09 - Showing Reverence for Priest (Aaron's Rod)

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen

Lesson No. ( 9 )

References: 

Numbers 17. 

The Sacraments of the Church. 

Notes for Servants 

Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses and Aaron, so they were severely punished. Let's not complain because of what the Lord has given our brethren. Let us submit our will and heart to Him. Let us not be selfish. 

The Lord gave Aaron's stick the power to grow and to live. If your life suffers from spiritual dryness and if your service suffers from spiritual bareness, let us lay our hopes on Christ. i The rod is a symbol of St. Mary the Virgin who conceived Christ without human seed. Let us take Christ into our hearts and our life and let us always intercede with His kind mother. 

Objectives 

General: Children should show reverence for our fathers, the priests, and pray for them so that the Lord may help them to care about us. 

Specific: 

The children will be able to... 

1. Understand why we kiss Abouna’s hand ( because he holds by his hands the flesh and blood of the Lord.) 
2. Show respect for the priests because he is God’s servant. 
3. Obey him because he speaks to us God’s word. 

Bible Verse 

"He that receiveth you receiveth me, 

and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." 

(Matthew 10:40) 

Teaching Aids 

Some vestments, pictures, a model of the Ark of the Covenant, some sticks or the picture of the lesson. 

Instruction 

(1) Review last week's lesson. 

(2) Who remembers the verse?

(3) Remind the children about the church occasions for the coming week. 

Story Time 

Some people of the Old Testament desired to become priests. They rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Those rebels were Korah, Dathan and Abiram and 250 other leaders. They rebelled against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. When Moses heard this, he threw himself on the ground and prayed. Then, he said, "Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to Him.” They all went home. (What do you think people said to each other on that night? “May Moses win victory over those wicked people.”) 

The next morning, the rebels came carrying censers. All the people assembled to see what would happen. Moses and Aaron prayed, "O Lord, solve this problem." Every man took his fire pan, put live coals and incense onit. The ground shook under them, and they all cried in fear. The earth split under them and swallowed them. The others ran away in great fear. They searched for the rebels, but they were under the ground. The Lord honoured Moses and Aaron. 

The Lord wanted to show the people that He had chosen Moses and Aaron. He ordered the leaders of the community to give Mosestwelve sticks, one from the leader of each tribe and to write each man's name on his stick. Aaron also did so. The Lord said to Moses, "The stick of the man I have chosen will sprout." Moses then put all the sticks in the Tent in front of the Lord's Covenant. The next day, when Moses went into the Tent, he saw that Aaron's stick had sprouted. It had budded, blossomed and produced ripe almonds. How did that happen? In no time, without water or soil! It was a miraculous deed. They all showed respect for Aaron and came to kiss his hand and ask him to forgive them and pray for them. He who puts Christ's Body on his hands preaches to us, receives our confessions and prays for us. 

Discussion 

1 - Follow up the story by talking about it with the children. 

2 - Continue the discussion while they do the activity. 

Learning Activities 

Activity Sheet.