Children's Liturgy Guide

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C · Ordinary Time

The Good Samaritan Stopped to Help

Reading: Luke 10:25-37

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 tells a story about a man who was hurt and left alone on the road. A Samaritan man stopped to help him when others walked right by. Jesus tells us to be like the kind Samaritan and help people who need us.

Key Points

  • Jesus teaches us that our neighbor is anyone who needs our help
  • Two religious people walked past the hurt man without stopping
  • The Samaritan, a stranger, showed mercy by stopping, caring for the man, and paying for his care
  • Jesus tells us to 'go and do likewise' meaning we should help others too
  • Being a good neighbor means noticing when someone is hurt or sad and doing something about it

Background

This parable responds to a scholar's question about inheriting eternal life. Jesus redirects the question 'Who is my neighbor?' by telling a story that challenges social boundaries. The priest and Levite, respected religious figures, pass by, possibly due to purity concerns about touching a possibly dead body. The Samaritan, despised by Jews, becomes the hero. This would have shocked Jesus' audience. The parable teaches that loving your neighbor transcends ethnic, religious, and social boundaries. For children, emphasize the concrete action of the Samaritan stopping to help someone who was hurt and scared, and Jesus telling us to do the same. Set aside the complex historical tension between Jews and Samaritans, and the scholarly debate about eternal life.

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 teaching us how to be good neighbors. Help us to notice when someone needs our help and give us brave hearts to stop and care for them. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 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 seen someone who was hurt or crying and needed help? What did you do or what did you want to do?

Example: One time my little sister fell off her bike and was crying really loud. I ran over to her and helped her get up and we went to find Mom together.

Bridge to the reading: It can be hard to know what to do when we see someone who is hurt or sad. In today's reading, Jesus tells a story about a man who was hurt on the road, and we will hear about the one person who stopped to help him.

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 happened to the man who was walking on the road?

    Example: Some robbers hurt him really badly and took all his stuff and left him lying on the ground all alone.

  2. Who walked past the hurt man without stopping to help him?

    Example: A priest walked by on the other side of the road, and then a Levite came by and he did not stop either.

  3. What did the Samaritan man do when he saw the hurt man lying there?

    Example: He stopped and put bandages on him and poured oil and wine on his owies and then took him to an inn to rest.

  4. Why do you think Jesus told this story about the Samaritan who helped?

    Example: I think Jesus wanted to show us that we should stop and help people who are hurt even if we do not know 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 do you think the hurt man felt when the Samaritan finally stopped to help him?

    Example: I think he felt so happy and relieved because someone finally cared about him and he was not alone anymore.

  2. If you saw a kid at school sitting alone and looking really sad, what could you do to be like the Good Samaritan?

    Example: I could go over and sit next to them and ask if they want to play with me at recess or be my friend.

  3. This week, who is one person you could help, even in a small way?

    Example: I could help my grandma when she needs something or I could share my toys with my brother when he is sad.

Recap

Today we heard how Jesus told a story about a man who was hurt and left alone. Two people walked right past him, but the Samaritan stopped. He bandaged the man, took care of him, and made sure he was safe. Jesus tells us to go and do the same. We can be like the Good Samaritan by stopping to help people who need us.

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 who feel hurt, lonely, or forgotten, that someone kind will stop to help them, 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 offer what we have to help others, just as the Samaritan offered his oil, wine, bandages, and money to care for the hurt man.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank you, Jesus, for teaching us to be good neighbors. Help us this week to notice people who need kindness and to stop and help them, just like the Good Samaritan did. 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 Good Samaritan Stopped to Help

Luke 10:25-37

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.

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

Words to find

  • Samaritan
  • neighbor
  • help
  • road
  • bandage
  • kindness
  • Jesus
  • mercy
  • care
  • stopped
  • inn
  • love

ChildrensLiturgy.org