Children's Liturgy Guide

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C · Ordinary Time

The Rich Man and His Barns

Reading: Luke 12:13-21

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 rich man who grew lots of crops and built bigger barns to keep everything for himself. But God called him foolish because he forgot that the most important things are not our stuff, but loving God and others.

Key Points

  • Jesus warns us not to be greedy or to think stuff is the most important thing
  • The rich man only thought about himself and forgot about God
  • Being rich toward God means loving Him and sharing with others
  • Our lives are a gift from God, and He wants us to use them well

Background

In this parable, Jesus addresses a dispute about inheritance and uses it to teach about greed and misplaced priorities. The rich man's sin is not his wealth but his self-absorption: he speaks only to himself, plans only for himself, and never considers God or neighbor. The phrase 'rich toward God' means investing in one's relationship with God and in acts of love, rather than hoarding earthly goods. Theologically, the passage challenges materialism and calls us to recognize that our lives belong to God. For children, emphasize the simple contrast between thinking only of ourselves and our things versus remembering God and sharing with others. Set aside the complex discussion of death and judgment, focusing instead on the foolishness of selfishness and the joy of generosity.

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 giving us everything we have. Help us to remember that You are more important than any toy or treasure, and teach us to share with 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.

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 had so many toys or treats that you did not know where to put them all? What did you do?

Example: One time I got a lot of birthday presents and my room was so full. My mom helped me pick some toys to give to other kids who needed them.

Bridge to the reading: Sometimes we get a lot of stuff and we have to decide what to do with it. In today's story, Jesus tells us about a man who had so much that he built bigger and bigger places to keep it all, but he forgot something very important.

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 did the rich man in the story have a lot of?

    Example: He had a lot of grain and crops from his fields. He had so much that his barns were too small to hold it all.

  2. What did the rich man decide to build?

    Example: He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones so he could fit all his grain and things inside them.

  3. What did the rich man say he would do after he stored everything away?

    Example: He said he would rest and eat and drink and be happy for many years because he had so much stuff saved up.

  4. Why did God call the rich man foolish?

    Example: God called him foolish because he only thought about himself and his things. He forgot about God and did not share with anyone else.

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 feel when someone shares something special with you?

    Example: I feel really happy and loved when my friend shares her snack with me. It makes me want to share my things too.

  2. What is something you could share with a friend or family member instead of keeping it all for yourself?

    Example: I could share my crayons with my little brother when we color together, or I could let my friend play with my favorite toy.

  3. This week, how can you show God that He is more important to you than your toys or treats?

    Example: I can say thank you to God in my prayers before bed, and I can share some of my snacks with someone at school.

Recap

Today we heard Jesus tell a story about a rich man who kept building bigger barns to store all his things. He thought his stuff would make him happy, but God called him foolish because he forgot about what really matters. Jesus wants us to remember that loving God and sharing with others is much more important than having lots of things.

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 do not have enough food or toys, that people will share with them and show them God's love, we pray to the Lord.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Loving God, thank You for teaching us through this story. Help us to be generous and to remember that You are the greatest treasure of all. May we share what we have with joy. 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 Rich Man and His Barns

Luke 12:13-21

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.

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

Words to find

  • Jesus
  • barn
  • rich
  • share
  • God
  • treasure
  • foolish
  • crops
  • generous
  • love
  • giving
  • heart

ChildrensLiturgy.org