Chapter 6: The Fourth Commandment: Honor Your Father and Your Mother

1. Chapter 6: The Fourth Commandment: Honor Your Father and Your Mother Ms. DeMeuse Xavier High School

2. Context of the Family • Person’s physical and moral support are ideal in the context of the family • We are meant to be in relationship • We naturally want to love other and seek their good • A couple must love each other and in turn, love their children • Parents act as representatives of God’s authority over them • For a family to be an oasis of happiness and charity, each member must be rooted in Christ

3. Family Focus • Pray the family Rosary • Take time to restore family life • Family meals • A healthy family contributes good citizens to society

4. Why do we respect our parents? • We are given life by our parents • We can never repay our parents for what they have done for us • Sirach 3:1-16

5. Role of Parents • 1) Fairness and understanding • Each person is a child of God • Parents have a genuine concern to help their children • All children want a closeness and trust with their parents • Parents should give children freedom and teach responsibility • 2) Discipline • Age of reason is 7 years old • A child cannot grow up lazy or insensitive • “For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb 12:5-11) • 3) Instruction in the Christian Faith • Train children in a lifestyle • Reception of sacraments, prayer

6. Duties of Children to their Parents • “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” (Col 3:20) • Respect derives from gratitude • Children should respect their teachers whom their parents have entrusted them • Even when a parent does not act in an honorable way, his or her position as a parent requires respect

7. Respect of Children • Extended family • It is an opportunity to take care of a family member • A healthy spousal relationship encourages respect from the children • The spousal love has a direct bearing on their children’s ability to obey and honor their parents

8. Civil Obligations • Authority comes from God • Leaders must be obeyed in everything that is not immoral • To ensure harmonious relationships, there is an established authority

9. Guidelines for Citizen’s Duty toward Civil Authority • Authority has a divine origin • Christians must obey authority • Christians must use moral discretion • Disregard for just civil law warrants reprimand • Authority may impose taxes • Authority deserves respect • * when directives are contrary to the moral order, a citizen has the obligation not to follow it

10. Governmental Obligations to Citizens • The nature of civil authority is not power, but service • It is obligated to respect the fundamental rights of the human person • Authority is necessary for the preservation and advancement of the common good of all • Principle of subsidiarity= the higher authority must not interfere with the lower authority without necessity (EX: state gov’t vs. parents)

11. Discussion • “The success of all societies is based on the success of the family.”