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.
Activity Time: When people see me, When God sees me
Supplies: paper and pencil
Give every family member a piece of paper and have them fold it in half lengthwise. On one side write, “When people see me” on the other “When God sees me”. Have everyone work on the people side first, listing perceptions of how people see them, “confident, sporty, green eyes, silly” etc. After two minutes, have everyone turn to the God side. This time encourage everyone to write what God sees in them. Remind them God can see our insides too; not just the outside parts we show the world, “loving, good listener, nervous about friends, wants to make people happy, etc” After two minutes, have everyone stop. Share some of your words on both sides of the paper. Then ask the questions, “How can we help people to see us the same way that God sees us?”
Story Time: The Story of Zacchaeus
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) I wonder who Zacchaeus was.
2) I wonder why the other people in his town didn't like him.
3) I wonder how Jesus knew his name and who he was.
4) I wonder why Jesus wanted to eat and stay with him.
5) I wonder what happened when Zacchaeus paid people back what he had taken.
Dinner Time: Forgiveness
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 - Dear Lord, You have taught us that being honest is a way to draw closer to each other and to You. Help us to be kind and clear in how we speak to each other. Help us to be respectful in the classroom and at home. Support us as we shine our lights to reveal your beauty; not just in the world, but also in our hearts. Amen.
- Christ Church Day School prayer book
Questions 0-4 years old
1. I wonder what it means to forgive someone.
2. I wonder why we forgive people.
3. I wonder what it feels like to forgive someone.
4. I wonder if its hard to forgive.
5. I wonder what it feels like to be forgiven.
6. I wonder why Jesus wants us to forgive.
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 19:1-19 (adapted from God's Word My Voice)
A man named Zacchaeus was a rich man who collected taxes. He was trying to see Jesus as he made his way through the streets of Jericho, but there were so many people there, and he was too short to see over the top of them. He climbed up a tree so he could get a glimpse of Jesus. When Jesus got to the tree where Zacchaeus was, he stopped and said, “Zacchaeus, what’re you doing up in that tree? Get down from there. Let’s go to your house and have dinner.” That made Zacchaeus very happy, and he was thrilled to have Jesus come to his home. But people who watched this started to grumble, “Did you see that Jesus is going to eat with the sinners again?”
On the way to his house, Zacchaeus stopped and said, “Jesus, what they say isn't true. I give half of everything I own away to the poor. And if I ever charge someone too much I repay four times as much as I took from them.” Jesus smiled and said, “This is really a great day, Zacchaeus. Today I see that healing and fairness are part of your life. The Son of Man came to find the friendless and restore them to their community.”
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: