"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts"
Those first disciples we heard about last week answered a call. That is not always easy to do. This week the psalm response challenges us to consider how we would react if we were called in a similar way by God. Would our hearts be hardened? Would we have far too many priorities in front of our relationship with God? How might your family soften your hearts to hear and follow the authority of Jesus?
READ!
SUNDAY READINGS: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013121.cfm
Family Stories:
- "My Heart" by Corinna Luyken
- "A Heart for Jesus" by Juanita Bynum
- "Just in Case You Ever Wonder" by Max Lucado
Parent Article:
- Do you want your kids to look like they follow Jesus or live like they follow Jesus? https://herviewfromhome.com/faith-i-want-to-raise-children-whose-hearts-belong-to-jesus/
- Helping your child discern appropriate media through a lens of faith: https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/mind-your-media-8-tips-to-raise-discerning-teens
- Discernment is the process of listening for God's input in your decision making and looking at life's challenges with a heart open to the wisdom of faith. Here is an article to help you understand the process and how it can work in your life: https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/ignatian-spirituality/discernment/discernment-making-inspired-choices/
Write!
- Here is a writing exercise connected to the children's story, My Heart, listed above. This activity can be used to talk about difficult feelings, God's expectations for our heart, and how your child's heart grows due to kindness! There is even a Valentine that can be filled out and sent to a loved one!
Play!
- When we follow God, there is a chain reaction of wonderful things that we can see in our lives that we can appreciate and spread to others! Build a Chain Reaction with craft or popsicle sticks! https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/popsicle-stick-chain-reaction/#:~:text=The%20key%20to%20the%20popsicle,sticks%20(or%20the%20system).
- Play one of these games to practice listening to directions. God gives us directions on how to live our lives; are we listening? https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/following-directions-and-listening-game-teacher-says/
Wonder!
- How does God talk to us?
- What does it mean to have a "hard heart?" Is there something or somebody you have a hard heart against?
- Is it sometimes hard to know what God expects of us?
- Is it sometimes hard to understand what our parents and our teachers expect of us? Are those things the same as God's expectations?
- How could I be even better than I am right now?
Office of Evangelization and Catechesis
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Debtor in Possession