Commandments I-IV 5 min: Open with prayer 10 mins: Introduction Have you ever heard the term written in stone? This cliché is used to describe something that is not negotiable and can t be changed. The phrase comes from Moses and the stone tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were given to God s Chosen people, the Israelites, as a sign of their special relationship with God. The Ten Commandments symbolized God s law, which if lived faithfully would lead them to holiness. But the law was meant for everyone. We are able to understand the truth God revealed in those commandments because they are based on a natural law that God has implanted in every person s heart. But sometimes we ignore that natural law. So God revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses to make His truth clearer. (taken from the Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth) When we conceived in our Mother s womb, God gave us our soul and implanted on our heart the natural law. We all know that it is wrong to kill or hurt someone, yet people still do it. We all know it s wrong to yell back at our parents but it stills happens. The Ten Commandments are not outdated, God and His Word is eternal, it s how we look at the Ten Commandments that needs adjusting. We need to change the idea that the Ten Commandments are rules, or just a bunch of don t do that, don t do this you can t have any fun; to boundaries from a loving Father to His beloved children. Examples: If there was a 2 year old child and he was sitting in the middle of the street playing with his toys. Should the mother allow him to stay there because he likes to play there? No, he might get hurt or even killed by oncoming traffic. He is too young to understand the danger he put himself in, and she knows what is best for him, so out of love she says no. Sometimes the most loving thing a parent can do is say NO! Even if the child doesn t think so. As we get older there are many more things that we become involved in, and a lot of times we just want to be able to do what we want to, and maybe we don t always stop to think about the consequences of our actions and how they might hurt others. That is why our parents and God give us rules to follow. There are rules in almost everything we do, there are traffic laws, your teachers have requirements that you have to do in order to get good grades, and your coach has expectations and rules that you have to follow in order to be on the team and play the games.
If we don t follow these rules then life isn t so much fun, for example: we don t get good grades so we might get grounded for it, or we can t play in the game because we missed practice, or we might lose our driver s license if we have too many speeding tickets. However, when we play or live by the rules then we become free to enjoy the life that God gives us. This is the same with God s rules! 20 min: Journal activity: Individually - If you were God, what would your ten commandments be? Tell them to take it seriously, tell them that making it mandatory that kids have to play 10 hours of video games per week maybe isn t a good idea. Ask them to think about if they were God, what ten things would you have their people their own children do or not do in order to live a safe and happy life? Give them about 3-5 minutes and then have each student share their ideas. Depending on time ask them why they chose those commands, how it keeps people safe, happy and peaceful? OR You can break them into groups and do it. If you have a group that loses focus in group activities stick with the individual activity above. 20 mins: Commandments spend about 5 min per commandment. Today we are going to look at the first four commandments. I IAM the Lord your God, you shall have no strange gods before Me. This commandment is about putting God first in everything that you do. Centering your day and your life around God and not trying to just fit God in when you have time. Do you have a regular prayer life? Do you love God with your whole heart? Do you spend hours playing video games, shopping, hanging out with friends, but you don t spend any time with God? Where does God fit into your life? If God isn t a priority to you then what is your priority? Is it your friends, sports, shopping? Whatever your priority is, then that is a god for you. Do you just do whatever you want when you want to, putting your wants before God s will for you? Then you are your own god? That doesn t mean that you can t have fun and do the things you want to do, God does want you to have fun. It just means that we need to have a balance, and God needs to be a part of your life. God knows what we need better than we do, and He knows what will ultimately make us happy. Yet, if we are not listening to Him and spending time with Him then we will miss out on what He has planned for us. Read 1 Corn 2:9 We can t even begin to understand what His plan is for us. We just have to open to where He wants to take us. II You shall not take the Lord s name in vain. Everyone knows that we should not use God s name when we are swearing. That is a very serious sin.
However, the term in vain means in an irreverent or disrespectful manner it doesn t say swearing. Did you know that if an Israelite even said the name of God he would be stoned to death. Read John 18: 5-8 When Jesus was arrested and they asked Him who He was, He said, I AM. Today, in our language we always say I am, for example: Are you Susie? I am. However, at that time and in the language that Jesus spoke when he answered the question His answer was I AM (not I am) the name that God gave to Moses. I AM who AM. (Ex 3:14) The way that Jesus answered their question told them that He was saying He was God. To them that was blasphemy and worthy of death. Blasphemy: The act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk. (irreverence, sacrilege, profanity, desecration) God s name is sacred, it is holy! To use God s name, even if it is out of habit; or in surprise it is still wrong and we need to change that. This commandment is really a command to respect God. If we call ourselves Christians and we say that we love God then we would only say His name when we are talking to Him and want His attention. We should only use His name out of love, not frustration, anger, or for no reason. When we respect and love God, there is a peace that we feel in our hearts, a peace that nothing else can compare. So practice being respectful of God s name. III Keep Holy the Lord s Day When you hear this Commandment usually the first thing that we think of is, go to church on Sunday! (or Saturday night) and yes that is what it means. Read Ex 20: 8-10 We were made for God, and we need to worship our creator. When we worship our God, we become filled with His life, His strength. We are refreshed. If God rested and was refreshed on the seventh day, man too ought to rest and should let others, especially the poor, be refreshed. It is a day of protest against work and the worship of money. (CCC 2172) Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, and so every Sunday we celebrate His resurrection by attending Mass. But this commandment is more than just going to church, we need to look at what other activities do we do on the Lord s day. Are the activities that we participate in bringing us closer to God or taking us away from God? Do we set special time aside for God on Sundays, do we spend time with our family? Are the activities that you choose making it difficult for others to keep the Sabbath day holy? For example: needless shopping it used to be that most stores were closed on Sundays, now because of the demand stores stay open and then employees are made to work.
With a little planning, could you do those activities on another day and set Sunday aside for something special? Think about what you could do to make Sunday s a special day in your house. IV Honor your Mother and Father Did you know that this is the only commandment that a promise is attached if you follow it? Read Ex 20:12 Even Jesus, who was God himself, was obedient to His earthly parents. (LK 2: 51) Read Deut 5:16 - The promise is that if you honor your Mother and Father you will have a long life and prosperity/success. If we respect our parents that helps us to practice an attitude of respecting others, including God. This commandment not only means that you shouldn t talk back or yell at them; but you should do what they ask, be helpful around the house, treat your siblings kindly and keep peace in the family. The meaning can also extend out to the church family and the community that we live in. Do you participate at Mass by Altar serving, choir, or ushering? Do you give up your seat for someone that is handicapped or elderly if there are no seats left? Do you honor the rules and just laws of the government? Do you respect the authority of others? Do you respect your teacher of coach? If we can t respect the authority and rules of those that God has put over us to protect and teach us, like our parents, teachers, priest, coaches, police, etc. Then how will we learn to respect God s rules and His ultimate authority over everyone and everything? The first four commandments teach us how treat and respect God and those in authority over us. When we do that, we learn and grow into very happy healthy adults. 20 mins: Practice Reconciliation Let them know that they will be going to Confession in a couple weeks. There may be some kids that become very nervous. Try to reassure them that it will be fine; you will help to prepare them. Discuss and go over how to go to Confession. Handout the sheets, don t let them take these home because you will need them for the next two weeks. I find it helpful if you have a couple kids act it out. Have one child pretend to confess some fake sins and then have another child pretend to be the priest. (It helps to have the priest be a student that goes regularly to confession or is familiar with the Sacrament.)
Points to make sure they understand: Don t worry if they forget what to do the priest will help them. The reason that they say how long it has been since thier last Confession is to help the priest understand how serious the sin is. For example: If someone confesses stealing 10 cars, the priest might counsel the person differently if it s been 30 years verses 1 week since their last confession. It is NOT so the priest can yell at them for not coming in a long time. They must list all mortal sins by number and type If after Confession they realize that they forgot to say a sin, it is okay it is still forgiven (if it is a mortal sin that should be confessed at the next confession, due to the seriousness of the sin.) If any sins are intentionally withheld, then they are not forgiven! 10 mins: Review for test Read over review sheet and answer any questions they might have. Have them take these home and tell them to just simply read them over each day. I will have another set of sheets for you next week because they probably will forget to bring them back. If you want you can make a game out of the review. Extra time: Adoration Spend extra time on review Closing prayer