Religious Life of Year 4

Belong – Committed – Love – Faith – Joy

Religious Life of Year 4

Theme 1 - Domestic Church

Prayer and Reflection

Father, creator of all,
you ‘ordered the earth’ to bring forth life
and crowned its goodness by
creating family life.
Teach us the beauty of human love,
show us the value of family life
and help us to live in peace
with everyone.
Amen.

The experience of ‘family’ in society today is varied, with many joys and sorrows.  Whatever the experience, family still remains the first place for growth and development, the basic social unit.

  • What does the word ‘family’ mean to you?
  • What people do you associate with ‘family’?
  • What joys and sorrows do you remember of family life?

 

Word of God – Scripture:

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.  Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.  Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.” (Colossians 3: 12-15)

 

Learning Focuses


  • 
Our family trees
  • Jesus had a human family like ours, that is historical
  • The story of Abraham, the father of a great nation, who trusted God
  • The story of Jacob
  • The story of Ruth, King David’s great grandmother
  • Solomon, a wise ruler
  • The human family of Jesus
  • Remembering, celebrating and responding to our family trees and the family of God in Scripture
  • CEOP

Theme 3 - Advent & Christmas

Prayer and Reflection
 
Today a Saviour is born!
In the stillness of the night God enters human history
through the birth of his only Son.
He is our peace and hope.
In him we praise God for his
goodness to us in giving us so great a gift. Amen.

Gifts, given and received, are a sign and expression of love.

  • Which of the gifts you have received do you treasure most?
  • Why do you treasure them?
  • When have you experienced someone giving of themselves to you?
  • Reflect on times in your life when you give of yourself to others?
  • How does this feel?

Word of God – Scripture
“This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven. Dear friends, if this is how God loved us, then we should love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in union with us, and his love is made perfect in us.”
(1 John 4: 10-12)

Learning Focuses

  • The gift of love and friendship
  • God’s gift of love and friendship
  • God sent Jesus
  • Isaiah looked forward to the gift of Jesus
  • Gaudete Sunday
  • The birth of Jesus: wise men
  • The church celebrates the gift of Jesus
  • Remembering, celebrating and responding to the gift of love and friendship and Advent and Christmas: the Church’s seasons of preparing to receive Gods’ gift of love and friendship in Jesus
  • CEOP

Theme 5 - Eucharist

Prayer and Reflection

Lord Jesus Christ,
in you we know the love of God.
When we gather together in your name
we experience the marvel of your loving presence which challenges us to live for one another.
Help us to follow your example
so that we may never become complacent. Help us to listen to your constant call to us to continue the work you began,
you who lived and died for us.
Grant this through your Spirit of Love. Amen. (Prayer for Unity of Christians)

Being thoughtful for life, for people and gifts, is a vital part
of our relationships with one another. When praise and appreciation are experienced, we are enabled to relate on a deeper level.

  • Recall a time when you were thanked. How was the gratitude expressed?
  • How did you feel?
  • How are relationships deepened in everyday life?

 
Word of God – Scripture

Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am
there among them. (Matthew: 18:20)

  • Learning Focuses

    Giving and receiving every day

  • Greeting: the introductory rite
  • Gathering in love
  • The Penitential act
  • Communion rite
  • The Concluding Rite
  • Remembering, celebrating and responding to giving and receiving every day and that the Eucharist challenges and enables living and growing in communion
  • CEOP

Theme 7 - Pentecost

Prayer and Reflection

Father, pour out your Spirit upon your people,
and grant us
a new vision of your glory,
a new faithfulness to your Word
and a new consecration to your service, that your love may grow among us,
and your kingdom come:
through Christ our Lord. Amen
(Prayer of preparation for Vatican II)

Each of us, by the way we live our lives, the way we treat others, and by our words and actions, show if we have an attitude of service.
Often we are especially influenced by those whose actions speak powerfully of a life of service.

Think of someone who impresses you deeply because of the way she/he lives.

  • What is it that impresses you?
  • What do you think inspires them?

Word of God – Scripture

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4: 18-19)

 

 Learning Focuses

  • Good news brings life
  • Pentecost
  • The Holy Spirit gives courage to Peter and John
  • The Ethiopian receives the new life of Jesus
  • The story of Paul
  • Paul spreads the good news
  • The Holy Spirit gave Paul new life and happiness
    Remembering, celebrating and responding to good news bringing life and the new life of the Easter message is spread through the power of the Holy Spirit
  • CEOP

Theme 9 - Universal Church

Prayer and Reflection

Creator God,
in your hands you hold the depths of the earth and the heights of the mountains,
for all creation belongs to you.
Grant us grace to cherish your world and wisdom to nurture its resources.
Save us from the desire to control what is not ours and the impulse to possess what is not ours
and the impulse to possess what is there to share. Amen.

(Annabel Shilson-Thomas/CAFOD)

For many people, some places in the world are special. For others the whole world is special. We all feel a need to look after what is special to us. Sometimes it is easy to explain why things are special. At other times it might be difficult to put into words why something is special.

  • What are your special places and why?

  • Can you recall an occasion when you were hurt or angry by the way your special place was treated by others?
  • Why were you hurt or angry?
  • What did you do?
  • Do you know any groups who campaign because of the way people or our world are being treated today? 

Word of God – Scripture
 
“See, the body is one, even if formed by many members, but not
all of them with the same function. The same with us; being many, we are one body in Christ, depending on one another. Let each one of us, therefore, serve according to our different gifts. Do you have prophecy? Let the deacon fulfil his office; let
the teacher teach, the one who encourages, convince. You must, likewise, give with an open hand, preside with dedication, and be cheerful in your works of charity. Let love be sincere. Hate what is evil and hold to whatever is good. Regarding brotherly love, have love for one another. Regarding respect, judge others as more worthy. Regarding your duties, do not be lazy.
Be fervent in the Spirit and serve God.” (Romans 12:4-11)

 

Learning Focuses

  • Ordinary people who do extraordinary things

  • The communion of saints: showing people what God is like
  • Christians are invited to be saints
  • Oscar Romero – a recent martyr showing us what God is like
  • An ordinary person showing us what God is like
  • Blessed Teresa of Calcutta – living out what she believed
  • Martin Luther King – showing the love of Jesus in his life and actions
  • Remembering, celebrating and responding to ordinary people who do extraordinary things and different saints who show us what God is like
    CEOP

Judaism

HOLY BOOKS – THE TORAH

For Jewish people their scriptures are very important. The first five books of the Hebrew scriptures are called the Torah, sometimes it is called the Books of Moses, as Jewish people believe that God dictated the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Torah shows how God wants the Jewish people to live. The Sefer Torah, or Torah scrolls are treated with great reference and respect.

Learning Focuses 

  • Books and the Torah
  • The Torah
  • The synagogue is a community centre

Theme 2 - Baptism & Confirmation

Prayer and Reflection

Almighty and eternal God,
you keep together those you have united.
Look kindly on all who follow Jesus your Son.
We are all consecrated to you by our common baptism;
make us one in the fullness of faith
and keep us one in the fellowship of love.
Amen.
(Prayer for Various Occasions: for Unity of Christians)

Our lives are marked by many different experiences of being welcomed into new situations and groups.

We recognise the importance of welcome, of feeling comfortable with new situations and belonging to new groups. We belong to families, to work places and to social groupings.

What experiences of belonging can you recall in the family, at work or in leisure time?
Are these good experiences? Are there any difficulties?
What difference does ‘belonging’ make in your life?

Word of God – Scripture
“The next day, John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi (which translated means ‘Teacher’), where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day.” (John 1:35-39)

 

  • Learning FocusesThe response to being chosen
  • ‘The Call of Samuel’ and ‘David is Chosen’
  • Jesus calls his apostles
  • The Sacrament of Confirmation
  • The call of Confirmation
  • Living in the light
  • The witness of a Christian call – Sean Devereux
  • Remembering, celebrating and responding to being chosen and the Sacrament of
  • Confirmation: a call to witness
  • CEOP

Theme 4 - Local Church

Prayer and Reflection
 
Lord, you fulfilled the hope of Simeon who did not die
until he had been privileged to welcome the Messiah.
In Sacramental Celebrations we meet the Risen Christ.
May he continue to give us life.
Amen.

The experience of community is an essential and enjoyable
part of life for people of every age and faith. The cycle of a year and the span of a lifetime contain occasions for regular celebrations as well as unexpected surprises, when people want to celebrate with family, friends and communities.

Think back to your childhood. Which celebrations of community life did you most enjoy?
How did you celebrate? Who took part?
Which celebration are you looking forward to in the coming months?
How will you celebrate? Who else will take part?

Word of God – Scripture

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was
Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen the salvation which you have made ready in the sight of the nations; a light of revelation for the Gentiles and glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)

 

  • Learning Focuses

    Belonging to a community

  • Jesus chooses people to work with him
  • The parish community
  • How people within the parish serve the community in church
  • Ministries in the parish – reaching out to the community
  • Joining together as a community
  • The parish community celebrations
  • Remembering, celebrating and responding to belonging to a community and the life of the local Christian community

Theme 6 - Lent

Prayer and Reflection

Lord, when I am hungry give me someone to feed; When I am thirsty
give water for their thirst.
When a burden weighs upon me lay upon my shoulders
the burden of my fellows. Lord, when I stand
greatly in need of tenderness,
give me someone who yearns for love. May your will be my bread;
Your grace my strength; Your love my resting place.

(Quaker prayers, Peace and Service, The Society of Friends)

Life, especially family life, or life in school, is full of opportunities for self-giving.
When children are young, parents have to do everything for them and sacrifice their own needs for those of their children. The quality of the parents’ loving care lays the foundation for their children to grow into people capable of giving love to others.

When parents are old and infirm, they become dependent on their children to look after them. So life is a cycle of being cared for and caring for others, of dependence and independence, of receiving and giving. Self-giving is essential if individuals and relationships are to grow and develop.

Recall a time when you had to give up your own needs in order to help someone else.
What were the costs?
What were the rewards of the giving?

Word of God – Scripture

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly, I tell you, as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40)

CEOP

Theme 8 - Reconciliation

Prayer and Reflection

Father, pour out your Spirit upon your people,
and grant us
a new vision of your glory,
a new faithfulness to your Word
and a new consecration to your service, that your love may grow among us,
and your kingdom come:
through Christ our Lord. Amen
(Prayer of preparation for Vatican II)

Each of us, by the way we live our lives, the way we treat others, and by our words and actions, show if we have an attitude of service.
Often we are especially influenced by those whose actions speak powerfully of a life of service.

Think of someone who impresses you deeply because of the way she/he lives.

  • What is it that impresses you?
  • What do you think inspires them?

Word of God – Scripture

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4: 18-19)

 

 Learning Focuses

  • Good news brings life
  • Pentecost
  • The Holy Spirit gives courage to Peter and John
  • The Ethiopian receives the new life of Jesus
  • The story of Paul
  • Paul spreads the good news
  • The Holy Spirit gave Paul new life and happiness
    Remembering, celebrating and responding to good news bringing life and the new life of the Easter message is spread through the power of the Holy Spirit
  • CEOP

Islam

HOLY BOOKS – THE QUR’AN

The Qur’an is the Muslims’ most holy book. Muslims believe that it contains the actual words of Allah spoken to Muhammad by the angel Jibril (we would say Gabriel).

It took 23 years for the angel to give Muhammad the whole message. The words of the Qur’an have remained unchanged since the time of Muhammad. In it, Allah tells Muslims how they should worship him and also how they should behave towards each other.

It is a collection of signs of Allah’s existence and instructions for how Muslims should live their lives. It is the Muslims’ guidebook for life.

Learning Focuses

  •  Important books and the Qur’an
  • The importance of the Qur’an
  • The 99 beautiful names for Allah
  • CEOP