Faith To Go Podcast: Cry Out For Justice
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: Rolling Out the Read Carpet
Supplies: Green paper, scissors, dark marker.
Beforehand, cut out large leaves and write instructions on the bottom.
To play the game, place the leaves scattered across a large room. Have your children start on one end of the room and have them move to the other side by moving from leaf to leaf to reach the opposite side. With each new leaf they land on have them turn it over and follow the instructions.
Examples of Instructions:
-Sing part of a hymn
-Tell Jesus something you’re thankful for
-Tell Jesus something you’re nervous about
-Tell Jesus something you’re happy about.
-Recite a Bible verse
-Shout Hosanna!
-Ask God for help putting Him first
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 sort of work did Jesus do on Earth?
2) Why was Jesus going to Jerusalem?
3) When did they say they would return the donkey?
4) Who said Jesus would come to Jerusalem in this way?
5) What did the crowd do when they saw Jesus coming to town?
Dinner Time: Jesus' Red Carpet
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-
Forgiving God, stay with me
As I walk through Lent
For these next forty days.
Help me to learn more about myself
During this time you have given me for
Prayer and discernment.
Open my eyes as I walk with Jesus at my side,
So that I can see any
new path you want me to follow.
Open my ears to what you are saying
When I read and
study the Bible.
More than anything, know that I’m sorry
To have forgotten you this past year.
I seek to return to you more fully in the coming days.
This I pray in the name of
My guide,
Your Son, Jesus.
Questions:
1. What were some things you did differently during Lent this year?
2. How do you think you did things well?
3. Why did you try to do things differently during Lent?
4. What did you learn from this?
5. How do you think that makes Jesus feel?
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 23:1-49
Jesus had been arrested and brought before Pilate the governor. People accused him of crimes against the government and saying that he was the Messiah, and a king. Pilate asked him, “So, are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You say so.” After Pilate questioned Jesus, he turned to the crowds and said, “I see no reason to condemn this man and hold him against his will.” The crowds insisted that Jesus be held, saying, “He is stirring up the people with his teaching throughout the whole countryside.”
Pilate decided to send him over to Herod, who questioned him for a long time, with people accusing him the whole time. Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus and sent him back to Pilate.
Pilate then called the crowd together and said, “You’ve accused this man and yet I don’t find him guilty of any of your charges. Neither has Herod. He certainly doesn’t deserve the death penalty. So I will simply beat him and release him.”
Then they all shouted out together. “We don’t want Jesus released. Release somebody else if you want to release somebody!”
Pilate tried to talk them into letting him set Jesus free; but they kept shouting, “Nail him to the cross!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what on earth has he done wrong? I have found no reason to sentence him to death.” But the people kept shouting that they wanted Jesus to die, and finally Pilate gave in. He released a murderer named Barabbas, and handed Jesus over to die.
They made a wooden cross and forced Jesus to carry it himself to the place where they would have him die. At one point, someone from the crowd carried it for him because Jesus was so weak. Lots of people followed behind Jesus, crying very loudly.
Two criminals were put to death with Jesus at the place they called “The Skull.” Jesus said out loud, “Father, forgive these people for doing this.” Even while he was on the cross, people made fun of Jesus. “Why can’t he save himself if he is the Messiah? What a phony.” One of the criminals said to Jesus, “Remember me in your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Oh, I will. In fact, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Before Jesus died, he cried out, “Take my spirit into your loving arms, Father.” And then he breathed one last time. The sun went dark. There was a Roman soldier at Jesus’ feet who was convinced that Jesus was innocent, and praised God even as Jesus died. Jesus’ friends were watching from a distance, including many women who had been following him.
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: