Question of the WeekHow do we help each other every day? How do we help when there’s a special need?
Helps for Catechists ◆ More about Today’s Scriptures◆ Reflection◆ The Scriptures and the Catechism◆ Liturgy Link: Christ the King ◆ The World of the Bible: A New
Creation
Enrichment ◆ Welcome the Good News◆ Singing Together◆ Banners for the King (Crown Pattern,
dowel; optional: one 9" x 12" muslin rectangle per child, fabric crayons or markers, fabric dye in squirt bottles, fabric glue, felt, stapler, tacks or sewing materials)
◆ Bible Skills for Third Graders◆ Lord’s Prayer◆ Info: Where You’ll Find Everything
Else
Core Session ◆ Getting Started◆ Gospel Story: When Did We
Do That? (Crown Pattern)◆ Praying Together
We are to serve others with the compassion of Christ.◆ Jesus tells us how he’ll come again as King of those who serve others.◆ Children today have no automatic knowledge or experience of kings. We acknowledge
this as we offer beginning information about our beloved King Jesus as one who loves those who serve.
◆ Today’s session celebrates Christ our King through roleplay, storytelling, games and art.
King of CompassionScriptureMatthew 25:31-40
Ch r i s t t h e K i ng – A
Living the Good News | Primary | Christ the King – A
Getting Started (5-15 minutes)Children play a variation of Detective to remember that Jesus is always with us.
Sit in a circle. Explain:◆ Today we remember that Jesus is our King.◆ We can’t see King Jesus, but he promises that he’s
with us.◆ Imagine that you could see King Jesus today,
right in this room. What would you do or say to welcome him? (Encourage many different ideas from the children.)
While still sitting, invite children to play a game that reminds them Jesus is always with us. Directions:◆ Close or cover your eyes.◆ I’ll walk around the circle and secretly touch one of
you on the head or shoulder. That person will be King Jesus.
◆ Here’s the important part: When I tell you to open your eyes, only King Jesus can wink at other people.
◆ When I say, “Open your eyes,” look around and watch the other kids; see if you can be the first person to guess who King Jesus is.
◆ King Jesus, you try to wink at one person at a time, without anyone else seeing you. You might have to be patient.
◆ If King Jesus winks at you, you must stand up and say, “King Jesus is here.” Remain standing, but don’t tell us who winked at you.
◆ If you think you see King Jesus wink at someone else, put your hand up in the air quickly. When I call on you, you get to guess who King Jesus is; if you guess wrong, you have to stand up, too.
◆ The first person to correctly guess who King Jesus is becomes the winner. That person gets to walk around the circle and secretly choose the next King Jesus.
Repeat the game several times. Then say:◆ Someday, we will see the real King Jesus, just as we
see each other here today.◆ Today’s story is about that special day.
Gospel Story (5-10 minutes)Note: You may wish to tell this story with audience participation. Ask a volunteer to be Jesus. Before the session print a Crown Pattern attached to this document. Tape or glue together the ends to make a wearable crown for Jesus.
Sit in a circle. Whenever you say “Come on in,” Jesus takes one or more kids by the hand and brings them into the circle. Whenever you say, “When did we do that?” the children in the circle act puzzled, shrugging their shoulders and raising their palms to the ceiling. Practice these responses before beginning.
When Did We Do That?Someday, Jesus will come again as King. Everyone in the world will come before him.
He’ll say to some, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was hungry and you fed me.”
He’ll say, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.”
He’ll say, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was cold and you gave me warm clothes.”
He’ll say, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was sad and lonely and you came to see me.”
Then these people will say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you?”
They’ll say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you thirsty and give you something to drink?”
They’ll say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you cold and give you warm clothes?”
They’ll say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you lonely and come to see you?”
And King Jesus will answer, “I saw you do these things for other people—for children, grown-ups and strangers, too. Whenever you did this for someone else, it was the same as doing it for me!”
Praying Together (5 minutes)You’ll find a sheet that shows the Lord’s Prayer in American Sign Language, attached to this document.
Using sign or simply speaking aloud, close by praying together the Lord’s Prayer.
Note: If you use At Home with the Good News, distribute this week’s paper to the children before they leave, or e-mail it to their parents after the session.
Living the Good News | Primary | Christ the King – A
Welcome the Good News (5-10 minutes)On page 1 of today’s Welcome the Good News, children will find a condensed, illustrated version of today’s gospel story.
On page 2, they can work together to complete the Welcome God’s Word scripture activity. They’ll also find a With Your Family activity about helping those in need.
Singing Together (5-10 minutes)From Singing the Good News, sing together:◆ “Live in Harmony” (songbook p. 4, also available as
an MP3)◆ “The Great Commandment” (songbook p. 8, also
available as an MP3)
Note: To access both the songbook and its attached MP3 files, open your Fall-A Seasonal Resources folder, then click on Singing the Good News.
Banners for the King (15-25 minutes)Children make a banner in honor of King Jesus. This banner can be carried in a worship procession. We offer directions for two banners—paper and felt. The paper banner can be made with common art supplies. The felt banner requires special materials.
Before the session you may wish to print a Crown Pattern, attached to this document, for each child.
Explain:◆ Today we remember Jesus as our King.◆ In today’s story, how did Jesus say that we could
feed him? give him a drink? give him clothes? come to him when he was sad or lonely? (Some children will understand Jesus’ invitation; others won’t. Affirm all responses.)
Ask children to think of new ways to welcome Jesus; encourage them to recall ideas from the Getting Started discussion, as well as those from today’s story. Invite them to use their ideas to decorate a banner that honors King Jesus.
Paper Banner:Give each child a sheet of construction paper.
Directions:◆ Use the crown pattern to trace on the construction
paper first, if you want. Then cut a crown-shape from the paper.
◆ Use crayons or felt pens to draw your picture onto the paper crown or make a picture by gluing paper shapes onto the crown.
◆ Glue your crown onto the strip of butcher paper.◆ You can use crayons, felt pens or paper scraps to add
words and decorations to the banner, too. (Children may also want to choose a title for the banner.)
Finish the banner by folding the top of the banner over the dowel. Glue or staple the fold in place.
Cloth Banner:Give each child a 9" x 12" rectangle of muslin. Directions:◆ Use the crown pattern to trace on the fabric first, if
you want. Then cut a crown-shape from the muslin. ◆ Next, use fabric crayons to draw your picture onto
the cloth crown.◆ Glue your crown onto the long felt strip.◆ You can use the squirt bottles of fabric dye to add
words and decorations to the felt banner. (Children may also want to choose a title for the banner.)
Finish the banner by folding the top of the banner over the dowel. Glue, staple, sew or tack the hem in place
Bible Skills for Third Graders (10-20 minutes)Third graders pantomime scripture verses.
Before the session copy these sentences onto separate slips of paper:◆ I was hungry and you fed me.◆ I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.◆ I was a stranger and you received me in your homes.◆ I was naked and you clothed me.◆ I was sick and you took care of me.◆ I was in prison and you visited me.
Help the children use the table of contents to find the book of Matthew. Show them how to use chapter and verse numbers to find Matthew 25:35-36. Read aloud as they follow along.
Living the Good News | Primary | Christ the King – A
Living the Good News | Primary | Christ the King – A
Divide the children into six pairs or small groups, if possible. Give each pair one slip; some slips may remain unused.
Directions:◆ Read the scripture verse written on the slip. (Offer
help with reading, if necessary.)◆ Plan a pantomime for your scripture verse. This
means to act out the verse without using words.
After the designated time, ask for volunteers who want to perform their pantomime. Ask the other children to try and guess what verse is being portrayed. Encourage them to consult the text and read the words.
Lord’s Prayer (10-20 minutes)Children finish a book illustrating the Lord’s Prayer.
Note: The first three activities in this project will be found in the sessions for All Souls, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica and the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Review the lines of the Lord’s Prayer learned in the previous weeks. Write the final words of the prayer that you’ll teach today on the board or newsprint:
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Explain that Jesus invites us to praise God with words like kingdom, power and glory that remind us of God’s greatness. Ask:◆ What words would you use to describe something
or someone who’s great? (List these.)◆ What are ways that we can praise God?
Write the final words of the prayer on a sheet of poster board. Invite the children to decorate the sheet. Suggestions:◆ Draw pictures of what God’s kingdom might be
like—either in heaven or here on earth.◆ Write or draw ways to praise God for being great.
Invite children to join all the posters into a book il-lustrating the entire Lord’s Prayer. Show them how to place the posters in a stack, then punch holes across the top and thread yarn through to finish the book. Display the book in the room or elsewhere in your church, as desired.
Note: When working with the Lord’s Prayer, always use the version used in your church’s worship.
Where You’ll Find Everything Else
◆ Attached to this Session Plan you will find:— Backgrounds and reflections for today’s
readings, titled More about Today’s Scriptures.— Today’s Gospel Story, to distribute or e-mail to
children and their families.— A Crown Pattern to be used in the Gospel Story
and also Banners for the King.— An optional activity titled Our Parish, which
invites kids to notice art in the church. Note: You will also need a print-out of Paliekara’s Suffering Servant, also attached to this Session Plan.
— An optional information piece titled To Parents, which gives families ideas for serving others.
— A printable copy of the Lord’s Prayer in American Sign Language.
— Today’s At Home with the Good News, to distribute or e-mail to families after the session.
◆ Open your Fall-A Seasonal Resources folder, then click on Seasonal Articles to find:— Information on Fall-A’s Models of the Faith.— A printable article further exploring The Feast of
Christ the King.— A reproducible handout exploring Thanksgiving
Living the Good News | Primary | Christ the King – A
More about Today’s ScripturesToday’s readings celebrate Christ our compassion-ate King. Ezekiel pictures God as our Shepherd who rescues and watches over us. Paul pictures Christ as reigning triumphantly over all his enemies, including death. In today’s gospel, Jesus presents a vision of final judgement, in which the Son of Man welcomes into God’s kingdom those who have treated others with compassion and mercy.
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17In the ancient Near East, the king was often pictured as a shepherd. But the pre-exilic kings and leaders
were false shepherds, exploiting and neglecting their flock. Now God will act as the good shepherd, searching out God’s people scattered among the nations and gathering them back to their own land. The reestablished monarchy will act only as God’s faithful regent (vv. 22-24).
Ezekiel reveals God’s nature as one of both compassion and judgment. God’s mercy extends to the lost and injured—those who
have suffered from the injustices of others as well as from their own wrong choices.
God’s judgment reaches the sheep as well as the shepherds. As the shepherds have been judged, so also the sheep must be judged for their behavior to one another (vv. 17-22).
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 In chapter 15, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the res-urrection traditions he has passed on to them. He then points out that their doubts about the resurrection of the dead are logically incompatible with their belief in Jesus’ resurrection and their experience of its power in their lives.
In today’s reading, he goes on to show that Jesus’ resur-rection is the basis for the resurrection of all and for the ultimate redemption of the universe. Christ is the first fruits of the dead; the offering of the first fruits of the harvest symbolized the dedication of the whole harvest to God.
Matthew 25:31-46Today’s reading, the last of Matthew’s three end-time parables, is more a vision of the last judgment than it is a parable. Here the Son of Man, Jesus’ title for himself, is clearly identified as the King and Judge of all people, roles traditionally attributed exclusively to God.
The King offers only one criterion of judgment: deeds of compassion. Verses 35-45 list six representative good works, five of which are found in standard Jewish lists. The sixth service, visiting prisoners, was an issue of concern for the early Christian communities.
Here is Jesus’ unmistakable revelation of God’s true nature. As Son of Man, Jesus associates himself not with the brilliant, the pious, the famous or the powerful, but with the least—the hungry, thirsty, lonely, sick, naked and imprisoned. Jesus clearly delineates the values of the kingdom of heaven. Those who suffer are close to the heart of God. Those who minister to the suffering receive the Father’s blessing.
The hearts of the righteous in the vision are as pure as their actions; their surprise betrays the selflessness of their motives. The righteous did not serve those in need in order to score points with God; the accursed would certainly not have neglected the poor if they had known what they would have gained by deeds of mercy. Good intentions are insufficient; what counts are actions, not words.
ReflectionMost kings in Jesus’ day were warlords, but he refuses to do violence. The king’s subjects were expected to follow him, fighting bravely. In today’s gospel, Jesus proposes a different paradigm. He asks his followers to recognize him in the least majestic people, the unpalatial places and unglorious tasks.
Then he asks us to follow him, not into battle, but into the ordinary, almost unconscious tasks of cooking, providing clothes and drinks, welcoming strangers and visiting prisoners. Kathleen Chesto offers a wonderful
“We must find the Lord not only in the table of the Eucharist, but in the table of the world around us. If we do not see Jesus in this table of the world, we will really not find Jesus in the table of the Eucharist; and if we do indeed find Jesus in the table of the Eucharist, we should leave the Eucharistic celebration with eyes of faith that allow us to find Jesus throughout the table of the world.”
Living the Good News | Primary | Christ the King – A
take on this parable (Family Centered Intergenerational Religious Education, Sheed & Ward, 1980, p. 29-30), in which parents voice their bewilderment about where they’ve met or nurtured Christ. To “when did I see you hungry?” he replies: “How could you ask? You of the three and a half million peanut butter sandwiches?”
To “Naked, Lord, homeless?” he responds: “I was born to you naked and homeless and you sheltered me, first in wombs, then in arms… And you spent the next twenty years keeping me in jeans.”
To “But imprisoned, Lord?” he says: “I was imprisoned in my littleness, behind the bars of a crib. I cried out in the night and you came…”
Perhaps we should all rewrite the parable to appreciate our own life works.
The Scriptures and the CatechismWe await Jesus’ return in glory (CCC, #668–70), but Jesus has been hidden among us all the time in the poor and needy. In today’s parable, Christ the Judge (CCC, #440, 668–79) evaluates all communities on their behavior to those in need. By responding to these needs, we share in God’s work to transform our world into the kingdom of God (CCC, #2046, 2443–49, 2186)—a kingdom of justice rather than domination, held together by love and respect for life not violence, and providing peace rather than conflict, hatred and war (CCC, #671–77).
Liturgy LinkThe Feast of Christ the KingAs we come to the end of the Church year, we focus on Christ our heavenly King and on the kingdom he proclaimed. This kingdom is embodied in the community of people who live in a new and different way because of God’s presence in their lives.
Following Jesus’ royal guidelines, his kingdom is the foundation of a new order—a new creation—that would be free from oppression, injustice, violence and suffering. In it, persons would finally return to the original ideal of relationships characterized by justice, rooted in love and bringing peace for everyone.
Christ robed as King and reigning from the cross, the Christus Rex, was for a number of centuries one of the dominant images of Christ shown in art. In the early
centuries, looking at Good Friday from the perspective of Easter, Christians did not depict the crucifixion. It was not until the 13th century that the crucifix became a common motif.
This theme of the reigning King was emphasized once again when the Feast of Christ the King was established in 1925 by the Catholic Church. The feast was first held on the last Sunday of October. After Vatican II, the desire grew to integrate the feast within the context of the liturgical calendar. Thus the celebration was moved to the last Sunday of the Church year, which has always had a strong escha-tological (end-time) flavor. This puts the celebration of Christ’s kingship in its proper biblical setting, connecting it with the return of Christ and the final defeat of evil.
As King, Jesus calls us to become his new kingdom people—a community that will always stand in contrast to the values of earthly political and social systems. We cannot disconnect our relationship with God from our relationships with others.
As the bishops gathered at Vatican Council II reminded us, “This split between the faith which many profess and their daily lives deserves to be counted among the more serious errors of our age” (The Church in the Modern World, #43). Jesus’ twin commands to love God and neighbor challenge us to discover what it takes today to become a kingdom community living according to the mind of Christ.
The World of the BibleA New CreationUnlike ourselves, biblical people did not think the world was progressing but always regressing. From the Garden of Eden onward, God’s original vision for creation had steadily deteriorated. But since God alone rules creation, the only way things could really be made better was not by human effort but through a new creation by which God would re-order the world without sin and in which everything would finally be perfect.
Paul believed that God had begun this re-ordering in Jesus and so a new creation had actually taken place. He also believed that the whole world would soon be transformed by God’s power, but we realize that this transformation did not happen as fast as he wanted but continues even today.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.
PR-FA-PR29-DL-A-To Parents
In today’s gospel, Jesus proclaims that we can honor him by serving him in those who are in need (Matthew 25:31-40). Mother Teresa of Calcutta calls this presence “Jesus in his distressing disguise.”
Families give a lasting heritage to their children when they invite them to meet Jesus in this special way. Some families do this by volunteering time together at a community soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Others open their homes to ministries of hospitality.
This week reflect on this question: How can I help my child meet Jesus in his distressing disguise?
To Parents
Com
mon
sense an
d the experts agree: faith
form
ation m
ust occu
r in th
e hom
e. Th
e chu
rch’s edu
cational program
s have a m
uch
better ch
ance of su
ccess if these efforts are expan
ded an
d enrich
ed by the fam
ilies wh
ere children
spen
d a hu
ge proportion of th
eir time.
Th
is resource is design
ed to help fam
ilies an
d chu
rches m
eet that n
eed. Often
parents
wan
t to participate in th
eir children’s religiou
s edu
cations, bu
t aren’t sure h
ow to do it. T
hese
pages give families m
any w
ays to bring th
e Su
nday readin
gs into th
e hom
e. At H
ome w
ith the G
ood New
s is designed for th
e parents of
children
aged preschool th
rough
grade six.
Each
reproducible page con
tains:
•B
ibleBackgroun
d
Th
is section lists th
e readings for each
Su
nday an
d briefly explain
s how
they relate
to each oth
er or to a comm
on th
eme.
•W
hatYourChildD
idThisW
eek
Th
is section su
mm
arizes wh
at Presch
ool/ K
indergarten
, Prim
ary and In
termediate
groups did in
their session
s. It gives parents
a specific startin
g point for a con
versation
about w
hat th
eir children
learned or
accomplish
ed. For parents w
ho are n
ew to
an experien
tial, lectionary-based approach
, it serves as an
introdu
ction th
at will
increase th
eir familiarity.
•P
rayerStarter
Th
ese can be u
sed at hom
e, after a meal,
at bedtime or w
hen
ever a family gath
ers to pray togeth
er. On
e person can
serve as th
e leader, reading alou
d the w
ords of the
prayer or the prom
pt that in
vites others to
participate.
•Parentin
gTip
Health
y parentin
g is a skill learned over
time. T
hese su
ggestions give paren
ts con
crete ideas for cherish
ing th
eir children
an
d makin
g the C
hristian
message th
eir w
ay of life at hom
e.
How
to U
se This R
esource
Brin
gin
g th
e Sunday R
eadin
gs to
Your Fa
mily
•FamilyD
iscussionQ
uestion
In th
is section appears a qu
estion based on
th
e gospel. Since m
ost families don’t h
ave lon
g, un
interru
pted time for discu
ssion,
this qu
estion can
come u
p in th
e car after ch
urch
, durin
g the w
ait at the drive-in
ban
k or fast food restauran
t, or at bedtime.
Paren
ts can adapt it to th
e ages and
interests of th
eir children
.
•GospelR
eflection
T
his m
editation on
the gospel lin
ks Jesus’
story and ou
r daily lives. People w
ho pray
over the gospels regu
larly can begin
to m
ake them
the tem
plate for the w
ay they
live. Th
us, th
ey can tran
sform th
e message
from w
ords proclaimed in
chu
rch to valu
es en
shrin
ed in th
e heart.
Wh
ile some fam
ilies may h
ave time for
extended refl
ection on
the readin
gs and
utilize all th
e sections of th
e page, others m
ay h
ave time for on
ly a quick Fam
ily Discu
ssion
Qu
estion or P
arentin
g Tip. A
ll parents w
ill wan
t to see w
hat th
eir children
did in th
eir session so
they can
discuss it w
ith th
em afterw
ards.
Reprodu
ce the pages an
d arrange a system
of distribu
tion so th
at they can
be sent h
ome w
ith
the oldest or you
ngest ch
ild in a fam
ily, the
chu
rch n
ewsletter or an
y regular bu
lletin.
WheretoU
seThisR
esourceT
his resou
rce may be h
elpful in
a variety of settin
gs, and especially for:
• C
hristian
Edu
cation settin
gs wh
ere parent
involvem
ent is cru
cial•
Intergen
erational edu
cational settin
gs•
Schools w
ith den
omin
ational spon
sorship
wh
o wan
t to involve fam
ilies more
Brin
gin
g th
e Sunday R
eadin
gs to
Your Fa
mily
Today’s readings celebrate Christ, our compas-sionate King. In Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17, the prophet pictures God as our Shepherd, who rescues and watches over us. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28, Paul pictures Christ as reigning triumphantly over all his enemies,
including death. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus presents a vision of final judgement, in which the Son of Man welcomes into God’s kingdom those who have treated others with compas-sion and mercy.
Preschool/Kindergarten children acted out ways
to welcome Jesus and shared stories about helping.
Today’s story was the basis for a roleplay, a relay game
and poster making. The children also made a crown
banner to be carried in procession into the church.
Primary (Grades 1-3) children learned that member-
ship in God’s kingdom is based on God’s love for us
and finds expression in our active love for others. Ses-
sion activities included playing a variation of Detec-
tive, hearing today’s Bible story and making a cloth or
paper banner.
Based on today’s gospel in which Jesus urges us to
help others, Intermediate (Grades 4-6) participants
created pictures of needy people. After a discussion of
the scripture passage, group members prepared skits
of ways that intermediate members can help people
in need. Bible Skills Activities designed to help the
participants learn the order of the books in the New
Most kings in Jesus’ day were warlords. Their subjects were expected to follow them, fighting bravely. In today’s gospel, Jesus proposes a different paradigm. He asks his followers to recognize him in the least majestic people, in unpalatial places and inglorious tasks.
Then Jesus asks us to follow him, not into battle, but into the ordinary, almost unconscious tasks of cooking, providing clothes and drinks, welcoming strangers and visiting prisoners. Kathleen Chesto wrote a wonderful take on this parable, in which parents voice their bewilderment about where they’ve met or nurtured Christ. To “When did I see you hungry?” he replies:
“How could you ask? You of the three and a half million peanut butter sandwiches?”
To “Naked, Lord, homeless?” he responds:
“I was born to you naked and homeless and you sheltered me, first in wombs, then in arms… And you spent the next twenty years keeping me in jeans.”
“But imprisoned, Lord?”
“I was imprisoned in my littleness, behind the bars of a crib. I cried out in the night and you came…” (from Family Centered Intergenerational Religious Education (Sheed & Ward, 1980, pp. 29-30).
Perhaps we should all rewrite the parable to appreciate our own life works.
In your own words, give thanks for a King who identifies with human suffering, who doesn’t live in a palace but abides right here with us.
Between now and Thanksgiving, name one new blessing every day that you are
grateful for. This practice will sharpen an “attitude of gratitude.”
How do we help each other every day? How do we help when there’s a special need?
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.
Gospel Story:When Did We Do That?
Note: You may wish to tell this story with audience participation. Ask a volunteer to be Jesus. Before the session print a Crown Pattern from the Weekly Resources section of the Online Support Site. Attach the ends to make a wearable crown for Jesus.
Sit in a circle. Whenever you say “Come on in,” Jesus takes one or more kids by the hand and brings them into the circle. Whenever you say, “When did we do that?” the children in the circle act puzzled, shrugging their shoulders and raising their palms to the ceiling. Practice these responses before beginning.
Someday, Jesus will come again as King. Everyone in the world will come before him.
He’ll say to some, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was hungry and you fed me.” He’ll say, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.”
He’ll say, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was cold and you gave me warm clothes.”He’ll say, “Come on in! Come into God’s kingdom, because I was sad and lonely and you came to see me.”Then these people will say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you?
They’ll say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you thirsty and give you something to drink?”They’ll say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you cold and give you warm clothes?”
They’ll say, “When did we do that? When did we ever see you lonely and come to see you?”
And King Jesus will answer, “I saw you do these things for other people—for children, grown-ups and strangers, too. Whenever you did this for someone else, it was the same as doing it for me!”
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.
Today’s readings celebrate Christ our com-passionate King. Ezekiel pictures God as our Shepherd who rescues and watches over us. Paul pictures Christ as reigning triumphantly over all his enemies, including death. In today’s gospel, Jesus presents a vision of final judgement, in which the Son of Man welcomes into God’s kingdom those who have treated others with compassion and mercy.
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
In the ancient Near East, the king was often pictured as a shepherd. But the pre-exilic kings and leaders were false shepherds, exploiting and neglecting their flock. Now God will act as the good shepherd, searching out God’s people scattered among the nations and gathering them back to their own land. The reestablished monarchy will act only as God’s faithful regent (vv. 22-24).
Ezekiel reveals God’s nature as one of both compassion and judgment. God’s mercy extends to the lost and injured—those who have suffered from the injustices of others as well as from their own wrong choices.
God’s judgment reaches the sheep as well as the shepherds. As the shepherds have been judged, so also the sheep must be judged for their behavior to one another (vv. 17-22).
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
In chapter 15, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the resurrection traditions he has passed on to them. He then points out that their doubts about the resurrection of the dead are logically incompatible with their belief in Jesus’
resurrection and their experience of its power in their lives.
In today’s reading, he goes on to show that Jesus’ resurrection is the basis for the resurrection of all and for the ultimate redemption of the universe. Christ is the first fruits of the dead; the offering of the first fruits of the harvest symbolized the dedication of the whole harvest to God.
