Faith To Go Podcast: Widening Our Worldview
Hosted each week by the Faith Formation team at St. Paul's Cathedral in San Diego, David Tremaine, Maya Little-Sana and Jackie Pippin, the Faith To Go Podcast highlight themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your conversations throughout the week.
Activity Time: Ears to Hear
Supplies: Headband, Construction Paper, Markers, Scissors, Tape
Instruct the children to draw the ears of their favorite animal. Help them to cut out the ears and attach them to the headband.
In this story today, Jesus healed a man who couldn't hear. The ability to hear is so important to our daily lives that we shouldn't take it for granted. It's important that we are listening to the glorious sounds that God created in the world, and also to listen to the places where we can find Jesus.
Story Time: Gospel Reading and Reflection
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) What did the boy stop doing?
2) What happened to his ears?
3) Was there anything he missed out on?
4) Who helped him learn how to listen again?
5) Is there ever times when you don’t listen well?
6) How can you practice being a better listener?
Dinner Time: New Friends
Below is a prayer with which to start your meal and then discussion questions to explore this week’s topic with your family while you eat.
Prayer- God, you were present at the beginning. Be with me as I begin (a new school year, new job, new sport, new extracurricular). Comfort me when I am unsure of my new surroundings. Strengthen me when I stumble, and help me remember that your light shines in all places. All this I ask through you, my Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
Amen.
Questions:
Is there anyone in your class that you’re not friends with?
Why aren’t you friends with that person?
What would change if you looked for things about them that reminded you of Jesus?
How does Jesus look for new things in people?
What can we learn from Jesus’ example?
Bedtime: Reflections for Children at the End of the Day
During your bedtime routine, invite your children into a time of reflection about their day, maybe by saying, "Did you know that God really wants to know what happened in your day today, and that God is always listening whenever you need to tell God something?" Then continue with these questions:
1) What are some things that happened today that you want to tell God about?
2) What is one happy thing that happened today? What is one sad thing that happened today?
3) Did you see God or feel God with you when those things were happening? Where did you see or feel God when those things happened today?
4) Read to your children this week’s scripture selection, then ask the questions that follows.
Mark 7:24-37
Jesus was trying to have a quiet dinner at someone’s house without anyone knowing about it. But that didn’t happen. Instead a Greek woman whose daughter had suffered with an evil spirit found out where he was and came and fell at his feet. “Please make my daughter whole,” she said. Jesus replied, “I’ve come to fee the children, not the dogs.” (He was talking about the people of Israel being their children.) The woman came right back at him and said, “But the dogs are right under the table ready to eat the crumbs that the children throw off the table.”
“Wow,” Jesus said. “You are good and faithful. Your daughter has been healed.” Sure enough, when she got home, she discovered it was true.
Jesus and his disciples got on the road again. A man who couldn’t hear was brought over to him. Because he couldn’t hear, he couldn’t speak very well either. His friends wanted Jesus to make him hear. So Jesus took the man away from the crowds so they could be alone for a moment. He put his fingers in the man’s ears, and then spit on his fingers and touched the man’s tongue. He signed, and looked up to heave and said, “Open up!” All of a sudden the man could hear and speak clearly.
Jesus told them not to tell a soul about this. But the more he pleaded with them not to talk, the more people they talked to. They were totally amazed at the things Jesus could do in God’s name and couldn’t keep quiet about it.
Did the story remind you of anything that happened in your day today?
5) What are some things that you want to tell God that you are grateful for today?
Share some of your conversations in the comments below: