COVID-19 Vaccines & Catholic Morality

5/15/22 - The New Commandment - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In the Old Testament, before Jesus came, there were many commandments. Jesus obeyed the commandments, but in this week’s Gospel, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment. He told his disciples to love one another. Jesus wants us to love each other the way he loves us. We must look at how Jesus loves us. He loves us completely and unconditionally. He is ready to forgive any offense. He sacrificed his life for us.

Let us turn to God and let him transform our hearts and free us to love others with compassion and kindness. Show that you are a follower of Jesus by how you love others. .

As a family watch video in its entirety then ask each other these questions.
How does Jesus show his love for you? How can you imitate his love?

Family Prayer: Jesus, help us to love every member of our family the way you love us. Give us the grace to put each other first and be willing to sacrifice for them. Let us show the world we are your disciples by how we love one another. Amen

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

Dear Families,

During Jesus’ time on earth, religious leaders liked to sit around and discuss the law. One Jewish teacher asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus answered, “The first one is: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus teaches to love God above everything else. It may sometimes be difficult to remember all the 10 Commandments. However, Jesus explains that love is the greatest commandment that sums up all the others. To love God, we praise God and thank him. With his love we learn to love each other, share, forgive, and show respect.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other this question?

How does Jesus show you by example how you can live out the Great Commandment of loving God and neighbor?

Family Prayer: Jesus, help us to not get caught up in our own busyness and forget to put you first.

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Watch video as a family.

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

6/19/22 - Body and Blood of Christ - Cycle C

Dear Families,

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (the Eucharist, Holy Communion). Just as our bodies are in need of proper nourishment for energy, we also need to feed our spiritual needs. In the Eucharist, God’s grace makes us strong and feeds us with God’s love.

Today’s Gospel tells us about Jesus’ miracle and how He provided food to a very large crowd, five thousand with only five loaves of bread and two fish. They even had leftovers, twelve baskets!

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions regarding the Gospel.
What does Jesus tell the disciples to do? What do we learn about Jesus from this story?

Family Prayer: Dear Jesus, you feed us with your Body and Blood. You fed the hungry crowds. Open our eyes and hearts to the needs of others. Amen

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

10/16/22 - Jesus Tells Us to Keep Asking - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable (story) to show his disciples that they should never get discouraged about praying. He tells them a story about a widow’s case who was being ignored by a judge. The widow persists in seeking her rights and the judge has little reason to care about her rights. The widow keeps coming back and bothering him so he finally knows she will keep bothering him and grants her request.

Jesus’s parable invites us to recognize that God will be better than the judge about answering our prayers. The Gospel invites us to imitate the widow in asking always and repeatedly for what we need. When we persist in prayer, and ask for what we need or want, God helps us to see which things and people really matter to us and how we can help. Jesus teaches us that we must pray always and never get discouraged.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions?
What do you ask God for when you pray? How do you know that God hears your prayers?

Family Prayer: Lord we will try harder to pray often. Show us how to be patient when we pray. 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.