Hosted by the Faith To Go team in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, David Tremaine and Charlette Preslar, and joined the each week by a special guest, the Faith To Go Podcast highlights themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your faith discussions and reflections throughout the week.
From NPR
Questions:
1) What did Lewis learn from Dr. King?
2) Why did he want to meet him?
3) What was Dr. King's message and why did it influence Lewis so much?
4) How did Dr. King show Lewis dignity and respect?
5) How did Lewis respond to Dr. King's actions and fight for civil rights in his own life?
Views and Qs: The Dignity and Respect Campaign
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) How does Angelou describe dignity and respect?
2) Why is it important to have both?
3) How do do dignity and respect affect people's ability to grow and thrive?
4) What is she inviting us to do in response?
5) How can we work to better recognize the dignity of every human being?
Feast and Faith: The Goodness of Being Human
For this week’s dinner discussion, we are talking about the baptism of Jesus and his interaction with John the Baptist.
Prayer -
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the people of this land], that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Discussion –
This week we celebrate the baptism of Jesus at the hands of John the Baptist. In their interaction, John makes clear that he believes himself to be inferior to Jesus. Jesus, though, responds by inviting John to recognize the power of his ministry and his humanity, as well as his inherent goodness and equality with Jesus. Through this message of equality and dignity, Jesus invites John to take his place in the mission of God in the world:
Questions:
1) Do you think there is a built in goodness to being human?
2) Do you think all people share in this goodness?
3) What does God's incarnation in Jesus teach us about our humanity?
4) How are you being invited through your humanity to participate in God's mission in the world?
5) What is that mission?
Final Nugget: As we celebrate Jesus baptism and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in his humanity, see if you can recognize the Holy Spirit in your own humanity and that of the people around you?
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 29
(read in unison)
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; *
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of the Lord *
all are crying, "Glory!"
10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *
the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.
11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; *
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
Gospel
(read by assigned person)
Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
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)
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Share some of your conversations in the comments below: