49 - Incense In The Church

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

Lesson No. ( 49 )

References: 

Numbers 16:41-50, Revelation 5:8. 

Notes for Servants 

i When you see the incense in the church, let your prayers go up with them so that the Lord may accept themassweet-smelling incense. Attend the Prayer forthe Raising ofIncense, Evening and morning Raising of the Incense as these are essential bases of the Divine Mass. 

i Let the aroma of Christ spread in all the sides of your life. Let your sweet-smelling life affect the life of others through your perpetualtesting of the Presence of God and your perpetual unity with Him. 

Objectives 

General:Emphasizingthe ritualspirit inworship and understanding the significanceofritessincechildhood, so that the child may be used to worshipping with joy. 

Specific: 

The children will be able to... 

1. Learn some knowledge about the church rituals.  
2. Know why we use the incense in the church. 
3. compare between incense and the saints. 

Bible Verse 

" Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; " 

(Psalms 141:2) 

Teaching Aids 

A censer or a picture of a censer. 

Instruction 

(1) Review last week's lesson. 

(2) Who remembers the verse? 

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

(4) Teacher should prepare the appropriate questions to emphasize the objectives during the lesson.

Story Time 

This censer, which the priest uses in the prayers ofthe Divine Mass and the incense in it, refers to the Virgin Mary (the Virgins' Womb). She carried the Divine Fire inher womb (Jesus Christ isthe sweet smelling incense and the Divine Fire.) The heavenly Dame, the three chains, stand for the Holy Trinity. (Discussion and questions.) 

When does the priest use this censer? in the evening raising of incense? (When?) in the morning raising of incense? (When?) Preparation for the Holy Mass. 

Incense: 

1 - Sweet-smelling (aroma) as the sweet-smelling life of the saints. 

2 - Rises up to heaven as the prayers of saints do. 

3 - Spreads everywhere and this refers to the fact that people see the image of Christ in the saints everywhere. 

So, whenever we see incense, we have to obey the deacon's warning and pray. In fact, incense has been used in prayer since the time of Moses and Aaron. (Questions about the story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and their destruction together with the rebels). 

Then, the whole congregation rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Moses became very sad. The Lord was very angry. The Lord sent an epidemic and more than fourteen thousand people died. All houses were weeping and crying. 

Moses ordered Aaron to put fire coal in the incense and raise incense. As soon as incense rose, the epidemic stopped. The people thanked the Lord as the prayers accompanied by incense were powerful. They promised never to rebel again. 

Even in heaven, the Lord Jesus is sitting on the Throne surrounded by twenty-four priests carrying censers filled with incense which is the prayers of the saints. That is why David says: "Let my prayer be counted as incense before thee." 

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.