Children's Liturgy Series: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

In today's gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the master who gave his workers talents (money). He ends up rewarding the two workers who were able to grow their talents into something bigger, and punishing the worker that hid his talents and didn't do anything with them.

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

Jesus told his desciples this parable:

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.  But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Ask: What are some things that you have learned to do well? (list them)

Say: We all have particular skills and abilities, and each person’s combination of skills and abilities is unique. Our skills and abilities are among God’s many gifts to us.

Ask: What are we to do with the skills and abilities that we have been given? Allow time for students to answer the question and then say: Jesus taught about what to do with our abilities in a parable that we hear in this Sunday’s Gospel. Today’s Gospel uses the word “talents.” When Jesus used this word, he was referring to a kind of coin. 

Ask: Why were the first two servants rewarded by the master? (They used the talents that they were given and returned more money to the master than they were given.) Why was the third servant punished by the master? (He buried the talents that he was given and returned to the master only the money he had received.) What do you think this means about what Jesus wants us to do with our talents? (Jesus wants us to develop and use the gifts and talents that we have been given.)

Say: One of the things that Jesus would like us to do is to use our gifts and talents to help others. Look back over the list of skills and abilities that you made earlier. Make a list now of all of the ways that you can think of to use your skills and abilities to help others. Try to identify at least 10 things. Allow time for them to complete this activity. If necessary, suggest that they work in pairs until each person has identified 10 ways to help others.

Say: Jesus does not want us to bury our talents. Choose one thing from your list that you will do this week. Write that one thing on a slip of paper. We will place these slips of paper in the basket during our prayer as a sign of our commitment and offering to God.

Conclude in prayer together, thanking God for his gifts and asking for his help in using these gifts to serve others. Invite each person to place his or her slip of paper in the basket.

Father in heaven, 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