Hosted by the Faith To Go team in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, David Tremaine and Charlette Preslar, and joined the each week by a special guest, the Faith To Go Podcast highlights themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your faith discussions and reflections throughout the week.
from NPR
Questions:
1) What did you learn about black history from this article?
2) What role has McDonald's played in the civil rights movement?
3) How has its role changed since the 1960s and 70s?
4) Where do you see hope in this story, either in the past or for the future?
5) What institutions are supporting equal rights and greater equality today?
Views and Qs: What is Your Hope?
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) What jumped out to you the most from this video?
2) Did you see common themes among he hopes of the students? The teachers?
3) Do you ever have the opportunity to share what your hopes are?
4) Who are the people in your life that you share your hope with?
5) What is your hope for your life and/or the life of the world today?
Feast and Faith: Hope and the Holy Spirit
For this week’s dinner discussion, we are talking about Jesus' presentation in the temple as a baby and the stories of Simeon and Anna.
Prayer -
Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Discussion –
This week we hear the story of Jesus' presentation in the Jerusalem temple following his birth and naming. We also meet a character unique to Luke's gospel named Simeon and we hear about all the ways the Holy Spirit has moved and worked in his life. Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit has done three specific things for Simeon; first, it has revealed to him that he will one day see the Christ, second it sustains this hope he has while he is awaiting the coming of this Chris, and third, it guides him to the place where he eventually meets this Christ. In this story we see how the Holy Spirit works to inspire hope in us, sustain us on our journey of living into that hope, and guiding us on the path of bringing about the content of that hope into the world:
Questions:
1) How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life?
2) What does it feel like in your experience to be hopeful?
3) Has your hope inspired or sustained you in your life?
4) How has hope guided your decisions and actions?
5) What are you hopeful about today, and how is the Holy Spirit guiding you through that hope?
Final Nugget: We are not guaranteed to always feel hopeful, but hope is not the same as optimism or positivity. Hope is our ability to persevere in the face of struggle, just as the Holy Spirit is the sustaining power in our lives. When we are feeling hopeless, what can we do to listen for and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
Stay and Pray: A Devotion for Families at the Close of the Day Each week we feature a way for your family to reflect and pray together. For families with older children this is an at home liturgy for your family to participate in together. It is a daily devotion for families adapted from The Book of Common Prayer.
Before you begin, take a few moments to decide who will read the scripture reading and who will read the collect and closing.
Read the Psalm and Lord's Prayer in unison.
After a moment of silence, begin with the Psalm.
Psalm 84
(read in unison)
1 How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
2 The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
3 Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.
4 Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way.
5 Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
6 They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
hearken, O God of Jacob.
8 Behold our defender, O God; *
and look upon the face of your Anointed.
9 For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, *
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.
10 For the Lord God is both sun and shield; *
he will give grace and glory;
11 No good thing will the Lord withhold *
from those who walk with integrity.
12 O Lord of hosts, *
happy are they who put their trust in you!
Gospel
(read by assigned person)
Luke 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Prayers for Ourselves and For Others (take this time to each offer one person/event that you would like to hold in prayer as well as one thing you are thankful for)
Dear God, tonight I ask your prayers for.......
and I give you thanks for ..........
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
(read in unison)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
The Collect
(read by assigned person)
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Share some of your conversations in the comments below:
Comments