Faith To Go Podcast: Living With Mystery
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: Seeing and Telling
Supplies: Notepad, pencil/pen/crayons.
Have children go around the house and write/draw objects that they SEE. After a pre-determined amount of time, have them come back and describe all that they saw.
Telling about what we see and experience is really important to sharing our Christian journey. The disciples had really important work of telling Jesus’ story to those around them during a scary time to be a Christian. In order to tell our stories well, we have to be mindful of allllll the things that we see and experience around us.
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) Why does everyone look so sad?
2) Why do you think all the doors are locked?
3) How did Jesus get in the building with all the doors locked??
4) Why did all his friends become colorful while he was gone?
5) What did he need to see to believe?
Dinner Time: Doubt with Faith
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-
Alleluia! You have risen! Alleluia!
It is a mystery.
You were nailed on a cross.
You died.
They put you in a tomb and sealed the door.
It is a mystery.
The tomb is now empty.
You are alive.
Death is nothing to you.
It is a mystery.
You have opened a door for me.
Continue to show me the way to God.
Help me remember the joy of this day.
Alleluia! You have risen. Alleluia!
Questions:
1. Why did the disciples keep the doors locked to the house they were in?
2. Where is somewhere that you go when you want to feel safe?
3. What has God done to help us with scary things?
4. How do you keep your faith, even when you’re unsure?
5. What does Thomas teach us about having faith, even when we doubt?
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.
John 20:19-31
It was Easter Sunday night, and the disciples were all together, in a house with locked doors. They were scared the authorities were going to come get them because they knew Jesus. All of a sudden Jesus was right in the middle of them and said, “Peace, brothers!” He could tell they couldn’t believe it was him, so he showed them the holes in his hands and his side. They were so very happy to see him alive. Again he said, “Peace be with you. Just like my Father sent me to you, I’m sending you out as well.” He breathed on them and said, “Here . . . receive the Holy Spirit. Now you have the power to forgive.”
Thomas hadn’t been with them that night. The other disciples told him, “We saw Jesus. He was right there with us.” Thomas said, “I wont believe that until I see him for myself and can put my fingers on his wounds.”
A week later the disciples were together gain in the same house. Thomas was with them this time. Even though the doors were shut, Jesus was able to be in the middle of them again, and again he said, “Peace be with you all.” Jesus said, “Thomas, I know it’s hard to believe I’m here. Go ahead and put your finger here on my hands. And touch my side. That will help you believe.”
Thomas fell to his knees. He didn’t need to touch Jesus in order to say, “My Lord and my God! It is you, Jesus!”
Jesus said, “You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who will never see me in person but believe in me anyway.”
I can’t tell you all the awesome things Jesus did. I’ve written what I have written so you can believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and so that you can have the life he offers.
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: