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St. Mary's At-Home Guide - January 6 (Ch 10-14) - Grade 2 Lesson 10 Preparing for Our Savior Lesson Focus | In the centuries before came, God spoke to His people through , holy men who told people to stop sinning and to prepare for the coming Savior. When the time came for the Savior to be born, God sent the archangel to the woman who would be the Savior’s Mother. Her name was Mary. Beautiful, good, and loving, she always wanted to please God and never disobeyed Him. God made her this way, keeping her free from Original Sin from the moment she was conceived. 1 | begin  Pray the Glory Be with your child.  Together, make a list of all the things your family does to get ready for (e.g., baking, shopping, decorating, etc.). Explain that you do this so everything will be beautiful, joyful, and ready when the day arrives.  Read 40:3 aloud. 2 | summarize Summarize this week’s lesson for your child: Example: Before He sent the promised Savior, God had to get His people ready. He helped His prophets to prepare everyone, and He picked a wonderful woman, Mary, to be the Savior’s Mother. He prepared her by filling her soul with grace and keeping her always free from sin. 3 | review References Review this week’s lesson by asking your child the following questions:  Student Textbook: 1. What does God want most for all His children? (For us to be happy in Chapter 10, pp. 50–54 Heaven forever.)

 Sacred Scripture: 2. To make that possible, what did God promise to send? (A Savior.) Is 40:3; Lk 1:26–38 3. Whom did God choose to be the Mother of the Savior? (The Blessed Virgin Mary.)  Catechism of the Catholic Church: 4. What was Mary free from all her life? (Original Sin.) 62–64, 437, 461–63, 5. Who told Mary she would be the Mother of the Savior? (The 483–95, 522–24, 724, Gabriel.) 1168–71 6. What do we call the time of year when prepare to celebrate the Savior’s coming? (.)

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4 | apply Help your child apply this week’s lesson by asking the following questions: 1. How was Mary different from other girls and boys? What do you think she never did? 2. How can you prepare your heart for Jesus’ coming at Christmas? 3. How do you think Mary felt when she heard the Good News about the coming Savior? Why do you think she felt that way? How does the Good News make you feel? 5 | conclude  With your child, pray the Our Father. 6 | follow up During the week, do at least one of the following activities with your child: 1. If you don’t have one already, buy or make an . 2. Pray the Hail Mary every night before bed. 3. Pick an activity your family can do together every day or week to prepare your hearts for Christmas, such as pray the Rosary, go to Mass on a weekday, go to Eucharistic Adoration, read a story together, etc.

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G2—10 | 85 Lesson 11 The Savior Is Born Lesson Focus | Right before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph traveled to for the census. Because all the inns were full, they stayed in a stable. There, Jesus was born. Mary laid Him in a . Shepherds were the first to learn of His birth. Later three wise men came and gave Him rich gifts. After Jesus’ birth, the fled to Egypt to escape King Herod. Jesus’ birth and infancy were marked by humility, poverty, and troubles. God willed it to be this way, because He wanted to share the life of the poor. 1 | begin  Pray the Glory Be with your child.  Place your family’s or an image of the Nativity on the table. Ask your child if he can identify all the people in it.  Read :1–20 aloud. 2 | summarize Summarize this week’s lesson for your child: Example: When Jesus, the promised Savior, was finally born, He didn’t come into the world as a rich king. He was born in poverty, to poor parents, and poor shepherds were the first to learn about His birth. In this, God helps us understand the virtue of humility. 3 | review Review this week’s lesson by asking your child the following questions: 1. Where was Jesus born? (In a stable in the city of Bethlehem.) References 2. Where did His parents lay Him after He was born? (In a manger filled  Student Textbook: with hay.) Chapter 11, pp. 55–59 3. When was Jesus born? (On the first Christmas day, more than two thousand  Sacred Scripture: years ago.) Mt 1:18—2:15; Lk 4. Who is Jesus Christ? (The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God and 2:1–20 true man.)  Catechism of the 5. Why did the Son of God become man? (To save us from our sins.) Catholic Church: 6. How was Jesus honored when He was born? (The announced His 249–56, 410–12, 437, birth, the shepherds came and worshiped Him, a star shone in the sky, wise men 456–83, 525–30 brought rich gifts.) 7. What sad thing happened after Jesus was born? How did God take care of the Holy Family? (King Herod wanted to kill Jesus. In a dream an angel warned Joseph about King Herod, and the Holy Family fled to Egypt.)

