St. Gregory Nazianzen (Feast Day January 14)

325 – 390

St. Gregory Nazianzen was a 4th-century Christian bishop of Constantinople. He lived in a tumultuous time when false teachings about the divinity of Jesus and the divinity of the Holy Spirit were circulating in the Church. St. Gregory defended the truth about the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit and was called to rebuild the faith in the great see of Constantinople, which had been exposed to these false teachings for three decades. St. Gregory is a Doctor of the Church, a title given to saints recognized as having made significant contributions to theology or doctrine through their research, study, or writing.

·      Why were the disciples frustrated and discouraged at the beginning of today’s Gospel story?

·      Share a time when you talked to Jesus about something that frustrated you. What did Jesus say back to you?

·      In what way does today’s story remind you of Mass?

·      Just as Jesus helped the disciples on the road to Emmaus, St. Gregory Nazianzen helped people understand God’s teachings. Who helps you with questions of faith?

Have a Family Picnic

Pack a meal to share at a park or in the yard. It can be a formal meal or something casual. Bring a large blanket, towels, or lawn chairs to sit in while you eat. If the weather isn’t nice, have a picnic inside! Set up a blanket on the floor and eat there! 

Trail Mix

Personalize this snack for everyone to enjoy on your family picnic.

In a large bowl, mix a variety of sweet and salty snacks together. Store in an airtight container or divide into snack bags. Here are some ingredients you may want to use:

• Pretzels
• Popcorn
• Gummy Bears
• Chocolate Chips
• M & M candy
• Animal Crackers
• Dried Fruit
• Cheese Crackers
• Yogurt Covered Raisins
• Marshmallows
• Cereal (e.g., Cheerios, Chex)

Emmaus Prayer

Lord, as we walk down the journey of life,

we ask that you would be our constant companion,

particularly on those days when we are disheartened or when we have strayed off of your path.

When we are downcast, we ask that you lift our spirits.

When we are confused, we ask that you enlighten our minds.

When we are disappointed, we ask that you give us hope.

You, Lord, have blessed us with your Gospel.

Open our minds and hearts to receive your word and send your Holy Spirit to give us understanding.

May your teaching take root in our lives and guide us in your ways.

While we have faith in you, Lord, we also have our moments of doubt.

We ask that you deepen our faith, so that rededicated to you,

we would give bolder witness, and freely and gladly give generous service.

You gently ask us to invite you into our hearts and homes.

With a spirit of welcome and humility, we invite you to dwell with us always.

We offer our praise and thanks for the many ways that you feed us and provide for our many needs.

Keep us closely connected to our brothers and sisters in faith.

Help us to see others with the eyes of love.

Fill us with your compassion.

May we work tirelessly to foster relationships in our community built on the foundations of
truth, mutual respect, cooperation, and trust. Amen.

Find the Paschal Candle in your church. What do you see on it? What makes it different than any other candle in the Church? 

Today’s Gospel tells us that the walking distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus is seven miles. See if your family can walk a total of seven miles this week. Use an online map or phone app to track your progress.

April 26 is National Pretzel Day! A young monk first started baking pretzels around the year 610. He folded the dough into a shape resembling a child crossing its arms in prayer. It is said that the three holes in a pretzel twist represent the Holy Trinity.