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: Find the Good
Supplies: paper, pencil
At the start of the week give each family a paper number 1-0 in two columns. The first column is places where you saw others doing good this week, either for you. The second column is places you tried to do good for others. Each day before dinner, add things that happened in both columns. At the end of the week, share your lists. Talk about whether it was easier to see the good in others or to do good in the world. At the end of the conversation, brainstorm ideas for spreading even more good the following week!
Story Time: How Good Spreads
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1. There were some pretty cool ideas in the video, which one was your favorite?
2. Did the video make you think about good things that happen in our
church/school/community?
3. Has anyone done something good for you this week?
4. How did it make you feel?
5. What can we do for someone else this week to spread good?
Dinner Time: Another Point of View
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
And 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 is 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
(Prayer Attributed to St. Francis)
Questions:
1. This prayer talks about what we can do to solve problems. What do you think about
the responses it lists? (doubt - faith, despair-hope, darkness - light, sadness - joy)
2. What do you think the second half of the prayer is saying to us?
3. If we think of others before ourselves, what might each of those things look like?
4. Have you ever had a fight with a friend?
5. What might that have been like if you tried to see things from their point of view
instead of your own?
6. Is that hard?
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 21:5-19 (God’s Word, My Voice)
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was decorated with beautiful things dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” They asked Jesus, “ How will we know when this is about to happen?” Jesus told them, “Lots of people will try to predict when the end will be. Don’t listen to them. Just know that things are going to get worse before they get better. There will be wars, and earthquakes, famines, and plagues. All will signal the end. But before that happens, you will be arrested and brought to the authorities because you believe in me. This is your opportunity to speak up. Don’t worry about what you will say, because I will give you the words and wisdom you need that will amaze your opponents. I’m sorry to tell you that you’ll be betrayed, you will be hated, and some of you will be put to death because of my name. But you will have lost nothing, not a hair on your head. Because by holding on to your faith and to me, you will gain your souls.”
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: