January 2-3

Week 1: Jesus Learns to
Obey His Parents

Parents

  •  Have a talk with your child about why it is important to trust you and obey what you tell them to do or not to do. Rules and obedience to those rules are based on love, respect, and the efforts to protect our little ones. God’s rules are also to be obeyed, and are there to keep us safe from sin, and from wandering away from God’s loving care. 

Main Ideas

  • Jesus’ parents are Mary and Joseph (and God!)
  • Jesus learned to listen to and ovey his parents on earth and listen to God, too. 
  • We’re supposed to listen to and obey our parents, as well. How do we obey?
  • We also listen to and obey God. What does God tell us to do? How do we respond in love?
  • Mary & Joseph & Jesus are called the “Holy Family.”

Watch

Holy Family

  • Jesus’ family is called the Holy Family. Here is a picture of the Holy Family for you to include in your Friends of Jesus book that we started in October! Draw a picture of your family next to Jesus’ family, and place the page in your book. (Refer back to October lesson if you need to reprint the book cover or need instructions.)

Coloring

  • Encourage your child to choose one of the following coloring pages to help him/her reflect on the virtue of obedience to parents and to God. 

Pray

  • Practice your prayers in your prayer book, and participate in Holy Mass, either in-person or online.

Week 2: The Baptism of Jesus

Main Ideas

  • Jesus was baptized, and God was pleased! We celebrate Jesus’ baptism on January 10 this year. 
  • We are baptized too.
  • Baptism washes away our sins, and makes us part of God’s own family.
  • Remembering our godparents.
  • Remembering our baptismal promises (for parents!) Here is a link for you to recall. 

Watch

  • Enjoy this video that teaches about Jesus’ baptism. This second video gives a little more information for older kids. 
  • Since family is very much a part of our baptism day and celebrations, watch this Lukas Storyteller video about Jesus’ grandparents, St. Anne and Joachim. Help your child understand what unconditional love is! This is a great time to talk about special traditions that your family has because of their grandparents.

Parents

  • Parents, talk to your children about their own baptisms. Take out photos, arrange to talk with your child’s godparents, even virtually. Find your child’s baptismal certificate and candle, and even pull out the white garment as you share their story about becoming part of God’s family! Consider helping your child make a card for his/her godparents, thanking them for sharing their faith.

Pray

  • Practice your prayers in your prayer book, and participate in Holy Mass, either in-person or online.

Assignment

  • Click here for a short review about Jesus’ baptism and yours. 

Week 3: Lost and Found!

Main Ideas

  • When Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took him to the temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated to God.
  • When Jesus was twelve years old, his family went to Jerusalem to celebrate and praise God, but when they left, Jesus got lost!
  • Jesus wasn’t really lost, but his parents were worried because they didn’t know where he was. He was in the temple in Jerusalem, talking with the great teachers!
  • Jesus tells a story about a little sheep getting lost – and found again!
  • It’s scary being lost, but it sure is great to be found again!
  • Parents – we can become “lost” from God when we get distracted and wander away from him! Pray and consider how you are helping your child to never lose sight of God, to always follow Jesus, and to know the way back when we do wander.
  • Consider coming to adore Jesus in the Eucharist. Tuesday nights, Fr. Michael does Benediction in the church, which is a prayerful time before the Blessed Sacrament. This is a very special prayer time/space for everyone.  You can stay the whole hour, or just for a little while.

Watch and Listen

  • Lesson recording – watch here with Mrs. Joni Smith, then talk about your family’s experience with lost and found.

Family Activity

  • As a family, look up one of the stories about lost and found in the Bible. Jesus was lost and found in the temple when he was twelve years old (Luke 2:41-52). Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:10-14 or Luke 15:1-7)
  • Just for fun craft/game on the lost sheep.  Here is a link with everything you need.  (Materials can be picked up in the parish office if you need them!  Just give us a call.)  You can make this into a flip-down seek and find game, or just use it as a visual to help your child re-tell the story.

Review Activity

Pray

Practice your prayers, following the flip book and the guide that goes with it, as well as attending Mass weekly, either in-person or online.

Week 4: Missionary Childhood Association & Jesus Calls His Friends

Main Ideas

  • Josef Vaz, beatified January 21, 1995. He was born in India, but died in Sri Lanka.
  • Jesus calls his disciples – meet some of them here! Add to your Friends of Jesus book.

Joyful Praise

  • The Christmas season is over, but there is still a lot of joy in singing praise to our God! Join us and sing along!

Missionary Childhood

  • Missionary Childhood lesson 
  • Check out this interview with our own Kara Miller for an interview about St. Francis Xavier.
  • Try to show your child where in the world all of our saints have come from so far this year!  Look for: St. Teresa of Calcutta (India); St Therese (Cameroon); St. Francis Xavier (Russia); St. Juan Diego (Mexico); and St. Josef Vaz (Sri Lanka).  Next we will be learning about St. Pope John Paul II (Poland); the Blessed Virgin Mary (Philippines); and St. Francis of Assisi (Italy).  Remember that these saints were somehow associated with these countries, but not necessarily born there.

Coloring

  • Here are two coloring pages with all of Jesus’ disciples – his best friends. Print these out, color, and add to Jesus’ Friends’ book. Draw a picture of yourself, because you are Jesus’ friend, too!

Try a New Recipe!

These Sri Lankan recipes come to us from parishioner, Roshinee Perera!

Share!

Email me your success stories! Photos are most welcome; we like to get excited about your successes, too!