In Home
February 2024
Theme: Be Merciful

Online Session for the week of February 11, 2024

Opening Prayer:

Invite a family member to be the Prayer Leader. Begin with the Sign of the Cross. 

Prayer Leader: Lord, have mercy on us.
All: Lord, have mercy on us.

Prayer Leader: Christ, have mercy on us. 
All: Christ, have mercy on us.

Prayer Leader: Lord, have mercy on us.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Amen!

Discuss:

If you could name one person in your life (other than Jesus) who exemplifies the words merciful, who would you name?

Amongst your family define the word MERCY

Catechesis:

Mercy is a small word that holds a lot of power. Mercy means being treated with love and forgiveness, even though you've done something wrong. With God, it means that God treats us with love and forgiveness even though we have done wrong. God is merciful! He does not punish us as our sins deserve to be punished. God loves us and is full of mercy even though we don’t always deserve it.

St. Paul says in his letter to the Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God says that what we earn and deserve because of our sins is death. He's talking about something more than your body dying. He's talking about being separated from Him forever.

But God loves us so much and does not want us to be separated from him forever so God sent His only Son to die on a cross so that the penalty for our sins would be paid and we could have our sins forgiven! God's mercy is so amazing.

Remember mercy means to not get the punishment you deserve. We all deserve to be punished for our sins, but God says if we follow and obey Him and Jesus – He will forgive us our sins instead! And we will be able to live with him forever in heaven.

Invite a family member to read Luke 18: 9-14.
When the reader is finished reading, have him/her ask the following questions:

• Who needed God's mercy? 
• Who received God's mercy? 
• Why did the tax collector receive mercy while the Pharisee didn't?
• What do we need to do to receive mercy?

We all need mercy. We just need to ask God to have mercy on us and he will be merciful.

Discussion Questions:

• • • Have you ever had anyone offer you mercy?
    • How did you feel? Have you ever offered someone mercy?
    • How did you feel after you offered mercy?

Jesus says in Matthew’s Gospel in Chapter 9 verses 9-13, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. God and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. . . “  

Discuss: What do you think Jesus means by this statement?

Watch Together

For Grades 1-4

For Grades 5-10

Closing Prayer:

Begin with the Sign of the Cross. 

Pray together: 

Thank you, God, for showing compassion on us
even when we don't deserve it.
Help us to show mercy to someone who is difficult to love
even when we don't think they deserve it.
Help us to remember to be merciful
because You God are merciful.

Amen!

Questionnaire: 

Please make sure you submit your answers below so your child/ren can be marked present for this session. Thank you!