After everyone has had time to prepare their lists, ask: Who has given you these gifts? What is expected in return?

Ask the group to reflect upon these questions: Why do we say thank you? What purpose does it serve? What is the consequence if we do not say thank you?

Identify as many different ways as you know for saying thank you to God (for example, Mass, prayers, community/family involvement, acts of kindness/respect, and so on). List these words, expressions, and gestures on the board.

Pray a litany of thanks as a group. Invite each person to name one or more of the gifts he or she listed in the first activity. After each one is named, all respond together: "We give you thanks, O God!"

Father in heaven, for the sake of bringing others closer to you, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen