6683 TOB Gr6-8

THE 

EVERYDAY 

THEOLOGY 

OF THE 

BODY 

A Guide for 

Infusing Christian 

Anthropology into 

6th–8th Grade 

Religion Classrooms 

SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS

THE 

EVERYDAY 

THEOLOGY 

OF THE 

BODY 

A Guide for 

Infusing Christian 

Anthropology for 

6th-8th Grade 

Religion Classrooms

About Sophia Institute for Teachers 

Sophia Institute for Teachers was launched in 2013 by Sophia Institute to renew and rebuild 

Catholic culture through service to Catholic education. With the goal of nurturing the spiritual, 

moral, and cultural life of souls, and an abiding respect for the role and work of teachers, we 

strive to provide materials and programs that are at once enlightening to the mind and ennobling 

to the heart; faithful and complete, as well as useful and practical. Sophia Institute is a 

501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1983. 

©2022, Sophia Institute for Teachers 

All rights reserved. Portions of this publication may be photocopied and/or reproduced within 

schools for educational use only. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use 

or reproduce any part of this book outside a school in any medium. 

Printed in the United States of America 

Design by Perceptions Design Studio 

The Everyday Theology of the Body 

ISBN: 978-1-64413-668-3

CONTENTS 

Acknowledgments ....................................................................2 

GRADE 6 

Lesson 1: Our Bodies and Creation ................................................4 

Lesson 2: The Fall of Our Bodies ..................................................7 

Lesson 3: Theology of the Body in the Story of Noah ...............................10 

Lesson 4: Abraham and Hagar and The Sacrifice of Isaac ...........................14 

Lesson 5: Theology of the Body in the Story of Moses .............................. 17 

Lesson 6: The Story of David – David Defeats Goliath and David’s Sin with Bathsheba ....21 

Lesson 7: Theology of the Body Principles Revealed in the New Covenant ............26 

GRADE 7 

Lesson 1: The Word Became Flesh: What God Becoming Man 

means for the Body and for Gender. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

Lesson 2: The Signs and Wonders of Jesus: How the Miracles of Jesus 

give Meaning to the Human Body and Gender ...........................36 

Lesson 3: The Paschal Mystery: What it Teaches Us about 

Christian Anthropology and Human Sexuality ...........................41 

Lesson 4: The Spousal Meaning of the Sacraments .................................47 

Lesson 5: Discipleship: Following Christ Means Living His Teachings on Sexuality .....55 

Lesson 6: Purity and Chastity ...................................................62 

Lesson 7: Prayer and Spirituality: How the Body is Essential to Prayer ...............69 

GRADE 8 

Lesson 1: We are Body and Soul .................................................72 

Lesson 2: The Universal Call to Holiness ..........................................74 

Lesson 3: Created Male and Female ..............................................77 

Lesson 4: God’s Plan for Human Sexuality ........................................82 

Lesson 5: Offenses against Chastity Part 1 ........................................87 

Lesson 6: Offenses against Chastity Part 2 ........................................91 

Lesson 7: Mercy and Redemption ................................................95 

Appendix : Resources for Parents ...............................................103 

© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 

1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Authors 

John Bement 

Bishop Guertin High School 

Nashua, NH 

Joseph G. Breslin 

The Heights School 

Germantown, MD 

Maria Cossell 

Roncalli High School 

Indianapolis, IN 

Donna Maus 

St. Mary’s-Colgan Catholic High School 

Pittsburg, KS 

Catherine Petrie 

Our Lady of the Holy Land Parish 

St. Peter, WI 

Sister Mary Rose Reddy, DMML 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School 

Rochester, NH 

Talia Westerby 

Homeschool Educator 

Menomonee Falls, WI 

Contributors 

A. J. Benjamin 

Kelly Vardakas 

Editors 

Veronica Burchard 

Jose Gonzalez 

Michael Gutzwiller 

Ethan O’Connor 

Copy Editors and Proofreaders 

Amy Green 

Terry Leger 

Illustrators 

Mary MacArthur 

Dana Regan 

Design 

Perceptions Design Studio 

Amherst, NH 

Janet Wigoff 

Secondary Theology Teacher (Ret.) 

Archdiocese of Philadelphia 

A Note on Standards 

Each mini-lesson in this guide contains references to relevant Catechism of the Catholic 

Church paragraph numbers, as well as relevant standards from the Standards for Christian 

Anthropology: Based on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body Teachings, published by The 

Cardinal Newman Society and Ruah Woods Press. Note that while several mini-lessons may 

connect to standards in multiple grade levels, only grade-level connections are noted here. 

2 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS

GRADE 6 

MINI-LESSONS 

——————— • • • ——————— 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Lesson 1: Our Bodies and Creation 

Lesson 2: The Fall of Our Bodies 

Lesson 3: Theology of the Body in the Story of Noah 

Lesson 4: Abraham and Hagar and The Sacrifice of 

Isaac 

Lesson 5: Theology of the Body in the Story of Moses 

Lesson 6: The Story of David – David Defeats Goliath 

and David’s Sin with Bathsheba 

Lesson 7: Theology of the Body Principles Revealed 

in the New Covenant 

3

MINI-LESSON 1 

Our Bodies and Creation 

CCC 

CCC 355–373 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.1.1 TOB Exhibit wonder 

and awe at the generosity of 

God in the gifts of His abundant 

and beautiful creation. 

(TOB 2-3, 13:2; CCC 293- 

295, 341) 6.3.3 Discuss why 

it is a good thing that God 

created man as male and 

female. 

Teacher Background 

Man occupies a unique place in creation — created in the 

image of God and established in His friendship, he is the 

only visible creature able to know and love his Creator. God 

created mankind for its own sake, and only he is called to 

share in God’s own life. It is for this reason that God made 

man and woman: to share in His life for all of eternity. Men 

and women were created together and willed for the other. 

This truth reveals that men and women are called to live in 

communion, echoing the communion of the three Persons 

of the Most Holy Trinity. Made in His image, our bodies 

reveal who God is, our approach to the body needs to be 

one of wonder and awe. When we can approach the body 

with this wonder and awe, we begin to see the image of 

God in us and others. 

God created everything for man, and in turn man is 

created to serve and love God, and to offer creation back 

to Him. The earth is meant to benefit all people, sustaining 

and developing life. In light of this reality, we all have a 

responsibility to be stewards of God’s creation and to care 

for the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Biblical Touchstones 

Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, 

after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish 

of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the 

wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. 

God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he 

created them; male and female he created them. 

— GENESIS 1:26–27 

The man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and 

flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out 

of man this one has been taken.” 

— GENESIS 2:23 


To do with your students 

Activity #1: Wonder and Awe 

You will need: one piece of notebook paper per student. 

A. Begin by having students take out a blank piece of notebook paper and asking them to 

write a detailed paragraph about a time they experienced wonder and awe. Examples 

may include a beautiful sunset, a view from a mountain, witnessing a sibling being 

born, and so forth. 

B. When they have finished writing, call on students to share about their experiences. 

Lead a discussion about why their experiences were full of awe and wonder. How did 

their experiences reveal God? 

Activity #2: The Creation of Adam 

A. Begin by projecting an image of Michelangelo’s fresco, The Creation of Adam, which 

can be found at: SophiaOnline.org/CreationAdam. Note: Michelangelo’s painting 

includes nudity. You may wish to crop the image. 

B. Next, give your students a few moments of silence to study the painting, and then lead 

a discussion based on the following questions: 

ӹ What do you notice first in this painting? What catches your attention? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

How does this painting make you feel? 

Who are the central figures in this painting? 

ӹ Michelangelo chose to focus on this moment of creation when God created mankind. 

Why do you think he did that? What is different about the creation of man 

and woman as compared to the rest of creation? 

C. Conclude the activity by explaining to your students how God created humans differently 

from the rest of creation and what that implies about human dignity. 

Activity #3 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: When God created man and woman 

in His image, before Original Sin entered the world, it was easy for them to recognize 

God in one another. When God created Eve, Adam exclaimed in wonder, “this one is bone 

of my bone, flesh of my flesh.” 

B. Next, discuss the following question with your students: When have you been amazed 

or in awe of another human being? 

C. Then, explain the following: Sin clouds our ability to recognize God and His image in 

others, especially in the case of others who have a mental or physical disability. 

D. View with your class the music video for the song “Renegades” by X Ambassadors, 

which can be found at the following link: SophiaOnline.org/Renegades. 


5

E. Lead a discussion about the video based upon the following questions: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What surprised you the most in this video? In what ways were you amazed by the 

ability of the body and spirit of the people featured? 

The word renegade is defined as “a person who behaves in a rebelliously unconventional 

manner.” How have the writers of this song interpreted the meaning of 

this word in a new way? 

The music video reveals the band’s inspiration for the song lyrics. What did you 

think of their hidden story? 

How does this video help you recognize the inherent dignity of all persons, despite 

physical or mental limitations? 


MINI-LESSON 2 

The Fall of Our Bodies 

CCC 

CCC 396–400 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.7.1 TOB Describe how 

the body-soul unity reveals 

man’s special dignity. (TOB 

18:4, 19:3-5, 23:5, 56-57:3; 

CCC 2518, 2520-2524) 


When God created man and woman, they existed in perfect 

harmony with God, with creation, and with each other. 

This harmony was destroyed by the Fall, when man, 

tempted by the devil, failed to trust God and chose his own 

will and pride over God. The grace of original holiness was 

lost, and Adam and Eve immediately looked upon God with 

fear in their hearts rather than love and trust. The consequence 

of the first sin was that the original harmony with 

God, Creation, and each other was broken. The intimate 

relationship with God was lost, control of the soul’s spiritual 

faculties over the body was shattered, the union of 

man and woman became subject to tensions, visible creation 

became alien and hostile to man, and death made its 

entrance into human history (CCC 400). In God’s original 

plan for human love, we were able to see the whole human 

person as a gift and an image of God. In a world with 

sin, our vision is clouded by lust and greed, and we have a 

tendency to objectify the bodies of others rather than respect 

them. This sinful tendency is further complicated by 

a difficulty to understand the unity of body and soul, most 

pointedly visible in how our modern society views gender 

as a subjective personal decision rather than a fixed part of 

our identity. Only in Christ can the tragic outcomes of sin 

on the human person be rectified and redeemed. 


Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they 

knew that they were naked. 

GENESIS 3:7 

But the things that come out of the mouth come from 

the heart, and they defile. For from the heart come evil 

thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, 

blasphemy. 

MATTHEW 15:18–19 


7


Activity #1: The Fall 

You will need: one Consequences of the Fall worksheet (pg. 9 of this guide) per student 

and Bibles. 

A. Arrange your students into pairs and distribute the Consequences of the Fall worksheet. 

Have your students complete the activity using their Bibles. 

B. After they have finished the activity, lead a discussion about how sin has impacted 

how we view and interact with God, creation, and each other, and how this impact of 

sin is evident in our modern world today. 

Answer Key 

Relationships Broken By Sin 

Relationship with God 

Relationship with Creation 

Relationship with Each Other 

Examples from the Fall Narrative 

Fear of God walking in garden and hiding from Him, 

forced to leave the garden. 

Toil to work the land, forced to leave the garden. 

Shame of nakedness, difficulty in childbearing. 

Activity #2: Our Identity as Sons and Daughters of God 

You will need: one blank note card per student. 

A. Distribute the note cards and ask your students to write down five words that describe 

who they are. Do not give them any suggestions. 

B. Next, ask for a few students to share one of their descriptive words. Anticipate many 

responses to be about personality traits or talents — such as smart, funny, tall, athletic, 

and so forth — rather than who they are. 

C. Then, point out that most of the responses they shared are about ability, what they 

do, rather than who they are. Lead a discussion about why this kind of thinking is 

incomplete and does not reflect who they are. If these traits or talents were lost, for 

example, it would not change who they are. 

D. Conclude by explaining the following to your students: Sin has also damaged the way 

we see ourselves. Our modern society emphasizes what a person does, or what he or she 

contributes to society, and attaches his or her worth to productivity. This outlook assumes 

people exist to serve society, and gets things backwards. We do not exist to serve society, 

the purpose of society is to support human flourishing. “The human person . . . is and 

ought to be the principle, the subject, and the object of every social organization” (GS 25 

§ 1). All people, often ourselves included, have inherent worth and dignity. The dignity of 

the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God (CCC 1700). 


Mini-Lesson 2 Activity #1 Worksheet 

CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL 

Directions: 

With a partner, read Genesis 3:1–24 and identify the ways that sin harmed mankind’s 

relationship with God, with creation, and with each other. 

Relationships Broken By Sin 

Examples from The Fall Narrative 

Relationship with God 

Relationship with Creation 

Relationship with Each Other 


9

MINI-LESSON 3 

Theology of the Body in the Story of Noah 

CCC 

CCC 56–58, 402 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.4.2 TOB Exhibit the virtue 

of reverence for God, his 

creation, and other people 

by treating them with respect 

and honor, for God is all good 

and his creation is a good 

gift. (TOB 14:4, 15:4, 119- 

120, 132:1; CCC 2096-2097, 

2415-2418, 2479). 


After the original harmony and unity of the human race 

was shattered by sin, God immediately sought to save humanity. 

Rather than leaving mankind to suffer in misery, 

God proclaimed what is known as the Protoevangelium, or 

the “first Gospel,” found in Genesis 3:15. In this proclamation, 

God spoke to the serpent, who represents the Devil, 

and gave the first revelation of His plan to send His Son 

to conquer evil and restore the communion between God 

and His people. The mystery of this plan unfolds through a 

series of covenants throughout Salvation History. The first 

covenant God entered into with mankind was the original 

covenant made with Adam and Eve. But, after the advent 

of sin, it became necessary for a new covenant to be made, 

this time, with a man named Noah. The covenant God 

makes with Noah is very similar to the original covenant 

between God and Adam; in fact, the Church refers to Noah 

as “the new Adam,” who sought to align himself to God’s 

will and work towards restoring humanity’s relationship 

with God through the baptismal waters of the Great Flood 

and the dawn of the new creation. 


But Noah found favor with the LORD. 

GENESIS 6:8 

By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation 

of his household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that 

comes through faith. 

HEBREWS 11:7 



Activity #1: The Protoevangelium 

A. Begin by reading aloud Genesis 3:15 and explaining the concept of the Protoevangelium 

to your students. In Genesis 3:15, God promised that a descendant of the woman (Eve) 

would one day crush the head of the descendants of the serpent. We understand this descendent 

of the woman to be Jesus, who, by His Paschal Mystery defeated sin and death. 

B. Then, lead a discussion based on the following questions: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Did God have to save humanity after they sinned? Why or why not? Why do you 

think He did so? 

Do you think humanity deserved to be saved or earned salvation in any way? 

How can the Protoevangelium provide hope for us in a world full of sin and 

destruction? 

Activity #2: The New Adam 

You will need: one Covenant Comparison worksheet (pg. 13 of this guide) per student 

and Bibles. 

