Children's Liturgy Series: 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

In today's Gospel Jesus describes the final judgement where "sheeps will be separated from goats".  We reflect on our how we have used the gifts God gave us as well as how we served those less fortunate then ourselves.

Father in heaven we praise and glorify you.  We thank you for bringing us together for this Children's Liturgy lesson. Please send us the Holy Spirit.  Help us to have the wisdom and courage to recognise those in need and help them in ways that we can.  We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Mt 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply,' Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.' 

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome,naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say,' Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Invite the group to consider some of the traits and characteristics they use to describe people. Make of list of these traits. Some possible traits might be good-looking, smart, funny, friendly, kind, and helpful.

Reviewing the list, say: Very often, we use these kinds of characteristics to describe, and even judge other people. Show the pictures to the group. Ask: How would you characterize each of these people? (With the exception of physical characteristics, it is nearly impossible to characterize these people based on the pictures alone.) Ask: What else might you need to know about these people in order to characterize them? (We might need to meet them, get to know them, know how they behave with other people, and so on.)

Say: Jesus knows us very well and will use this knowledge and understanding about us when he returns to judge all peoples. However, in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that his judgment of us will be based on one thing. Let’s listen to see how Jesus will judge us.

Ask: What characteristic will Jesus use to judge us? (He will judge us based on how we treat the least ones among us.) Jesus takes this one step further. He says that whenever we show mercy to one of the least ones among us, we show mercy to Jesus himself.

Ask: What does this mean about whom we might choose to befriend or about how we ought to act toward other people? (Accept all reasonable answers.)

Conclude in prayer together asking Jesus for the help needed to serve him through the people around us, especially the least ones among us. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer.

Father in Heaven we thank you for the lesson today. Please bless each one of us in this room. Please give us the grace to have the courage to show our love to God by loving others. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.