The 5 Precepts of the Church
You shall attend Mass on. . .
Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
What is a precept?
A command or rule meant to guide our actions.
Another name for worshipping God.
Ex. Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name.
Adoration
What is the first office that Christ holds?
Priest
What do we call the first day of Lent?
Ash Wednesday
You shall confess your sins. . .
at least once a year.
In the Gospels, who was the voice crying out in the desert?
John the Baptist
Another name for praying for others.
Ex. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Intercession
What is the second office that Christ holds?
Prophet
How long does Lent last? And why?
40 days. The 40 days of Lent follow the example of the 40 days that Christ spent fasting in the desert. His fast and ours is symbolic of the 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the desert before entering in to the Promised Land.
You shall receive the Eucharist. . .
at least once during the Easter season.
How do we share in Christ's office as king?
Christ the King came not to be served, but to serve. In the same way, as his sons and daughters, we are here to serve others.
Another name for when we show our gratitude to God for all that he has given us.
Ex. Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ Our Lord.
Thanksgiving
What is the third office that Christ holds?
King
What day begins Holy Week? Why do we call this day _____ Sunday?
Palm Sunday. On that day, Jesus entered triumphantly into Jerusalem. The people placed palms before Him to make a path as He rode in on a donkey.
You shall observe the days of. . .
fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
The Sunday of Easter is chosen each year in relation to this Jewish holy day from the Old Testament. Why? What happened on this day in the book of Exodus? (Hint: It is a holy day that Jews continue to celebrate to this day. It marked the beginning of their Exodus, when they fled from slavery in Egypt. Easter is our Exodus or our escape from sin and death.)
The Passover. On this day, an Angel of Death killed the first born of every family in Egypt. The Jews were saved from this curse by spreading the blood of a lamb over the lintel of their doors so that the angel passed over their home, sparing them. The Last Supper was a Passover meal. Jesus is the new Passover Lamb. Because of His precious blood, we are spared from the wages of sin.
Another name for when we tell God that we are sorry for our sins.
Ex. Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.
Repentance
How do people share in Christ's office of priest?
Some men are called to the priesthood. All Christians share in the priesthood by making a sacrifice of our lives to God, that is, by living holy lives in service to God.
What three days make up the Triduum? What is special about each day?
Holy Thursday. Good Friday. The Easter Vigil.
Holy Thursday celebrates the Last Supper in which Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist or Lord's Supper.
Good Friday commemorates Christ's suffering and death on the cross.
The Easter Vigil celebrates Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
You shall help to. . .
provide for the needs of the Church.
In addition to attending Mass, what else is expected of us on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation?
We should also rest from servile labor.
Another name for when we ask God for something that we need or want.
Ex. Give us this day our daily bread.
Petition
How do people share in Christ's office of prophet?
We share in Christ's office of prophet when we evangelize others, that is, when we share the faith. (Prophets don't just predict the future. They boldly tell the truth, even when the truth is not popular.)
What day marks the end of the Easter season? _____ Sunday. What is special about this day?
Pentecost Sunday. This day is the birthday of the Church. After His Resurrection and before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus promised to send a Comforter, the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the form of tongues of fire. The Apostles were able to preach the Gospel, the Good News, to people gathered from many countries with many languages. Yet they all miraculously understood what the Apostles were saying. This miracles was the undoing of the Tower of Babel when the language of people was confused.