Lesson 16. The Jesus Prayer and the prayer "Be the name of the Lord..."

Methodical Instructions and Lesson Notes on the Law of God

Plan. Summary of prayers for mercy learned earlier. Jesus Christ is the benefactor of people, His forgiveness of sinners on earth. Prayer to Him, its name, meaning and content. The cause of our misfortunes; their purpose; the glorification of God in adversity. History of Job; its significance; the prayer of Job; explanation of it; the conclusion and result of Job's patience. We now know three such prayers in which we ask God to have mercy on us. The first prayer is "Lord, have mercy", the second - "Holy God..." and the third - "To the Most Holy Trinity...". In all these prayers we pray to all three Persons of the Holy Trinity. And you know that the devil was overcome by Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ lived on earth, He did a lot of good to people. He made the blind see, made the lame healthy, the deaf hearing, forgave the sins of sinners. Which Person of the Holy Trinity is Jesus Christ? What is the name of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity? Jesus Christ is God the Son, or, to put it another way, the Son of God. He forgave people's sins when He lived on earth, so people pray for the forgiveness of sins not only to all three Persons of the Holy Trinity together, but also separately to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The prayer to Jesus Christ reads as follows: Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. This prayer is called the Jesus Prayer. In it, we call the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and ask Him to have mercy on us. Holy people constantly read this prayer silently, and the Lord always had mercy on them. Let us also remember this prayer and read it silently as often as possible. Memorization of prayer follows. In the Jesus Prayer and in the three prayers that we read today, we ask God to have mercy on us, not to punish us for our sins. But it happens that the Lord punishes us. You know that sometimes people get sick, are ruined by fires, become poor from crop failure or thieves, and suffer insults from people. When some misfortune happens to a person, it means that the Lord punished the person for his sins so that the person would come to his senses and stop sinning. We don't obey God, we don't do what He tells us to do, as long as everything is going well for us. If a person sins all his life, then he will become very bad. When the sinner dies, he will suffer endlessly. God loves people, does not want them to perish, and sends misfortune on a person so that he comes to his senses and stops sinning. What do we ask of God in our prayers: Lord, have mercy, Holy God?... Does God always forgive us? What happens to people when God punishes people? We are to blame for every misfortune, and God sends us grief because He loves us and wants us well. Therefore, we should endure grief with joy and praise or glorify God. One righteous man showed us how to endure trouble. Righteous Job lived in the world for a long time. Job was a rich man; He had seven sons and three daughters in the family. Once Job was sitting at home. Suddenly a worker ran to him. The laborer said to Job: "We were ploughing in the field, and there our enemies attacked us; all the workers were killed, and the cattle were stolen." Before the worker had time to finish, another ran and said: "Fire fell from heaven on your sheep and burned them together with the shepherds." As soon as the second worker said this, the third came running and said: "We were grazing your camels, when the enemies attacked us, killed the shepherds, and stole the cattle." As soon as the third said this, the fourth worker ran up and said: "All your sons and daughters were visiting your elder brother. Suddenly a strong wind blew; The house fell down and crushed everyone to death." At once, many misfortunes fell upon the righteous Job. He was rich and in one day became poor; He had a large family, and suddenly there was no one. But Job did not complain about God, but said: "Surely, it is God's will that I have nothing left. For everything, the name of the Lord must be praised"[1]. God knew that Job was righteous, and He showed Job to all people how to endure sorrow. Who is to blame for all our grief? Why does God send us misfortune? What does He want to do when He sends us grief? How should we endure grief? What should they say about God then? What kind of man was Job? What was he rich in? Why did God send him woe? What happened to Job? What did the first employee say? What is the second? the third and fourth? What did Job say? The words of Job: "... it is necessary to praise the name of the Lord" became a prayer. In Slavonic, it reads as follows: Blessed be the name of the Lord from now until forever. How to say the words in Russian: Budi... blessed, you have already heard, and the word from now or now means "now." What does it mean from now? Until forever - in other words, "forever". And you already know what "forever" means. It is necessary to praise the name of the Lord both now and later, without end. In Slavonic it is said: Budi... Pray, children, both to the Holy Trinity and to Jesus Christ, that God would not punish us for our sins, and if the Lord punishes you with anything, then glorify the name of the Lord in grief. The Lord punishes us because He wants us well. Grief is hard to endure, but God will give happiness afterwards. As for the righteous Job, I will tell you that after his misfortune God again gave him even more wealth. Again Job had seven sons and three daughters. Job praised God in grief, and God gave him happiness. In the same way, God gives joy to every person after grief, if a person endures grief and does not complain. See: Job 1:20-21.- Ed.^

Lesson 17. The Story of the Nativity of the Mother of God and Her Entry into the Temple

Methodical Instructions and Lesson Notes on the Law of God

Plan. Remembering the name of the Mother of God. The names of the parents of the Mother of God, their grief and prayers. Nativity of the Virgin Mary; Her entry into the temple as the fulfillment of the vow of Her parents; icon and leading questions. The life of the Mother of God at the temple; the fruits of this life. Edification. H. Do you remember from whom Jesus Christ was born on earth? The Virgin Mary gave birth to God and therefore is called what? Today I will tell you about the Virgin Mary Herself. The father of the Blessed Virgin Mary was called Joachim. Remember this name; Repeat it all. The Virgin Mary's mother was called Anna. They were righteous people, but they had great sorrow. They lived to old age, and they had no children. They fervently prayed to God that God would give them a child, and promised to send their child to study at the school at the temple. A temple is like a church. What were the names of the Virgin Mary's father and mother? What kind of people were they? What did they pray to God for? What did you promise to do? Whoever prays fervently to God, God gives him what a person asks of Him. God gave Joachim and Anna a child: they had a daughter, and they named her Mary. In autumn there is a holiday - the Nativity of the Mother of God, then we celebrate the birth of the Virgin Mary. When you live to see this holiday, then you will know what kind of holiday it is. Now there will soon be another feast - the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple. I will tell you about this holiday now. Joachim and Anna promised to send their daughter to study at the temple or at the church. There was a school there, and pious people sent their children to study there. When the Virgin Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anna brought her and her friends to the church. Look at this icon. Here is a little girl painted - this is the Virgin Mary. Girls are also drawn around - these are her friends. Behind them are an old man and an old woman - these are Joachim and Anna. The Virgin Mary goes up the stairs, and at the top stands the eldest above the priests, or, in other words, the high priest. He met her and took her to the temple[2]. When did Joachim and Anna bring the Virgin Mary to the temple? With whom did they bring Her? Who met Her on the stairs? Who is the High Priest? Where did he lead the Virgin Mary? The Virgin Mary was brought to the temple, so the feast that we will soon have is called the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. The Virgin Mary lived at the temple until she was 14 years old. There she prayed to God, studied, worked and read divine books. From Her childhood and after, until Her death, She lived as God commanded Her to live, and for Her holiness God Himself was born of Her - Jesus Christ. Never, children, be lazy to pray, to study the Law of God and other sciences; Do not be lazy and generally work. Those who live righteously, God gives them happiness on earth and a good life in heaven after death. The lesson is conducted before the feast of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple.^ Until the children know anything about the division of the temple into three parts, it is useless to talk about the Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Holy of Holies.^

Lesson 18. Teaching the prayer "It is truly meet..."

Methodical Instructions and Lesson Notes on the Law of God

Plan. The holiness of the Mother of God; Her superiority over the Angels; veneration of Her by the Angels. Transition to the prayer being studied; learning to pray with a preliminary translation and explanation of expressions. We said last time that the Virgin Mary lived according to God's law from childhood until death. She became holy, gave birth to God and became higher than all the angels. You already know that Angels are not all the same: there are older Angels and there are younger Angels. What are the Elder Angels called? U. Archangels, Cherubim, and Seraphim. The Mother of God is above all the Angels: She should be venerated more than the Cherubim and glorified more than the Seraphim. We revere and glorify angels for their holiness, and the Mother of God is holier than all of them. We glorify the Mother of God with prayers, and there are separate prayers to Her. We will learn one prayer now. How did the Virgin Mary live from childhood to death? What has She become? Whom did She give birth to? Who has she become taller? How can the Mother of God be revered and glorified? Why do we venerate angels? How do we glorify the Mother of God? One should truly glorify the Mother of God. These words in Slavonic are pronounced as follows: It is truly worthy to bless Thee, the Mother of God. The word "should" is said to be meet; "in truth" - as truly. How to say the truth? What does it mean to eat worthily? how? How do you say "praise you"? What does blessedness mean? You? Let us remember the words of the prayer "It is worthy... The Mother of God." As long as people obeyed God's law, they lived in paradise and were happy, because, as you already know, God sends sorrow and misfortune upon us for our sins. The Virgin Mary never sinned and now lives in heaven. She became forever happy. We also call Her so in prayer. "Always", as you already know, is always in Slavonic, and "happy" means blessed. As always? How "happy"? The Mother of God was always sinless, which is why we call Her sinless in prayer, and in Slavonic – immaculate. Repeat this word all and remember. Immaculate - what does it mean? Then we call the Virgin Mary the Mother of our God. Stand all up and say: It is worthy... and the Mother of our God. We have already said that the Mother of God should be revered above the Cherubim and glorified incomparably more than we glorify the Seraphim. In prayer we say it thus: More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim. In these words we say that the Mother of God is higher than the Angels. The first people, Adam and Eve, sinned in paradise, and sinful people began to be born from them; From these people were born again people who were also sinners. And the Virgin Mary gave birth to God without sin, the prayer says: ... without corruption of God the Word. Since the Virgin Mary gave birth to God, in prayer we praise Her or magnify Her as the true or, in Slavonic, existent Mother of God. What is the Slavonic word for "without sin"? As "true"? What do they mean without decay? Existing? This is followed by memorizing the prayer, and it is divided first into five parts, and then less and less. Memorize the prayer "It is truly meet..." during one lesson, it is possible, since students hear this prayer at school every day. The repetition of the explanations and the text of the prayer is quite possible in the next two lessons, which are connected with the present and previous lessons. The Mother of God now lives in heaven and always prays to God for us. She loves us all, so never forget to pray to Our Lady.

Lesson 19. The Annunciation of the Mother of God

Methodical Instructions and Lesson Notes on the Law of God

Plan. The story of the life of the Mother of God at the temple and Her vow; migration to Joseph. Annunciation. Showing the icon with leading questions. Memorizing the first words of the angelic greeting; explanation of the meaning of the holiday. Moral Application. The Virgin Mary lived at the temple until she was 14 years old. Girls could not live longer at the temple, and therefore the priests wanted to marry the Virgin Mary. But She promised God to remain a virgin for the rest of Her life, and She was taken in by Her relative, Elder Joseph. He was a carpenter and lived in the city of Nazareth. Until how many years did the Virgin Mary live at the temple? What did the priests want to do when She was 14 years old? What did She promise God? Who took Her to himself? Who was Elder Joseph? In which city did he live? In the house of Joseph, the Virgin Mary worked, prayed to God and read divine books. Once She was reading a book and saw the Archangel Gabriel. The Archangel said to Her: "Rejoice, O thou who hast received mercy from God: Thou art glorified among all women!" [1] The Virgin Mary was frightened, but the Archangel said to her: "Do not be afraid, for you have earned the mercy of God: you will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus. He will be called the Son of God"[2]. Then the Virgin Mary replied to the Archangel: "I always obey the Lord, let it be as you said"[3]. The Archangel flew away from the Virgin Mary. Immediately after this, the icon of the Annunciation follows. You see, children, this is the Virgin Mary drawn. What does She do? Who stands before Her? Why do you think it's an Angel? What is the name of this Angel? What did the Archangel say first? What happened to the Virgin Mary? What did the Archangel say to Her afterwards? What did the Virgin Mary answer him? The first words that the Archangel said, we will remember better. In Russian, these words are said: "Rejoice, having received...", and in Slavonic: "Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou among women. Repeat them after me. Blagodatnaya - what does it mean in Russian? As they say in Russian: ... blessed art thou among women? The Archangel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary: Rejoice... We rejoice when we receive something good or when we hear good news. The Archangel Gabriel brought good news to the Virgin Mary, so he said to Her: Rejoice... The archangel said that Jesus Christ would soon be born on earth. People waited for Him for a long time, because the devil had taken power over people, and they could not cope with him. And God promised that when Jesus Christ is born on earth, He will overcome the devil. Therefore, the news of this is joyful, good for all people. What did the Archangel say to the Virgin Mary? When do we rejoice? So, what news did the Archangel bring? What was this news about? Who ruled over people? What did God promise them? For whom was the news of the birth of Jesus Christ joyful? In memory of how the Archangel said about the birth of Jesus Christ, a holiday was established. This holiday in Russian is called good news. "Dobry", in Slavonic, as you already know, is good. Therefore, the holiday in Slavonic is called the Annunciation. When someone gives us a good gift, we thank that person. God gave people good news on the Annunciation, so you need to thank God with prayer on this day. Likewise, other holidays are arranged in memory of the fact that God gave good things to people, and therefore on all holidays good people go to church and pray to God. Cf. Luke. 1, 28.- Ed.^ Cf. Lk. 1, 30-31, 35.- Ed.^ Cf. Luke. 1, 38.- Ed.^

Lesson 20. Our Lady's Visit to Righteous Elizabeth. Teaching the prayer "O Virgin Mother of God..." and the repetition of the prayer "It is truly meet..."

Methodical Instructions and Lesson Notes on the Law of God