Choose one of the following activities as a way to further reflect on the Sunday readings:

• In today’s Gospel the Canaanite woman demanded that Jesus heal her daughter. Gather for family prayer and invite each person to offer a prayer of petition, silently or aloud, for any member of the family.
• Spend time as a family writing letters to Jesus. The letter may be as simple as completing the following: Dear Jesus, the one thing that I most want you to do for me is... Let the young children in the family dictate their letters to an older family member. Place the letters in a prayer space and talk about the need to persevere in prayer and never lose hope.
• The Canaanite woman confronted the evils of discrimination in today’s Gospel. As a family, explore the topic of discrimination. Watch the evening news together. After the news, discuss the stories of discrimination in the newscast and what can be done about these situations. Talk about how faith plays a role in dealing with the evils of discrimination.
• Maybe your family is a victim of discrimination. Talk to your children about their feelings and how they can cope with this discrimination. Remind your children that God loves them.