2nd Grade: Religious Life OVERVIEW Religious Life “If one of your relatives or neighbors is in need in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand against your people who are in need. Instead, you shall freely open your hand and generously lend what OBJECTIVE: To associate the evan- helps to meet that need.” - Deuteronomy 15:7-8 gelical counsels with the vocation to the religious life. READING AND DISCUSSION MAIN CONCEPTS: JESUS’ CHALLENGE TO A RICH YOUNG MAN • People in the religious life make One day a young man came up to Jesus and asked, “Good vows to follow the evangelical teacher, what do I have to do in order to have eternal life?” counsels. Jesus answered him, “Keep the commandants.” “Which ones?” asked the young man. Jesus replied, “Don’t kill or • A vow is a special kind of promise. steal or lie. Honor your parents. Love your neighbor as • The evangelical counsels are pov- yourself.” erty, chastity and obedience. The man said, “I have done that for my whole life. What else • The evangelical counsels are can I do?” words of advice from the Gospel The Jesus looked at him and said, “If you want to be perfect, about how to follow Jesus in a there is still one more thing for you to do: sell everything you have, and give it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in challenging way. heaven. Then come, follow me.” PLANNING DIRECTIONS: But when the young man heard this he became quite sad and Teach the core components. Select went away, because he was very rich… and teach other components given the Then Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything we have and followed you.” time you have and the needs of your Jesus said to them, “Everyone who has given up house or children. wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will receive back an overabundant return here and now and in heaven.” INTRODUCTION (See Luke 18:18-30) 2 min Summarize today’s theme. Through these units we hope to become familiar with the vocations to which God calls people so that you will be able to follow his call always. Right now, you are in the single state of life, but some- day God may call you to a particular vocation–married life, priesthood, or religious life. Today we will focus on Vocation Lessons | 2nd Grade: Religious Life 1 religious life. SIMPLE PRAYER POSSIBLE PRAYER: 3 min Thank you, Lord, for people who are able to share with others so generously, especially those in Let’s draw near to God during today’s the religious life who have given up all their belongings. Please help us to look into the faces of lesson. Read Deuteronomy 15:7-8. those in need and see them as part of our family, whom we will help. Amen. “If one of your relatives or neighbors is in need in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand against your people who are in need. Instead, you shall freely open your hand and generously lend what helps to meet that need.” – Deuteronomy 15:7-8 © Vianney Vocations. Use of this curriculum, in both digital and printed form, is licensed for a specific time period. To view your licensing status, sign in to www.vocationlessons.com. Vocation Lessons | TEACHER – 2nd Grade: Religious Life 1 MAIN CONCEPTS 5 min Teach the main concepts of the vows Religious Life of religious life. “If one of your relatives or neighbors is in need in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your People in the religious life make vows heart nor close your hand against your people who are in need. Instead, you shall freely open your hand and generously lend what helps to meet that need.” - Deuteronomy 15:7-8 to follow the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. A vow is a special kind of promise. READING AND DISCUSSION Religious people promise to be poor, JESUS’ CHALLENGE TO A RICH YOUNG MAN chaste and obedient. Poverty means One day a young man came up to Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what do I have to do in order to have eternal life?” letting go of the desire for riches. Chas- Jesus answered him, “Keep the commandants.” “Which tity means having God for my closest ones?” asked the young man. Jesus replied, “Don’t kill or steal or lie. Honor your parents. Love your neighbor as companion, rather than a person (like yourself.” in marriage). Obedience means letting The man said, “I have done that for my whole life. What else go of having things my own way and can I do?” instead saying yes to the good things I The Jesus looked at him and said, “If you want to be perfect, am asked to do. If someone asks, “what there is still one more thing for you to do: sell everything you have, and give it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in are the evangelical counsels?” the quick heaven. Then come, follow me.” and common answer is: poverty, chas- But when the young man heard this he became quite sad and tity and obedience. went away, because he was very rich… The evangelical counsels are words from Then Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything we the Gospel about how to follow Jesus in have and followed you.” a challenging way. Jesus said to them, “Everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will receive back an overabundant return READING & DISCUSSION here and now and in heaven.” 10 min (See Luke 18:18-30) 1. Introduce “Jesus’ Challenge to a Rich Young Man” 2. Read the story aloud to students as they follow along quietly. 3. Use the discussion questions to reflect with the class about Jesus’ challenge to the rich young man and all of us. INTRODUCTION Vocation Lessons | 2nd Grade: Religious Life 1 Some people really like to be challenged. The Wright brothers did. They took the challenge of inventing an airplane JESUS’ CHALLENGE TO A RICH YOUNG MAN themselves and trying until they figured out something that worked. What Refer to image of the Rich Young Man. about you? If someone shows you how One day a young man came up to Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what do I have to do in high they can jump, do you like to try order to have eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Keep the commandants.” “Which ones?” to jump even higher? Then you like a asked the young man. Jesus replied, “Don’t kill or steal or lie. Honor your parents. Love your challenge! When you draw a picture, neighbor as yourself.” do you like to do it really well—so that The man said, “I have done that for my whole life. What else can I do?” it is not just finished but so that it looks great? Then you like to be challenged The Jesus looked at him and said, “If you want to be perfect, there is still one more thing for too. Listen to the story of a challenge you to do: sell everything you have, and give it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in that Jesus gave to a young man! heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this he became quite sad and went away, because he was very rich… © Vianney Vocations. Use of this curriculum, in both digital and printed form, is licensed for a specific time period. To view your licensing status, sign in to www.vocationlessons.com. Vocation Lessons | TEACHER – 2nd Grade: Religious Life 2 READING & DISCUSSION cont. Then Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything we have and fol- Religious Life lowed you.” “If one of your relatives or neighbors is in need in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand against your people who are in need. Instead, you shall freely open your hand and generously lend what Jesus said to them, “Everyone who has helps to meet that need.” - Deuteronomy 15:7-8 given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the READING AND DISCUSSION kingdom of God will receive back an overabundant return here and now JESUS’ CHALLENGE TO A RICH YOUNG MAN and in heaven.” One day a young man came up to Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what do I have to do in order to have eternal life?” (See Luke 18:18-30) Jesus answered him, “Keep the commandants.” “Which ones?” asked the young man. Jesus replied, “Don’t kill or steal or lie. Honor your parents. Love your neighbor as DISCUSS yourself.” • Did you notice what the challenge The man said, “I have done that for my whole life. What else was? To sell everything he had and can I do?” give it to the poor. The Jesus looked at him and said, “If you want to be perfect, • What was the other part of the there is still one more thing for you to do: sell everything you have, and give it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in challenge? “Come follow me.” heaven.