Baby Bottle Drive: Lessons for Families
LECCIÓN 1: AMAR A DIOS, AMARSE UNOS A OTROS
COMIENCE CON ORACIÓN:
WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR?
We are called to love God and love each other. That is the root of all Catholic social teaching. As a family read Luke 10:29-37 (The Good Samaritan) and use it as a template to answer the question, who is your neighbor. How does this relate to you and your family today? Encourage them to mentally walk through their day and “see” all their neighbors they have encountered:. When you have finished, watch the video below:
El video plantea la pregunta: "¿Cómo vas a amar a un Dios que no puedes ver si no puedes amar a la persona que sí puedes?" Configura un cronómetro durante 3 minutos y, en familia, recuerdan a todas las personas en las que pueden pensar que son sus vecinos. .¿Cómo podemos amar mejor a las personas en nuestras vidas? ¿Nuestros amigos, nuestra familia, nuestros vecinos, nuestros maestros, nuestros compañeros de trabajo, extraños y personas necesitadas?
LESSON 2: MADE IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD
WE BEGIN ALL THINGS WITH PRAYER...
“God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them.” - Genesis 1:27
For the first project every family member will need a blank sheet of paper. On the middle of the paper draw a picture of God. This might be challenging for some of your familiy members and that’s OK. It is actually quite profound to witness what the young children in your family draw. Let them be creative with what they draw.
Next, around the picture, have them list words and phrases that describe God. Parents may need to help the younger children with this part. Again, this may be challenging at first but no matter where they are in their faith journeys they have already picked up a certain idea of who God is.
Once everyone is done, turn the picture over and have everyone draw a picture of themselves on the other side. Around the picture write words that describe themselves. When everyone is done, look at the two lists and see if any of the words are similar. This can lead into a really good discussion on what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God.
After a few moments of discussion watch the video below. Bishop Don Hying, the Archbishop of Madison, WI shares about our Catholic belief that all life is valuable. The remarks are based upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2258).
This is an update on Dominic Pio Gundrum. He is now 6 years old and doing great. This video may not be appropriate for younger children. Please preview it before you share it with your family.
LESSON 3: GENEROCITY
Begin with Prayer
Lord, teach me to be generous,to serve you as you deserve,to give and not to count the cost,to fight and not to heed the wounds,to toil and not to seek for rest,to labor and not to look for any reward,save that of knowing that I do your holy will.
-St. Ignatius of Loyola
Play the video below:
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells us if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains. The problem is most of us don’t put our faith to use. In this video, Fr. Mike invites us to make use of the gifts God has already given us. In doing so, we may become so overjoyed by our natural gifts that we can’t help but share them with others.
Discussion Questions:
Take a few minutes and think about the gift God has given you. What are some practical ways you could better use those gifts?
Fr. Mike describes generosity as "love with feet". What do you think he means by that statement?
Scripture References:
DEUTERONOMY 15:7–8
PSALM 41:1–3, GOD’S PROMISE TO THE GENEROUS
PROVERBS 11:24–25, YOUR GENEROSITY DEFINES YOUR EXPERIENCE
MATTHEW 10:42, GOD KEEPS TRACK OF OUR GIVING
LUKE 21:1–4, JESUS’ ENTHUSIASM ABOUT GENEROSITY
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6–8, GOD DOESN’T WANT TO COERCE GENEROSITY
References from the Catechism of the Church:
1567; 1937; 1968; 2335; 2373; 2368; 2379; 3407
LESSON 4: JOY STORY
WE BEGIN ALL THINGS WITH PRAYER...
Pray a spontaneous prayer or begin with an Our Father or Hail Mary.
So what does Mary have to do with a Baby Bottle Drive? As you and your family generously give it is a great time to remember that God sent his son as an innocent baby. It is a great opportunity to talk about the incarnation and Mary's special role in salvation history. It reminds us that Mary's FIAT (her yes) is the perfect example for us. Mary always points the way to her Son and calls us into a deeper relationship with Him.
Begin by watching the video below:
Discussion Questions:
Did you learn anything new about Mary from the video?
What is the difference between honoring Mary and worshiping Mary?
Does your family have any devotions or prayers you do on a regular basis?
RELATED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
Finding the Hail Mary in Scripture:
Luke 1:27; Luke 1:41-43; Luke 1:48
Mary’s Obedience:
Luke 1:38
Mary’s Influence on Jesus:
Luke 2:51; John 2:3-10
Why We Consider Her Our Mother:
RELATED CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REFERENCES:
Mary as Our Mother: 967-970
Devotion to Mary: 971
Why Mary?: 488-489
Mary’s Obedience: 494
Mary’s Virginity: 496-501
Why “Ever-Virgin”?: 499-507
LESSON 5: HOPE AND MERCY
Begin with Prayer
Heavenly Father, it was by your mercy that we were created, and by your mercy that you redeemed us by sending your Son. Your mercy is the light in which sinners find you and good people come back to you. We thank you and praise you for your mercy. AMEN.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the connection between Jesus’ love and his mercy?
2. Can we look Mercy like the transitional property in math?
Mercy = Love; Love = No Fear; therefore Mercy = No Fear
3. The narrator mentions a paradox: where sin abounds (exists in large amounts), grace abounds all the more (Romans 5:20). What does this mean?
Closing Prayer:
Pray a decade of the Divine Mercy Chaplet (Click HERE).
RELATED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
Grace:
John 1:14; Acts 4:33; Acts 6:8; Acts 11:22-24; Acts 14: 1-3; Hebrews 12:15; 1 Peter 5:10
Mercy:
Chronicles 30:9; Psalm 86:5; Nehemiah 9:28; Matthew 5:7; Matthew 9:13; Luke 6:36; Hebrews 4:16; Jude 1:22, 23
Fear:
Proverbs 12:25; Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18
RELATED CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REFERENCES:
Mercy:
211; 270; 545; 1013; 1037; 1429; 1431; 1458
Grace:
35; 153-155; 158; 214; 308; 420; 678-679; 1013; 1084; 1431-1432
LESSON 6: PRO-LIFE = PRO-LOVE
Begin with Prayer:
O Mary,bright dawn of the new world,Mother of the living,to you do we entrust the cause of lifeLook down, O Mother,upon the vast numbersof babies not allowed to be born,of the poor whose lives are made difficult,of men and womenwho are victims of brutal violence,of the elderly and the sick killedby indifference or out of misguided mercy.Grant that all who believe in your Sonmay proclaim the Gospel of lifewith honesty and loveto the people of our time.Obtain for them the graceto accept that Gospelas a gift ever new,the joy of celebrating it with gratitudethroughout their livesand the courage to bear witness to itresolutely, in order to build,together with all people of good will,the civilization of truth and love,to the praise and glory of God,the Creator and lover of life. AMEN- Evangelium Vitae, The Gospel of Life, 105
Play the video:
Discussion Questions:
Sr. Alicia Torres speaks about how her involvement in pro-life work led to a broader understanding of the value of every human life.
What does it mean to be Pro-Life?
Why does the Catholic Church believe that every life is precious?
How did her involvement in the pro-life movement help to form Sr. Alicia’s view of the world?
Do you see a connection between being pro-life and joining an order that serves the poor and destitute? What is it?
What did Sr. Alicia come to realize about her own value during her illness?
Closing Prayer:
JMJ Pregnancy Center Prayer
Lord, we thank You for the gift of our lives. We offer up to You all of the women and families who are served by JMJ Pregnancy Center.
Help JMJ live out its mission to support the God‑given right of every pregnant woman to give birth and the right of every unborn child to be born.
Give us the courage to protect every precious human life from conception to natural death.
Please bless all of the volunteers, staff, and donors who so generously give of themselves for the ministry of JMJ.
We ask these prayers through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
RELATED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
In Support of a Pro-Life Position: Psalm 22:10-11; Psalm 127:3; Psalm 139:13, 15; Jeremiah 1:5; Galatians 1:15
On the Value of Every Life: Genesis 1:27; Matthew 7:12; John 4:4-42; Romans 5:6-8; Colossians 4:1-18; 1 John 3:17
RELATED CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REFERENCES:
2271-2272, 2322
LESS0N 7: BEGINNING OF HOLINESS
WE BEGIN ALL THINGS WITH PRAYER
Dear Jesus, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. Amen.- Blessed John Henry Newman
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
“God speaks to us in the silence of our heart.”
What does this mean?
Is your heart silent?
How can you make your heart silent?
Why would it be helpful to have silence in our hearts for God to speak to us?
“We speak to God from the fullness of our hearts.”
Have you ever felt you had so much in your heart that you HAD to speak to God about it?
What happened when you did?
Blessed Mother Teresa laid out a very simple progression of prayer: “First we listen. God speaks and then we speak and God listens.”
What does she say we should do first?
s this how you pray – listen first?
Why do you think she says to listen before we speak?
“(The) fruit of prayer is deepening of faith, and the fruit of faith is love, and the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.”
How does prayer deepen our faith?
Why would a deeper faith create more love in us?
Why would love compel us to serve?
How does service create peace in us?
Blessed Mother Teresa said when we have a clean heart we see God in others and when we see God in others, we want to love and serve them.
Why would we want to see God in others?
Why is that important?
Think of a person who is difficult for you to be patient with, care about, or love. How wouldthings change if you were able to see God in that person?
Closing Prayer:
JMJ Pregnancy Center Prayer
Lord, we thank You for the gift of our lives. We offer up to You all of the women and families who are served by JMJ Pregnancy Center. Help JMJ live out its mission to support the God‑given right of every pregnant woman to give birth and the right of every unborn child to be born.Give us the courage to protect every precious human life from conception to natural death.Please bless all of the volunteers, staff, and donors who so generously give of themselves for the ministry of JMJ.We ask these prayers through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
RELATED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
Listening:
Proverbs 8:32-34; Matthew 17:5; John 10:27; James 1:19
Serving:
Mark 10:45; Romans 2:13; Philippians 2:5-7; James 1:22-24
RELATED CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REFERENCES:
Contemplative Prayer:
2709, 2713, 2715-2717
LESSON 8: YOUR MISSION IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT.
Redemptoris Missio (1990) by Pope John Paul II focuses on the Church’s evangelizing mission in modern times. It reaffirms that the Church’s primary duty is to spread the Gospel, particularly to people who have never heard it, emphasizing Christ as the source of salvation for all. The encyclical explores the spiritual, cultural, and practical challenges to evangelization, including secularization, religious indifference, and the rise of non-Christian religions. It calls for renewed missionary activity, greater participation by laypeople, and an emphasis on human development, dialogue, and justice in evangelization efforts.The document discusses various forms of evangelization: direct proclamation of the Gospel, witness through Christian life, and engagement in social justice. John Paul II stresses the need for missionaries to respect local cultures while also remaining faithful to the Gospel message. He encourages collaboration among churches and missionaries to face modern challenges, advocating for a deeper spiritual commitment to missionary work. Furthermore, the pope highlights the role of prayer, sacrifice, and the involvement of every Christian, including the laity, in the mission of the Church.
John Paul II concludes by urging a renewed commitment to missionary efforts, noting that the Church’s mission must be motivated by love, compassion, and a deep faith in Christ’s promise of salvation for all people.