Thursday: Compassion
Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God’s name.
From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Almighty Father, thank you for this time together. Please help us to focus so that we can learn from our discussion. May your Holy Spirit be with us, guiding and inspiring all that we say and do. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Listen: Pay close attention as the Bible story is read in the form of a rhyme.
A man named James had this to say
To those who lived the Christian way:
“You claim your faith is real to you
But does it impact what you do?
When have you fed the poor, the sick?
Or looked beyond your own small clique?
When have you clothed a child who’s cold?
Or brought a meal to someone old?
These good, kind acts show faith and love
And point to Jesus Christ above.
So don’t sit back and simply wait
Go out and serve! It’s not too late!
Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children’s questions.
Child: Have you ever served in a soup kitchen, or done other work to help the poor? What was that like?
Child: Who is someone who seems lonely or in need of help? What is one thing we could do to make life a little better for that person?
Affirm: Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.
Lord God, there is so much need in our world. Sometimes, it can seem almost overwhelming. Help us to see those areas where we can make a real difference in our community, and give us the strength and creativity to do just that. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Have each person in the family bless one another with these words.
May you go in peace and serve the Lord! Amen.