Children's Liturgy Series: The Feast of Christ the King (Cycle B)

In todays Gospel we learn about how Jesus' kingdom is not of this world and that only those with faith will come to understand this.

Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognize when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life. Amen

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.

If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Say: Today is the feast of Christ the King. Was Jesus a king in the way that you imagined when you pretended to be a king or queen? (No.) Jesus was and is a very different kind of king. But we can use what we imagined about earthly kings and queens to understand what we mean when we call Jesus our King.

Ask: Why does Pilate think that Jesus might be a king? (That is the accusation made against Jesus by the Jewish authorities.) Does Pilate treat Jesus as if he believes he is royalty? (No.) What does Jesus say about his kingdom? (It does not belong to this world; those who know the truth will recognize Jesus as a king.)

Say: We believe that Jesus is our king, but his kingdom is heaven. He is a heavenly king who shows us how to live. All who believe in him want to obey him because they know he teaches us how to be truly happy.

Ask: How is Jesus like the royalty we pretended to be? (He is powerful; he protects us from enemies; he can help us when we are in need; he wants us to obey him.) How is Jesus different from the royalty we pretended to be? (He served others rather than making others serve him.) How do we show that we honor Jesus as king? (We ask Jesus to help us, as subjects ask for help from a king; we obey Jesus; we thank him for the protection and love he shows us; we don’t let anything or anyone have more importance in our lives than Jesus.)

Conclude in prayer together that we will always believe that Jesus is king and that we will follow him in all we say and do. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer.

Father in heaven, for the conversion of sinners, 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