god loves us and calls us to be in relationship with him ... · god loves us and calls us to be in...

Unit 1, lesson 9

Unit 1, lesson 9

Connection to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

ӹ CCC 44-45

ӹ CCC 168

ӹ CCC 301

ӹ CCC 356

ӹ CCC 639

ӹ CCC 643-646

ӹ CCC 651

ӹ CCC 655

ӹ CCC 757

ӹ CCC 781

Vocabulary ӹ Resurrection of the Body

Learning Goals ӹ God loves us as a father loves his

children, and He wants a relationship with us.

ӹ Human beings are the only creatures God willed for their own sake.

ӹ God sent His only Son to bring us back into relationship with Him and show us His love.

ӹ Christ established the Church (the Body of Christ) so that we may be saved as a people. He appointed leaders, gave them authority, and told us all to make disciples.

ӹ The Church is like a family: God is our Father, the Church is our mother, and Christ is our brother.

God Loves Us and Calls Us to Be in Relationship with Him in the Church

Is Ephraim not my favored son, the child in whom I delight? Even though I threaten him, I must still remember him! My heart stirs for him, I must show him compassion!—oracle of the LORD.

JEREMIAH 31:20

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-21

BiBliCAl toUCHstones

139

© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS

LESSON PLANLesson Plan

DAY ONEWarm-UpA. Project Jeremiah 31:20, and have a student stand and read it aloud:

Is Ephraim not my favored son, the child in whom I delight? Even though I threaten him, I must still remember him! My heart stirs for him, I must show him compassion!—oracle of the LORD.

B. Ask your students the following questions:

ӹ Who is the speaker in this passage? The Lord.

ӹ What does it mean for a father to delight in his child? Accept reasoned answers.

ӹ Is it possible for a good father to discipline his children yet still love them? Yes, a good father MUST discipline his children so that they learn boundaries and know what is best for them.

ӹ Who is the Lord speaking about in this passage? The Lord is speaking of the people of Ephraim, but He is also speaking about us, all of His sons and daughters.

ActivityA. Explain the following to your students in a mini-lecture:

God loves us and has called us into relationship with Him. Often, we hear that the “God of the Old Testament” is harsh and unloving, but in truth, God has always loved us, from the beginning. In fact, He loved us into existence. We are the only creatures that He created for our own sake. That means we were created simply to be loved by Him and to love Him in return. God does not have

“use” for us as if we were objects that benefit Him. On the contrary, God’s relationship to us is more like that of a father to a child. A small child is helpless and cannot do anything without his parents. The father has no “use” for the child. The benefit that the father receives from his relationship with his child is that he is able to love the child and hope that one day the child will love him in return.

Sometimes it is difficult to see how God is loving us, but He is always there for us, always loving us. In fact, He sustains us in His love. If God stopped loving us for even a second, we would cease to exist. But instead, God has loved us into existence and sustains our life every second.

God showed the ultimate act of love for us in Christ’s becoming man. Romans 5:8 speaks of God showing His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. It is a heroic deed to die for a loyal friend or family member, but to die for someone who has wronged you is almost impossible. This is the ultimate way that we know God loves us no matter what! If He died for us while we were in sin, of course He will forgive our sins now.

Materials ӹ Madonna of the Recommended

ӹ our Mother, the Church

ӹ Christ the Firstfruits

140

Unit 1, lesson 9

LESSON PLAN

AssessmentA. Play the video of the song “This Love” by Housefires, found at SophiaOnline.org/ThisLove.

B. Have your students reflect on the lyrics and then answer the following questions on their own paper:

ӹ How have you seen the love of God in the lives of others?

ӹ How has God showed you love in your life?

ӹ What does the line “This love won’t leave me because my past is bad” mean to you?

ӹ How can you love God more every day?

DAY TWOWarm-UpA. Project the image Madonna of the

Recommended (page 61) by Lippo Memmi. Give students several minutes to quietly view the art before you say or ask anything. Allow them to come up and stand closer to the image to examine details.

B. Once several minutes have passed, ask students:

ӹ What do you first notice about this work of art?

ӹ What do you like about this work of art?

ӹ How does this work of art make you feel?

ӹ Where is your eye drawn?

ӹ Who are the people in this painting? The woman in the center is Mary. The people beneath her wrapped in her mantle are the people on earth praying for her intercession. The people above her mantle with halos are the saints in heaven.

C. Project Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 757, and have a student read it aloud:

The Church, further, which is called “that Jerusalem which is above” and “our mother,” is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb. It is she whom Christ “loved and for whom he delivered himself up that he might sanctify her.” It is she whom he unites to himself by an unbreakable alliance, and whom he constantly “nourishes and cherishes.”

Chapel of the Corporal, Duomo, Orvieto, Italy.

Madonna of the RecommendedBY LIPPO MEMMI (C.1350s)

61

141


LESSON PLAN

D. Ask your students the following questions:

ӹ To what does the Catechism compare the Church in this paragraph? A mother, the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb.

ӹ What is the relationship between Christ and the Church? Christ loved her and delivered Himself up (sacrificed Himself) for her so that she might be holy. He is united to her by an unbreakable alliance and constantly nourishes and cherishes her.

ӹ What does this relationship between Christ and the Church sound like? A marriage, with Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as the bride.

E. Show again the image of Madonna of the Recommended. Explain to your students that God loves us as a father loves his children. His Son, Jesus Christ, during His earthly life, founded the Catholic Church. It is in and through that Church that God calls us to Him and loves us. One way to think of the Church is as a mother. The Church is our mother. Look at this painting of Madonna of the Recommended again. Ask your students to think about how, on one level, it’s clear that the image is of Mary, yet there is another way to interpret this painting, in light of the comparison from the Catechism. Allow a moment or two for reflection and then call on students to explain their new insight. The figure in the middle in one sense is Mary, but in another sense, it represents the Church. The people below her, covered in her mantle are the people of the Church, working out their salvation here on earth and striving for holiness. The people over her mantle are the souls in Heaven, those who have run the race and won the prize.

Activity Ask students to turn to Our Mother, the Church (page 62) in their workbooks. Have them work individually to fill in the chart and answer the reflection question. For the chart, in the left column, have your students describe five characteristics of an ideal mother. What is she like? How does she treat her children? What does she do? Then, in the right column, have them describe five corresponding ways the Church is like a mother to us, her children. Emphasize that they should give specific examples where appropriate.

AssessmentWhen your students have completed Our Mother, the Church, call on students to share their answers and discuss them.

Refl ection QuestionIn a fi ve- to seven-sentence paragraph, answer the following question:

If God is our Father and the Church is our mother, what does that mean for us as we strive for holiness as Christians throughout our lives?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

63

Our Mother, the Church

Directions: In the left column, describe fi ve characteristics of an ideal mother. What is she like? How does she treat her children? What does she do? Then, in the right column, describe fi ve corresponding ways the Church is like a mother to us, her children. Give specifi c examples.

Ideal Mother The Church

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

62

142

Unit 1, lesson 9

LESSON PLAN

DAY THREEWarm-UpA. Show the video of the song “Christ Is Risen” by Matt Maher found at SophiaOnline.org/

ChristIsRisen. Have your students follow along with the lyrics on the video and reflect on the meaning of the song.

B. Ask your students the following questions:

ӹ What event does this song describe? Christ’s Resurrection.

ӹ Who is the musician speaking to when he says, “Come awake, come awake! Come and rise up from the grave!”? Us, the faithful yet sinners here on earth.

ӹ Why does the musician ask, “O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory?” Because of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead, death has no power over us; hell (and Satan) did not win.

ӹ Why are we as the Church called to proclaim Christ’s Resurrection? Because it is Good News! We should want to share this Good News with all who would hear it.

ӹ What is the overall message of this song? Accept reasoned answers. Help your students understand that Christ, in His Resurrection, defeated death and sin and won a great victory for us. Therefore, we need to accept the victory He won for us and proclaim the Good News.

ActivityA. Ask your students to describe some things that they’ve learned from their parents as they’ve

grown up. Keep a list on the board. Answers may include how to speak, how to eat, how to read, how to play sports, how to be polite, how to act in public, how to say thank you, and so forth.

B. Explain to your students that, as Christians, we belong to a holy family. God is our Father and loves and protects us as a father protects his children. The Church is our mother, who raises us and teaches and cares for us as a mother does her children. Jesus is like us in all things but sin. He is our brother, the first of a risen humanity. And all of the other members of the Church are our brothers and sisters in Christ. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son into the world to show us His love, to teach us about Him and how to be in relationship with Him, and to die for our sins. And on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. As St. Paul describes the Resurrection, Jesus is the “firstfruits” of a new humanity, the first in a human race free from death and sin. In Christ, raised up and guided by His Church, and loved by the Father, we too can be free from death and sin. This is the gift of salvation.

