Children, Catholic Home School, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Catholic Home School
Children, Catholic Home School, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Catholic Home School
August 23, 2026
21st Sunday of Year A
BIBLE MEMORY VERSE SONG FOR KIDS (0:50)
On this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hades will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18)
Liturgy of the Word
MARY JO COLE : Our Lady of Grace’s Liturgy with Children in Edina, Minnesota. (2026)
HEIDI WITTE : Kids’ Liturgy (2020)
UGANDA CATHOLIC TELEVISION: Children’s Liturgy (2023)
HOLY HEROES (2023)
BIG AL & FR. JOE: Big Al and Annie’s list (2026)
GOSPELWEEKLIES.COM
Gospel Quiz
DOWNLOAD PDF (High Resolution)
Non-profits have permission to use quiz (generated by AI for TWTW website).
The Name and Its Meaning
Q: Why did Jesus rename Simon to Peter?
A: Jesus renamed Simon to Peter (from Greek petra meaning rock) after Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah in Matthew 16, declaring “upon this rock I will build my church” and granting him the keys to the kingdom of heaven with authority to bind and loose on earth and in heaven.
Linguistic Variations
Q: What is the Aramaic equivalent of Peter and why does it matter?
A: St. Paul frequently used Cephas, the Aramaic version of Peter’s name derived from kefa (also meaning rock), demonstrating the multilingual nature of early Christianity and the consistency of the “rock” symbolism across languages.
Historical Leadership Role
Q: How did Peter’s role evolve after Jesus’s death?
A: Peter became the central leader of the early Church, traveled to Rome (the Empire’s capital), and served as the first bishop of Rome and first Pope, establishing an unbroken succession line of popes continuing to today.
OSV Lifelong Catechesis
21st Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Religion Teacher
21st Sunday of Year A
The video explains that Jesus renamed Simon son of Jonah as Peter—meaning “rock”—to designate him as the foundational “rock” of the church, granting him the keys of heaven, making him the first pope, and establishing the Roman foundation of Christianity.
- Jesus renamed Simon son of Jonah as Peter, meaning “rock,” to mark him as the church’s foundation.
- Peter, named “rock,” received the keys of heaven, became the first pope, and founded the church’s Roman foundation.
Infographic generated by AI for TWTW website.
Non-profits have permission to use it in their ministry.
Videos for Children
Animated Bible Stories (Saddleback Kids)
Bible Crafts (Ministry to Children)
Object Lesson Sermons (Ministry to Children)
21st Sunday of Year A
LESSON (PDF)
Who is Jesus?
This message focuses on Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah. Sometimes we need to identify things for others. Some people might not recognize Jesus right away, but we can let them know how important He is and what He does for our lives. Use this children’s sermon to help kids understand the story in Matthew 15:21-28 when Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Download the notes below and watch the object lesson demonstration as you prepare your own version.
QUESTIONS:
- Why was Sally like a “mirror” to the people around her? Sally reflected all the good things in others by listening to them, complimenting their looks and abilities, and making them feel good about themselves.
- In the final moments of the big game, what critical move did Sally make? Sally ran hard to cut off an opposing player, stole the ball, dribbled down the sideline, and booted a perfect pass across the field to her teammate, who scored the winning goal.
- What award did the coach give to Sally at the end-of-season banquet? The coach gave Sally the Most Inspirational Player award.
- Along with the framed picture of her key pass, what special gift did the coach give Sally? The coach presented Sally with the actual soccer ball she passed that day to win the game.
- In the Gospel passage, who recognized Jesus and declared, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”? Simon Peter recognized Jesus and spoke those words to Him.
- How is Jesus like “God’s mirror” for us? Jesus saw people as whole and healthy, teaching and healing them so they could see themselves as God sees them—as His loved children.
- What key quality made both Sally and Jesus great leaders? Both were true leaders because they lived for others, served them, and built them up.
21st Sunday of Year A
Comic and questions generated by AI for TWTW website
based on this week’s Word-Sunday.com story for children.
Non-profits have permission to use it in their ministry.