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4 | apply Help your child apply this week’s lesson by asking the following questions: 1. What does the Christmas story teach us about the importance of money? 2. How can you be humble like Jesus? 3. After Jesus was born, the shepherds came to worship Him. How can you worship Jesus? 4. The wise men brought Jesus wonderful gifts. What kind of gifts can you give Jesus? 5 | conclude  With your child, pray the Our Father. 6 | follow up During the week, do at least one of the following activities with your child: 1. Pay a short visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in your church or in an Adoration chapel. 2. Collect coats, toys, or food from your house to give to a local homeless shelter. 3. Help your child pick one special gift he can give to Jesus for Christmas (e.g., to eat all his vegetables, do his homework without complaining, pray every morning and night, etc.).

A star of Bethlehem. notes

G2—11 | 87 Lesson 12 The Holy Family Lesson Focus | The Holy Family teaches us about the beauty and dignity of family life. Joseph, Jesus’ foster-father, was a good and holy man who worked hard to care for his family. Mary also worked hard to care for the family, making their home a happy place to be. Jesus helped both His parents, learned from them, and obeyed them. Together, they prayed daily and served God, sharing their lives with Him and one another. 1 | begin  Pray the Glory Be with your child.  Show your child a picture of your family. Explain that just as God gave him a family to love, care for, and teach him, He also gave His own Son a family to do the same.  Read Luke 2:22–40 aloud. 2 | summarize Summarize this week’s lesson for your child: Example: Through the example of the Holy Family we learn how beautiful families can be when everyone works hard to love and care for one another and serve God in all he does. 3 | review Review this week’s lesson by asking your child the following questions: 1. Who is Jesus’ Father? (God.) References 2. Who is Jesus’ foster-father? (.)  Student Textbook: 3. Who are the members of the Holy Family? (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.) Chapter 12, pp. 60–63 4. Where did the Holy Family live after King Herod died? (In .)  Sacred Scripture: 5. What was Saint Joseph’s job? (He was a carpenter.) Mt 1:18–25; 2:19–20; 6. In what way do all Christians belong to the Holy Family? (Through Lk 2:21–52 Baptism, Jesus is our brother, Mary is our Mother, and we can ask Saint Joseph to

 Catechism of the be our friend and protector.) Catholic Church: 531–34, 963–70, 1655–58, 2215–18, 2673–79, 2683–84

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4 | apply Help your child apply this week’s lesson by asking the following questions: 1. In what ways is our family like the Holy Family? 2. In what ways is our family different from the Holy Family? 3. In what ways can you, as a member of our family, follow the example of Jesus as a member of His family? 4. How can our family love and serve God as the Holy Family did? 5 | conclude  With your child, pray the Our Father. 6 | follow up During the week, do at least one of the following activities with your child: 1. Draw, buy, or download a picture of the Holy Family, and display it in your home. 2. As a family, pray the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary: the Presentation in the Temple. 3. After Sunday Mass, look for the Saint Joseph statue or altar in your church. Together, pray the Prayer to Saint Joseph (see Appendix), or ask Saint Joseph to help everyone in your family to love God and one another better.

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G2—12 | 89 Lesson 13 Good News Lesson Focus | Jesus’ public ministry began with His baptism, an event that revealed that He was the Son of God, the promised Savior. Afterward, He fasted and prayed for forty days in the desert, in preparation for His ministry. He then picked twelve men to be His disciples. He also began teaching people about the Kingdom of God through parables.

1 | begin  Pray the Glory Be with your child.  Ask your child what the best news he ever heard was. How did he feel when he heard it? Did he want to tell others about it? Why?  Read :1–11 aloud. 2 | summarize Summarize this week’s lesson for your child: Example: After Jesus left the desert, He had an important job to do: to share the Good News—the best news of all. 3 | review Review this week’s lesson by asking your child the following questions: 1. Who baptized Jesus? (.) References 2. Why did he baptize Jesus? (So all the people would know that Jesus was the  Student Textbook: Son of God.) Chapter 13, pp. 64–68 3. For how many days was Jesus in the desert? (Forty.)  Sacred Scrip- 4. Why did Jesus preach the Good News? (So that all who heard His teachings ture: Mt 3:4—4:11; and accepted them could enter the Kingdom of God.) 10:1–4; 13:31–32, 5. What are two of the parables Jesus used to teach people about the 44–46; Mk 1:4–13; Kingdom of God? (The parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the buried Lk 4:1–13 treasure.)  Catechism of the 6. How many disciples did Jesus pick? (Twelve.) Catholic Church: 422–29, 441–46, 456–60, 523, 535–53, 2105

A mustard seed is tiny.

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4 | apply Help your child apply this week’s lesson by asking the following questions: 1. Why did Jesus fast and pray before He preached to the people? 2. Jesus said faith is like a tiny mustard seed, which, if nourished, can grow into a big tree. How can you nourish your faith so it can grow? 3. Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a great treasure. What are some things you need to do if you want to obtain the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven? 5 | conclude  With your child, pray the Our Father. 6 | follow up During the week, do at least one of the following activities with your child: 1. Before bed, pray the Prayer to Saint Michael (see Appendix), asking for his help in fighting temptations to behave badly. 2. Encourage your child to call a godparent or grandparent and share with that person what he learned about the Good News in class. 3. As a family, read aloud the other parables about the Kingdom of Heaven in .

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G2—13 | 91 Lesson 14 Jesus Our Teacher Lesson Focus | Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves, being kind and doing good for everyone. When we do something nice for others, Jesus said, it’s as if we’re doing something nice for Him. Jesus listed many good acts we can do, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering and welcoming the homeless, visiting and comforting the sick and the imprisoned, and burying the dead. These acts of kindness are called Corporal Works of Mercy. 1 | begin  Pray the Glory Be with your child.  Ask your child who his neighbors are. Explain that Jesus taught that all people are our neighbors. He also told a story to help people understand how to treat their neighbors.  Read Luke 10:29–37 aloud. 2 | summarize Summarize this week’s lesson for your child: Example: Through that story, Jesus taught us to be kind to everyone, no matter who they are. He also taught that doing something kind for others is doing something kind for Him. 3 | review Review this week’s lesson by asking your child the following questions: 1. What are the seven Corporal Works of Mercy? (Feed the hungry, give drink References to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter and wecome the homeless, visit and comfort  Student Textbook: the sick and the imprisoned, bury the dead.) Chapter 14, pp. 70–73 2. Whom did Jesus tell us to love? (Our neighbors.)  Sacred Scripture: 3. When we love our neighbor, whom are we really loving? (Jesus.) Mt 5:1–2; 25:31–46; Lk 10:29–37

 Catechism of the Catholic Church: 516, 1032, 1500– 1510, 1822–29, 2443–49, 2099–2100

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4 | apply Help your child apply this week’s lesson by asking the following questions: 1. What is one way you can . . . a. Feed the hungry? (Give money or food to a food pantry; help cook, etc.) b. Clothe the naked? (Send used clothing to the missions, dress a younger sibling, etc.) c. Shelter the homeless? (Welcome a new neighbor, invite someone lonely to dinner, etc.) d. Visit the sick? (Take cookies to a sick friend, rake an elderly person’s lawn, etc.) e. Visit the imprisoned? (Pray for those in jail, visit someone in a nursing home, etc.) f. Bury the dead? (Pray for all those who have died so they can go to Heaven.) 2. Whom do you know that might be sad or lonely? What could you do to cheer that person up? 5 | conclude  With your child, pray the Our Father. 6 | follow up During the week, do at least one of the following activities with your child: 1. Learn the Prayer for the Faithful Departed (see Appendix), and say it after Grace at every meal. 2. Invite someone who lives alone (e.g., a single friend, widowed neighbor, relative, etc.) over for dinner. 3. Help your child carry out his answer to question 2 in Step 4. notes

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