The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism Lesson 21 The Commandments of the Church; the First and Second Commandments

The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism

Lesson 21

The Commandments of the Church; the First and Second Commandments

The early Christians assembled for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

2^nd Commandment of God: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

We read in the Holy Bible:

42

They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.                   

Explanation

Worship and sacrifice among the Jews

            The Jewish people worshiped God and sacrificed to Him in a special way. They fasted and kept away from certain foods. They gave to the Lord a certain amount of their worldly goods and money.

            On the Sabbath they went to their synagogues for prayers, hymns and a sermon. And on the special feasts they went up to the temple in Jerusalem to take part in the great sacrifices offered to God.

Christ gave a new sacrifice

            But Our Lord told the Jews that there 1^st   Commandment of God: To assist at mass on all Sundays and Holydays of obligation.

would be a change. He would give them new ceremonies and a new sacrifice. “New wine,” He told them, “must be put into fresh skins” (Luke 5, 38). The new wine of holy love, the spiritual wine of the of the Holy Spirit, which He would pour out into His Church beginning on Pentecost, would have to have new wineskins of new ceremonies to contain it (Acts 2, 12-17). These new ceremonies would be something like what they had had, yet they would be different.

The sacrifice of the Mass

            Our great ceremony is the Mass. It continues the sacrifice o Christ on the cross. We must assist at mass on all Sundays and Holydays of obligation. To show that we are wiling to share this sacrifice and to suffer with Christ, we fast and abstain on the days appointed by the Church.

Practice: When you assist at mass, do your best to pat careful attention to the prayers and ceremonies.

Catechism

127. What are the chief commandments, or laws, of the church?

The chief commandments, or laws, of the church are these 6:

1.  To assist at Mass on all Sundays and Holy days of Obligation.

2.  To fast and to abstain on the days appointed.

3.  To confess sins at least once a year.

4.   To receive Holy Communion during the Easter time.

5.   To contribute to the support of the Church.

6.   To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.

128. What sin does a Catholic commit who through his own fault misses Mass on a Sunday or holyday of obligation?

Catholic commit who through his own fault misses Mass on a Sunday or holyday of obligation commits a mortal sin

The mass is our great act of sharing in the love of Our Lord. It hurts Him deeply if we sin on purpose.

129. Which are the Holydays of obligation in the United States?

            The Holydays of obligation in the United States are these 6:

            Christmas Day December 25

            Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God January 1

            Ascension Thursday 40 days after Easter

            The Assumption August 15

            All Saints Day November 1

130. What else does the Church oblige us to do on holydays of obligation?

The Church obliges us to abstain from servile work on holydays of obligation, just as on Sundays, as far as we are able.

131. What is a fast day?

A fast day is a day on which only one full meal is allowed; But in the morning and evening some food may be taken, the quantity and quality are determined by approved local custom.

            Only those over 18 years of age and under 60 have to obey the law.

132. What is a day of abstinence?

A day of abstinence is a day on we are not allowed the use of meat.

When we do not eat meat we show Our Lord that we are willing to give up something we like for love of Him. We show Him that we thank Him for giving up His life for us on Good Friday.

133. Who are obliged to observe the abstinence days of the Church?

All baptized persons who have reached the use of reason and passed their fourteenth birthday are obliged to observe the abstinence days of the Church.

Discussion Questions

1.                              What did the Jews do on the Sabbath Day?

2.                              What did they do on big feasts?

3.                              What change did Our Lord make?

True or False

1.                              Christ gave us the sacrifice of the mass.

2.                              The church makes laws without Christ’s help.

3.                              If we go to Church only on some Sundays, we obey the law of the Church.

Fill in the Blanks

1.                              There are ……………… there are holydays of obligation.

2.                              On a day of abstinence we do not eat meat……………….

3.                              On a fast day only one full ……………… is taken.

Other Readings from the Bible.

1.                              Jesus at the feast of the Passover, Luke 2, 41-42.

2.                              Jesus replaces old sacrifice and ceremony with “new wine” and “fresh skins,” Luke 5, 37-38.

3.                              The apostles are filled with the “new wine,” the Holy Spirit, Acts 2, 12-17.

Class Liturgical Action

Learn by heart and recite together Psalm 116 which praises God.