Family Discussion Questions
& Prayer
Homelessness Facts
source: https://streetsmartaustralia.org/homelessness/
What can you do to help?
Family Discussion Questions
‘I wonder’ questions to help prompt reflection and discussion:
Family Prayer for the Homeless
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, we pray for all the men and women,
boys and girls who are homeless today.
For those sleeping under bridges, on park benches, in doorways or bus stops and for those who have no relatives or friends
to help them.
Help us to see your face in the eyes of all homeless people.
Help us to be disciples of action and prayer.
Keep our hearts soft enough to continue to hear the cry of the hungry and the homeless.
We ask this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A Reading from the Gospel of
St Matthew
Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep
at his right hand and the goats at the left.
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Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me,
I was in prison and you visited me.’
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Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them,
‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one
of the least of these who are members of
my family, you did it to me.’
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Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
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Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Reader: The Gospel of the Lord
All: Praise to you Lord, Jesus Christ
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Litany for the Homeless
Leader: God of all refuge,
All: Protect all those who are on our streets.
Leader: God of all shelter,
All: Provide for all who are homeless
in our city.
Leader: God of all peace,
All: Calm troubled minds, and protect
those who feel hunted.
Leader: God of all rest,
All: Give sleep to all who are cold or
who are keeping one eye open in
fear of trouble.
Leader: God of all power,
All: Transform lives so that they
may be free in your freedom.
Leader: We ask these things in the name
of your son Jesus Christ.
All: Amen.
Leader: God of all comfort,
All: Strengthen weak knees, and heal broken hearts.
.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, make us worthy, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them, through our hands this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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