Services

3/12/23 - The Samaritan Woman - Cycle A

Dear Families,

This Third Sunday of Lent, a Samaritan woman is surprised that Jesus a Jew asks her for a drink of water at a well. Jews and Samaritans didn’t speak to each other. Jesus enters into a conversation with her. He tells her about the living water that brings eternal life. She first doesn’t understand him, then she questions, objects and challenges Jesus until she listens and believes Jesus when he tells her he is a prophet and the Messiah. She becomes a witness to her townspeople. Many Samaritans believed her and come to meet Jesus themselves.

Lent is a season for reflection and repentance. Like the Samaritan woman we want to reflect on our questions, objections, and challenges. We need to listen and recognize Jesus in our hearts. When we are baptized, we receive the living water that brings eternal life. Like the Samaritan woman let’s spread the news of Jesus’ living water and bring eternal life to others.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
What is the living water Jesus is talking about? How can you spread Jesus’ living water and bring eternal life to others?

Family Prayer: Jesus, you are living water within us. You nourish us, give us hope, and keep us alive and growing.
Help us share this living water within us with others. Amen.

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

10/2/22 - Faith The Size Of A Mustard Seed - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, when the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith, he tells them that with a tiny bit of faith they could do amazing things. He showed them a tree and told them that if they had faith as tiny as a mustard seed, they could tell the tree to move from the land into the sea and it would!

But what is faith? Faith is believing in God’s love for us, his goodness and trusting him. Faith in God is a gift he gives us so that we can believe in Him. God gives us the gift of faith but it’s up to us to use it. There are many people who don’t have a tiny bit of faith. They don’t feel God loves them, they do not feel God is looking after them and they try to do things on their own and their lives spin out of control.

We use our gift of faith when we decide to obey, trust and believe in God’s love for us. We put our faith into action when we help those in need and do not expect anything in return.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
According to Jesus, how much faith is enough? What are some of the little things that each of us do for our family that make a big difference?

Family Prayer: Lord, help our family open our hearts to your love so that we grow in our faith. Amen.

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

8/28/22 - What is Humility? - Cycle C

Dear Families,

This Sunday when Jesus sees people trying to sit in places of honor at a banquet, he saw their pride. He tells them a parable about being humble. Jesus focuses on humility not on pride. When we have true humility, we understand that everything we have comes from God. When we don’t understand we start to look down on everyone, and we forget about God and that he gave us these gifts to help others. We start looking for approval from others like the proud guests at the banquet, and we can commit the sin of pride.

According to Jesus, the most important thing is to learn to be humble. Being humble is not thinking less of ourselves; being humble means thinking about ourselves less. He is teaching us to focus on others and to invite people into our lives who will not be able to repay us with places of honor. God wants us to be generous with the gifts he has given us, and to give everyone a place of honor. Humility frees us from worrying about ourselves, and what others think of us. We give much glory to God when we are humble.

As a family, watch video in its entirety and then ask each other this question.
How can you better identify the situations that make you fall into the sin of pride?

Family Prayer: Lord, grant us the grace to be humble, and serve everyone we meet with dignity. Amen

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

10/9/22 - Jesus Heals Ten Lepers; One Thanks Him - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus meets ten lepers who beg to be healed. Leprosy is a horrible disease that eats away at a person’s body until they die. Jesus filled with compassion heals all ten. However, only one comes back to thank him. And the one who returns is a Samaritan, a foreigner. Samaritans were not liked by the Jewish communities because of their differences. Jesus praises the Samaritan for his gratitude and tells him that his faith has saved him

A lesson we learn in this Gospel has to do with salvation and being thankful for all the amazing things God does for us. He made you and gave you everything you need to live. Jesus shows how he loves all people, even those we think are outsiders.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
What is something you took for granted this week? What do you thank God for?

Family Prayer: Lord, we thank you for all of the ways that you have healed and helped us. We will try harder to not take you for granted. Amen.

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

2/6/22 - Jesus Calls His Followers - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus speaks to the crowd from Simon’s boat. After speaking, Jesus asks Simon who had been fishing all night to cast out his nets again. Simon questions him but does as he is instructed, and to his surprise catches many fish! So many fish that other boats were signaled to come and help because their nets were tearing.

When Simon saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and says “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” and from that day forward the fishermen Simon, James, and John leave their fishing boats and follow Jesus.

Jesus calls us to follow him too. One way that we follow Jesus is by telling others about him. Jesus speaks the same message to us today to be fishers of men for his Kingdom. God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the gospel.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
Like Simon (who would be called Peter), do you have feelings of unworthiness that make you afraid to approach God? What do you do with that fear?

Family Prayer: Jesus, you remind us that we shouldn’t be afraid and that you have a mission for us too. Help us to be open to sharing our faith with others. Amen