Children's Liturgy Guide

Epiphany of the Lord

Year B · Christmas

The Wise Men Find Jesus

Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

Leader Prep

Don't worry about doing this perfectly. If the children hear one good idea about God, Jesus, prayer, kindness, forgiveness, or the Gospel, this time has been worthwhile.

Summary

Wise men from far away saw a special star and followed it to find baby Jesus. They brought him gifts and worshipped him because they knew he was a king sent from God.

Key Points

  • The wise men traveled a very long way because they wanted to find and honor Jesus
  • A special star guided them to where Jesus was
  • They brought precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to show Jesus was important
  • When they found Jesus, they knelt down and worshipped him
  • God warns them in a dream to go home a different way to keep Jesus safe

Background

The Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi. These were likely Persian astrologers or scholars who studied the stars. Their journey symbolizes that Jesus came for all peoples, not just the Jewish nation. The gifts carry theological significance: gold for kingship, frankincense for divinity, and myrrh foreshadowing his burial. King Herod's troubled reaction and deceit contrast sharply with the Magi's sincere seeking. For children, emphasize the concrete journey of following the star to find Jesus and the joy of giving gifts to honor him. Set aside the complex symbolism of the gifts and Herod's murderous intent.

Session Flow

Opening Prayer

Invite the children to pray with you, then read the opening prayer below. If many don't know the sign of the cross, teach the whole group.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear God, thank you for the star that led the wise men to baby Jesus. Help us to follow you and find Jesus in our lives, just like they did. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Warm-up

Ask the warm-up question before the reading. There are no wrong answers; this is just to help the children connect today's reading to their own lives.

Have you ever looked for something special that was hard to find, like a hidden toy or a treasure in a game?

Example: One time I was looking for my favorite stuffed bear and I looked under my bed and in the closet and finally found it behind the couch and I was so happy.

Bridge to the reading: You worked hard to find something special because it really mattered to you. In today's reading, we will hear about wise men who traveled a very, very long way, following a star, because they were looking for someone more special than any treasure: baby Jesus.

Read the Scripture

Read the day's selected passage aloud. The full Scripture text is not included here. Use a Children's Lectionary if your parish has one available. A children's Bible may also be helpful for younger children. Otherwise, read from a standard lectionary, Bible, or USCCB.org. Read slowly, with short pauses.

Reading Questions

Ask the questions conversationally. You do not need to use every question if time is short. The example answers are for leader preparation, not scripts or required answers.

  1. Who came looking for baby Jesus in today's reading?

    Example: Wise men came from far away in the East looking for baby Jesus because they saw his star in the sky.

  2. What did the wise men follow to find where Jesus was?

    Example: They followed a special bright star that moved in the sky and it led them right to where baby Jesus was staying.

  3. What did the wise men do when they finally found Jesus?

    Example: They knelt down on the ground and worshipped him, and they opened up their treasure boxes and gave him special gifts.

  4. Why do you think the wise men brought such special gifts for a little baby?

    Example: I think they knew Jesus was really important, like a king, and they wanted to show him how much they loved him and honored him.

Application Questions

Use these questions to help the children connect the reading to their own lives this week. Simple, concrete answers are best.

  1. How do you think the wise men felt when they finally found baby Jesus after traveling so far?

    Example: I think they felt really really happy and excited because they had been looking for so long and they finally got to see him.

  2. What is something you could give to Jesus to show you love him, even though you cannot hand him a present like the wise men did?

    Example: I could give Jesus my prayers and I could be kind to my little brother because that would make Jesus happy too.

  3. This week, how could you be like a wise person who is looking for Jesus?

    Example: I could look for Jesus by reading my Bible with my mom or by going to church and praying and talking to him every day.

Recap

Today we heard about wise men who traveled a very long way, following a special star to find baby Jesus. When they found him, they knelt down and gave him their best gifts. They teach us that Jesus is worth searching for, and when we find him, we can give him the gift of our love.

Prayer of the Faithful

Before returning to the assembly, invite the children to share their own prayer intentions. Their prayers may be serious, simple, funny, or very specific. After each child's prayer, the group may respond: "Lord, hear our prayer." Lastly, include the suggested prayer below.

For all the people in faraway places who are still searching to know Jesus, that God will guide them like a star, we pray to the Lord.

Mass Connection

If time allows, point out this connection just before returning to Mass. This helps children see that Children's Liturgy is still part of the Mass.

When we bring up the gifts of bread and wine during the Offertory, we are like the wise men bringing our gifts to Jesus. The wise men offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and we offer bread and wine that will become Jesus himself.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank you, Lord, for showing us that Jesus came for everyone. Help us to follow you like the wise men did, and to give you our love every day. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

ChildrensLiturgy.org

The Wise Men Find Jesus

Matthew 2:1-12

Word Search

Optional activity: use the word search after the discussion if you have time, or send it home with the children. The words relate to today's Children's Liturgy Scripture passage.

Y H L B T B E T H L E H E M D
L K B B K F H N J Y X G Q L P
Y U I P B F A J Q X R H E I S
W D Z N T S Y U O T A E H F Q
E S Q O G Y P E C U N S L N H
O T R E A S U R E K R X I S R
J O E M T Q P F K O U N O H R
L X G F E J X W W K A Z E B Y
H N H N T G L Q D D L O G Y M
U X V F M B J E F X J T D S S
U T V L A I I S X B Q C K U F
V J Q T G N K E O J D R A T S
M B T M I K F J S Q M O P G D
I D S Y Y E J G I F T S K N O
A I T W O L L O F L Z Z L K X

Words to find

  • star
  • Magi
  • gifts
  • gold
  • myrrh
  • journey
  • worship
  • Bethlehem
  • king
  • treasure
  • kneel
  • follow

ChildrensLiturgy.org