CATECHETICAL LESSON PLAN

Topic:Liturgy of the HoursDate: November 15,2017

Focus: Liturgy

I.Learning Objectives (the participant will…)

Objectives for deeper understanding: The goal of this night is to inspire teens to experience the beauty and power of praying the Psalms, help them understand why the Psalms were written, and provide an experience of praying the Liturgy of the Hours.

Objectives for inviting learners to a change of heart:Encourage them to remember that the Psalms cover a wide range of human experience. Even if we cannot personally relate to the feeling of a particular Psalm at a given moment we can be mindful of praying for those that are in the midst of that experience.

II. Materials/ Resources Needed (textbooks, media/technology, supplies, handouts, etc.):

  • Sample of the Liturgy of the Hours, Projector

III. Catechetical Foundations (small group leaders read beforehand):

A. CHRISTOCENTRIC: In Jewish tradition, Jesus would have prayed the Psalms. Now as Christians we also pray the Psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours.

B. SCRIPTURAL DRIVING FORCE:Hebrews 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (Pray without ceasing)

C. PRIMARY CATECHISM SOURCE: CCC 1174-1178; 1196; 2585-2589

D. OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES: General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours:

IV. Procedure:

A. Gather(Dinner):Engage the teens where they are. Look out for those who seem lost or out of place. Be confident being uncomfortable. Love.

B. Proclaim:

  • One of the ways the Church continually prays the Psalms is through the Liturgy of the Hours.
  • How has praying the psalms helped grow spiritually in the life of the proclaimer?

• The Psalms are the ancient prayers sung by the Jewish people during worship.

• The Psalms make up a big part of the Church’s daily prayer today.

• The Psalms help us to express our inmost hearts to God, offering Him our hopes, our thanks, our praises, and even our complaints.

  • The Book of Psalms consists of 150 song-prayers traditionally ascribed to the authorship of King David. Pope Benedict XVI tells us, “These inspired songs teach us how to speak to God, expressing ourselves and the whole range of our human experience with words that God himself has given us.”
  • Look through beginning of the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours in order to understand why the Church prays these Psalms with Christ.

C. Break (Small group discussion questions):

• What is your favorite song right now?

• What emotions does it evoke when you are listening to it? Why?

• What did you learn about the Psalms from the teaching?

• What Psalms do you remember praying at Mass recently or remember reading through it in the bible?

• How can the Psalms help you in your personal prayer?

D. Mass

V. Evaluation/ Alterations for next time

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