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April 25, 2021
Fourth Sunday of EasterWe are Children of God
PDF DownloadOur second reading shares with us something very important: “We are children of God.” We parents should repeat this so frequently that our children really see their primary identity as a daughter or son of God.
Part of the reason we need to repeat this message is that our culture that emphasizes our freedom to choose our identity by buying products, cultivating our image on social media, or affiliating with organizations. In this environment, we need to remind our children that God communicates our identity to us as well through the way he created our bodies, the parents he gave us, the promises made by Jesus and the guidance he will provide us when we turn to him in prayer.
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Year of the Family: Live the Joy of God's Love
“[T]he home must continue to be the place where we learn to appreciate the meaning and beauty of the faith . . . parents are the means that God uses for it (faith) to grow and develop. Hence 'it is beautiful when mothers teach their little children to blow a kiss to Jesus or to Our Lady. How much love is in that! At that moment the child's heart becomes a place of prayer.”
Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) #287Whatever our children’s age, we parents can help them become more deeply aware that they are a child of God. As Pope Francis describes, one of the things we can do is demonstrate and encourage an affection for God as we would have for a parent. Also, we should never tire of reminding them of God’s deep love for them and how he delights in their expressions of love for him!
Parish Resources Available!
If you are a pastor, parish staff member or volunteer looking for Year of the Family resources for your parish, please visit this link.
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Take time to read and reflect on the Scriptures for this Sunday.
Don’t have access to a Bible?
Visit www.usccb.org/bible/readings or download an app such as Laudate or iBreviary to access the Mass readings.
Acts 4: 8-12
It is Jesus who has healed this man. It is by him we are saved.
Psalm 118: 1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
1 John 3: 1-2
We are children of God now.
John 12:11-18
I am the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.
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Do these things to remind your child that they are a child of God.-
Tell them that God created people because he loves us. Let them know that, from the beginning, God created us because he loves having us as part of creation and that he delights in his creation.
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Let them know how you realize you are part of God’s plan. Share with your children how you came to your faith and how you came to realize God is at work in your life. Share with them how your marriage and their birth has led you closer to God and been an occasion for you to participate in God’s plan
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Tell them God created them specifically and intentionally. Let them know that God’s plan is so great that he knew he would create them and that he delights in them. Let them know that you delight in them too.
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Tell them that God has a plan for them and encourage them to ask him about it. Encourage them to turn to God in prayer to find out more about that plan.
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Coronavirus, anxiety and children
Buiding Family Bonds during the Coronavirus
A collection of resources to help families build stronger bonds in spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Coronavirus, Anxiety, Children and the Church
A helpful guide for parents who wish to talk to children about COVID-19 in an empowering and reassuring way.
Explaining the News to Our Kids
This article provides parents with guidance on how to talk with our children when there are disturbing things in the news.
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Caring for those who are alone
The Office of Pastoral Ministries offers excellent resources that can help us care for those among us who are lonely or suffering from anxiety during this time.
Want to call someone in need, but not sure what to say? Click here for a guide (available in English and Spanish).
Want to pray for someone who is experiencing anxiety? Click this link to find text for prayers that can help (available in English and Spanish).
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Domestic violence during the pandemic
Domestic Violence is an all too real part of the lives of many families. Parish leaders can and should play a role in protecting those at risk. Below are some resources that can help us begin to respond:
Archdiocese of Seattle Domestic Violence Resources
When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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