Love and Giving Life - Younger Child Lesson

Scripture
In the Old Testament we learn that God created man and woman to belong completely to each other in every way. Genesis 2:24

Before Jesus died, He said a prayer that his disciples and all of us would be one. He knew that unity among all believers would show the world that He was one with God the Father who sent Him to be our savior. It would show the world God's very special love. John 17:21-22

In St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians he calls us, "God's dear children" and tells us to imitate God by giving to each other and following the way of love that Jesus taught us. He also tells us to thank God for everything in the name of Jesus and to put others before ourselves out of kindness and love. Ephesians 5:1-2, 20-21

Important writings of our Church
In Pope John Paul's letter, The Gospel of Life, there are many very important things to learn. We learn that God made the family as the special place where his great gift of life can be welcomed and protected. This happens when parents have their children and show them gentle and caring love. Evangelium Vitae, paragraph 91

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that every person, no matter whether they are young or old, married, divorced or single, must live the virtue of chastity in their lives. Chastity means that we try to love others in ways that fit with our age and situation in life. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2337 and 2348.

Love in marriage includes friendship, but there is more. A husband and wife share every part of themselves with each other. They say "yes" to letting God use their love to bring the new life of children into the world. A husband and wife love each other so much that they become parents. God made this special love only for those who are married.
The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, paragraph 14

Pope John Paul II has asked all of us to use our ability to love in only good ways, He tells children to be very good and pure in their thoughts and actions because our ability to love is a great gift from God.World Youth Day, 1993, John Paul II

More about our lesson
Because God is very wise, He made the love between mothers and fathers to help bring children into the world. In marriage, a man and woman promise to love and care for each other and their children for as long as they live. This is a very serious and important promise because it means that a family begins. It also makes it possible for children to have the love of both a mother and a father. God gives the special graces of the sacrament of marriage to couples so that they can make their home and family the best it can be. We must remember that God always gives his helping grace to everyone who asks him for it. Sometimes moms or dads must raise their children alone, but God and many good people are there to help them. Some of those people are part of our Catholic faith family. No matter what our age or whether we're married or not, God wants us all to treat the people we love with great respect so he gives us the virtue of chastity to help us. Chastity helps us all to love each other in the ways that are right for our age and our situation in life. We remember always that the kind of love which makes a man and woman a mom and dad belongs only in marriage.

Thinking and talking about our lesson
What are things that are good about marriage? What are things that might be hard about marriage? Do you think marriage is the best place for children to be born? Why do you think married couples and parents need God's special help? Do you know something about your being born into your family that you would like to share?

Jesus' death on the cross was the greatest gift of himself he could possibly give. It was a sign of his great love for us. We sometimes call his suffering and death, his passion. Passion means love that is completely for the other person. When a man and woman marry, we can say they should love each other in with great and holy passion. That means they should always try to put each other first,

Something to do at home with your family
Each person should name the couple they know with the best marriage. Look both inside the family and outside to other married couples you know. What are the qualities that you think have helped to make their marriage work? Write a family thank you note to each of the couples you have named. Thank them for being a sign to you of Christ's love through their love for one another. Tell them of the qualities of love you see in them. You and your family are an important part of our Catholic Church family and so this is a beautiful way for you to give positive support and encouragement to the couples you have named. Talk for just a few minutes with your family about the virtue of chastity in your life. Children can pray for their parents each day. Parents can pray everyday for their children that they will receive the grace to be chaste in all their relationships. Try this together by simply praying for each other now. "Dear God, please bless our parents with the graces of faithfulness and true passion for each other always. Thank you for the ways they show us the goodness of love." "Dear God, please keep our children pure and chaste all the days of their lives. Give them the strength to choose wisely as they prepare to follow the vocation to which you will call them. Thank you for the ways they show us the goodness of love." If your parents are not married, you might want to pray this prayer. "Dear God, please bless my mom (dad) with special grace in her (his) life. Give her (him) good and chaste friendships to make her (him) happy and holy. Thank you for giving her (or him) to me. Help me be to show her (him) how grateful I am for all the love she (he) gives me."

Prayer
The love that makes a man and woman one married couple can be a sign of how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One God. Keep praying for each other every day. End your daily prayer with the prayer of the Church which honors the Holy Trinity.

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

Love and Giving Life - Teen/Older Child Lesson

Scripture
"For this reason a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body" Genesis 2:24

" I pray that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one as we are one - I living in them, you living in me -that their unity may be complete. So shall the world know that you sent me, and that you loved them as you love me." John 17:21-22

"Be imitators of God as his dear children. He gave himself up for us as an offering to God....Follow the way of love, even as Christ loved you....Give thanks to God the Father always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Defer to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Ephesians 5:1-2, 20-21

Church documents: the important writings of our Church
"The responsibility of the family for life flows from its very nature as a community of life and love, founded upon marriage, and from its mission to 'guard, reveal, and communicate love.' It is truly
the 'sanctuary of life: the place in which life - the gift of God - can be properly welcomed and
protected.' " Evangelium Vitae, paragraph 91

"All Christ's faithful are called to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular states of life." Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2337 and 2348.

"When love is lived out in marriage, it includes and surpasses friendship. Love between a man and a woman is achieved when they give themselves totally, each in turn according to their own masculinity and femininity, founding on the marriage covenant that communion of persons where God has willed that human life be conceived, grow and develop. To their married love, and to this love alone, belongs sexual giving..." The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, paragraph 14

"I appeal especially to young people to rediscover the wealth of wisdom, the integrity of conscience and the deep interior joy which flow from respect for human sexuality understood as a great gift from God." World Youth Day, 1993, John Paul II

Some more thoughts about our theme
In wisdom, God created man and woman to cooperate with him in bringing new life into the world. Marriage, which is the lifelong covenant between a man and woman, brings about sharing and total self-giving between husband and wife. In their openness to life, the couple establishes a home and family. In the family, children can be conceived and raised by both father and mother, according to God's plan. Through the graces of the sacrament of matrimony, the commitment between spouses continues to grow and the relationship between parents and children is strengthened. It is true that many different situations of home and family exist in today's society and God's grace is available to all who sincerely seek it. Both single parents who have not married and parents who have found it necessary to divorce find grace through prayer and the support of the faith community. Nevertheless, permanent and faithful marriage has been established by God for the procreation and education of children. This is why sexual intercourse, the act by which man and woman express their total commitment to each other and cooperate in God's creative plan for life, is to be enjoyed only in marriage. Spouses live chastely by belonging fully only to each other. Young people and all who are not married live chastely by enjoying good friendships and by being generous and loving in ways that are appropriate for young people who are learning about life and relationships but who are not yet ready or prepared to make a permanent commitment to one person for life. They do not engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual behavior that could lead to intercourse.

Reflection and group discussion
Is there anything in this Life Lesson that challenges you regarding your personal attitude toward lifelong marriage and saving sexual intercourse for marriage? Think about and then brainstorm or list reasons why young people your age would want to choose chastity. What things in our society hinder or support a choice for chastity? What is your hope, prayer and dream for yourself and the person you will someday marry if marriage is the vocation God has planned for you?

The passion of Jesus was the most pure gift of total self-giving for our sake. In those terms, passion between a man and wife can be defined as other-centered love. What does that say about how a husband and wife should love and care for each other? How is chaste friendship between young men and young women your age an example of other-centered love.

Faith-building at home
Each person should name the couple they know with the best marriage. Look both inside the family and outside to other married couples you know. What are the qualities that you think have helped to make their marriage work? Write a family thank you note to each of the couples you have named. Thank them for being a sign to you of Christ's love through their love for one another. Tell them of the qualities of love you see in them. This is a beautiful way for you and your family who are the "domestic church" or church of the home as well as part of the Catholic Church family, to give positive support and encouragement to the couples you have named. Talk briefly together about the importance of chastity in your life. Children can pray for their parents' faithfulness to one another each day. Parents can pray everyday for their children that they will receive the grace to be chaste in all their relationships. Try this together by simply praying for each other now. "Dear God, please bless our parents with the graces of faithfulness and true passion for each other always. Thank you for the ways they show us the goodness of love." "Dear God, please keep our children pure and chaste all the days of their lives. Give them the strength to choose wisely as they prepare to follow the vocation to which you will call them. Thank you for the ways they show us the goodness of love."
If your parents are not married, you might want to pray this prayer. "Dear God, please bless my mom (dad) with special grace in her (his) life. Give her (him) good and chaste friendships to make her (him) happy and holy. Thank you for giving her (him) to me. Help me to show her (him) how grateful I am for all the love she (he) gives me."

Prayer
The relationship of husband and wife and how fully they belong to each other can be a sign of the unity and relationship among the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Two persons become one flesh. Three persons are in one God. Continue praying for passion and chastity and end your daily prayer with the prayer of the Church which honors the holy Trinity.

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

Love and Giving Life - Adult Lesson

Scripture
"For this reason a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body" Genesis 2:24

" I pray that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one as we are one - I living in them, you living in me - that their unity may be complete. So shall the world know that you sent me, and that you loved them as you love me." John 17:21-22

"Be imitators of God as his dear children. He gave himself up for us as an offering to God....Follow the way of love, even as Christ loved you....Give thanks to God the Father always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Defer to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:1-2, 20-21

Church documents
"The responsibility of the family for life flows from its very nature as a community of life and love, founded upon marriage, and from its mission to 'guard, reveal, and communicate love.' It is truly the 'sanctuary of life: the place in which life - the gift of God - can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth.' " Evangelium Vitae, paragraph 91

"Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity in bodily and spiritual being...All Christ's faithful are called to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular states of life." Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2337 and 2348.

"When love is lived out in marriage, it includes and surpasses friendship. Love between a man and a woman is achieved when they give themselves totally, each in turn according to their own masculinity and femininity, founding on the marriage covenant that communion of persons where God has willed that human life be conceived, grow and develop. To their married love, and to this love alone, belongs sexual giving...." The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, paragraph 14

Further development
In wisdom, God created man and woman to cooperate with Him in bringing new life into the world. Marriage, the lifelong covenant between a man and woman, brings about a mutual and total self-giving which, in its openness to life, establishes home and family. In the family, children can be conceived and raised to maturity by both father and mother, according to God's plan There, the graces of the sacrament of matrimony nurture both the commitment between spouses and the relationship of parents and children. It is true that many different situations of home and family exist in today's society and God's grace is available to all who sincerely seek it. Both single parents who have not married and parents who have found it necessary to divorce have found grace through prayer and support of the faith community. Nevertheless, permanent and faithful marriage has been ordained by God for the procreation and education of children. Thus, sexual intercourse, the act by which man and woman express their total commitment to each other and cooperate in God's creative plan for life, is reserved to marriage. Spouses are called to chastity through belonging fully only to each other. All others live chastely as men and women by refraining from sexual intercourse while still expressing themselves through friendship and generosity which is appropriate to the many and varied relationships in their lives.

Reflection and group discussion
Is there anything in this Life Lesson that challenges you regarding your personal attitude toward lifelong marriage and the reserving of sexual intercourse to the marriage relationship only? Why is this important for the raising of children? What are the gifts you see being given to children by couples who are in a stable, healthy marriage? In your experience, are there particular things in church and society which actually support chastity, lifelong marriage, and proper use of sexuality? What is your hope and prayer for the future marriages of your own children?

The passion of Jesus was the most pure gift of total self-giving for our sake. In those terms, passion between a man and wife can be defined as other-centered love. What does this say about how a husband and wife should love one another?

Faith-building at home
Each person should name the couple they know with the best marriage. Look both inside the family and outside to other married couples you know. What are the qualities that you think have helped to make their marriage work? Write a family thank you note to each of the couples you have named. Thank them for being a sign to you of Christ's love through their love for one another. Tell them of the qualities of love you see in them. This is a beautiful way for you who are the "domestic church" of the home and part of the Catholic Church family to affirm and support the marriages of the couples you have named. Talk briefly with each other about the importance of chastity in your life. Parents, if you are married, ask your children to pray for your faithfulness to one another each day. Promise your children you will pray daily for the grace for them to be chaste in all their relationships. Then very simply begin by praying for each other now. "Dear God, please bless our parents with the graces of faithfulness and true passion for each other always. Thank you for the ways they show us the goodness of love." "Dear God, please keep our children pure and chaste all the days of their lives. Give them the strength to choose wisely as they prepare to follow the vocation to which you will call them. Thank you for the ways they show us the goodness of love." If you are not married, help your children adapt and pray the following prayer. "Dear God, please bless my mom (dad) with special grace in her (his) life. Give her (him) good and chase friendships to make her (him) happy and holy. Thank you for giving her (him) to me. Help me to show her (him) how grateful I am for all the love she (he) gives me."

Prayer
The relationship of husband and wife and how fully they belong to each other can be a sign of the unity and relationship among the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Two person become one flesh. Three persons are in one God. Continue praying for passion and chastity and end your daily prayer with the prayer of the Church which honors the holy Trinity.

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."