A. Explain the concept of Noah as the New Adam. Emphasize that the covenant with 

Noah is similar to that of the covenant with Adam, but has some modifications based 

on humanity’s fallen state. Whereas Adam was the first human being in all of creation, 

with whom God made a covenant, Noah is the first of a new creation that emerged 

from the waters of the Great Flood, with whom God entered into a new covenant that 

was much the same as the first, but with different provisions for the accountability for 

human life. 

B. Next, arrange your students in pairs and distribute the Covenant Comparison worksheet 

and the Bibles and have them complete the activity. 

C. Then, ask for volunteers to share the similarities and differences they found between 

the two covenants. The covenant with Noah emphasizes the responsibility man has for 

the lives of one another because they are made in the image and likeness of God. 


11

Activity #3: Respect for Creation 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: Adam and then Noah were given 

responsibility to care for God’s creation, which He created as good. When God sent the 

Great Flood, He had Noah protect not only his family, but also the other creatures He 

had created. This responsibility to care for our earthly home belongs to us; we are called 

to be good stewards of God’s Creation. 

B. Lead a class brainstorm to identify the ways humans have abused the gift of God’s 

creation both in our modern world and throughout the course of history. Write these 

ideas on the board. 

C. Then, discuss as a class the ways that Christians can combat the throw-away culture 

of waste and chronic disrespect of creation, including tangible things they can do in 

their own lives. 

Answer Key 

Covenant Comparison 

This list of suggested responses is not exhaustive, accept additional responses that are based 

in the Scripture. 

Unique to the Covenant with Adam: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

God gave Adam and Eve the fruit of any tree in the garden to eat, except for the 

tree at the center of the garden. 

God looked at what He had made and said it was “very good.” 

Unique to the Covenant with Noah: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Animals will experience fear and dread of man. 

God gave the living creatures to Noah and his family to eat. 

God demanded an accounting for human life. 

God promised never to destroy the human race by flood again. 

God placed the rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise. 

Shared characteristics: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

God told them both to “Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.” 

God told them both to “subdue” the earth. 

God affirmed that human beings are made in His image. 



COVENANT COMPARISON 

Directions: 

With a partner, read the stories of the covenants God made with Adam and with 

Noah from Scripture and identify the similarities and differences in the Venn 

diagram below. 

Covenant with Adam 

Genesis 1:26–31 

Covenant with Noah 

Genesis 9:1–17 


13

MINI-LESSON 4 

Abraham and Hagar and 

the Sacrifice of Isaac 

CCC 

CCC 59–60, 459, 

2570–2572 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.4.2 TOB Exhibit the virtue 

of reverence for God, his 

creation, and other people 

by treating them with respect 

and honor, for God is all good 

and his creation is a good 

gift. (TOB 14:4, 15:4, 119- 

120, 132:1; CCC 2096-2097, 

2415-2418, 2479) 


God proceeded to gather His people, who were scattered 

across the world, into a family through the patriarch 

Abraham. God promises to make Abraham the father of a 

multitude of nations, who would be as numerous as the 

stars in the skies or the sand on the seashore. While this 

promise may have seemed unbelievable to Abraham, he 

accepted God’s word with faith, and lived a life of obedience 

to Him. Abraham’s obedience, even to the point 

of sacrificing his only son Isaac, prefigured the obedient 

heart of Christ, who offered Himself on the Cross for the 

salvation of the world, as well as God the Father Himself, 

who gave His own beloved Son. “And so the father of believers 

is conformed to the likeness of the Father who 

will not spare his own Son but will deliver him up for 

us all” (CCC 2572). Abraham serves as a model for faith, 

obedience, prayer, and a renewed relationship with God. 


A second time the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by my 

very self — oracle of the LORD — that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me 

your son, your only one, I will bless you and make your descendants as countless as the stars of 

the sky and the sands of the seashore. 

GENESIS 22:15–17 

He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 

PHILIPPIANS 2:8 



Activity #1: Father of Nations 

You will need: two jars with lids, one filled with a small candy of your choice (such as 

skittles, candy corn, or M&M’s) and one filled with sand. Be sure count the pieces of candy 

beforehand. 

A. Begin by placing the first jar filled with candy in front of the class where everyone can 

see it. Pass the jar around the classroom and ask students to make a guess as to how 

many pieces of candy are in the jar. Then, reveal how many pieces are in the jar and 

see who guessed the closest. Then, share the candy with your students. 

B. Next, tell your students they are going to do the activity again, and take out the jar full 

of sand for your students to see. Can they possibly guess how many grains of sand are 

in the jar? No, there are far too many tiny grains to make an adequate guess. This visual 

is a small glimpse into God’s love and promise for His family. 

C. Explain the following: After God made the covenant with Noah, humanity continued 

down a path of sin. God once more gathered His people, who were scattered across the 

world, this time through a covenant with Abraham. God promised to make Abraham the 

father of many nations, and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in 

the sky and the sand on the seashore. This is our family; we are surrounded by countless 

brothers and sisters in the family of the Church. We are the descendants of Abraham and 

members of God’s family. 

Activity #2: The Sacrifice of Isaac 

A. Begin by projecting Franz Xaver Kirchebner’s fresco The Sacrifice of Isaac. The painting 

can be found at the following link: SophiaOnline.org/SacrificeIsaac. 

B. After providing a few moments of silence for your students to study the painting, lead 

a discussion based upon the following questions: 

ӹ What do you notice first about this painting? What draws your attention? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What emotions does this painting seem to be portraying? 

Can you identify any of the central figures in this painting? What event from 

Scripture is being depicted? What makes you think so? 

Read aloud Genesis 22:1–14. Why do you think God asked Abraham to sacrifice 

Isaac? 

What does this story reveal about the importance of obedience? What does it 

reveal about faith? About God’s mercy? 

What other parts of the story are visible in the painting? 

What is the significance of the ram? Read aloud again Genesis 22:8. How is this 

ram connected to Jesus’ title, Lamb of God? 


15

Activity #3: A Selfless Gift 

You will need: one piece of notebook paper per student. 

A. Begin by asking your students to take out a blank piece of paper and list as many 

examples of transactions we make in our modern life. These can be monetary or any 

time that we give or do something and expect something in return. 

B. Ask for a few students to share items from their list. 

C. Next, ask your students to think of a time they have witnessed, or they themselves 

made, a selfless gift to another, where they did not expect something in return, not 

even a thank you. Define for them that a gift-of-self is to place oneself at the service 

of others and seek the true good of the others. Have them write a paragraph about 

this experience on the same piece of paper. 

D. Then, have a few students share their experiences of selfless giving and reflect on the 

question of why it is so hard to give and not expect anything in return. 

E. Conclude the activity by explaining the following story: Our culture often focuses on 

being “true to ourselves,” and putting our own contentment and satisfaction above 

everything else. The story of Abraham and the revelation of Jesus’ selfless sacrificial gift 

to humanity remind us that our lives are not about gaining and acquiring, but about giving 

sacrificial love to other members of the human family. It is difficult to commit acts of 

love knowing that we will not get something in return, but practicing these actions helps 

transform our hearts and our entire disposition toward serving others and loving God. 

F. Encourage your students to intentionally practice small acts of kindness and sacrifice 

on a regular basis. 


