The Special Guest: Always Be Ready

A wise old gardener named Mr. Thomas lived in a small village. He was known for growing the most beautiful flowers and the tastiest fruits. He often told stories to the children who visited him, teaching them important lessons about life.

One day, Mr. Thomas told the children, “Imagine you’re waiting for a very special guest to visit your home. You don’t know exactly when they’ll come—maybe today, maybe tomorrow, or even next week. But you need to be ready when they arrive.”

The children listened carefully. “If you wait until the last minute to clean your house and prepare, you might not be ready in time,” he continued. “But if you stay prepared every day, you’ll be excited and ready no matter when the guest shows up.”

Curious, a boy named Jacob asked, “Mr. Thomas, who is the special guest?”

Mr. Thomas smiled and said, “This reminds me of what Jesus taught about being ready for His return. Jesus told His disciples that no one knows the day or hour He will come back. So, we need to live our lives with love and kindness, always ready and watchful, like we’re waiting for a special guest.”

The children nodded, their understanding shining brightly in their eyes. From that day on, they strived to be kind, helpful, and ready—knowing that just like waiting for a guest, they should always be prepared to live in the way Jesus taught them, even if they didn’t know when He’d come.

And so, just like a well-tended garden, the children grew in patience, kindness, and readiness, always remembering that Jesus would one day return.


A children’s story based on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Jesus speaks about the end times and the need for vigilance, encouraging readiness for His return, based on Mark 13:24-32.

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