Wisdom Satu: November 2016

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Family Faith in Action for November 30, 2016

Welcome to the second issue of Family Faith in Action, a weekly email designed to prepare your family for the Sunday Gospel and to provide ways to put your faith into action. Each Wednesday, you will receive the Gospel reading, a reflection, and audio sample, and a family activity!

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This Week's Gospel Reading

December 4, 2016

Read

Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel's hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
'We have Abraham as our father.'
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Courtesy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Understand

By Father Greg Friedman, OFM

Have you heard about "God's dream for the world"? That phrase is a favorite expression of a colleague of mine to describe how he interprets Scripture passages like those from Isaiah and Saint Paul in today's liturgy. My friend says that God's dream for the world is a vision of all of creation—reconciled, at peace, full of the justice and harmony intended for it by our Creator.

Isaiah's "peaceable kingdom"—a scene favored by artists, where the lion and the lamb play together—is an expression of what God envisions for all of us: the beautiful earth, healed of the ravages of greed and pollution; humanity living by God's wisdom, understanding, justice. Saint Paul encourages the Gentile Christians of the Church at Rome to see themselves united with Paul's Jewish brothers and sisters in praising God.

Accomplishing this dream of God means a real and radical change of heart, true conversion. And such change doesn't come easy, as we know. Just look around at our world—or better yet, look inside our own hearts. We need the prophetic "wake-up call" of John the Baptist in today's Gospel to summon us to conversion. We need to welcome God's grace and power, present in Jesus Christ, in order to become part of God's dream for the world.

Listen to the audio here.

Discuss

By Father Don Miller, OFM

Saint John the Baptist warned those around him that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What do you think he meant by that?
What did Saint John the Baptist tell the Pharisees and Sadducees to do? And why?
John the Baptist called the Pharisees and Sadducees a "brood of vipers." Those are strong words! Why do you think he reacted this way?
John warned that trees which do not bear fruit will be cut down. What do you think he meant by that?

Act

By Susan Hines-Brigger

John the Baptist was good at making his voice heard. Make your voice heard by gathering your friends and family to do some Christmas caroling. Walk around your neighborhood and spread some Christmas cheer!
The Gospel talks about John the Baptist eating locusts and honey. That doesn't sound very appetizing, does it? Think about your favorite Christmas treat, and then ask your mom and dad if they could help you make that treat to share with others.
You probably don't remember your Baptism, but your parents will. Sit down and look through pictures of the day. Pull out your baptismal gown, candle, and certificate and talk about what each of those items mean.

For more Advent ideas, check out my book A Catholic Family Advent: Prayers and Activities.

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