√ √Crayons, pencil sharpener, wax paper, iron
√ Perhaps a children’s Bible with the story of Zacchaeus
√ Perhaps a children’s Bible with the story of Zacchaeus
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Take a moment to centre yourselves and arrive together. If you have small children, you might specifically invite them to take five deep breaths.
Light a Candle
Opening Prayer
Spirit of Love, you are with us always. We ask for open hearts and open minds as we seek to live in a way that honours the earth and all her children. Amen.
Spirit of Love, you are with us always. We ask for open hearts and open minds as we seek to live in a way that honours the earth and all her children. Amen.
Song: God Bless Every Step
Honesty is represented by either the raven or the sabe. They both understand who they are and how to walk in their life. “Sabe reminds us to be ourselves and not someone we are not. An honest person is said to walk tall like Kitchi-Sabe. Like Kitchi-Sabe, Raven accepts himself and knows how to use his gift. He does not seek the power, speed or beauty of others. He uses what he has been given to survive and thrive. So must you.” To walk through life with integrity is to know honesty. Be honest with yourself. Recognize and accept who you are. Accept and use the gifts you have been given. Do not seek to deceive yourself or others. (The Seven Sacred Teachings of White Buffalo Calf Woman, by David Bouchard & Dr. Joseph Martin; (The Seven Grandfather Teachings: Honesty, Uniting Three Fires Against Violence).
Gallery Paintings
Take time to explore the art entitled “Honesty” in the online exhibition. Sift through the artist reflections as the age and stage of any children present allows.
What do you notice about the artwork? What do you wonder about the artwork?
Bible Reflection
Honesty and truth in the Bible aren’t separate ideas in the same way that they are in the Seven Sacred Teachings. Sabe and raven remind me that in Hebrew tradition truth is an action, something that is lived out. Perhaps then, Sabe and raven suggest that honesty and integrity come from living out deeper truths.
From within the Christian tradition, to “recognize and accept who you are” might be said to understand ourselves as beloved children of God, called to be loving in the world and honest and humble about when we don’t live up to this call. 1 John 3:18 reads “let us not love with words or speech, but with action and in truth.” Perhaps 1 John is asking that our actions have integrity to the larger truth of who we are as people who “do justice.” We can think here about the people Jesus calls to change their actions in order to live into a different truth of who they were meant to be. One example of such a person is the Zacchaeus from the Gospel of Luke.
Luke 19:1-10
1 [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a [child] of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
1 [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a [child] of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
Zacchaeus is a tax collector; this means he is collecting money from Jewish people for the Roman Empire who had control of the region of Judea. Tax collectors were not well liked because they were known for making a wealthy living by taking money for themselves as well as for the Empire. This is why Zacchaeus is referred to as “a sinner” in this story. He climbs a tree to better hear Jesus’s teaching, and when he spends time with Jesus, he ends up giving half of all his possessions to the poor and committing to repair any relationships that he has wronged through his work as a tax collector. It is interesting that when Zacchaeus commits himself to these actions, he “stands up,” like Sabe, to claim both what he has done to hurt others and what he will do to begin living integrity. When he does this, Jesus claims “salvation” has come to the house and names this salvation as occurring partly because Zacchaeus is remembering who he is: “a [child] of Abraham” called to live in good relationship with others and with God.
Can we think of Zacchaeus as one who is learning to walk like Sabe or live like raven, with honesty and greater integrity?
Reflection Questions
Are there parts of yourself that you find hard to accept and be honest about or feel that you need to hide from others?
Are there habits or behaviours you have that aren’t in line with the belief that you are a beloved child of God?
Art Activity
When we are honest and walk with integrity, we let the beauty of who we each are show. Make a sun catcher that lets the beauty shine through! Find out more here.
Can we think of Zacchaeus as one who is learning to walk like Sabe or live like raven, with honesty and greater integrity?
Reflection Questions
Are there parts of yourself that you find hard to accept and be honest about or feel that you need to hide from others?
Are there habits or behaviours you have that aren’t in line with the belief that you are a beloved child of God?
Art Activity
When we are honest and walk with integrity, we let the beauty of who we each are show. Make a sun catcher that lets the beauty shine through! Find out more here.
Song: Take Me As I Am
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Explore another page of the Home Engagement Resource rituals.
Simply click on the word/teaching you want to pursue.
Closing Prayer
May we journey with honesty until we meet again. Amen.
May we journey with honesty until we meet again. Amen.
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Explore another page of the Home Engagement Resource rituals.
Simply click on the word/teaching you want to pursue.