Services

10/23/22 -The Pharisee and the Tax Collector- Cycle C

Dear Families,

In this week’s Gospel Jesus tells us another parable about prayer. He tells the story about two men praying in the Temple. One was a Pharisee who was a member of a pious religious group who studied and carefully kept the Law of Moses and taught the written law of the Bible. The Pharisee prayed about his goodness and compared himself to others who were not as good as he. The other was a Jewish tax collector who made his living by collecting taxes for the Romans, and at times charged more to make a better living. People during those days did not like them. The tax collector prayed and asked God to have mercy on him, a sinner. Jesus praises the tax collector for his humility and admonishes the Pharisee’s self-righteousness.

Praying with humility helps us understand and admit that all the good things we do come from God. It helps us be sorry for the selfish things we have done, be sorry for our sins, and ask God for forgiveness.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
When have you been like the Pharisee? The tax collector? What is the difference?

Family Prayer: Lord, show us where we lack humility, and help us to remember to do good deeds in your name. Amen.

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

9/24/23 - The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard - Cycle A

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a story of a vineyard owner who went out at different times to find men to work. At the end of the day, he gave each man a whole day’s wages, even though some worked all day and some only worked one hour. He started paying the workers that started working late first and the ones that came in first last. The ones who worked all day complained and were not happy because they all received the same wages. This story is not about wages or fairness.

Jesus is teaching us about God’s love and generosity. It can feel unfair when someone gets paid when they did not work as hard as you did. Jesus says, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” Some people spend their whole lives working for God, and some people only turn to Him at the last minute. He teaches us that there is room for everyone in his Church and in Heaven.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
What is a family activity in which each member does his or her part? When did you want to be first, but did not get to be? Name something positive about putting others first?

Family Prayer: Dear Jesus, show us how to put others first. Remind us that you love all of us and you want us to love each other. Amen.

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

12/11/22 - John Asks About Jesus - Cycle A

Dear Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel, John the Baptist questions if Jesus is the one that God has promised will come. Jesus answers the question by naming some of his miracles, which were prophesied by Isaiah and are signs of God’s salvation. Jesus affirms that John is a prophet sent to prepare everyone for his own arrival. Jesus message to John tells us not only who he is but also to repent of our sins and follow him.

This week is the third Sunday of Advent. This is the week we light the pink candle. It is Gaudete Sunday, a day to Rejoice Jesus is coming. By preparing for his coming, we will bring the message of his joyful coming to others.

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

How can you share the good news of Jesus coming and bring joy to others?

Family Prayer: God, we thank you for many blessings. Help us to be blessings to others. Amen.

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(La versión en español sigue al inglés)

1/30/22 - People Reject Jesus - Cycle C

Dear Families,

This Sunday’s Gospel is a continuation of last week’s Gospel. Jesus fulfills the words of the prophet Isaiah as he announced in last week’s Gospel. In this Sunday’s Gospel, people begin to recall that he is the son of Joseph the carpenter. Jesus confronts them about what they are thinking. He said they wouldn’t appreciate a prophet from their own town. They get angry when Jesus reminds them that sometimes people of other countries believed more in Israel’s prophets than their own people. He gives them the examples of Elijah and the widow of Sidon and Elisha and General Naaman who were not Israelites but believed in the prophets. The crowd did not want to hear the truth, they became so angry that they rejected him and forced him to leave town.

Jesus words were challenging to the people of his hometown Nazareth. He wanted them to respond to him differently from the way others had responded to the prophets. But they wouldn’t let his words change them or see a different perspective. At times we can be like the people of Nazareth, we don’t trust Jesus’ message because we find his words to us challenging. We need to trust his words to us and rely on his guidance in our lives.

As a family watch video in its entirety and then ask each other these questions.
What is love? How difficult is it to listen to those who love you, especially if they are trying to inform or correct you?

Family Prayer: Jesus, help us to be humble enough to listen when we are corrected by people who care about us. Help us to remember that they are looking out for our good. 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.