MINI-LESSON 5 

Theology of the Body in the Story of Moses 

CCC 

CCC 205, 2056–2057, 2113 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.2.2 TOB Explain how 

original solitude means the 

experience of man’s being 

alone-with-God; his unique 

relationship to God. (TOB 6:2; 

CCC 374-375) 


God called Moses from the burning bush and gave him the 

mission of setting His people, the Israelites, free from slavery 

in Egypt. This mission called for dangerous encounters 

with the Pharaoh, the ten plagues, and culminated in the 

Exodus from Egypt, pursued by Pharaoh’s army. Yet the 

greater task for Moses was not to physically remove the 

Israelites from the bondage of the Egyptians, but instead 

to free their hearts from their enslavement to sin and 

idolatry. Despite being removed from Egypt, the Israelites 

repeatedly clung to the sinful ways they adopted from the 

Egyptians, living lives of debauchery, and worshipping 

false idols. 

God gave Moses the Decalogue, or “ten words,” or Ten 

Commandments, which point out the conditions of a life 

freed from the slavery of sin. Freedom is often misunderstood 

as an individual doing whatever he or she wants, 

and a set of rules, such as the Ten Commandments, may 

appear to some to inhibit that freedom. Instead, the Ten 

Commandments offer liberation and life, guiding us to 

choose the good and enabling us to truly love. 


If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I am giving you today, loving 

the LORD, your God, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and 

ordinances, you will live and grow numerous. 

DEUTERONOMY 30:16 

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery… 

For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for 

the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. 

GALATIANS 5:1, 13 


17

To do with your students: 

Activity #1: Time with God 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: Prior to The Fall, man was blessed 

with original solitude, which means that he alone was made like God, in His image and 

likeness, and with a deep and unique relationship with Him without the barrier of sin 

standing in the way. Man walked alongside God in the Garden of Eden, and his conversation 

with God was a sensible and intimate reality. When God appeared to Moses 

on Mount Sinai and gave him the Ten Commandments, He revealed Himself in an extraordinary, 

visible, and tangible way. Because of Original Sin, we do not ordinarily 

experience prayer in these same perceptible ways as before the Fall and on Mt. Sinai. 

But we are still called to an intimate relationship with God. God calls us to draw close 

to Him in prayer and to become increasingly aware of His presence. 

B. Next, create a prayerful environment in the classroom — dim the lights, play soft instrumental 

music, and light a candle. 

C. Then, teach your class the Jesus Prayer, an ancient prayer that is very common in 

Orthodox churches. It helps us become more aware of God’s omnipresence by connecting 

a prayer to our breathing. Write the words of the prayer on the board so your 

students can follow along. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” 

D. First, have your students pray the first half of the prayer while they take a slow and intentional 

inhale. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Then, have them pray the second half of 

the prayer while they take a slow and intentional exhale. Have mercy on me, a sinner. 

E. Give your students a few minutes to pray this prayer silently, encouraging them to 

close their eyes once they have the prayer memorized. 

F. Conclude the activity by asking your students what they like about the prayer, and 

how they might incorporate it into their daily lives. 

Activity #2: True Freedom 

You will need: one True Freedom worksheet (pg. 20 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by leading a discussion based on the following questions: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

How would you define freedom? What is the true meaning? Make sure students 

understand that the true meaning of freedom is the ability to choose the good. 

How do you think our modern society defines freedom? 

Do you think that laws inhibit freedom? Why? 

How can just laws or rules create freedom and happiness? 


B. Next, explain to your students how freedom is misunderstood by our modern society, 

and how the Ten Commandments free us from the slavery of sin. 

C. Then, arrange your students into pairs, distribute the True Freedom worksheet, and 

have them complete the activity. Conclude that the Church’s teachings are not burdensome 

rules but rather help us become the selfless, loving people that God has made us 

to be. These teachings help us to treat others with the love and dignity they deserve, 

and they are reflections of the truths that we are called by God to love and that our 

entire being is a sacred reality and a gift from God. 

Activity #3: False Idols 

A. Begin by reading aloud the First Commandment from Genesis 20:1–6. 

B. Next, ask your students what comes to mind when they think of “false idols” or “false 

gods.” Anticipate responses such as the pagan gods of Greece or Rome, or the many gods 

of other world religions such as Hinduism. 

C. Then, explain the following to your students: Idolatry not only refers to false pagan 

worship, but consists of divinizing or raising anything in our lives up to a level of unhealthy 

love or worship. We commit idolatry when we put something in our hearts 

before God. 

D. Lead your class in a brainstorm activity, coming up with as many modern idols that 

exist in our society and writing them on the board. 

E. Conclude by leading your class in a prayer for strength to not be tempted by false 

idols and maintain detachment from material things. 


19


TRUE FREEDOM 

Directions: 

Identify how the following Commandments and secular laws create freedom and 

what evils they punish. 

Commandment/Law How it promotes freedom Evils it punishes 

Laws against 

shoplifting. 

You shall not murder. 

Legal speed limits. 

You shall not commit 

adultery. 

Laws against drinking 

and driving. 

Laws that protect 

freedom of speech. 

Laws that prohibit 

smoking on airplanes. 

Laws that protect 

freedom of religion. 

Honor your father and 

mother. 


MINI-LESSON 6 

The Story of David 

CCC 

CCC 1693–1694, 2339, 

2579 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.4.1 TOB Define “original 

nakedness” as experiencing 

the true and clear vision 

of the person; as gift and in 

God’s image. (TOB 13:1; 

CCC 337, 339, 377) 


David was a man after God’s own heart. When Samuel 

came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king, Jesse 

assumed one of his older and more kingly-looking sons 

would be chosen. However, in 1 Samuel 16:7, the Lord 

spoke, saying “The Lord does not see as mortals see; they 

look on outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the 

heart,” and chose David, a young shepherd boy, for the 

task. Scripture reminds us that “the Lord is with David.” 

In this way, David prefigures Christ and the closeness he 

shares with His heavenly father. Unlike Christ, David gave 

in to our human tendency to sin. David committed adultery 

and sought to cover up his sin with even greater sins, 

which displeased the Lord. David faced the consequences 

of his sins, however, and acknowledged his mistakes, reconciling 

himself with the Lord and aligning his heart with 

the Lord’s once again. In the same way, we are called to 

be people after God’s own heart to receive the grace of 

the Sacraments, particularly Penance and Reconciliation. 


The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart to appoint as ruler over his people because 

you did not observe what the LORD commanded you. 

1 SAMUEL 13:14 

For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those 

who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit. The concern of the flesh is death, 

but the concern of the spirit is life and peace. 

ROMANS 8:5–10 


21


Activity #1: God Sees Our Hearts 

You will need: One David Anointed as King worksheet (pg. 24 of this guide) per student 

and Bibles. 

A. Begin by arranging your students into pairs and distributing the David Anointed as 

King worksheet. Have your students complete the activity by reading the story of how 

God revealed the true king of Israel to the prophet Samuel from their Bibles. 

B. Conclude by leading a discussion based upon the reflection questions. 

Answer Key 

1. Jesse. 

2. Bethlehem — foreshadowing where the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, would be born. 

3. God looks on the heart. 

4. He was in the field, keeping the sheep. 

5. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. David prefigures Jesus. 

6. Accept reasoned answers. 

Activity #2: Loving or Using? 

You will need: One Loving or Using? worksheet (pg. 25 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: Even those who are holy can still 

fall into temptation and sin. David, God’s chosen and beloved one, allowed himself to be 

ruled by his passions and committed a grave sin. 

B. Lead a discussion about how David looked upon Bathsheba as an object, thinking 

only of his own desires and not of her dignity as a person. Describe how David, in 

an attempt to try to hide his sin, had Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, killed, by sending 

him to the front lines of battle. These events show us how one sin often leads to 

additional sins. 

C. Distribute the Loving or Using? worksheet and have your students complete it. 

D. Conclude by discussing their responses to the activity. 

Activity #3: Protecting our Eyes and Hearts 

Note: Preview this activity and present it only to students of sufficient maturity. 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: King David fell into the sin of 

adultery when he looked upon Bathsheba with desire. Prior to the Fall, man and woman 

were able to look upon each other in their original nakedness, which, more than simply 

referring to their lack of clothing, rather represented their true and clear vision of the 

other person, free from the confines of sin, lust, and the temptation to use the other for 

their own gratification. Now, sin clouds our vision. Remember that God has told us that 


He looks at the heart. The way we regard others can be loving and respecting of their 

dignity, or it can cause us to sin. Jesus told us that the sin of adultery includes what is 

in our hearts. 

B. Lead a discussion about the importance of guarding our eyes and hearts from images 

that lead us to temptation, including those that objectify the human body. Give 

students a few moments of silence to reflect on the ways their eyes might lead them 

to sin. Do they look at others’ possessions with envy? Do they spend hours shopping 

online, looking at things they want to possess? Do their eyes lead them to habitually 

overeat? Do they seek out inappropriate videos? 

C. Conclude the activity by leading a prayer for God to grant us clean hearts and help us 

turn away from temptation. Explain that part of guarding our hearts means knowing 

our own weaknesses, and praying for grace. 


23


DAVID ANOINTED AS KING 

Directions: 

With a partner, read 1 Samuel 16:1–13 from your Bible and respond to the 

reflection questions. 

1. From whose family does God choose a new king for Israel? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. Which city did Samuel go to in search of the new king? Why is this city significant later? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. Why did God reject Jesse’s elder sons? What did He see that mortals do not? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4. Where was David when Jesse presented his sons before Samuel? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

5. Who else in Scripture is known as a Good Shepherd? What does this tell us about David? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

6. God chose David, who was small, unexpected, and seemingly unworthy, to be king. What 

do you think this means for how God works in your own life? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



LOVING OR USING? 

Directions: 

Read each scenario and determine if it is an example of loving someone or using 

someone. Then explain why. 

1. Your mom asks you to clean your room and you tell her you’ll do it in a minute, but never 

get to it. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. Your mom asks you to clean your room and you say no, but after further reflection you 

do it anyway. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. A classmate drops all their books in the hall, and you help them to pick up the books. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4. You see a fight out on the playground and take out your phone to record it. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

5. You notice a student who regularly sits by himself at lunch, and you begin to sit with him, 

hoping he will share his food with you. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

6. You forgot to do your math assignment and ask a friend to let you copy theirs. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


25

MINI-LESSON 7 

Theology of the Body Principles 

Revealed in the New Covenant 

CCC 

CCC 517–518, 608, 618 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

6.8.1 TOB Explain how the 

human body is a visible sign 

(a “sacrament”) of God’s invisible 

love. (TOB 19:4; CCC 

355-356, 364) 


Christ’s whole life is a mystery of redemption, above all 

through His sacrifice on the Cross. From the moment of 

the Incarnation, in which Jesus took on human flesh and assumed 

a life of poverty, through His continual obedience to 

the Father’s will throughout His life, through His preaching 

and miracles, and through the Paschal Mystery, Christ was 

continually doing the work of the Father. In all these actions, 

He recapitulated in Himself all of Salvation History, restoring 

fallen man to his original vocation of union with God. 

Jesus is the New Adam, for through Adam’s sin all of humanity 

was lost to sin and death, and through Christ’s great 

act of obedience by His redeeming Death on the Cross, all 

humanity was saved, and the gates of eternal life opened 

to us. As the Lamb of God, Jesus allowed Himself to be led 

to the slaughter and bore the sin of us all. Through the 

Incarnation, Jesus elevates the body and makes it holy. By 

His suffering and Death, unified to the whole human race, 

He sanctifies the suffering of us all, inviting us to participate 

in His redemptive action and giving meaning to our pain. 


And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as 

of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 

JOHN 1:14 

For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through 

the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. 

ROMANS 5:19 

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up 

his cross, and follow me.” 

MATTHEW 16:24 



Activity #1: The Incarnation — Ignatian Contemplation 

A. Begin by creating a prayerful environment in your classroom. Explain to your students 

that they will be using their imaginations to enter more deeply into a story from 

Scripture. 

B. Next, start the meditation by asking your students to close their eyes and imagine the 

following using their senses: 

ӹ Have you ever slept on the floor or the ground before? What discomforts did you 

feel? Imagine those discomforts now. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Imagine the smells of a barn or zoo. What different odors do you recognize? 

What smells are pleasing? What smells are offensive? 

Imagine being far out in the country at night, where there are no electric lights. 

Imagine the darkness, the only light coming from the moon and stars. 

ӹ Imagine the silence of this place, far away from the sounds of the city, of vehicles. 

All you can hear are insects and the occasional sound from the livestock. 

C. Then, ask your students to remain in this imaginative place as your read a passage 

from Scripture. Ask them to imagine they are in the story, experiencing the story with 

their sight, smell, hearing, and so forth. Slowly read aloud Luke 2:1–20. 

D. Next, ask your students to open their eyes. Lead a discussion based on their experiences 

of prayer. Let them know that there are no right or wrong answers, they will 

all have had unique imaginative experiences. What did they see? What was the stable 

like? How rustic was the manger? What did they smell? Did they feel warm or cold? 

And so forth. 

E. Conclude the activity by discussing the Incarnation with your students, and the tangible 

realities of human life that Jesus, the King of Kings, willingly took on. The human 

body is a visible sign of God’s love. Emphasize His poverty, the human experiences 

that we also share that He went through, and how Jesus becoming man transformed 

and raised up the human body. 

Activity #2: The Paschal Mystery — Sacred Art Study 

A. Begin by projecting the painting The Carrying of the Cross by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. 

The painting can be found at the following link: SophiaOnline.org/CarryCross. 

B. After giving your students a few moments of silence to study the painting, lead a 

discussion based upon the following questions. 

ӹ What do you notice first about this painting? What catches your attention? 

ӹ 

How does this painting make you feel? 


27

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What colors are used? Why do you think the painter chose this color palate? 

What elements of light and darkness are used? How do they impact the emotional 

feeling of the painting? 

What scene is depicted in this painting? What makes you think so? 

ӹ Take a moment to look at Jesus. What emotions do you think the painter is trying 

to portray? 

C. Explain to your students the necessity of Jesus’ suffering and Death, and how the 

suffering we experience in our own life can be united to Jesus’ suffering to give it 

meaning and redemptive power. 

D. Conclude by leading your class in a prayer to offer up our current and future sufferings 

and unite them to the heart of Jesus. 

Activity #3: Jesus the New Adam 

You will need: One The Obedience of Christ worksheet (pg. 29 of this guide) per student 

and Bibles. 

A. Explain to your students the concept of Jesus as the New Adam. 

B. Next, arrange your students in pairs and distribute The Obedience of Christ worksheet 

and the Bibles and ask your students to complete the activity. 

Answer Key 

Jesus the New Adam 

Answers may vary slightly. Accept reasoned answers. 

Adam’s Disobedience 

1. Sin and death entered the world 

through Adam’s action and impacted 

all men and women. 

2. Adam’s action brought judgement to 

all. 

3. Adam’s action brought the dominion 

of death. 

4. Adam’s sin brought condemnation for 

all. 

5. By Adam’s one sin, all were made 

sinners. 

Christ’s Obedience 

Jesus’ sacrificial gift brought life and 

grace to all men and women. 

Jesus’ action brought justification. 

Jesus’ action brought the hope of 

eternal life for all. 

Jesus’ saving gift brought life and 

freedom for all. 

By Jesus’ one act of obedience, the 

many are made righteous. 



THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST 

Directions: 

With a partner, read Romans 5:12–21 and complete the chart comparing the effects 

of Adam’s disobedience with the effects of Christ’s obedience. 

Adam’s Disobedience 

Christ’s Obedience 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 


29

GRADE 7 

MINI-LESSONS 

——————— • • • ——————— 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Lesson 1: The Word Became Flesh 

Lesson 2: The Signs and Wonders of Jesus 

Lesson 3: The Paschal Mystery 

Lesson 4: The Spousal Meaning of the Sacraments 

Lesson 5: Discipleship 

Lesson 6: Purity and Chastity 

Lesson 7: Prayer and Spirituality 

31

MINI-LESSON 1 

The Word Became Flesh 

CCC 

CCC 364, 476, 477, 478 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.1.1 TOB Explain that even 

after the Fall, creation remains 

a good gift and is not 

totally corrupted; it is able 

to be redeemed. (cf. TOB 

32:3, 86; CCC 410-412, 422, 

1045-1048) 


As a human being, Jesus has a human body while remaining 

fully divine. By the Holy Spirit, He was incarnate (made 

flesh) of the Virgin Mary and entered time, the realm of 

His creation, at the moment of His conception at the 

Annunciation. His body is unique to Himself, as each of our 

bodies is uniquely ours, with a particular sex, hair texture 

and color, eye color, hand shape, fingerprints, laugh, blood 

type, and other characteristics. None of these qualities 

can be separated from Him, as none of us can separate 

our body from ourselves. Pope St. John Paul II explained in 

his Theology of the Body: “Man, whom God created male 

and female, bears the divine image imprinted on his body 

‘from the beginning.’ Man and woman constitute two different 

ways of the human ‘being a body’ in the unity of 

that image.” Evidence for these truths can be found in the 

Bible, in the Catechism, in the writings of Church Fathers, 

and in the truths revealed throughout the ages, such as 

Eucharistic miracles and personal revelations to the saints. 


And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory 

as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 

— JOHN 1:14 

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, 

you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” 

— LUKE 1:30–31 



Activity #1: God Became Man 

A. For homework in advance of the activity, have students search for an image of Jesus 

that they believe best represents Him, and write out their reasoning for their choice. 

B. Next, during class, have your students share their images and hold a large group discussion 

about what each image reveals about Jesus. Prompt students to think about 

why many students (almost certainly) focused on Jesus’ face when selecting their 

image. What is it about the human face that is so compelling for getting to know 

someone? 

C. Then, write on the board the following song lyrics: 

ӹ 

From the “Epilogue” to Les Miserables: “To love another person is to see the face 

of God.” 

ӹ From the song “Face of God” by Phil Wickham: “A mother holds a child tonight, 

the Savior of the world is in her arms, She’s staring at the face of God.” 

D. Discuss the following questions: 

ӹ Has anyone ever seen Jesus in the flesh? Not in our lifetimes, though people alive 

when Jesus was alive did see him in the flesh, including His Apostles and His mother, 

Mary, and earthly father, Joseph. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Does He have a face uniquely His own? Yes. Like all of us. 

We read in the Bible that God would speak to a select few, such as Moses, “face 

to face” (Exodus 33:11). How did God assuming a human nature deepen God’s 

relationship with humanity? Accept reasoned answers. 

ӹ What does God assuming a human nature mean for us and our relationship with 

God? Accept reasoned answers. 

E. Finally, explain the following: The Church has always acknowledged that in the body 

of Jesus, we see our God made visible. The individual characteristics of Christ’s body 

express the divine Person of God’s Son. He has made the features of His human body 

His own. 

F. Close by praying Psalm 27:7–8: 

Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; 

have mercy on me and answer me. 

“Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”; 

your face, LORD, do I seek! 


33

Activity #2: The Buenos Aires Eucharistic Miracle of 1996 

A. Together, watch a short video about the Buenos Aires Eucharistic miracle of 1996. 

Many of various lengths are available online, one 8-minute option is available at 

SophiaOnline.org/BuenosAires. A longer, 35-minute documentary is available at 

SophiaOnline.org/BuenosAiresDocumentary. 

B. As you watch, have students record all the pieces of evidence presented for the human 

qualities of the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic host. Responses may 

include: 

ӹ The analyzed tissue contained human DNA. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

A doctor who did not know the source of the sample identified it as cardiac muscle 

tissue, taken from the wall of the left ventricle. 

The presence of white blood cells meant the person was alive when the sample was 

taken. 

The doctor also noted physical evidence of suffering. 

The sample was AB+ blood type (the universal recipient). 


Activity #3: Our God Made Visible 

You will need: an icon of Christ. 

A. Begin by showing the class an icon of Christ (ideally, display one or more in your 

classroom throughout the year) and ask if anyone knows what an icon is, or why 

Christians venerate icons. 

B. Next, explain the following to your students: Since the earliest days of the Church, 

Christians have depicted God, Jesus, the saints, and other religious figures in pictures 

and statues. In the East in particular, a special kind of sacred image of holy persons 

called icons became popular objects of devotion. In their beauty, icons — material, visible 

things — assist us in calling to mind the divine. This practice comes from God Himself. 

The invisible God became visible, assuming a human nature in the Person of Jesus Christ. 

We learn from the Incarnation that our bodies are good, and that the way to know and 

adore God is through corporeal, material things. Human beings require bodily things to 

draw us to the divine — we need incarnations just as we needed the Incarnation. 

C. Then, have your students read Catechism paragraphs 364, 476, 477, 478, and the Biblical 

Touchstones and discuss what these passages tell us about our own bodies. Use the 

following questions to guide your discussion: 

ӹ What does it mean that we are a unity of body and soul? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What does God assuming a human nature mean for the body and for gender? 

How does God feel about His creation? How does He feel about you and I — persons 

that He has created in His own image? 

ӹ In light of His love for us, should we deny attributes of ourselves that are made 

manifest in our body? 

D. Conclude by having students journal a response to these questions for five to ten 

minutes. 


35

MINI-LESSON 2 

The Signs and Wonders of Jesus 

CCC 

CCC 547–549 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.7.1 TOB Explain the bodysoul 

unity in the human 

person from the standpoint 

of the “language of the 

Body.” (TOB 9:4, 10:1, 14:6, 

15, 16:1-2, 23:4-5, 123:4-5, 

125: 1-2, 127:4; CCC 2518, 

2521-2524). 


Many of the miracles that Jesus performed during His 

public life are recorded in the Gospels. In carefully studying 

the specific ways Jesus performed miracles, we can see 

patterns that help us understand our own human nature. 

For instance, Jesus often used natural materials, including 

His very body, to perform miracles: He used water, spittle, 

clay, clothing, bread, fish, and the laying on of His hands. 

Jesus also respected the characteristics of the person He 

was with and their bodily state at the time. This practice 

is evident, for example, in the Gospel stories of the little 

girl, the woman with a hemorrhage, the leper, the demoniac, 

the man born blind, and Lazarus. Jesus did not 

work against or bypass their bodily characteristics — He 

intentionally worked with their nature in restoring them 

to health and life. In this way, Jesus acknowledged and ennobled 

our bodies as a part of our human nature. God does 

not save human beings apart from human nature. The 

material elements of the universe could easily have been 

excluded from the work of redemption; instead, they were 

embraced. The way of salvation is incarnational. 


Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection 

on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in 

me, even if he dies, will live.” 

JOHN 11:23–25 

One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and 

pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your 

hands on her that she may get well and live.” 

MARK 5:22–23 



Activity #1: Scripture Analysis 

You will need: Bibles. 

A. Begin by arranging your students into groups and assigning each group to read one 

of the following Gospel stories: 

ӹ The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1–44) 

ӹ The Woman with the Hemorrhage (Mark 5:25–34) 

ӹ Jairus’s Daughter (Mark 5:21–24; 35–43) 

B. As they read, have students record the parts of the story that refer to the human body 

as well as the interaction of Jesus with the body of the person He is healing. 

C. After they have finished reading and recording, have groups share their conclusions 

in turn. 

D. Wrap up by explaining the following: As God, Jesus did not have to work with physical 

created material — it was His own choice to use His own created things to manifest His 

glory and show His love for us. Our God disdains nothing that He has made. The natural 

world is good; and because the Son of God assumed a human nature — including a 

human body — for all eternity, the dignity of our bodies and our human nature has been 

definitively affirmed. 

E. You may wish to extend this activity by having students continue working in their 

groups to research the miracles of Jesus and note the different means that were used 

to work them. Have students identify as many different material elements that Jesus 

used in the miracles as possible. Each should be notated with the Scripture citation and 

the title of the miracle. For example: The Walking on Water (Mark 6:45–52): Sea water 

Activity #2: Fiction Writing 


A. Begin by having your students read one or more of the Scripture selections from 

Activity #1. Then have them work individually to write an alternate, fictitious account 

of the same miracle where Jesus does not use the human body or any natural 

elements. 

B. When they have finished, call on a few students to share their stories. 

C. Then, as a large group, contrast their fictitious stories with the true account of the 

miracle. Which one(s) are most vivid? Which do they find easier to picture in their 

minds, and relate to? Why do they think that is? 


37

Activity #3: Art Reflection 

You will need: one Mary and Joseph Monument worksheet (pg. 39 of this guide) per student. 

You may also wish to make full color, laminated copies of the art. 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: Throughout His public ministry, 

Jesus performed many miracles that all point to the goodness of the body. He healed 

people from diseases and fed thousands by miraculously multiplying loaves of bread and 

fish. His words at the Last Supper are made present to us at every Holy Mass when Jesus 

offers us His very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist, with the words, 

“This is My Body.” 

B. Next, arrange students in groups of three or four and give each group a copy of the 

Mary and Joseph Monument worksheet. Have them discuss the image in their groups 

using the questions as a guide. 

C. After a few minutes, reconvene the class and have groups share some insights from 

their small group discussion with the larger group. 

Activity #4: The Body and the Sacraments 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: The Church operates in the same 

way as Jesus in the principle of harmony between the physical and spiritual. The Church 

carries on Jesus’ mission of the salvation of souls, and she embraces the material in the 

process. Christ knows that human beings wash, eat, drink, marry, and tire, and therefore 

He seamlessly coordinates physical life with spiritual life. 

B. Next, set a timer for 90 seconds and have students work with a partner to list all the 

ways the seven Sacraments incorporate or involve bodily things. These could include 

pouring water on our head or immersing our bodies in water at Baptism, the speaking 

of vows and exchange of rings at marriage, or receiving the touch of Anointing of the 

Sick. 

C. After time is up, have students share their lists and see who came up with the most 

correct examples. 


MARY AND JOSEPH MONUMENT 

by Rip Caswell 

(2012) 

Photograph courtesy Jose Gonzalez. 


39


MARY AND JOSEPH MONUMENT IN SACRED ART 

Directions: 

Take some time to quietly view and reflect on the art. Let yourself be inspired 

in any way that happens naturally. Then think about the questions below, and 

discuss them with your classmates. 

Conversation Questions 

1. What is the first word, phrase, or adjective that comes to your mind when you see this 

image? 

2. What one word would you use to describe Joseph? 

3. What one word would you use to describe Mary? 

4. What are three things you see St. Joseph is expressing with his body in this sculpture? 

5. What are three things you see Mary is expressing with her body? 

6. Do you see any signs that the sculptor of this piece may have been trying to communicate 

that our bodies are good, or that we use our bodies to express love? Explain. 

7. Notice how Mary’s eyes seem fixed on something in the distance. Directly across the room 

from this sculpture is a crucifix. This arrangement was done purposefully, so viewers of the 

sculpture see that Mary is gazing at her Son on the Cross. How does this artistic arrangement 

reveal a way we use our bodies to show love? 


MINI-LESSON 3 

The Paschal Mystery: What it Teaches 

Us about Christian Anthropology 

and Human Sexuality 

CCC 

CCC 364, 612, 618, 645-646, 

650, 2395, 998–1004 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.1.1 TOB Explain that even 

after the Fall, creation remains 

a good gift and is not 

totally corrupted; it is able 

to be redeemed. (cf. TOB 

32:3, 86; CCC 410-412, 422, 

1045-1048). 


The mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of 

Jesus — the Paschal Mystery — has been the subject of contemplation 

and wonder to brilliant theologians and humble 

lay Christians alike. It is a profound theological truth, 

the truth that is the basis of our Christian faith, that Jesus, 

although innocent, gave His life so that we might live in 

Him. Jesus really suffered, both physically in His body and 

spiritually, eventually dying by crucifixion whereby His 

body and soul, although separated, were still united to 

His Divine nature. On the third day, Jesus, in His body and 

soul, rose from the dead. His resurrected body was and 

is glorified. We are united to Jesus and to each other as 

part of the Mystical Body of Christ. We also learn from the 

Paschal Mystery that the gift of our human sexuality is to 

be used chastely. Chastity is defined as the successful integration 

of sexuality within the person and thus the inner 

unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. Unity with 

Christ, unity with each other, and unity within ourselves 

is the ultimate perfection of human existence. 


When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over 

the spirit. 

JOHN 19:30 

Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said 

this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 

JOHN 20:19–20 


41


Activity #1: Stations of the Cross 

You will need: arrangements to visit a church or chapel with indoor or outdoor Stations, or 

you can use a video meditation in the classroom, such as the one found here: SophiaOnline. 

org/StationsoftheCrossVideo. 

A. Lead your students in the Stations of the Cross either in your parish church or chapel, 

or using a video meditation. 

B. Afterwards, reflect for a few moments together on the physical as well as spiritual 

suffering of Jesus. Ask your students why it is significant that Jesus experienced physical 

suffering and not just spiritual suffering and emotional anguish. Accept reasoned 

answers. 

C. Then, explain the following to your students: The Church teaches that in His very 

flesh, Jesus restores God’s plan for human love as a self-giving, sacrificial gift. By Jesus’ 

taking on human flesh God elevates the dignity of the human body. The bleeding, pierced, 

and broken body of Jesus on the Cross exposes the self-giving, life-giving love that the 

body was always meant to express. For man “cannot fully find himself except through a 

sincere gift of himself” (Gaudium et Spes 24). And a gift of self must be complete — our 

bodies and souls form a unity! If Jesus had only suffered spiritually, the redemption of 

our nature would have been incomplete. 

Activity #2: Evidence from Scripture that Jesus Rose from the Dead 


A. Begin by having your students read John 20:19–29 and record points of evidence from 

the Scripture passage that support the following statements: 

ӹ Jesus rose from the dead. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Jesus was bodily present to His Apostles. 

Jesus’ body was in a glorified state. 

ӹ Jesus wanted us to believe in His Resurrection. 

B. When they have finished, call on students to share and discuss their findings. Keep a 

master list on the board. 

C. Wrap up by explaining the following to your students: The Paschal Mystery shows us 

that our bodies are good. Jesus used His body to suffer and die for us to bring about our 

redemption. At first it might seem like God is condemning the body, since Jesus submitted 

Himself to such physical suffering. But we see this cannot be the case because He 

then rose from the dead! Jesus did not just rise from the dead spiritually. He rose from 

the dead in His glorified body. 


