1. Sunday, November 8, 2026  (32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

 

Take a minute to consciously acknowledge that you are in the presence of God and ask him to help you to hear the Word he wants you to hear this week.

 

Here’s a link to Sunday, November 8th readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110826.cfm

Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, teaching his disciples the importance of being prepared to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. 

 

Read together this Gospel, Matthew 25:1-13 and discuss the following questions together.

1. What all might the ten women be thinking and feeling? 

2. How would you feel if you were among those who went into the feast with the groom? 

3. What does this parable teach you about God’s kingdom? 

4. What makes a person foolish? 

5. What makes a person wise? 

6. How are you trying to stay awake? 

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* Read about it

• Stay awake 

All of the women doze off, but only some of them brought extra oil. Stay awake (v.13) is thus a metaphor for being prepared. Even when the groom is delayed for a long time, five of the women still don’t prepare for his eventual arrival. The parable leaves open the question of why these five women don't plan ahead. The story focuses on the unexpected arrival of God’s kingdom. Everyone must be ready at all times – whether asleep or awake – for Christ to return. How to get and stay ready is a question we must each ask ourselves. 

 

* Family Connection

In the daily activities of family life, we can easily find excuses for not attending to our spiritual lives. If not given top priority, prayer and reading Scripture risk becoming occasional activities rather than daily practices. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that if we fail to give our spiritual life priority, we will find ourselves unprepared to receive Jesus. Daily prayer and spiritual practice keeps us ready to receive Jesus. 

Gather together as a family and talk about some of the things our faith calls us to do every day and every week to keep God first in our lives. Talk about what might happen if we don’t do these things regularly. Explain to your family that Jesus taught us that it is important to keep ourselves ready to receive him when he comes again. Talk with your family about why Jesus says that it is so important to remain ready to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. Pray together that your family will always keep God first in your lives so that you will all be prepared to receive Jesus when he comes.  

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* End in Prayer

Act of Hope

O my God, relying on your infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

Amen. 

 

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2. Do the Thanksgiving Challenge

Read the different Scripture passages through the month of November and talk about what ones were your favorite or mean the most to you.

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3. 30 Seconds of Prayer

How often do you pray? You may think prayer is too time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. Build in thirty-second prayer times throughout your day and see what happens.  

 

1. Begin with prayer:  Loving Father, I come before You with a heart overflowing with gratitude. Each day is a gift from You, filled with blessings big and small. Thank You for the gift of life, the love of family and friends, and the beauty of creation that surrounds me. Teach me to recognize Your goodness in all circumstances, even when life seems difficult. Help me cultivate a thankful heart, remembering that every good and perfect gift comes from You. May my words and actions reflect the gratitude I feel, and may I always find joy in praising Your holy name. Amen 

2. Discuss as a family: How much of your day do you spend in prayer? Five minutes? Twenty minutes? An hour? Many people struggle to find time to spend with God, but it doesn’t have to be a struggle. For one day, try making prayer a part of your regular routine. 

3. Throughout your day, incorporate 30-second prayers into your routine. Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Hitting the snooze? Say a quick prayer of thanks for another day. 

• At the computer? Pray for God to remind you of good posture. 

• Driving somewhere? Pray for safe travel. 

• Road rage? Pray for God to help you remain calm and drive smart. 

• Lunch? Give thanks for your food. 

• Deadline? Pray for God to help you focus long enough to meet it. 

• Argument with someone? Pray for God to help you resolve it reasonably and swiftly. 

• Time with a friend? Pray for God to bless your time together. 

• Annoyed? Pray for God to help change the situation or change your attitude. 

4. Watch the video The busy Catholics guide to finding time to pray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drCIUGt0OA8  Discuss your thoughts from the video.

5. Come back together another day and reflect on how these 30-second prayers made a difference in your day. Did they help you remain more focused or help keep your emotions under control? How might your life be changed if you incorporated prayer into each part of your day on a regular basis? 

 

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4. Sunday, November 15, 2026 (33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Take a minute to consciously acknowledge that you are in the presence of God and ask him to help you to hear the Word he wants you to hear this week.

 

Here’s a link to Sunday, November 15th’s  readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111526.cfm

Jesus tells the parable of the talents, in which he teaches about the importance of using the gifts that God has given to us in service to the Kingdom of Heaven. 

 

Read together this Gospel, Matthew 25:14-30 and discuss the following questions together.

1. What does the man expect of each servant? 

2. What all could the talents represent? 

3. What all might the master think in response to the words of the third servant? 

4. What does this parable leave you thinking about? 

5. What has God entrusted to you? 

6. If you were to meet God today, what would you offer him? 

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*  Family Activity

The Gospel today asks us to use our gifts and risk everything for the sake of the Gospel. Give a cardboard circle to each member of the family. Instruct each person to write his or her name on a circle and then to pass the circle to the person on the left. This person should write on the circle one gift that the family member has. If the children are too young to write, do this orally while someone in the family writes. Take time to affirm the talents you see in one another. Talk about ways to use your gifts to help build God’s Kingdom.

