First Sunday of Passiontide

I. Background Reading -

• Scripture is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testament. A testament (or covenant) is an agreement between two people. In the case of Holy Scripture, a testament is an agreement between God and Man. 
• The Old Testament is much longer than the New Testament, because it covers a longer period of time and it talks about more agreements than the New Testament: 
• The Covenant between God and the first man, Adam. 
• The Covenant between God and Noah during the flood. 
• The Covenant between God and Abraham, who followed God's call to establish His people in the land of Canaan. 
• The Covenant between God and Moses. This covenant consisted of three parts: 
• Laws that were meant to teach people about the life that God expected them to live, e.g., the Ten Commandments. 
• Laws that were designed to set the people of Israel apart from other nations, e.g., prohibitions against certain types of food, work, etc. 
• Laws that were designed to govern sacred worship in the Temple. 
• Christians believe that all people are bound to follow the moral law taught in the Old Testament but that we are free from the other two parts of the law. 
• The last category of the law required many different types of sacrifice in the temple. 
• A sacrifice is where one offers something to God. 
• In the Old Testament, the sacrifices included animals, which were killed on the altar and eaten by the priests and people. 
• Read Ps. 50, 18-19 (Douay). The point of sacrifices was to show God sorrow for sins and to praise him. 
• The Old Testament sacrifices could never give one the grace to go to heaven, because they were always offered by imperfect human beings. 
• The New Testament is the Covenant God made with the whole world by sending his Son, Jesus Christ. 
• In the New Testament, Jesus is the sacrifice that makes us just before God. 
• We still must follow the moral law, but if we sin, we know that we can always receive forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. 
• We receive this forgiveness by repentance and baptism, or if we have committed a sin after baptism, by Confession to a priest. 

II. The Epistle Reading: Hebrews 9: 11-15

• Why do we not need to offer goats and bulls as sacrifices any more? 
• Who is the High Priest of the New Testament? Why do we call Him a priest? 
• The priests of the Old Testament participated in the sacrifice by eating the meat that was offered. How do we participate in the sacrifice offered by Jesus? 
• How did Jesus offer the sacrifice of the New Testament?

III. The Gospel Reading: John 8:46-59

• Why would Abraham have rejoiced to see Jesus? 
• Was Abraham a part of the Old Testament or the New Testament? 
• Jesus says, "I am." Read Exodus 3, 13-14 (Douay). What is Jesus telling the Jews about himself? 
• Given your answer, why would the New Testament sacrifice be more perfect than an Old Testament sacrifice? Who is offering the sacrifice? What is being offered? 

IV. Catechism Lesson:
Penny Catechism, 52-56

52. What is the fourth article of the Creed?

  

The fourth article of the Creed is, 'suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and buried'.

53. What were the chief sufferings of Christ?

 

The chief sufferings of Christ were: 

first, his agony, and his sweat of blood in the Garden; 

secondly, his being scourged at the pillar, and crowned with thorns; and thirdly, his carrying his cross, his crucifixion, and his death between two thieves.

54. What are the chief sufferings of our Lord called?

 

The chief sufferings of our Lord are called the Passion of Jesus Christ.

55. Why did our Saviour suffer?

 

Our Saviour suffered to atone for our sins, and to purchase for us eternal life.

 

56. Why is Jesus Christ called our Redeemer?

 

Jesus Christ is called our Redeemer because his precious blood is the price by which we were ransomed.

Review Questions for Next Week: 

1. Put these in order: (a) scourging at the pillar; (b) death between two thieves; (c) crowning with thorns; (d) agony in the Garden.

2. What do we call the sufferings of Jesus Christ? 

3. Why did Jesus suffer and die on the cross? 

4. Why do we call Jesus our Redeemer? 

V. Classroom Activities

1. Review the Catechism questions from the previous week. 
2. Teach the points from the Explanation at the beginning of the Lesson. Draw the following on the board. 
• Old Testament
• Adam
• Noah
• Abraham
• Moses
• The Moral Law
• The Laws of Israel
• The Ritual Law
• New Testament : Jesus
3. Hand out Bibles. Students should read the Epistle lesson to themselves. Then, discuss the questions that follow among the whole class. 
4. Repeat #3 with the Gospel lesson. 
5. Read the Catechism questions together. Remind students to study the catechism questions for next Sunday.