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2024 FAMILY CATECHESIS

Updated: Apr 24


JANUARY 2024 FAMILY PLANS and PRIORITIES

(Lessons 6 and 7)

By the end of the month, our family will be able to:

  1. Explain the meaning of this month's verse: John 3:16

  2. Share our understanding of the Words to Know: LOVE, MIRACLE, TRUTH, BAPTISM

  3. Share a few stories of Jesus' MIRACLES and how we know He is God

  4. Explain what happens in the Sacrament of BAPTISM and why it is so important as a first step as children in God's family living in God's Kingdom.

  5. SAINTS: Share how St. Paul was "converted" and became one of God's greatest Apostles (leaders who share God's Story and Love with others))


OTHER IMPORTANT COMMITMENTS AND PRIORITIES :

  1. Attend and actively participate in weekly Mass as a Family

  2. Continue Community Service Hours

  3. Attend Family Catechesis Monthly Retreat

  4. Pray as a Family and Devote Weekly Time at Home for Family Catechesis

  5. Year 2 Families: Sacramental Preparation Assignments

a. Blessed lessons: Reconciliation, First Communion

b. CHOSEN Confirmation videos.).

6. Practice basic PRAYERS, APOSTLES' CREED, OUR FATHER, GLORY BE, HAIL MARY



BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH


For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life." John 3:16.

(Write out or trace this month's Bible verse on page 166 or 167 in the Activity Book. Draw a picture or complete a craft activity that helps you draw closer to Jesus through this verse.)


WORDS TO KNOW


SAINT OF THE MONTH


St. Paul the Apostle

At first, St. Paul was one of the worst enemies for the followers of Jesus. God turned him into a great leader and missionary for God. He taught others about God's LOVE and showed them how to live every day following Jesus. (Learn more about St. Paul on page 199 in the Activity Book). See also activities at the end of this post.






JESUS: THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: Lesson 6


In this lesson we learn that through His life Jesus revealed (let us know) the TRUTH of who He is, the LIFE He has planned for us, and the WAY to live in order to enjoy eternity with Him in Heaven.


CATECHISM Articles to Read: 512, 515-516, 535, 567

Words to Know: Love, Miracle, Truth


Activity 1: WHO IS JESUS

Read and highlight pages 169 and 171.

  1. Jesus is our Savior: He took away our sins and death by dying for us on the cross.

  2. Jesus IS the model for how we are to live by everything he said and did.


The Gospels MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE and JOHN tell us the story of Jesus' life from the mysteries of Christmas to Easter: his birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection.

  1. Jesus said: "I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6

  2. He was announced as the "Son of God" by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:30-33)

  3. The Holy Trinity was present at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:16-17)

  4. He performed many miracles so people would see that He was God and believe in Him. (See Jesus' Miracles below and Mark 2:1-12)

  5. He had the power to forgive sins as only God can do. (Mark 2:5)

Activity 2: Miracles of Jesus.

  1. Miracles are events witnessed by others that cannot be naturally explained and are the results of God's action.

  2. The Bible tells us the reason for these signs is so that we may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that we will have eternal life through Him. Read John 20:30-31.

  3. There are four types of miracles: miracles of supply, healing, nature, m

    1. Read a few stories with the younger children as they complete the coloring and drawing projects on pages 173, 175, and 181.

    2. Complete the activity on pages 177-179 with the older children on the four types of miracles.


WATCH THIS VIDEO!


In The Catholic Children's Bible, read the featured story on Jesus Heals People from Sin and Sickness....Pages 1530-1531. Go through ALL the parts: Read the story. Understand it. Live it. Tell it. Be sure to share it with someone right away!!


Mark 2:1-12.


Have children complete page 181 in the activity book.



Activity 3: FAMILY PORTFOLIO

Select your family's best work from the activities in Lesson 6 and insert them into your Family Portfolio.




JESUS MAKES US CHILDREN OF GOD: Lesson 7

When we are baptized as Christians, all our sins are forgiven, including Original Sin, and God makes us His adopted children. We can once again be part of His divine life. We are no longer the lost children of Adam and Eve. We are children of God.


CATECHISM Articles to Read: 535-537, 654


Words to Know: Baptism.

Read about the Baptism of Jesus in the different Gospels in your Catholic Children's Bible: Matthew 3:13–17. Featured Story: pages 1452-1453, Mark 1:9–11 (page 1524). and Luke 3:21–22 (page 1581). In addition, John 1:29–34 overlaps with these passages (page 1649-1650). . Be sure to practice sharing the featured story with others!!!


Activity 1: Watch this 6 minute video on Baptism.

