This is always a great topic, but especially so during Lent when we are reminded so often to respond to the needs of others.  As you go through this lesson, you may find a new focus for some of your Lenten practices for this year.

The basic starting point for the lesson is the coloring book, Help Me Be Jesus to the World, where you’ll not only find pages to color, but explanations, action points and Scripture quotes on each of the seven principals of Catholic Social Teaching outlined by our bishops.

Practically speaking, doing this entire lesson in one sitting may be too long for your little ones, so take a look at it ahead of time and break it up into two or three sessions, if necessary.

Also, you may be one of those families who have done this a couple times already.  If that’s you, we still suggest you start with the basics, but then go back to the lessons and look up a few of things that the Bible has to say about the topic.

And finally, there’s a huge difference between learning a topic theoretically and learning through hard experience.  No matter what the age of your kids, they will probably learn to better empathize with hungry children throughout the world if they experience a little of it themselves.  Follow the “menu” on the back page of the lesson to help your kids understand what it truly means to not have enough to eat.  It’s a powerful lesson!