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.

Click Photo

(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.

Click Photo

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

1/16/22 - Wedding in Cana- Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus performs his first miracle. He turns water into wine at a wedding in Cana. Mary observed that the hosts had run out of wine and this could become an embarrassing situation. Mary told Jesus and he said he wasn’t ready, but Mary told the servers “Do whatever he tells you”. Jesus obeyed Mary and asked the servers to bring six stone jars with water and changes the water into wine. And not just ordinary wine, but the very best. This is the first sign of Jesus glory.

Mary interceded at the wedding celebration and Jesus listened to her request and obeyed. Mary intercedes for us when we ask her to pray for us. She is an example of how presenting our needs and those of others to Jesus we can be confident that he will respond to our prayers in extraordinary ways.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other this question.
When we see a need how can we try to help?

Family Prayer: Jesus, help us to be obedient, just like you were to your mother. Help us see the needs of others. Help us to do what you teach us.

Click Photo

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

7/31/22 - Rich In What Matters To God - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, when a man asks Jesus to tell his brother to share his inheritance with him, he knows that the brother is more concerned with possessions than with the love of his brother. He is being greedy; Jesus tells the parable of the rich man. There was a rich man that had such a good harvest, that he didn’t have enough space in his barns to store it all. So, he thought, I will build bigger ones and store my harvest for many years. Thinking, he could enjoy his possessions for many years; he died that night. What good were his possessions to him now?

This parable warns us against being greedy. Jesus is not saying we should not have food or save money. He is teaching us to use the things we have wisely by looking at our needs and not our wants. To understand that there are people in the world that have needs of food, clothing and shelter. He is telling us that it is more important to be loving and share what we have than to pursue having a lot of things. When a person dies, they do not take their belongings with them, but their acts of love and generosity will be remembered. We need to be rich in what matters to God.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
Do your feelings show that you care too much about getting things? Do you share what you have with others?

Family Prayer: Lord, help us thank you for the material blessings you give us and to share them with others. Amen

Click Photo

(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

2/20/22 - Jesus Says Love Your Enemies - Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us to be kind even to those who are not kind to us. This is very difficult, but if we want to be like Jesus, we need to love our enemies, and those who would hurt us. Jesus is teaching us about mercy. Mercy is treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated. God’s love is given to both the saint and sinner. Jesus loved everyone, even those who crucified him. We should try our best to be like him. Next time someone is mean to you ask Jesus to help you forgive that person. Jesus calls us to treat others in the way we want to be treated.

As a family, watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
Do you need to ask forgiveness from God or another person? What is holding you back from doing so?

Family Prayer: Lord, we find it hard to be kind when someone is not kind to us. Help us to see others as you do, so that we will not be tempted to judge them or be unkind.