Lesson 3 - Leading in Family Worship

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 Lay up these my words in your hearts and minds, and hang them for a sign on your hands, and place them between your eyes. Teach your children that they meditate on them, when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest on the way, and when thou liest down and risest up. Thou shalt write them upon the posts and the doors of thy house: That thy days may be multiplied, and the days of thy children in the land which the Lord swore to thy fathers, that he would give them as long as the heaven hangeth over the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart: And thou shalt tell them to thy children, and thou shalt meditate upon them sitting in thy house, and walking on thy journey, sleeping and rising. And thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand, and they shall be and shall move between thy eyes. And thou shalt write them in the entry, and on the doors of thy house.

God wanted His people to raise a godly seed that would know and obey Him in each generation. To accomplish this He laid the responsibility on parents to teach the words of God (law) to their children. He laid out a pattern that still works today:

Love the Lord with our whole being.
Keep the words of God in our own heart.
Teach them diligently to our children every day.

List some practical ways we should keep the words of Scripture before the eyes of our families.
Discuss the connection between exposure to the Scriptures and learning to know God.
What is usually the result of home life being lax in Bible study and teaching and children growing up with the mentality that the Bible is primarily for church services?
List some ways that home Bible study prepares the family for worship at church.

Psalms 78:1-8 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

How do you think “a spirit not steadfast with God” (vs 8) expresses itself today?
How do you know the Psalmist was influenced toward righteousness by the previous generations?
How does faithful Bible study help us and our families to obey God?

The Word of God brings sanctification and purification to us when we believe and obey it. It shows us the way to salvation. It brings freedom. It washes away the filth of the world that is so easy to become contaminated with in our daily walk of life. It does the same for our families. As we share together around the Word and as we pray together as a family the rosary. Both become the power of God in our hands! When we study the Word, believe it, and obey it as a family and as we also pray the rosary frequently and with dedication as a family, it is then that we can say we truly have a Christian home.

2Timothy 3:15 And because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy scriptures, which can instruct thee to salvation, by the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.

Do you want your family worship time to make a difference? Then not only should we be studying the word together, but we should be praying together.

Here are SIX benefits of praying together as a family:

Communicates spirituality and brings faith to life.

Actively praying with your children shows them that prayer and the power of it is real.

Family prayer creates gratefulness.

Following instruction from the Bible on how to pray Philippians 4:6 says that with THANKFUL hearts make known your requests to God.

Builds communal faith and individual connection with God.

Praying together as a family creates a unique opportunity for deeper bonds and building up of family faith. At the same time while building a foundation of family faith, your children will also strengthen their individual connection and relationship with God

Promotes good health and lower stress and healing

Studies have proven over and over again how prayer and spirituality have physical benefits. It’s been proven that ‘spiritual people’ have the ability to better cope with stress, they heal faster from illness, and they experience increased benefits to their health and well-being

Opens hearts to forgiveness

Connecting with God through prayer creates a level of vulnerability where one has to be honest and where one has to forgive in order to be forgiven.

Creates opportunity for true connection and legacy of answered prayers.

Praying together as a family and being witness to prayers answered is a great builder of faith. If we want our kids to believe in the power of prayer, we need to show them that it really works!

“A family that prays together stays together.”- Father Patrick Payton

8. What resources do fathers have to help children to be children who love the Lord?

9. What total effect do you think family worship, Mass, good Catechism classes, good Catholic schools have on our children?

10. What might be some reasons a father might not lead out in worship in his home?

11. Do you think God will make special exception for fathers who neglect their family worship experience because they were too busy with work?

Some suggestions for Family Worship

Read the Gospel and the Lesson for each day

Allow each one in the family to take turns reading a verse from the Gospel and the Lesson. Fathers should be ready to teach and explain the readings.

For families with smaller children, have a bible story book that is appropriate for the age of the children
Maybe read short stories about a Saint of the day.
Sing a Hymn together
Have a memory verse for each week.
Let the children take turns each day announcing the Mysteries of the Rosary

Worshiping together as a family is not something that will be easy for you at first. As a Father, you may feel awkward in the beginning leading your family in worship (especially in singing!). However, as it becomes part of your family life, it will become at the very center of what it means for you to be a family. It will become a joy, and eventually the moments will not be so awkward as they once were. A Christian home must be centered upon Christ, and if it is centered upon Christ, then it will be filled with worship.