The New Saint Joseph Baltimore
Official Revised Edition No. 1
Lesson 1
The Purpose of Man’s Existence
The Sheep of Jesus Follow Him to Heaven
We read in the Holy Bible:
John Chapter 10
14
I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me
2
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4
When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.
Christ Blessing The Children
Nicholaes Maes
Dutch Painter
1634-1693
Explanation
Jesus leads us to Heaven:
God made us to live with Him in His happy home in heaven. So He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to lead us to heaven. Jesus leads us with love and with protection as a good Shepherd leads his flock.
Jesus teaches us to worship God:
As we follow Jesus, He wants us, His sheep, to love one another, to help one another, to be kind to one another. He wants us to serve God and worship God together. Worship of God is called the liturgy. God is pleased when we join together to worship Him. The Mass is the greatest act in the liturgy. Jesus gave us the Mass at the Last Supper. When we take part in the Mass, we worship God. And we follow Christ, our Good Shepherd.
Practice
Follow Jesus by imitating Him in all things, then you will be sure of reaching heaven.
1. Who made us?
God made us.
2. Who is god?
God is the Supreme Being who made all things.
“Supreme being” means “Someone above all other things”
3. Why did God make us?
God made us to show forth His goodness and to share with us His everlasting happiness in heaven.
4. What must we do to gain happiness of heaven?
To gain the happiness of heaven we must know, love, and serve God in this world.
5. From whom do we learn to know, love and serve God?
We learn to know, love, and serve God from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church.
The Church is the flock of Christ. In this flock we follow the Good Shepherd. We listen to Him teaching us what to do.
6. Where do we find the chief truths taught by Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church?
We find chief truths taught by Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church in the Apostles’ Creed.
It is called the “Apostles’ Creed” because in it are all the chief truths which Christ taught His Apostles.
7. Say the:
Apostle’s creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
And in Jesus Christ
His only Son, Our Lord
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit
Born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
Was crucified, died and was buried.
On the third day, he rose again
He ascended into Heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of God, the Father Almighty.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Creator of Heaven and Earth
And in Jesus Christ
His only Son, Our Lord
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit
Born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
Was crucified, died and was buried.
On the third day, he rose again
He ascended into Heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of God, the Father Almighty.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen
Discussion Questions
- What is the purpose of our life on earth?
- Can we get to heaven without loving God?
- What three things are necessary to get to heaven?
- From whom do we learn about God?
- Who is our Good Shepherd?
True or False
- There is more than one Supreme Being.
- God’s Son taught us about God.
- God did not make everything in the world.
- God made us for happiness in heaven.
- The Apostles’ Creed contains the chief truths taught by Jesus.
Fill in the Blanks
- God wants us to share _______________________________with Him in heaven.
- To reach heaven we must ____________, ____________, and____________God.
- We learn about God from His Son __________________ ___________________ .
- Jesus Christ teaches us through the _____________________________________
- The chief truths Christ taught us are in the _______________ _______________
Other Readings
1. Knowing God John 17: 3
Loving God Luke 10: 25 -28
Serving God John 12: 24 -26
2. Listening to the Church Matthew 28: 19-20
John 20, 21
Class Liturgical Action
Learn to say the “Our Father”.
The Our Father
Our Father,
who art in Heaven,
hallowed by Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
who art in Heaven,
hallowed by Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Amen
The above picture and prayer is not original to this Series.
