On this feast of Christ the King, Jesus has a very challenging message for us. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus reminds us of our moral obligation to care for the poor. If we do not help our brothers and sisters in need, we have no place in His heavenly Kingdom. In this lesson, students will reflect on whether they recognize Jesus in the needy among them, or whether they simply pass Him by.
The Judgment of Nations – The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ | Year A
Lesson Overview
Upper Elementary Lesson Materials
Download all PDFsDirections
- Have your students read the Gospel passage, or read it aloud to your students, and then answer the focus questions.
- Review and discuss the answers when they have completed the focus questions.
- Arrange students into small groups and have them complete the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy activity.
- When they are finished, call on groups to share some of their examples with the class.
Answer Key
Focus Questions
- He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him.
- He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
- They inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.
- They gave Him food, gave Him drink, welcomed Him, clothed Him, cared for Him, and visited Him in prison.
- “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
- “Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.”
Lower Elementary Lesson Materials
Download all PDFsDirections
- Read the Gospel passage aloud to your students as they follow along. Then discuss the focus and reflection questions with them as a class.
- Working individually, have your students complete the Works of Mercy activity.
- When they are finished, have students individually answer the reflection. Ask for volunteers to share their answers with the class. Guide a conversation on the meaning of Christ’s words “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me” and how they relate to the Works of Mercy.
Answer Key
Focus Questions
- All the nations will assemble before Him.
- He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
- They gave Him food, gave Him drink, welcomed Him, clothed Him, cared for Him, and visited Him in prison.
