Cycle A,Good News A35,17th Ordinary,July 24, 2005,Matthew 13:44-52,Children's Devotional, Gospel-based, Children's Liturgy, Children's Homily, Catholic, Christian, written by Joan Y. Edwards

Cycle A

Good News A35

Good Fish Are Put into Buckets

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 13:44-52 Bible Gateway New International Version

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.

When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains the kingdom of God with different parables. One of these is the Parable of the Net. When fishermen throw their nets out in the water, they catch all kinds of fish. The good ones are put into buckets. The worthless ones are thrown away. It will be like this at the end of the world. The angels will go out and gather up the evil people and throw them into a fiery furnace. The good people will enjoy eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom.

Choose your friends wisely. Choose those who will help you get to heaven’s pearly gates. If a person who claims to be your friend, gets into trouble often, pray for them. If they will listen, tell them how to live without breaking God’s commandments. God gives us a choice to use our skills to further the good of mankind, or to join forces with the evil ones. It is our choice whether we choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

If you are tempted to join with others in doing evil things, pray a lot. Pray in the morning. Pray at noon. Pray at suppertime. Pray before you go to bed. Pray constantly. Ask God to send the Holy Spirit with wisdom and self-control to you. Ask God to give your friends the grace they need to inspire them to choose good, not evil. If they continue going down the wrong path, do not go with them. It is tempting when they may offer you the most candy, the finest clothes, the best baseball mitt, the most-expensive bike, and or the biggest party if you will join them. Don’t swim with these “fish” anymore. Choose friends who follow the path God has chosen for them. You do not really need the things they offer you. All you really need is God’s love.

Say the “Our Father.” God will furnish your needs. Ask him to help you get to keep on his path. Then, at the end of time, God’s holy angels will take you into God’s holy kingdom to live forever.

“Our Father, who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day, our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”