THE FAMILY ZONE

Equipping the Domestic Church/ISSUE 104/1.22.23

"The Lord is My Light and My Salvation" (Psalm 27)

"The Lord is My Light and My Salvation" (Psalm 27)

Ordinary time is a great time to recognize the EXTRAORDINARY power of God! This edition of "The Family Zone" focuses on transformation and miracles large and small, placed before us by God and helping us to grow deeper in faith and possibly changing the trajectory of our lives!
"The Lord is My Light and My Salvation" (Psalm 27)
LIVE THE EUCHARIST

LIVE THE EUCHARIST

“Transubstantiation” is defined by the Catechism as “the change of the whole substance of bread into the substance of the Body of Christ and of the whole substance of wine into the substance of his Blood. This change is brought about in the eucharistic prayer through the efficacy of the word of Christ and by the action of the Holy Spirit. However, the outward characteristics of bread and wine, that is the “eucharistic species,” remain unaltered” (CCC 283).

Similarly, when we participate in the Eucharist, we are transformed! OUR outward characteristics might remain the same, but our substance is changed by the love of Christ and we become more like Christ at work in the world! Live the Eucharist this week by being his hands and feet in all settings!

LIVE THE EUCHARIST
READ!

READ!

SUNDAY READINGS:

Click on the link below for the readings that you will hear at the Sunday Mass for the coming two weeks. This will give you a chance to prepare your heart and mind for full and active participation in Mass this weekend! For a Mass schedule in our diocese click on the mint-colored button below.


Sunday Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012923.cfm

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020523.cfm



Family Stories: Here are some stories about transformation!


Bella's Fall Coat by Lynn Plourde

Ada's Violin by Susan Hood

The Dot by Peter Reynolds

READ!
WRITE!

WRITE!

OLDER CHILDREN: Write a journal entry about your own transformation. Reflect on who you are and the positive changes you have made. What lessons have you learned? What have you let go of? Who or what has helped you to transform? What are the things you like best about yourself? The new year is a great time for self-reflection. Pray that God opens your eyes to all the good things at work in your life! Talk about your journal entries as a family!


YOUNGER CHILDREN can learn more about Jesus' first miracle with these resources from

Ministry-To-Children.com (link below).

WRITE!

LISTEN!

Ela Milewska talks about how all of us can be leaders of transformation in small ways! This is something we are called to as parents, the most important catechists our kids will ever have!

WATCH!

Here are some videos about the miracles connected to some of our saints:
Did You Know: Saint Bernadette Soubirous
Miracles of Saint Dominic | Stories of Saints | Episode 150
Saint Philomena | by Saint John Vianney

Looking for a cozy family movie night?

Stream the movie All Saints, a true story about miraculous events that took place among the Burmese community at a small Episcopalian church in Tennessee. Watch the trailer below!
All Saints: The Heart of the Movie (4 Minutes)

CREATE!

Use these object lessons to talk about the miracles of Jesus or to help children better understand the nature of a miracle!
PRAY!

PRAY!

This is a beautiful prayer about personal and worldly transformation from CRS (Catholic Relief Services)
PRAY!
PLAY!

PLAY!

This game will get the entire family involved in reading about the miracles Jesus performed. Make it fun by inviting the participant (or team) who draws the card to read the scripture passage quietly and then act out what is happening through charades (no words allowed)!


The cards could also be used to play a Draw and Guess game!


**You will need a Bible or can search the passages on the web!

PLAY!
BE WELL!

BE WELL!

Lourdes: Pilgrimage of Healing


An average of 25,000 people gather daily in the tiny town of Lourdes, France to be healed. The once quiet village is the place where St. Bernadette saw visions of the Virgin Mary and the site, now surrounded by churches and chapels, remains there for people to seek healing from the waters of Lourdes. Each day, a procession in honor of Mary takes place at 9 PM. Thousands, many ill, walk 90 minutes praying and singing by candlelight to receive a blessing from a priest, hoping to be its 71st miracle to date. Prayer can be a strong force against our suffering and an important part of living well: physically, mentally, and spiritually.

BE WELL!

TEACHABLE MOMENT!

Help Your Child To Transform Negative Behavior:


"Your child’s feelings are separate from you, so allow them to have those feelings without futurizing and personalizing and getting entangled with your child. Don’t let your own anxiety about your child interfere with your child. Listen without criticism. Stand next to your child, not joined to them. Only then will they stop being compelled to use their energy to fight you or defend themselves from your criticism.

With your acceptance, your child will be free to begin thinking about how they want to change and grow."

To read the full article, visit https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/negative-children-how-to-deal-with-a-complaining-child-or-teen/

WORD OF THE WEEK!

Blood Miracles: A term often used to name Eucharistic Miracles. A Eucharistic miracle involves an inexplicable transformation in the observable appearance of the consecrated Host or wine.


To learn more about Eucharistic or Blood Miracles, you may want to read Heavenly Hosts. Learn more about the book in the short video below!

Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids by Kathryn Griffin Swegart, O.F.S. | -Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids by Kathryn Griffin Swegart, O.F.S.- Reviewed by Dr. Lisa Theus Teach your children about the real... | By Catholic Reads | Facebook
WONDER!

WONDER!

Here are some questions to get kids talking about transformation:



  • Who does God want me to be?
  • Could my attitude about something use changing?
  • Am I happy with the way I respond to my friends? my parents? my siblings?
  • What do I like best about new parts of my personality?
  • How am I growing and changing?
  • Am I sad about any changes in me or my life?
WONDER!
Office of Evangelization and Catechesis

Office of Evangelization and Catechesis

Office of Evangelization and Catechesis

Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

Debtor in Possession
Diocese of Rochester, Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY, USA oec@dor.org 585-328-3210 oec.dor.org

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