Hosted each week by the Faith To Go team in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, David Tremaine, Maya Little-Sana and Charlette Preslar, the Faith To Go Podcast highlight themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your faith discussions and reflections throughout the week.
Questions:
1. What is the cause of division in this situation?
2. How are these communities responding to this division?
3. Is Jesus present in this division? Is he causing it?
4. How might this division lead to new kind of peace?
5. Where is God in this story?
Views and Qs: The New Humanity
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) What are the two realms?
2) What are humans?
3) What transforms our bodies?
4) What does God promise?
5) How do we become new humans?
Feast and Faith: Back To School
Prayer-
The days are getting longer.
Keep your Spirit in my heart and mind
during this growing season.
Be with me as I finish the school year,
participate in summer activities,
enjoy the gift of summer turning into fall.
Help me recognize your works in all that I do
at work,
at rest,
and at play,
so that I can give thanks for all you provide,
even without my even asking.
-Call On Me: A Prayer Book for Young People
Questions
1) How do you feel about school starting?
2) What are you looking forward to?
3) What are you nervous about?
4) At school, what sorts of groups are you divided into? Classes? Teams? Lab Partners?
5) What do those divisions mean?
6) What does Jesus think of those divisions?
Final nugget – We don’t all like the same classes, sports, activities, or hobbies. And sometimes, we are divided into different groups at random, like our classes. While Jesus knew our desire to create division, we are called to all join together to follow Jesus. We are called to break down those divisions to be a community together.
Stay and Pray: A Devotion for Families at the Close of the Day Each week we feature a way for your family to reflect and pray together. For families with older children this is an at home liturgy for your family to participate in together. It is a daily devotion for families adapted from The Book of Common Prayer.
Before you begin, take a few moments to decide who will read the scripture reading and who will read the collect and closing. Read the Psalm and Lord's Prayer in unison.
After a moment of silence, begin with the Psalm.
Psalm 82
(Read in unison)
1 God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2 "How long will you judge unjustly, *
and show favor to the wicked?
3 Save the weak and the orphan; *
defend the humble and needy;
4 Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5 They do not know, neither do they understand;
they go about in darkness; *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 Now I say to you, 'You are gods, *
and all of you children of the Most High;
7 Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
and fall like any prince.'"
8 Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
for you shall take all nations for your own.
Luke 12:49-56
(read by assigned person)
Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"
Prayers for Ourselves and For Others (take this time to each offer one person/event that you would like to hold in prayer as well as one thing you are thankful for)
Dear God, tonight I ask your prayers for.......
and I give you thanks for ..........
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
(read in unison)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
The Collect
(read by assigned person)
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Share some of your conversations in the comments below: