Children and Families at Saint Thomas Church: Sunday November 16, 2025

Dear families,

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus warns the disciples of the danger that lies ahead. While we may not face persecution or martyrdom as they did, we do understand what it means to fear for those we love. Parents especially know the deep ache of realizing that our children will, at some point, face hardship or danger we cannot shield them from.

Psychologists sometimes refer to a coping behavior called rehearsing. When we’re anxious or angry, we replay possible future scenarios, sometimes even speaking them out loud, as if practicing for a moment that may never come. Rehearsing gives us an allusion that we can control the scenario much more than we actually can.

Jesus tells his disciples not to rehearse their defenses: “Do not prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that your adversaries cannot contradict.” In practice, it is hard to tell if we are being thoughtful or trying to rehearse and control the uncontrollable. But, I suspect you may be able to sense the difference at times.

This week, I invite you to ask God to reveal when you are planning and when you are rehearsing. In those moments, pause and ask the Holy Spirit to speak instead, to give you “words and wisdom” rooted not in anxiety, but in trust.

Grace and peace,
Father Preston