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.
Activity Time: Breath Prayer
Supplies: n/a
Jesus always took time to pray. But sometimes quieting our hearts to pray is difficult to do. Breath Prayer is a great way to both pray and relax our body, our heart, and our mind. Take a moment to get into a comfortable seated position. Take a deep breath in, filling your lungs from bottom to tippy-top. Slowly let the breath out. Do that three times. At the end of the third round, add in words to the practice. On the in-breath say, "God gives me" and on the out-breath, name something that you need, "Patience" "Peace" "Focus" "Quiet" "A Loving Heart" "Kind words". This practice can be added in to help us quiet ourselves anytime that the world feels hectic.
Story Time: I am Peace
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
I wonder what it feels like in your body to be peace?
I wonder what things help you feel peace?
I wonder if there is a way that we can share peace?
Dinner Time: Sharing Kindness
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 - Lord make Me an instrument of Your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness joy.
O Divine master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand.
To be loved. as to love
For it's in giving that we receive
And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born...
To eternal life. AMEN.
Questions:
Where do you see happiness?
Where do you see light?
Where do you see peace?
Where do you see God?
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.
Mark 1: 29-39 (God’s Word, My Voice)
After teaching in the synagogue one day, Jesus, James, and John went over to Simon and Andrew's house. Simon's mother-in-law was really sick with a fever. Jesus sat next to her and took her by the hand. He helped her get up, and the fever was gone! After that, she felt so good she made them a big dinner.
Later that night, it seemed everyone in the city came to the house. There were people who were sick, and it seemed some were possessed by demons. Jesus spent the evening curing people, and freeing people from their demons so they could live good lives again.
In the morning, before the sun rose, he was able to sneak out of the house alone. He went to a quiet place and prayed. Meanwhile, Simon and his friend were franticly searching for him. They finally found him, and said, "We've been looking all over for you. Everyone wanted to know where you were."
Jesus said, "Today, we're moving on to the next town, so I can tell them about God's love as well. Because that's what I'm here to do!" They went to the little towns in Galilee, proclaiming God's love in the synagogues and freeing people from their demons.
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: