 Conversion on the Way to Damascus, Caravaggio, 1601 Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome READ: Once a man named Saul was going from Jerusalem to Damascus to find Christians he could bring back to punish. In those days Christians were known as “Followers of the Way.” On the way to Damascus a dazzling light flashed around Saul, blinding his eyes. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice say, “Saul, why are you trying to hurt me?” Confused and blinded, Saul asked, “Who are you?”
The voice responded, “I’m Jesus, the one you’re trying so hard to hurt. Get up and go into the city. Once you’re there, you’ll be told what to do next.” Saul got up, but still couldn’t see. The people with him took his hand and led him into Damascus. He stayed in a home on Straight Street. He didn’t eat or drink anything. On the third day a man came to him, Ananias, a Follower of the Way in Damascus. God had sent him to meet Saul. Ananias had come, even though he knew Saul intended to hurt people like him. Ananias said, “Brother Saul, you saw the Lord on the road and that same Lord Jesus came to me too, so that you could see again and receive the Holy Spirit.” Saul heard him, and it was like fish scales fell from his eyes. He could see, and he understood what Ananias meant. Saul was baptized by Ananias, he ate a meal, and felt restored. Saul was changed. Like Ananias he became a Follower of the Way. To mark this moment, Saul changed his name to Paul. (Acts 9:1-20) WONDER: I wonder how it felt when the light was flashing on the road to Damascus? I wonder how Saul felt when he couldn’t see? I wonder how Ananias felt when God told him to go find Saul? I wonder how Saul felt when he had a change of heart? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? I wonder what part of this story is the most important? SAY: In this story Saul has a change of heart and becomes one of the first Followers of the Way to know Jesus in this “new way.” He joins the other disciples who have met Jesus since he was raised. And that is how we meet him today, too. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for loving us just as we are. Help us to be sharers of your love with others. Amen. EXTEND
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 "The Three Marys at the Sepulchre," Giovanni Battista Gaulli (1639–1709), The Fitzwilliam Museum READ: Early on Sunday morning, a group of women, all friends of Jesus, came to the tomb where he had been buried in a hurry. They brought spices and scented oils with them to properly finish his burial. But when they got to the tomb, the stone at the opening was rolled away and his body was gone. As they wondered about what had happened, two men in bright shining clothes appeared, saying “Why are you looking for the living in a cemetery? Jesus isn’t dead. Remember he told you that after his death he would rise again?
They did remember, and they went back to the other disciples and told them what they had found in the graveyard. No one believed them. Peter wanted to check for himself, so he ran to the tomb and saw that it was empty. He went back to the others amazed at what he had heard and seen. (Luke 24:1-12) WONDER: I wonder what it was like going to the tomb that morning? I wonder how the women felt when Jesus died? I wonder how they felt when they saw the tomb was empty? I wonder what it was like to hear that Jesus was alive, that he had risen? I wonder what it felt like to tell others that Jesus had risen? I wonder what it felt like when the other disciples didn’t believe the women? SAY: In this story we hear the good news that Jesus is alive, that the love of God is stronger than the forces of hatred and fear in our world. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for Jesus, for the ways in which he shows us your love. Thank you for the hope you give us, that goodness is stronger than evil and love is stronger than hate. Help us to love as Jesus loved. Amen. EXTEND
 READ: Jesus often told stories of lost things.
Once he told the story of a man and his two sons. The younger son said to his father, “Give me my inheritance now so that I may enjoy it.” So the father divided his property. The younger son gathered all he had and went to a distant country. Soon he had spent all his money and had nothing left. He was hungry and poor. So he got a job feeding a farmer’s pigs. He was so hungry he thought about eating the pigs’ food. He thought about home and how everyone who worked for his family had plenty to eat. So he decided to go back to his father and ask for a job. When he got close to home, his father saw him on the road. He ran to his son and wrapped his arms around him in a big hug. Before the son could say he was sorry, his father called out for new clothes to be brought, with new shoes, and a ring. And then he told his servants to prepare a party with all the best food to celebrate his son’s return. The elder brother had been hard at work in the fields. When he came home and found out what all the ruckus was about, he refused to go inside. His father came out and begged him to come back in. But the older brother said, “I’ve always stayed with you, working hard. But you’ve never thrown a party like this for me! The father held open his arms and said, “All that is mine is yours. Let us celebrate because your brother was lost and has been found.” (Luke 15:11-32) WONDER: I wonder what Jesus’ followers felt when they heard this story? I wonder what the father felt when he saw his younger son coming home? I wonder how the younger son felt when his father hugged him? I wonder who this story is about--the younger son? the older son? the father? I wonder why Jesus told this story? I wonder whether the older son comes inside? SAY: In this story we see God always welcomes us with love and compassion. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for always welcoming us in with love, even when we’ve made bad choices or when we think we’ve let you down. Amen. EXTEND
 Mosaic art at Dominus Flevit church. Photo by Anton 17 on Wikipedia. READ: Jesus was teaching about God’s ways of love all around Judea as he made his way to Jerusalem. News about Jesus traveled far, it even got to King Herod in his palace. Some friends of Jesus warned him to stay away from Jerusalem, because the king was there and wanted to kill Jesus.
