Children's Liturgy Guide

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B · Ordinary Time

Jesus Cares for Tired Helpers

Reading: Mark 6:30-34

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

Jesus saw that his friends, the apostles, were very tired after working hard. He cared about them and wanted them to rest. When a big crowd of people came looking for Jesus, he felt sorry for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd to care for them.

Key Points

  • Jesus noticed when his friends were tired and invited them to rest
  • Jesus has compassion, which means he cares deeply when he sees people who need help
  • The crowd was like sheep without a shepherd, and Jesus wanted to care for them
  • We can bring our tiredness and needs to Jesus because he sees us and cares

Background

This passage shows two dimensions of Jesus as the Good Shepherd: his tender care for his apostles and his compassion for the lost crowd. The Greek word used for compassion (splagchnizomai) describes a gut-level, visceral feeling of mercy. Jesus sees the crowd as sheep without a shepherd, echoing the first reading from Jeremiah about failed shepherds and God's promise to gather his flock. The apostles had just returned from their first mission, and Jesus recognizes their human need for rest and renewal. For children, emphasize that Jesus sees when we are tired or lost and cares for us like a good shepherd cares for his sheep. Set aside the complex mission theology and focus on the concrete image of Jesus noticing tiredness and feeling compassion.

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 Jesus, thank you for always caring about us and seeing when we need help. Please open our hearts today to hear your Word and to know how much you love us. 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 been really, really tired after doing something that took a lot of work? What happened?

Example: One time I helped my dad rake all the leaves in our yard and my arms were so tired I could not even lift them up anymore.

Bridge to the reading: It sounds like you know what it feels like to be worn out from working hard. In today's reading, we will hear about how Jesus noticed that his friends were very tired, and we will see what he did about it.

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. What had the apostles been doing before they came back to Jesus?

    Example: The apostles had been out teaching people and doing lots of work, and then they came back to tell Jesus everything they did.

  2. What did Jesus tell his tired friends to do?

    Example: Jesus told them to come away with him to a quiet place so they could rest because they had been so busy.

  3. What did Jesus see when he looked at the big crowd of people?

    Example: Jesus saw that the people were like sheep that did not have a shepherd to take care of them and show them where to go.

  4. Why do you think Jesus felt sorry for the crowd?

    Example: I think Jesus felt sorry because the people looked lost and confused and they really needed someone to help them and care for them.

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 does it feel when someone notices that you are tired and wants to help you?

    Example: It feels really nice and warm inside because it means they are paying attention to me and they care about how I am feeling.

  2. What could you do if you see a friend at school who looks sad or lost?

    Example: I could go over and ask if they want to play with me, or I could tell them it is okay and sit with them.

  3. This week, how can you tell Jesus when you feel tired or need help?

    Example: I can say a little prayer before bed and tell Jesus about my day and ask him to help me feel better and rested.

Recap

Today we heard how Jesus saw that his friends were tired and cared for them. He also saw a big crowd of people who were like sheep without a shepherd, and he felt deep love for them. Jesus always sees us and cares for us, especially when we are tired or need help.

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 children who feel tired or lost and need someone to care for them, we pray to the Lord.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank you, Jesus, for being our Good Shepherd who sees us and cares for us. Help us to rest in your love and to show your care to others. 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

Jesus Cares for Tired Helpers

Mark 6:30-34

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.

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

Words to find

  • Jesus
  • apostles
  • tired
  • rest
  • crowd
  • shepherd
  • sheep
  • compassion
  • care
  • quiet
  • love
  • help

ChildrensLiturgy.org