143


LESSON PLAN

C. Have students turn to Christ the Firstfruits (page 64) in their workbooks. Have them work with a partner to read 1 Corinthians 15:1-26 and then answer the focus questions together. Note: This is a challenging Scripture passage. Circulate around the room to assist your students as needed. You may choose to read this passage and answer the questions together.

D. When your students have completed Christ the Firstfruits, review and discuss the correct answers to the focus questions together. Then explain to your students that St. Paul is a great example of how we experience God’s love for us in the Church and are “raised” by our Father (God) and mother (the Church) with Jesus as our model to follow. Paul received His faith from Jesus Himself, but that faith was nurtured through the Church (the other Apostles). And

then, he followed in the footsteps of Christ to proclaim the Gospel. And St. Paul further explains a theology of the Resurrection in which Jesus was the first to be raised. At the end of time, we too will share in the resurrection when our bodies are raised and our souls are reunited with them to live with God for eternity in the New Heavens and the New Earth. This may sound incredible — and it is! We profess our belief in the resurrection of the body every time we say the Creed during Mass:

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

AssesmentOn their own paper, have your students answer the following questions in complete sentences:

ӹ How can we be sure that God loves us and wants a relationship with us? Use examples from Scripture and class discussion.

ӹ How have you seen God’s love in our world? Use examples from your own life, the lives of those you know, and class discussions.

ӹ Why did Christ establish the Church? Use examples from Scripture and our class discussions.

1. What message is St. Paul handing on to the people of Corinth?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why do you think St. Paul listed all of the appearances of Jesus after His Resurrection?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why does St. Paul say that it is so important that Jesus rose from the dead?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What true fact does St. Paul claim?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What does it mean that Jesus is the “fi rstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Who was St. Paul speaking of when he said, “For since death came through a human being…”?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Through whom will all be brought to life? Why? _______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What will happen at the end of time (Christ’s coming)?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. What is the “last enemy” to be destroyed?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christ the Firstfruits

Directions: Read St. Paul’s teaching about the Resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15:1-26 and then answer the questions that follow.

64

144

Unit 1, lesson 9Unit 1, lesson 9



61

145

© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS


Directions: In the left column, describe fi ve characteristics of an ideal mother. What is she like? How does she treat her children? What does she do? Then, in the right column, describe fi ve corresponding ways the Church is like a mother to us, her children. Give specifi c examples.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

62

Accept reasoned answers

146

Unit 1, lesson 9Unit 1, lesson 9

Refl ection QuestionIn a fi ve- to seven-sentence paragraph, answer the following question:


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

63

Accept reasoned answers

147

© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What does it mean that Jesus is the “fi rstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________



64

Answer Key1. That Christ died for

our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried; that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once … after that He appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. Last of all … He appeared to me.

2. To prove to the people of Corinth that Jesus really was risen and that St. Paul was not just making it up. There were many other people who saw Him after the Resurrection.

3. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then our faith would be empty, in vain (essentially meaningless), and we would still be “in our sins” (not saved from our sins). Thus, those who believed in Jesus and died would have perished because there was no Resurrection. Further, if Jesus were not raised from the dead, then there would be no resurrection of the dead for us, either.

4. Christ has been raised from the dead.

5. Jesus’ Resurrection is the first among all who believe in Him, who will be raised at the end of time.

6. Adam, from whom the Original Sin came.

7. Christ, because of His Resurrection.

8. Those who belong to Christ (believe in Him) will be resurrected, then the end will come and Jesus will hand over the world to God the Father, who will rule over all other powers and authorities.

9. Death.

148



UnIt 1, LEssOn 9 61


Directions: In the left column, describe five characteristics of an ideal mother. What is she like? How does she treat her children? What does she do? Then, in the right column, describe five corresponding ways the Church is like a mother to us, her children. Give specific examples.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

UnIt 1, LEssOn 962

Reflection QuestionIn a five- to seven-sentence paragraph, answer the following question:


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

UnIt 1, LEssOn 9 63


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What does it mean that Jesus is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________



UnIt 1, LEssOn 964

god loves us and calls us to be in relationship with him ... · god loves us and calls us to be in...

Documents