 

*  Read About

• Cast aside 

It was common at that time to bury one’s valuables in order to protect them. The servant’s decision may seem prudent, but it reveals his failure to try to improve upon what he had. This servant also disregards the trust his master had in him. He even blames his master for his own decision. He returns the talent as though he never wanted it to begin with. The master points out that in spite of knowing the great demands he makes, the servant still didn’t do anything with his talent. The parable closes with a warning to those who waste the gifts and the time that they have. 

 

* End in Prayer

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.

And kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And you will renew the face of the earth.

 

Lord,

by the light of the Holy Spirit

you have taught the hearts of your faithful.

In the same Spirit

help us to relish what is right

and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen. 

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5. Thanksgiving Stories

When families gather for holiday celebrations, treasured family stories are often told. This activity highlights the ritual and tradition of family storytelling and captures it for generations to come.   

1. Begin with prayer: God, we know the power of a story. In Scripture we read the stories of your faithfulness, grace, and love. Today, as we gather as a family, we give thanks for being a part of your story as we live our lives for you. Be with us as we celebrate the stories we share as a family and help us to recognize these stories as signs of your blessings in our lives. Amen.

2. Have a notebook or a couple sheets of paper with this Scripture verse on it: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ~Deuteronomy 6:4-5                                                    

3. Read the above Scripture to everyone

4.  Have everyone to think of one family story that is an example of God’s love at work in your family and to write it in the notebook/paper when it is passed to them. Gather later in the day to read the stories.

 

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6. Sunday, November 22, 2026 (The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe)

Take a minute to consciously acknowledge that you are in the presence of God and ask him to help you to hear the Word he wants you to hear this week.

 

Here’s a link to Sunday, November 22nd’s  readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112226.cfm

Jesus teaches that when the Son of Man comes in glory, he will judge the nations, separating the sheep from the goats. 

 

Read together this Gospel, Matthew 25:31-46 and discuss the following questions together.

1. What does the king base his judgments on?

2. What does this mean about whom we might choose to befriend or about how we ought to act toward other people?

3.  What is the purpose of the separation of the peoples?

4. Who are the sheep?

5. How are the sheep identified?

6. Who are the goats?

1. How are the goats identified?

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*  Family Connection

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that we will be judged on only one thing: the acts of mercy we have shown to the least among us. Jesus identifies with the least ones; thus we serve Jesus whenever we serve one of the least ones. The Church calls the actions that Jesus described in today’s Gospel the Corporal Works of Mercy. These works are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to bury the dead, to shelter the homeless, to visit the sick and imprisoned, and to give alms to the poor. In these actions we show God’s compassion and mercy to those in need.

As you gather as a family, recall the list of the Corporal Works of Mercy. Talk about some concrete examples of how your family might do these actions in your community and then discuss why it is important that we do these things. 

 

*  Family Challenge

Consider inviting someone who may be alone or new to the area to join you for Thanksgiving dinner or another time this week. Alternatively, look into ways to serve those in need on Thanksgiving by donating food to a food pantry or soup kitchen.

 

End in Prayer

Thanksgiving Prayer

Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us.

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.

Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.

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7. Sunday, November 29, 2026 (1st Sunday of Advent)

Take a minute to consciously acknowledge that you are in the presence of God and ask him to help you to hear the Word he wants you to hear this week.

 

Here’s a link to Sunday, November 29th’s readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112926.cfm

Jesus warns his disciples to be watchful so that they will be ready when the Son of Man comes. 

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Read together this Gospel, Mark 13:33-37 and discuss the following questions together.

1. Share a time when you prepared for a special event or activity.

2. What are some things that we can do to stay alert and ready to welcome Christ when he returns in glory?  

3. What are some ways your family can make Advent more meaningful this year?

 

*  Family Activity (Choose 1)

• Make an Advent calendar. Together as a family, write what you will do each day to get ready for Jesus’ coming.

 

• Make a manger or an empty stable for the infant Jesus. Each evening during Advent, each member of the family tells one kind thing he or she has done that day to prepare for the coming of Jesus. Each places a straw in the manger for each good thing that he or she has done.

 

• As a family, make an Advent wreath. The Advent wreath is a circle of evergreens with four candles. Use a Styrofoam ring for the base.  Hollow out four holes to fit the candles. Four candles identify the weeks of Advent: three are purple, for the long wait; one pink, for the third Sunday to express our joy that we are halfway through our Advent waiting. Decorate with artificial evergreen twigs and berries.   Place the Advent wreath on your family table and light it 

 

* End in Prayer

Prayer for the beginning of Advent

Lord, send down Your Spirit to guide me during Advent this year. May the Holy Spirit help me journey closer to You and lift me up when I feel down and lead me when I feel lost. I may stumble at times, but I know my ultimate journey is to draw closer to You and build Your kingdom here on earth–a kingdom that Jesus’s birth, life and death helped secure. Amen.