Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Isaiah 25:6–10a • Philippians 4:12–14, 19–20 • Matthew 22:1–14
Main message: God invites us to belong to Him. His invitation is a gift, and He wants His grace to change the way we live.
1. Welcome and Sign of the Cross
Welcome the children and ask them to sit comfortably.
Say:
Today Jesus tells us about a very special invitation.
Have you ever been invited to a birthday party or a wedding?
How did you know you were invited?
Perhaps you received a card. Perhaps somebody told your mum or dad. Perhaps somebody said:
“We would love you to come.”
Today Jesus tells us that God gives us an invitation too.
Not simply to a party for one afternoon.
God invites us to belong to Him and, one day, to live with Him for ever in Heaven.
Begin:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus,
thank You for calling us to be Your friends.
Help us to listen to Your Word,
to receive Your grace,
and to live as children who belong to You.
Amen.
2. Opening Conversation
Ask:
What happens when somebody invites you to a party?
Let the children answer.
You might get ready.
You might put on something nice.
You might take a card.
You go because somebody wants you there.
Now ask:
What would be strange if somebody gave you a wonderful invitation?
Would it be strange to say:
“No thank you, I am too busy tidying my sock drawer”?
Or:
“I cannot come to the party because I need to look at the garden fence”?
Say:
That is rather like what happens in Jesus’ story.
A king prepares something wonderful, but some people are too busy with ordinary things to come.
3. The Gospel — Matthew 22:1–14
Say:
Jesus told the people this story.
A king prepared a great wedding feast for his son.
Everything was ready.
There was plenty of food.
The tables were prepared.
The king sent his servants to tell the guests:
“Come! The feast is ready!”
But some people did not come.
One was too busy with his farm.
Another was too busy with his work.
Some did not care about the king’s invitation at all.
So the king said to his servants:
“Go out and invite the people you find.”
The servants went out and brought many people to the feast.
Soon the hall was full.
The king wanted people to share his joy.
But Jesus then told them something important.
One man had come to the feast without being properly prepared.
He had accepted the invitation, but he was not behaving like someone who belonged at the king’s feast.
Jesus was teaching that God’s invitation is a wonderful gift, but when we belong to God, He also wants our lives to change.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
4. What Is Jesus Teaching Us?
Say:
The king in the story reminds us of God.
The feast reminds us of the joy of Heaven.
And the invitation reminds us that God is calling people to come close to Him.
Here is the wonderful part:
The people did not buy their invitation.
They did not earn it.
The king invited them because he wanted them there.
God loves us first.
God calls us first.
God gives us His grace.
But Jesus also wants us to understand something else.
If somebody says:
“Yes, I belong to God,”
then that should begin to show in the way they live.
God does not simply invite us to say:
“Thank you for the invitation.”
He invites us to become more like Jesus.
5. The Wedding Garment
Say:
In Jesus’ time, special clothes showed that somebody was taking part in a wedding properly.
For us, the wedding garment can remind us of something very special.
Baptism.
Ask:
Does anybody remember what colour garment or shawl is often used at Baptism?
White.
At Baptism, the white garment shows that we have been given a new life in Christ.
God washes away sin and gives us His grace.
We become His children.
So the wedding garment in Jesus’ story can help us think about this:
God invites us, God gives us grace, and then He wants us to live as His children.
That means learning to pray.
Learning to forgive.
Telling the truth.
Being kind.
Coming to Mass.
Saying sorry when we are wrong.
Trying again when we fail.
6. Simple Activity — “Invited and Ready”
Tell the children:
I am going to say something.
If it sounds like somebody accepting God’s invitation and living as His friend, put your hands over your heart.
If it sounds like somebody forgetting God’s invitation, gently shake your head.
Say:
Coming to Mass and praying.
Hands on heart.
Being cruel because nobody is watching.
Shake head.
Saying sorry after hurting someone.
Hands on heart.
Never making time for God because we are always too busy.
Shake head.
Forgiving someone.
Hands on heart.
Telling the truth even when it is difficult.
Hands on heart.
Finish:
God’s invitation is a gift.
And His grace helps us live as people who belong to Him.
7. Isaiah’s Great Feast
Say:
The first reading gives us a beautiful picture.
Isaiah says that God will prepare a great feast.
But then he says something even more wonderful:
God will destroy death.
He will wipe away tears.
His people will rejoice because He has saved them.
So when Jesus speaks about the wedding feast, He is speaking about something much greater than food.
He is speaking about life with God.
Heaven.
A joy that does not finish.
A life where death and sadness do not have the last word.
8. Saint Paul — Jesus Gives Us Strength
Saint Paul says:
“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”
Explain:
Saint Paul is not saying:
“I can do absolutely anything I fancy.”
He means:
Jesus can give me the strength to stay faithful when life is easy and when life is difficult.
Sometimes being kind is easy.
Sometimes it is difficult.
Sometimes praying is easy.
Sometimes we would rather do something else.
Sometimes forgiving is easy.
Sometimes it takes a long time.
But Jesus does not simply tell us what to do and then leave us alone.
He gives us grace.
He helps us.
9. The Feast and the Mass
Say:
There is another beautiful connection.
Isaiah speaks about God’s feast.
Jesus tells us about a wedding banquet.
And where are we going when we finish Children’s Liturgy?
Back to Mass.
At Mass, Jesus gives us a foretaste of the heavenly feast.
The bread and wine become Jesus Himself: His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.
Those who are able to receive Holy Communion receive Jesus truly present.
Some of you are still preparing for First Holy Communion.
That is all right.
You can still come back to Mass, pray, listen, make a spiritual offering of yourself to Jesus, and look forward to the day when you can receive Him sacramentally.
The King has invited us.
And He gives us His own Son.
10. A Little Story
Say:
Imagine that Grandma has spent all day preparing Sunday dinner.
She has cooked everything.
The table is set.
Everyone is ready.
Then somebody walks in, looks at the table and says:
“I would rather sit upstairs watching something on my phone.”
You might wonder:
Do they realise what they are being offered?
Sometimes we can become like that with God.
God gives us prayer.
The Mass.
His Word.
Confession.
His grace.
The promise of Heaven.
And sometimes we hardly notice because something smaller has grabbed all our attention.
Jesus tells us:
Do not miss the feast because you became too busy with things that will not last.
11. Quiet Prayer
Invite the children to place their hands together.
Say slowly:
Jesus,
thank You for inviting me to be Your friend.
Thank You for my Baptism.
Thank You for giving me grace.
Help me not to become too busy for You.
Help me to live as Your child.
Help me to become holy.
And one day, bring me safely to the joy of Heaven.
Amen.
Allow a short silence.
12. Children’s Intercessions
Leader:
God our Father has invited us to belong to Him, so we bring Him our prayers.
For the Church:
that she may help people hear God’s invitation and come closer to Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
For our families:
that our homes may be places of prayer, forgiveness and love.
Lord, hear us.
For people who have become too busy for God:
that they may remember His love and return to Him.
Lord, hear us.
For anyone who is sad, ill, lonely or afraid:
that Jesus may comfort and strengthen them.
Lord, hear us.
For those who have died:
that God may bring them to the joy of His heavenly feast.
Lord, hear us.
13. Our Lady
Say:
Our Lady always stayed close to Jesus.
She teaches us to listen to Him and to say yes to God.
Together we pray:
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee…
14. Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You have called us to belong to You.
Thank You for giving us Your grace.
Help us to stay close to You,
to grow in holiness,
and to live each day as Your children.
Keep us on the road that leads to Heaven.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Returning to Mass
Before returning, say:
We are going back to the church now.
Listen carefully during the Eucharistic Prayer.
Look towards the altar.
Jesus will make Himself truly present under the appearances of bread and wine.
The feast Jesus speaks about in the Gospel points towards Heaven.
And at every Mass, God already gives His people a foretaste of that feast.
Let us return quietly and prayerfully.
Optional Activity Swaps
Option 1 — The Invitation
Pretend you are holding a beautiful invitation.
Say:
“God invites you to belong to Him.”
Pass the imaginary invitation around the group.
Each child says:
“Thank You, God.”
Finish:
The invitation is free.
Grace is God’s gift.
Option 2 — The White Garment
Ask children to pretend they are putting on a white baptismal garment.
Say together:
“I belong to Christ.”
Then:
“Help me live as Your child.”
Explain briefly that Baptism gives us new life in Christ.
Option 3 — What Matters Most?
Say two things and ask which is more important:
A new toy — or God?
Finishing a television programme — or Sunday Mass?
Winning an argument — or forgiving?
Having lots of things — or becoming holy?
Then explain:
Good things are gifts from God.
But nothing should become more important than God Himself.
Option 4 — The Feast Table
Ask the children to imagine setting a great table.
“What would you put on it?”
Let them choose favourite foods.
Then say:
Isaiah’s feast is not really about having endless cake and chips.
It means the joy of being with God for ever, where death and sadness are defeated.
Simple Memory Lines
Choose one:
“God invites me to belong to Him.”
or
“Jesus helps me live as God’s child.”
or
“The King has invited us to His feast.”
or, for older children:
“Grace is God’s gift, and grace changes us.”