  1. Baptism is the first Sacrament Jesus gave us to have NEW life as children in God's family.

  2. Take notes and/or draw images to help you share what you learn from this video.



Activity 2: WORDS to KNOW (for Lesson 7)

REVIEW: Original Sin: We learned that we all carry the wounds of Adam and Eve's first wrong choices (sin). Their sin broke our connection between God's heaven and earth....We became separated from God as a source of life....and we die spiritually and physically.


Baptism: The Sacrament Jesus gave us that cleanses us and forgives Original Sin and re-connects us to God as his children


REVIEW: Redemption: giving us a WAY out or rescue plan from sin and death


REVIEW: Sacrament: a sign or symbol of a divine gift of grace given to us deep inside our souls.




Assignment 3: Older Children

LOOK IT UP AND FILL IN THE BLANKS. (page 185 in Activity Book)

Ephesians 2:4-5

Catechism of the Catholic Church . no. 604

Romans 5:6-8


Choose one of the quotations above and write it in your own words for your family portfolio.





Assignment 3: Younger Children

COMPLETE the creative craft project for John 3:16. See. pages 187 , 189, and 191.



Assignment 4: BAPTISM: THE FIRST STEP ON THE WAY (page 193 in Activity Book)



Read and highlight essay on Baptism

  1. Jesus' whole life gives us a model to follow.

  2. He allowed Himself to be baptized in order to point us toward the first step on the way to Heaven: Baptism

  3. We are no longer the lost descendants of Adam and Eve

  4. We are children of God and part of His Church


WHY Baptism?

  1. In the story of Noah, God used water to flood the sinful world and made it new.

  2. He parted the Red Sea so God's people could escape from slavery and start a new life.

  3. In Baptism, God uses water to wash away stains of sin and make things new,

  4. Remember Christ's own Baptism: God the Father said: "This is my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased."

  5. This SAME thing happens in EVERY Baptism, even though we can't see it.The Holy Spirit fills us and the Father welcomes each child of God with joy!!!!

WHY is BAPTISM NECESSARY?

  1. Jesus restored our way back to heaven by his death and resurrection.

  2. He then commanded his Apostles to baptize us in the name of the BLESSED TRINITY, cleansing us from the stain of original sin and teaching us the WAY to live in God's Kingdom.

  3. The Sacrament of Baptism has brought God's children into His family for over 2000 years!

  4. We baptize babies to give them God's gift of saving grace as soon as possible, to seal and protect them.

Why is there still SIN?

  1. Baptism forgives sin. It doesn't remove it.

  2. We still live in a broken world and our nature is still weak and wounded.

  3. Baptism opens the way to heaven BUT WE STILL NEED TO COOPERATE with God and follows his grace-filled WILL for our lives as Jesus did growing up in this world.

  4. That's why it is so important to spend time with God in prayer, to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance, to stay close to godly role models, and to seek with all of our hearts to obey God's commands.

Assignment 5. Kingdom of God MATCHING ACTIVITY (page 197 in Activity Book)

This is a review of the qualities of the Kingdom of God. Read the Scriptures that describe the qualities. Match each quote to the quality it describes.





As a family select the qualities God is prompting for you to focus on and create a colorful chart/drawing of these qualities for your family portfolio.....



Assignment 6: SAINT OF THE MONTH: Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle is celebrated on January 25


St. Paul encountered Christ on the way from Jerusalem to Damascus. Find Jerusalem and Damascus on the map below:



St. Paul started out as one of the greatest enemies of Christianity. Yet God chose St. Paul to become the Church's greatest missionary.


Have you ever felt as if you weren't smart enough or good enough to accomplish something difficult?


Ponder on what St. Paul said in his letter to the Philippians: "I HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FACE ALL CONDITIONS BY THE POWER THAT CHRIST GIVES ME." Philippians 4:13.





  1. Read and highlight Saint of the Month: St. Paul the Apostle ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS. (pages 199-200 activity book) and place notes and coloring page in Family Portfolio.

  2. Share this you tube video of Saint Paul to younger children: https://youtu.be/IlXFy3zjJh4?si=dttEx_g87mlWnRoc



For those who enjoy those important CAR CONVERSATIONS:





IMPORTANT: Remember to complete your FAMILY REFLECTION for January!















Previous posts:



INTRODUCTION to Family of Faith Format and September Activities


SPECIAL VIDEOS to encourage you as God's DOMESTIC CHURCH


Raising World Changers: Advice for Catholic Parents


Watching you


OCTOBER ACTIVITES

APOSTLES' CREED



NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES:


NOVEMBER VIDEO: Giving Thanks



NOVEMBER LECTURE NOTES












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