In this week’s Gospel passage, Jesus tells the parable of a master who leaves each of his servants a different amount of money and judges them according to what they do with that money. In this week’s lesson, students will contemplate how they use the gifts God has given them. Do they share gifts with others, or do they keep them hidden for fear of losing what they have?
The Parable of the Talents – Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time | 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.
- Have students complete the Living a Life of Stewardship activity and then share their answers with the class.
Answer Key
Focus Questions
- To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability.
- The one who received five talents went and traded with them and made another five. The one who received two made another two. The man who received one dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.
- “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.”
- He should have put the master’s money in the bank so that he could have gotten in back with interest on his return.
- To the servant who had ten.
- To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away
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.
- Have students complete the Living a Life of Stewardship activity.
- When they are done, have students share their answers with the class.
- Finally, have students complete the Sharing your Gifts and Talents drawing activity.
Answer Key
Focus Questions
- To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one.
- The first two servants traded with their talents and made a profit, but the third servant dug a hole in the ground and buried the money.
- He said to the first two: “well done, you good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.”
- He called him a “wicked, lazy servant”. He had the servant thrown into the darkness outside.