Matthew 25:31-46
Today’s reading, the last of Matthew’s three end-time parables, is more a vision of the last judgment than it is a parable. Here the Son of Man, Jesus’ title for himself, is clearly identified as the King and Judge of all people, roles tradi-tionally attributed exclusively to God.
The King offers only one criterion of judgment: deeds of compassion. Verses 35-45 list six repre-sentative good works, five of which are found in standard Jewish lists. The sixth service, visiting prisoners, was an issue of concern for the early Christian communities.
Here is Jesus’ unmistakable revelation of God’s true nature. As Son of Man, Jesus associates himself not with the brilliant, the pious, the famous or the powerful, but with the least—the hungry, thirsty, lonely, sick, naked and imprisoned. Jesus clearly delineates the values of the kingdom of heaven. Those who suffer are close to the heart of God. Those who minister to the suffering receive the Father’s blessing.
The hearts of the righteous in the vision are as pure as their actions; their surprise betrays the selflessness of their motives. The righteous did not serve those in need in order to score points with God; the accursed would certainly
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.
not have neglected the poor if they had known what they would have gained by deeds of mercy. Good intentions are insufficient; what counts are actions, not words.
ReflectionMost kings in Jesus’ day were warlords, but he refuses to do violence. The king’s subjects were expected to follow him, fighting bravely. In today’s gospel, Jesus proposes a different paradigm. He asks his followers to recognize him in the least majestic people, the unpalatial places and unglorious tasks.
Then he asks us to follow him, not into battle, but into the ordinary, almost unconscious tasks of cooking, providing clothes and drinks, welcoming strangers and visiting prisoners. Kathleen Chesto wrote a wonderful take on this parable (Family Centered Intergenerational Religious Education, Sheed & Ward, 1980, pp. 29-30), in which parents voice their bewilder-ment about where they’ve met or nurtured Christ. To “when did I see you hungry?” he replies: “How could you ask? You of the three and a half million peanut butter sandwiches?”
To “Naked, Lord, homeless?” he responds: “I was born to you naked and homeless and you sheltered me, first in wombs, then in arms…And you spent the next twenty years keeping me in jeans.”
To “But imprisoned, Lord?” he says: “I was imprisoned in my littleness, behind the bars of a crib. I cried out in the night and you came…”
Perhaps we should all rewrite the parable to appreciate our own life works.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.
PR-FA-PR29-DL-C-Our Parish
Materials: art supplies for making a picture of Jesus (smocks or aprons, paint and brushes, materials for collage, markers and crayons, as desired)
We first make contact with our Catholic heritage through its local manifestation: our parish church. This season, we suggest ways in which you can help children explore their parish church. These suggestions may be used throughout the year.
In today’s session, we suggest you invite children to explore works of liturgical art that celebrate Christ the King. Make time before the session to discover what examples exist in your parish church.
Possibilities include:
crucifixes based on the image of Christus Victor (Christ crowned and fully clothed with his arms raised in victory)
banners decorated with crowns or other royal motifs
stained-glass representations of today’s gospel or other stories celebrating Christ as King
Begin by together viewing Marcella Paliekara’s mixed-media collage poster, Suffering Servant, also attached to the Session Plan. Use this as a visual focus for the activity. Activity Soundtrack: As you view the poster, play reflective music (Open your Fall-A Seasonal Resources folder, then click on Companion Music for options.) We recommend Concierto De Aranjuez—Adagio by Joaquin Rodrigo.
Say:
This is the way one artist imagined what Jesus looked like. No one knows for sure, so we can all use our imagination.
Ask:
In this picture, what might Jesus feel? Happy? Sad? Quiet? Afraid?
What could Jesus be thinking about?
What words might he say to us from this picture?
If possible, take children out to explore the art in the church. Explain that we have many ways of viewing Jesus. In some works of art, Jesus looks sad. In some, Jesus looks as if he’s won a race!
Back in the room, children may want to work together to make one or more pictures of Jesus. Encourage them to first choose what feeling they want to show in their picture: sorrow, joy, victory or another emotion.
If desired, display the finished artwork in the room.
Our Parish
Living the Good News: Paliekara’s Suffering ServantSuffering Servant by Marcella Paliekara. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Living the Good News: Paliekara’s Suffering ServantSuffering Servant by Marcella Paliekara. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
