July 29 is the Memorial of Saints Mary, Martha and Lazarus
This feast day gives us a wonderful opportunity to focus on the friendships we enjoy. How are those friendships life-giving and what do we contribute to them in return? What type of hospitality do we offer in the spirit of family to those who are not blood relatives? It's also a great time for families to consider the bonds between siblings and how we complement one another in the varied gifts we have been blessed with. Today's issue focuses on family and friendship!
READ!
SUNDAY READINGS:
Click on the link below for the readings that you will hear at the Sunday's 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 grey button below.
Family Stories: Books about being good siblings and good friends!
- Maple and Willow Together by Lori Nichols
- We are Brothers, We are Friends by Alexandra Penfold
- Don't Hug Doug (He Doesn't Like It) by Carrie Finison
- A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
LEARN! Catholic Trivia you May Not Know!
SAINTS who were SIBLINGS:
Here are some pairs of Saints who were siblings; that makes for a very proud set of parents!!!
- St. Benedict and St. Scholastica were brother and sister twins! St. Benedict started a religious order and St. Scholastica was a nun who lived not far from her brother!
- Sts. Willibald (700-781), Winebald (702-761), and Walburga (710-779) were a trio of siblings from England (Their father was St. Richard, the Pilgrim, and their uncle was St. Boniface). The three were sent by Pope Gregory III and St. Boniface to evangelize Germany.
- St. Francisco and St. Jacinta de Jesus Marto were shepherd children who witnessed many holy apparitions while working in the fields at Fatima, Portugal.
IMAGINE THE SCENE
"Walk with the wise and you become wise, but the companion of fools fares badly." (Proverbs 13:20)
"Perverse speech sows discord, and talebearing separates bosom friends" (Proverbs 16:28)
"A friend is a friend at all times..." (Proverbs 17:17)
"There are friends who bring ruin, but there are true friends more loyal than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)
PRAY!
In the Bible story of Job, Job has a long conversation with his friends as he tries to make sense of the struggles and suffering he is experiencing in life. God encourages Job to pray for his friends so Job takes part in intercessory prayer or praying on someone else's behalf.
Think about the lives of your siblings and your friends. What prayers could you offer for them? How might your prayers to God make a difference in their lives?
Sometimes people say: "Can you pray for me?" Here are some tips to carry that out!
1. Pray for them right after you see them, so it doesn't get lost in the busyness of your day.
2. Put a post-it note on your mirror, fridge, or another place you look daily, reminding you to pray
for them!
3. Keep a running prayer list of all those who ask you to pray for them.
4. Do you have a picture of them on your phone? Pull it up before praying and truly visualize
your friend and his or her needs!
5. Ask God to hear the prayers in your heart.
6. Pray for them each time you pass their home!
PLAY!
PLAY SOME GET-TO-KNOW-YOU-QUESTION GAMES!
Find 10 Things in Common: Go beyond you are both girls, you both have blond hair, etc., and ask questions about likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, fears and joys!
Superpowers: If you had a superpower, what would it be and why? Do any of your superpowers align with building God's kingdom?
Smile EMOJI: Here's one you can play on your phones with a far away friend. Ask questions that can only be answered via emojis such as: "Do you like lima beans?" "Do you like sunflowers?" etc. Find out what makes your friends SMILE!
Quiet Yourself!
Find a quiet place outside or in, and just spend some time thinking about Jesus. More than anything, he would like to be your friend. Are you making time for him? Do you listen for him and to him? Do you talk (pray) in return and seek his guidance? Have a quiet chat with Jesus inside your heart!
WONDER!
Have you ever seen a video or a real-life experience of two animals who are unlikely friends, like a cat and a dog?
Scientists say that elephants, horses, whales, dolphins, camels, llamas, alpacas, and primates such as chimpanzees and apes all have the capacity for true friendship. Watch the world around you this week. Do you see birds, bugs, or other creatures acting like friends? What behaviors do they display? Do they resemble human friendships? What do you think causes animals to become friends?
Office of Evangelization and Catechesis
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Debtor in Possession