June 25, 2023

Our Great Journey

Welcome to our weekly summer blog, designed to share ideas for Living the Gospel at Home. This blog is meant to be interactive, so please share ideas, photos and resources that you have tried at home. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most meaningful.

This weekend, Jesus talks about Courage in Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus seeks to draw his followers out of fear and spur them to trust and hope in him! Rooted in the promise of eternal life with God, Christian hope flourishes even in the midst of hardship. With such faith and hope, Christians can proclaim the good news always.

For the good of our souls we must speak God’s Word. This is not just a moral requirement, or some ideal behavior for which we must strive. Jesus equates eternal life with words we speak in the light, inside our homes, and before others. Jesus is reminding us that our speech reveals the state of our soul. Every word a person utters communicates something about our beliefs. Jesus promises eternal life to those who speak his words with courage – fearless speech reveals the faith within!!

Things to talk about:

• In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins by saying, “Fear no one.” Are you afraid of anyone? If so, why are you afraid of that person?
• How many hairs do you think you have on your head? Do you think that you can count them? How does it make you feel to know that God knows everything about you, even the number of hairs on your head?
• Jesus says, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” Talk about what that means to you as you go through your everyday life. Are you showing your Jesus, are you sharing your Jesus, are you proud to be a follower of Christ?

Things to do:

In today’s Gospel Jesus is calling us to stand strong against fear. Invite each of your family members to think of something that may be causing them anxiety or fear and bring it before Jesus each night. Pray this prayer together:

• Lord Jesus, draw near to me now and hear my prayer. Lord, you know my heart and my innermost thoughts. You see the struggle within me and the battle between mind and heart. I ask you, O Lord, please release me from this fear. Let me bask in your Holiness and remain calm, knowing that you are Lord and Savior. You died for my sins, and you will never abandon me. Send your Spirit upon me to comfort me and give me peace. I thank you for your everlasting love. Amen.

Jesus mentions sparrows in today’s Gospel; challenge your family to become Bird Watchers!! Make a game of it and offer a prize to the first person who can spot 5 different birds.

• Bird watching is something that the whole family can enjoy. The best place to start bird watching is in your own backyard. Set the garden up to be bird friendly so your family can sit and enjoy watching birds any time they like. Here are some ideas:
• Set up a bird bath.
• Set up a bird feeder.
• Set up nesting boxes.
• Get a children’s bird reference book or make your own by searching the Internet for birds in your local area and printing pictures of them.
• Get some binoculars.
• Talk about how amazing our God is for creating all the beauty we experience in nature. Each bird is created to be unique and beautiful – just like us!

Feast Day June 27

St. Cyril was born about 376 in Alexandria, Egypt. He became archbishop when his uncle, the former archbishop, died. During his first years in the position, Cyril was severe with heretics (baptized members of the Church who refuse to acknowledge or accept a revealed truth) and other people who caused trouble for the Christians. Later, he grew in compassion. Cyril became famous for his action at the Council of Ephesus. He tried to make the heretic Nestorius understand that Christ was truly God and man. He defended the teaching that Mary is the Mother of God and insisted on calling her Theotokos, a Greek name meaning “God-bearer” or “Mother of God.” Cyril died in 444. Because of his struggle with heretics and his forceful writing about doctrine, Cyril was later named a Doctor of the Church.

The United States is in the midst of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival to remind us of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and restore our understanding of, and devotion to, the Eucharist. On June 10-11, 2023, parishes across the country are intentionally celebrating and highlighting Adoration, the real presence of Jesus, on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. …READ MORE

Join us or an Evening of Encounter, Wednesday, June 28, after the 6:30 p.m. Mass. Praise & Worship, Adoration and a witness story of God’s amazing love.,

Looking for some family faith fun for the summer?  Check out the Summer Bucket List for Families from CatholicMom.com. 

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