32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A
Readings: Wisdom 6:12–16 • 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 • Matthew 25:1–13
Theme: Be Ready for Jesus
Main Message
Jesus wants us to be ready for Him.
We do not need to be frightened.
We stay ready by loving Jesus, praying, choosing what is good and coming back to Him when we get things wrong.
1. Welcome and Opening Prayer
Leader:
Good morning, everyone.
Today Jesus tells us a story about a wedding.
There are ten bridesmaids waiting for the bridegroom to arrive.
Five are ready.
Five are not.
And Jesus uses the story to teach us something important:
Be ready for Him.
Let us begin.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus,
thank You for loving us.
Help us to listen to Your Word,
to stay close to You
and to be ready whenever You call us.
Help us to choose what is good
and to trust You every day.
Amen.
2. Opening Conversation
Ask:
Have you ever had to get ready for something?
Perhaps:
school,
a birthday party,
a holiday,
Mass,
going somewhere special.
What happens if you leave everything until the last minute?
Allow answers.
Then say:
Sometimes you can borrow something at the last minute.
A pencil.
A coat.
Perhaps even somebody’s umbrella.
But there are some things nobody else can do for you.
Nobody else can brush your teeth for you.
Nobody else can eat your breakfast for you.
Nobody else can say your prayers for you.
And nobody else can love Jesus in your place.
That is what today’s Gospel helps us understand.
3. Gospel – Matthew 25:1–13
Leader:
Jesus told this story.
Ten bridesmaids went out to meet a bridegroom.
They all carried lamps.
Five were wise and brought extra oil for their lamps.
Five were foolish and did not.
The bridegroom was late, and they all became sleepy.
Then, in the middle of the night, someone shouted:
“The bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him!”
The wise bridesmaids had oil and their lamps were ready.
The foolish ones said:
“Give us some of your oil.”
But there was not enough for everyone.
While they went away to find some, the bridegroom arrived.
The bridesmaids who were ready went into the wedding feast.
Jesus finished by saying:
“Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Children:
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
4. What Is Jesus Teaching Us?
Ask:
Were all ten invited?
Yes.
Did all ten have lamps?
Yes.
Did all ten know the bridegroom was coming?
Yes.
What was the difference?
Five were ready.
The other five thought they could get ready later.
Jesus is teaching us not to keep saying:
“I will love God later.”
“I will pray later.”
“I will say sorry later.”
“I will become kinder later.”
Jesus gives us today.
5. Built-In Activity – Ready or Not?
Tell the children:
I will describe something.
If it sounds like being ready for Jesus, say:
“Ready!”
If not, say:
“Not ready!”
Praying to Jesus.
Ready!
Refusing to forgive anybody.
Not ready!
Telling the truth.
Ready!
Doing something wrong and never saying sorry.
Not ready!
Helping somebody who is lonely.
Ready!
Coming back to Jesus after we make a mistake.
Ready!
Finish together:
“Jesus, help me be ready for You.”
6. What About the Oil?
Explain:
Jesus is telling a story, so we do not have to make every little thing mean one special thing.
But the oil helps us think.
A lamp needs oil to give light.
A Christian needs God’s grace.
We need Jesus.
We need prayer.
We need faith.
We need to keep choosing what is good.
It is not enough just to look like we belong to Jesus.
Jesus wants us really to know Him and love Him.
7. Wisdom — Looking for What Is Good
The First Reading talks about Wisdom.
Wisdom does not simply mean knowing lots of facts.
A person can know the capital city of every country and still make terrible choices.
Wisdom means learning to see what is truly good.
It helps us ask:
What does God want?
What is right?
What will bring me closer to Jesus?
The reading says that Wisdom can be found by those who look for her.
God is not hiding the good from us.
He wants to help us live well.
8. Saint Paul – We Have Hope
The Second Reading talks about people who have died.
Saint Paul says Christians do not grieve “as others do who have no hope.”
That does not mean Christians never feel sad.
Of course we do.
When somebody dies, we miss them.
But we believe something wonderful.
Jesus died and rose again.
And those who belong to Jesus will rise too.
That is why Christians have hope.
