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) How are words and actions tied together in this story?
2) What is the importance of words in this story?
3) What is the importance of actions in this story?
4) Who has been affected by the words and lack of action? Who will benefit from new words and the new actions being done by these modern day descendants?
5) Where in your community do you see histories that need to be updated to be more complete or more fully told?
Views and Qs: The Science of Action
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) What is the science of action described in the video? 2) What is the relationship between ideas and actions in your life? Why is it this way?
3) What does it mean that action is a muscle? 4) What are some ideas that you have been holding recently? How could you put them into actions today? 5) Who are some people in your life that could do some "action-storming" with you?
Feast and Faith: Connecting Words and Actions
For this week's dinner discussion we will focus on Jesus' parable of the two sons.
Prayer -
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious
favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our
works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify
thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting
life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Discussion -
This week we are reflecting on Jesus' conversation about authority with the Chief Priests and elders in the temple and his subsequent parable of the two sons. In this parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to two sons, one who says he will not go work in the vineyard, but eventually does, and another who says he will, be never goes:
Questions -
1) Where in your life, your community, or your country, do you see people saying they will do things that they never actually do?
2) Why do you think we sometimes say we will do something even if we never plan on doing it?
3) Why do you think action is so important to Jesus?
4) Do you think action is important in the world today? Why or why not?
5) Who are the people you see in the world today doing the work of the kingdom of heaven? How could you take part in that work?
Final Nugget -
Jesus is inviting us in this time to examine the places in our lives where our beliefs, or our words, are not lining up with our actions, as well as becoming aware of where God's work of justice and healing is taking part in the world. Be intentional about keeping an eye out for these things this week.
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 78:1-4,12-16
(read in unison)
1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3 That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.
4 We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *
and the wonderful works he has done.
12 He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers, *
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He split open the sea and let them pass through; *
he made the waters stand up like walls.
14 He led them with a cloud by day, *
and all the night through with a glow of fire.
15 He split the hard rocks in the wilderness *
and gave them drink as from the great deep.
16 He brought streams out of the cliff, *
and the waters gushed out like rivers.
Reading
(read by assigned person)
Matthew 21:23-32
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe 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)
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Share some of your conversations in the comments below:
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