This week's resources focus on the themes of being alert and growing in awareness as we enter the Advent season.
Faith To Go Podcast: Being Prepared
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: Advent Calendar
Supplies: None required.
Spend some time this week following the Way of Love Advent Calendar. Here you will find daily activities to connect to God this advent.
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 is this video about?
2) What book is Luke paired with?
3) Who writes the book of Luke? What was his job?
4) What two babies come to us in the introduction to Luke?
5) What stories will we hear about in Luke?
Dinner Time: Preparing for Christmas
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- Thank you for this time of waiting
to be still amid life’s busyness
to hear your call amid life’s noise
to prepare a way in this world for you.
Thank you for this time of preparing
to clear away the clutter
to make room in my crammed life
to receive the light of Christ that awakens me.
Thank you for this time of awakening
to notice that that you are with us
to hear your voice in the night
calling us to bring your light to people.
Thank you for your light in the world.
I want to walk as a child of your light.
Questions:
What is advent?
How long till we hit Christmas?
What does it mean to prepare for Christmas?
How has your family prepared for Christmas already?
What are ways that you can open your heart for Jesus to come this Christmas?
How can you share this feeling with others?
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.
Luke 3:1-6
When Tiberius had been emperor for fifteen years, and when Herod was the governor in Galilee, the Word of God came to John who lived in the wilderness. He wandered all over the region by the Jordan River, telling people to be baptized and wash themselves of their sin. The prophet Isaiah talked about him a long time ago: “I hear a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Get ready for God to come. Straighten the paths. Build up the valleys and lower the mountaintops. Make the crooked places straight and the rocky roads smooth. Then everyone will see God’s salvation.’”
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: