Faith Formation

Dear Families,

Over the past weeks, we have heard Jesus teach that he is the Bread of Life, and those who believe in him will have eternal life.

In this week’s Gospel Jesus wanted to share the gift of himself with others, but it seemed scary to many people. Many people stopped following Jesus because they couldn’t understand what He was teaching. Jesus asked the 12 are you also going to leave? Simon Peter said that they knew that He had the words of eternal life, and that they were convinced that Jesus is the Holy One of God. The Apostles chose to stay with Jesus.

As we grow in our faith, we need to be like the Apostles and choose to follow Jesus even when it is hard, especially when other people don’t follow Him. We can’t do this without God’s help and the help of the community of faith, our Church.

On Sunday watch as people approach the altar to receive Holy Communion. They are walking towards the Eucharist. The “Real Presence” of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The Bread of Life. In Him they will have eternal life.

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

Do you have a hard time understanding what Jesus teaches us?

Family Prayer: Jesus, help us to believe in you even when it is difficult to understand what you have taught us. Amen

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Watch video as a family.

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

Dear Families,

In this week’s Gospel, the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples because they didn’t follow observations of the cleaning of hands, purifying themselves before they ate and other traditions. They believed that by their actions alone they were making themselves holy. Jesus taught the Pharisees who questioned him, that we do not make ourselves holy by just our actions. Rather, we become holy when we allow God’s Spirit to transform our hearts.

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

How do you honor Jesus with your lips and your heart?

Family Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to be true in our faith and love for you. Let our hearts and our actions reflect that love. Amen

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Watch video as a family.

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

Dear Families,

Jesus did many wonderful miracles! This Sunday’s Gospel tells the story of Jesus healing a man who is deaf and could not speak clearly. Jesus touched him and healed him. Being able to hear is a wonderful gift from God. Listen to how the deaf man’s friends brought him to Jesus to heal him. Today’s Gospel invites us to think how we witness the healing presence of God to others. Jesus loves us so much that He takes care of all our needs.

God has given us the gift of hearing to be able to talk with and listen to other people. Let us thank God for the gift of hearing. Let us use this gift to hear God’s Word at Mass and share it with others.

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

How can you use your voice to tell others about Jesus?

Family Prayer: Lord, help us to hear the Gospel, understand it, and tell others the Good News of Jesus. Amen

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Watch video as a family.

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say that I am”, and Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus then tells his disciples something they may not have wanted to hear. That he was going to suffer and die. Peter objects to what Jesus has said. Jesus tells Peter you don’t understand you are not thinking as God does, but as human beings do. Like Peter we too may not understand. We also may have ideas about what we think God should be doing in our world. We risk limiting God’s plan by thinking only in human ways. God’s plans are always more than we can ever imagine. Jesus suffered, died, was buried, and is Risen!

As followers of Jesus, we need to take up our cross and follow him. Jesus gave everything for us, and he wants us to love him and trust him with our whole hearts. Jesus wants us to offer our lives in service to others. As James tells us in today’s Second Reading, we can’t just say we have faith. We need to show our faith by works of love.

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

What does Jesus mean when he says we must take up our cross and follow him?

Family Prayer: Jesus, teach us to believe in you and trust in you completely, even when it seems difficult. Amen

Click Picture

Watch video as a family.

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus is walking with his disciples through Galilee. Jesus tells his disciples that there will be conflict. He explains that he will suffer, die and rise. The disciples don’t want to think about what he is saying, they are afraid to ask questions. Instead, they argue about which one of them is the greatest. Jesus knew what they were talking about, so he tells them that if they want to be first, they must be humble and serve others.

Arguments as the disciples had in this Sunday’s Gospel are common in family life. Ever had this argument? I want to be first. I did the dishes yesterday; someone else should do it today. Why did she/he get chosen and I did not? All of us need to be reminded that to be great in God’s Kingdom is to be the servant of all.

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

How do you serve others?

Family Prayer: Lord, help us to see you when we see people in need.