LOVING OUR FAMILY

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

St. Paul challenges us to live the values that will strengthen our family and transform it into one like the Holy Family.

Let us read the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIP

Children, obey your parents (in the Lord), for this is right. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4

FAMILY

TECHNOLOGYCOMFORT

EASEENTERTAINMENT

ALIENATION(misuse of these products)

COMPUTERS MOBILE PHONES MP3 PLAYERS TELEVISION

MEDIA

RESPECT OBEDIENCE FAMILY TOGETHERNESS

Weaken traditional

family values

God’s Original Design for Families

• Bible (Old Testament)• Fourth Commandment

“Honor your father and mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

• Words of Sirach (Sirach 3:12)

What does this mean?

• Obligation of children to their parents when they become old, sick and helpless.

• Makes us value human persons but because of their inherent worth.

• Our parents deserve our love and respect even if they are no longer able to provide for us.

• To give equal respect to our parents

St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians

• Affirms the Fourth Commandment• Emphasize filial respect for parents by adults

and children• Parental respect and responsibility for children– When still young: physical, emotional, and

spiritual – When they grow to maturity: autonomy and

independence

To honor our parents entails:

• Proper gratitude• Affection• Respect• Obedience• Care

- These values are best exemplified by Jesus when He lived with Mary and Joseph.

Positive effects of obeying the Fourth Commandment

• Affirms the Filipinos’ recognition of children as a gift from God, as fruit of love not only between parents but also between them and God

• Affirms the covenant relationship between the parents and their children and between family and God

Positive impact on the Christian community

• As each Christian family is strengthened by this commandment, the Church also becomes stronger

– Christian family is the domestic Church, the first school of discipleship where children, by the grace received in Baptism are made sons and daughters of God and taught to become faithful followers of Christ

The Result of Fourth Commandment

Our adherence to the Fourth Commandment will help us to transform our families and make it like the Holy Family.

Our prayers as a family and our worship in the Eucharist will help keep the love in our families alive.

Parents are instruments of God, acting as God’s free-loving agents in bringing to birth a new human life. Honor, love and respect must be given to them.

ONLY SELFLESS LOVE