Jesus listened to their warnings, and then told them, “Herod may be like a fox, sneaky and looking to cause trouble. But like God, I am like a mother hen who tries to gather up all her baby chicks and protect them under her wings. I’ll keep on loving people, whether they come to me seeking safety or if they run away. I’m going to Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:31-35) WONDER: I wonder how a baby chick feels when it is under its mother’s wings? I wonder why a chick might run away from its mother? I wonder what it feels like to be close to God? I wonder when you feel safe? I wonder if there is someone who makes you feel safe? I wonder how Jesus’s friends felt when Jesus said he was still going to Jerusalem? SAY: In this story Jesus assures his disciples that God’s love is always there for us, wherever we are. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for always caring for us just like a mother hen keeps her chicks safe. Help us feel your love, whether we are at home under your protective wing or if we’ve wandered off on our own. Amen. EXTEND
 READ: Jesus and his disciples had been teaching in the villages, and Jesus had been saying and doing amazing things. The people wondered who Jesus really was. One day, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They replied, “Some say you’re John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets.”
Jesus then asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter responded, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus said, “I must go up to Jerusalem, and I will be killed. But on the third day God will make me alive again. Later Jesus took his friends Peter, James, and John up to a mountain to pray. And while Jesus was talking to God, he was transfigured, his face was as bright as the sun. And Elijah and Moses appeared next to Jesus. The disciples were terrified. Suddenly a cloud covered Jesus, Elijah and Moses. A voice said, “This is my special child, whom I love. Listen to him.” And then, the disciples saw only Jesus. On their way down the mountain, Peter, James, and John didn’t know what to say. (Luke 9:28-36) WONDER: I wonder what it was like to see Jesus transfigured? I wonder how Peter, James, and John felt about what they saw? I wonder how Peter could know that Jesus was the Messiah? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? SAY: In this story the disciples catch a glimpse of the mystery of how God’s presence was with Jesus. They were so amazed, they didn’t know how to talk about what they had experienced. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for Jesus and for the ways in which we see your love in his life and his teachings. Help us to share your love with others. Amen. EXTEND
 "Sermon on the Mount" by Károly Ferenczy, CC BY-SA 3.0 READ: The first followers of Jesus remembered his sermons, retelling the stories and writing down his teachings. In his teachings Jesus spoke of what it was like to live as God intends us and how we were to treat one another. He reminded them that God loves us so much and shares that love with us. When we know that God loves us, we’ll be like a light shining brightly in the world.
Jesus also said there were to be no limits to our love, that we should love others--our families and friends. And we were to love everyone--including our enemies! Jesus told his followers to love their enemies and to pray for them. Everyone was amazed to hear Jesus extend love to everyone, not just to those who love us. This was such an important teaching that both Matthew and Luke remembered it and wrote it down for us in their gospels. (from Luke 6:17-26) WONDER: I wonder what it would be like to hear Jesus teaching? I wonder why people wrote down this teaching of Jesus? I wonder what it looks like to love your enemy? I wonder what a prayer for your enemy sounds like? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? SAY: In this story we learn more about Jesus’s teaching. Jesus asks us to expand our love for others, starting with those near to us and extending to others, even when that love is hard to give. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for those who remembered the teachings of Jesus and who wrote them down for us. Help us to share your love with other people. Amen. EXTEND: Watch the film The Fox and The Hound (1981 - Disney). Discuss the friendship between Tod and Copper. What comes between their friendship? How does their relationship change? Read God’s Dream (2010) by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Published by Candlewick Press. Here's a video of the book being read. Talk about what you think God dreams for our world.  READ: Jesus traveled around Galilee with his friends sharing the good news of God’s realm and many others began to follow him. One day he came to a great field and there he began to give what would become his most famous sermon. It was such an important sermon we find it in both Luke and Matthew’s gospels. Jesus told him that in God’s realm there were many people who would be blessed. And the blessed people were not whom we might expect, because Jesus said in God’s realm things often get turned upside down. He said:
“Blessed are the poor.” - those without money or without hope. “Blessed are the hungry” - those who have no food or who long for a better life. “Blessed are those who mourn” - those who are sad or alone. The people listened to his sermon with hope, perhaps the world was changing. Perhaps God’s love could make the world a better place. (from Luke 6:20-23) WONDER: I wonder what it feels like to be blessed by God? I wonder who are the poor where we live? I wonder who is sad? I wonder who is hungry? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? I wonder where you are in this story? I wonder what it feels like to bless others? SAY: Jesus spoke of many others who are blessed in God’s realm. People who work for peace and those who show kindness. God welcomes everyone to join in living in a way of blessing and hope. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for your realm. You show us what it means to be blessed and how we can be a blessing to others each day. Help us to be a blessing in our world. Amen. EXTEND
 READ: As Jesus was teaching how to love each other, he met people whom he invited to join him in his work. Those people are called disciples. One day Jesus was at a lakeside teaching, he saw some fishermen named Simon, James, and John working on their nets. He told the fishermen to go back out on the lake and let down their nets. Simon told Jesus they were tired after a long night of fishing, but they went anyway. And they caught so many fish, their nets almost broke. Everyone was amazed. When they got back to the shore, Jesus told them: “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him. --Luke 5:1-11 (The Message) WONDER: I wonder what Simon and his friends thought when Jesus told them to try fishing again? I wonder what Simon, James, and John left behind to follow Jesus? I wonder what part of this story is most important? I wonder what part of this story you like the best? I wonder if Jesus still needs disciples? SAY: In this story we see that Jesus invited ordinary people to help him share God’s news of love and care for the world. PRAY: Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for the people who are your helpers, for those who teach us about your love. Help us to share your love with other people. Amen. EXTEND
 First century Galilean boat (Wikipedia) |
Weekly Faith ConversationsUse these guides as conversation starters with your family. A short retelling of the scripture passage is offered or you may want to look the story up in your own bible or in a children's bible. The wondering questions are written to open up faith exploration with children and adults. Archives
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