Death is not the end.
Jesus is stronger than death.
9. The Bridegroom Is Jesus
In the Gospel, the bridegroom helps us think about Jesus.
And notice something important.
The wise bridesmaids are not waiting for something horrible.
They are waiting for a wedding.
A celebration.
Jesus wants us to be ready for Him because He wants us with Him.
So being ready for Jesus should not make us frightened.
It should help us live well.
Jesus loves us.
He gives us grace.
He forgives us when we are sorry.
He keeps calling us back to Himself.
Our job is not to keep saying:
“Later.”
10. Quiet Prayer
Ask the children to become still.
Leader:
Close your eyes.
Think of Jesus saying:
“Stay close to Me.”
Pause.
Say quietly in your heart:
Jesus, thank You for loving me.
Pause.
Help me pray.
Pause.
Help me choose what is good.
Pause.
Forgive me when I do wrong.
Pause.
Help me be ready for You.
Pause.
Lord Jesus,
keep us close to You.
Help us not to put off what is good.
Give us wisdom, faith and hope,
and lead us one day
into the joy of Heaven.
Amen.
11. Children’s Intercessions
Leader:
Let us bring our prayers to God our Father.
For the Church:
that she may help people everywhere stay close to Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
For the Pope, our Bishop, priests and deacons:
that God may help them lead His people faithfully.
Lord, hear us.
For our families:
that our homes may be places of prayer, kindness and forgiveness.
Lord, hear us.
For children who are frightened, lonely, sick or sad:
that Jesus may comfort them and send people to help them.
Lord, hear us.
For those who have died:
that they may share in the resurrection and the joy of Heaven.
Lord, hear us.
Let us ask Our Lady to pray with us:
Hail Mary…
12. Returning to Mass
Before returning, remind the children:
Today Jesus tells us:
Do not keep putting Him off.
Pray now.
Love now.
Forgive now.
Choose what is good now.
And when we go back into Mass, remember:
Jesus is not far away.
He comes close to His people and gives us the grace we need to follow Him.
Let us return quietly.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Optional Activities and Extra Material
Use these only if there is extra time or as swaps for part of the main session.
Option 1 – Pack the Bag
Say:
Imagine we are going away tomorrow.
What should we pack?
Allow answers.
Then ask:
Would it be sensible to wait until we were already on the motorway?
No!
Jesus says the same about our friendship with Him.
Do not wait until later to begin.
Option 2 – Lamps and Oil Actions
Ask children to hold up one hand like a lamp.
Then mime pouring in oil.
Say:
A lamp needs oil.
We need God’s grace.
Repeat:
“Jesus, fill my life with Your grace.”
Option 3 – Can Somebody Else Do It?
Can somebody else say your prayers for you?
No.
Can somebody else choose kindness for you?
No.
Can somebody else love Jesus in your place?
No.
Finish:
“Jesus wants my answer.”
Option 4 – Wise Choice or Foolish Choice?
You have upset somebody.
Say sorry now — or keep putting it off?
Say sorry now.
You have forgotten to pray.
Begin again — or give up?
Begin again.
Someone is left out.
Include them — or ignore them?
Include them.
Finish:
“Wisdom helps me choose what is good.”
Option 5 – Hope After Death
Say:
Christians can be sad when somebody dies.
But are we without hope?
No.
Why?
Because Jesus died and rose again.
Repeat together:
“Jesus is stronger than death.”
Option 6 – Stay Awake
Ask children to pretend to sleep.
Call:
“The bridegroom is here!”
Children wake and stand.
Explain:
Jesus is not really telling us never to sleep.
He is telling us not to forget Him.
Repeat:
“Jesus, help me stay close to You.”
Option 7 – What Can We Do Today?
Ask children for one thing they can do today to stay close to Jesus.
Examples:
say a prayer,
forgive someone,
tell the truth,
help at home,
be kind,
say sorry.
Finish:
“Do the good today.”
Memory Lines
Ages 3–5
“Jesus, help me be ready.”
Ages 6–8
“Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Final Memory Line
Love Jesus now.
Choose what is good now.
Be ready for Him.
