Scripture Focus

Blessed are you…joy!

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Response: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Psalm 1 The BEATITUDES And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said, “Blessed are you…” Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. Luke 6 We cherish these words of Jesus even today. The ‘Beatitudes,’ or blessings, that Christ gives us takes everything to the next level. We even see that the prophets have said this before! Their message might have been said with a “woe to you if you are satisfied” instead of blessed are you. The paradox of our faith shows itself in these blessings. How can we laugh when we feel like crying? This distinction can be hard to understand for us today.  You may have heard ‘happy are those’ in a different translation. We know that we can’t be happy all the time. Words for our blessings are satisfied, comforted and can experience the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s a different way of looking at the challenges we have in life. Interesting that the following verses in Luke Chapter 6 are love your enemies and the Golden rule. Check out the next posts! The Beatitudes are the way to live that goes beyond the 10 Commandments. Taking it up a notch! Why? What do we think? Then how do […]

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Faith Formation for Kids

What happens at Baptism?

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The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord The Lord will bless his people with peace. Ps 29 In the Gospel from Luke Chapter 3, we see John the Baptist announcing the one who is mightier than he and will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. John was baptizing with water, not with power.  Take some time this week to think about what baptism means for your life. Our baptism is different! …The Baptism given by Jesus, which the Church, faithful to his command, does not cease to administer, is quite different. This Baptism frees man from original sin and forgives his sins, saves him from slavery to evil and is a sign of his rebirth in the Holy Spirit; it imparts to him a new life, which is participation in the life of God the Father, given to us by his Only-Begotten Son who became man, died and rose again.                 4. Dear brothers and sisters, in a few moments these children will also receive Baptism and become living members of the Church. They will first be anointed with the oil of catechumens, a sign of Christ’s gentle strength given to them to fight against evil. Then blessed water will be poured on them, a sign of their interior purification through the gift of the Holy Spirit, poured out by Jesus as he was dying on the Cross. They are then immediately given a second and more important anointing with “chrism”, to show […]

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Faith Formation for Kids

Beatitudes for Families

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             This was such a great resource from Loyola Press that I had to share it with all of my families in Faith Formation and especially our Grade 7 Confirmation class! The Beatitudes are so difficult to explain and understand, even for me. How can we apply to our lives? Starting in March, we will be giving BEE-attitude awards out in classes.  The laminated page from Loyola Press has the Beatitudes from Jesus in Matthew 5:3-10 on one side and the Beatitudes for Families on the other. What a wonderful discussion for your family! One example:  Blessed are the families who strengthen one another, encourage compassion, and desire to do good despite life’s blows and setbacks, for they help bring about the Kingdom of God. (Beatitude for Families #8)   Praying for all families everywhere, Donna Doherty, Dir. of St. Gall Faith Formation Published in the St. Gall Bulletin for Sunday, 1/16/22

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