Take some time at dinner one night this week to read this fun fact and then discuss some of the questions.
Did you know...
…that in this week's gospel story Jesus is celebrating a very important Jewish holiday. In the story the celebration is called the Feast of the Dedication, but today we know it as Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew. It's called the feast of the dedication because it marks the day almost 170 years before Jesus was born when the Jewish people won back control of the temple from other nations and restored, or rededicated, it for prayer.
Jesus, and his whole religious community, are celebrating this important time in their history, when they were able to push back against bigger nations and reclaim something central to their identity. In this story, Jesus is celebrating the ways his community has persevered and kept going on matter what challenges they have faced together.
Questions for Discussion:
1) What are some challenges you have faced in your life?
2) Who are the people in your family or community that helped you in those times?
3) What is a challenge your community faces right now? What are some challenges your community has overcome in the past?
4) What does it feel like to overcome a challenge?
Comments