Dear Families,
Families rely on selfless love. Parents show love for their children not just when it’s convenient, but whenever their children’s needs must be met. Imagine if the members of a family were concerned only with their own needs. How quickly things would fall apart!
In the story of the Good Samaritan, we learn about someone who went out of his way to care for the needs of another. He recognized the victim as his brother and accepted responsibility for him. As a family, talk about the responsibilities of each member of the family. Share how you, as parents, care for the needs of everyone in the family even when it’s inconvenient. Ask your children to share times when they did chores and helped the family even when it was not convenient.
Read aloud this Sunday’s Gospel, Luke 10:25-37. Talk about how the Samaritan went out of his way to care for the needs of the victim. Make a commitment as a family to follow the example of the Good Samaritan. Explain that the more you learn to accept responsibility for each other’s needs at home, the more you’ll be able to accept responsibility for the needs of others in the world.
Act of Love – This simple prayer will help you be obedient to God’s command to love our neighbor. Consider naming your neighbors and any intentions on their behalf.
O Lord God, we love you above all things and we love our neighbor for your sake because you are the highest, infinite and perfect good, worthy of all our love. We pray especially for [insert names and intentions here]. In this love we intend to live and die. Amen.
Liturgy Link – Jesus tells us to “Go and do likewise” in today’s Gospel. At the end of Mass, the priest or deacon says something similar. What does he say?
Partners in Faith,
Phyllis Chudzinski