Activity #3: Caring for our Bodies 

You will need: one Caring for Our Bodies worksheet (pg. 45 of this guide) for each student. 

A. Begin by discussing the following with your students: In His healing miracles, Jesus 

restored a person’s body to how it was designed to function. In the Paschal Mystery, He 

restored our souls to communion with God and each other. For these reasons, we call Jesus 

the Divine Physician, as He restores our bodies and our souls to God’s plan for them. 

B. Next, distribute to each student a copy of the Caring for Our Bodies worksheet. First, 

as a large group, try to arrive at a definition of medicine. Help students come to understand 

that medicine helps the human body function as it was designed to function. 

C. Then, write the word poison on the board and lead the class to a definition. Help the 

class see that not all poison is deadly. Any substance that is intended to stop the body 

from functioning as designed is poisonous. And of course, some poisons will immediately 

kill the body. 

D. Explain to your students the following: Ingesting medicine can look like the same exact 

act as ingesting poison, but one is good (medicine) while the other is bad (poison). The 

difference is the ends (or purpose) for which it is being ingested. For example, one can 

take too much of a drug that was intended as medicine, and it will be poisonous. 

E. Finally, have students complete the rest of the worksheet individually. 

F. Close in a prayer thanking Jesus for the wonderful design of our bodies. Pray for the 

restoration of good health for anyone in your community that needs it. Invite students 

to share prayer intentions for their loved ones if they wish. 

Answer Key 

Medicine: A substance that helps the human body function as it was designed to function. 

Poison: A substance intended to stop the body from functioning as designed. 

1. M 

2. M 

3. P 

4. P 

5. P 

1. M 


43

Activity #4: We Will Rise Again with Jesus 

You will need: one We Will Rise Again with Jesus worksheet (pg. 46 of this guide) per 

student. 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: The truth of human anthropology 

is that our human nature consists of both body and soul. Although the soul separates 

from the body at death, at the end of time, the body and soul will be reunited again in the 

Resurrection of the Body and will live forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. Our 

bodies will rise again in a glorified state and be united with our souls through Jesus, who 

is the Resurrection and the Life. 

B. Next, ask the class to consider what the Resurrection of the Body means for the way 

we live. What are some ways we show care for and honor to our bodies in this life that 

marks our Christian dignity? Encourage the class to think in both physical and spiritual 

terms. For example, in the physical realm we strive for good nutrition, plenty of exercise, 

eating in moderation, using sunscreen, wearing seatbelts, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and 

so forth. The ways that we care for our bodies also helps our spiritual lives, for example, 

modesty and chastity. 

C. Conclude by having students journal their responses on the We Will Rise Again with 

Jesus worksheet. 

Answer Key 

1. Our bodies are good. Our bodies are an inherent, inalienable part of who we are. We 

are a unity of body and soul. We should treat our bodies with respect and honor. 

2. Physical: Eating nutritious foods, eating in moderation, getting plenty of exercise, 

going to sleep at a reasonable hour and waking up in time to meet responsibilities, 

using sunscreen, wearing seatbelts, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and so forth. Spiritual: 

Praying frequently, living chastely, striving for purity, dressing modestly, fasting, offering 

sacrifices, giving alms, lending support to those who are suffering, learning 

about God and growing in faith, avoiding the near occasion of sin (situations that lead 

to temptation), and so forth. 



CARING FOR OUR BODIES 

Directions: 

Applying what you have learned through class discussion, write out a definition 

for each word. Then state whether each example below is medicine or poison. 

Definition of medicine: 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Definition of poison: 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Mark whether each is poisonous or medicinal: 

1. Taking vitamin D supplements for a vitamin D deficiency. 

2. Injecting an epi-pen to stop an emergency allergic reaction. 

3. Taking an antihistamine because it will make you drowsy so you 

can sleep. 

4. Drinking 10 cups of coffee so you can stay up late and study. 

5. Injecting steroids so an athlete can be stronger than his 

competitors. 

6. Injecting steroids to treat severe pain from an inflammatory 

condition. 


45


WE WILL RISE AGAIN WITH JESUS 

Directions: 

Read the information and then answer the questions. 

Because our bodies die at the end of our 

earthly life, it can be easy to sometimes 

slip into thinking our bodies are less important, 

or somehow less a part of who we are, 

than our souls. The Catechism teaches us: 

“Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity. 

Through his very bodily condition he sums up 

in himself the elements of the material world... 

For this reason man may not despise his bodily 

life. Rather he is obliged to regard his body 

as good and to hold it in honor since God has 

created it and will raise it up on the last day” 

(CCC 364). When we die, our soul separates 

from our body. But at the Last Judgment at 

the end of time, our bodies will rise again and 

be reunited with our souls. If we have followed 

Christ in this life, we will be invited to 

enjoy eternal life in our glorified bodies united 

to our souls in a mysterious New Heaven 

and New Earth where there will be no more 

tears or suffering. 

1. Some people think of the human body as disposable, a kind of shell of tissue that transports 

our souls but is of no inherent value. What does it mean for the way we should treat 

our bodies when we know they will rise again with us? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. What are some ways we care for our bodies that promote physical and spiritual health, 

and that show the world our Christian dignity? List at least 5 examples that promote our 

physical health, and 5 that promote spiritual health. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


MINI-LESSON 4 

The Spousal Meaning of the Sacraments 

CCC 

CCC 796, 1131–1133 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.6.1 TOB Evaluate actions 

for self-mastery and describe 

how actions of self-mastery 

free one to make a full gift-ofself. 

(TOB 15:1-4, 32:6; CCC 

2339, 2340, 2343, 2346). 


The Sacraments are physical signs of the grace of God being 

given to the members of His bride, the Church. We 

have seven Sacraments; the Sacraments of Initiation are 

Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist; the Sacraments of 

Healing are Penance and Reconciliation and Anointing of 

the Sick; and the Sacraments at the Service of Communion 

are Marriage and Holy Orders. Each Sacrament unites us 

to God through His grace and is a share in His Divine life. 

The Sacraments are outward signs of the spousal love of 

Christ for us. Spousal love is a total gift of self between the 

spouses — the bride and bridegroom — a blending of two 

lives that become one. This image of spousal love is a great 

analogy for the sacramental life. Each Sacrament is both 

physical and spiritual, tending to both body and soul. 


While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples 

said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 

MATTHEW 26:26 

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” 

JOHN 15:12 


Activity #1: Sacrament Shuffle 

You will need: one copy of Sacrament Shuffle worksheet (pg. 51 of this guide) for each 

group of three to five students. 

A. Begin by arranging your students into groups of three to five. Give each group a copy 

of Sacrament Shuffle. Have each group list the physical sign of the presence of the 

Sacrament (how it makes God’s love visible) and the effect the Sacrament has on the 

person who receives it (in terms of how it unites that person to Jesus). 


47

B. As students work, walk around the room and point out any parts that need to be 

re-evaluated by the group. 

C. The first group to finish is subject to the scrutiny of the class. If they are correct, they 

win. 

Sacrament Shuffle Answer Key 

Note: The suggested answers in the chart below are not exhaustive, accept additional 

reasoned answers. 

Sacrament 

Baptism 

Confirmation 

Eucharist 

What is the physical sign(s) of the 

Sacrament? What do we do with our 

bodies when we receive it? 

ӹ Water is poured three times on the 

person, or the person is immersed three 

times in water. 

ӹ The minister speaks words of Baptism. 

ӹ The person receives a candle and white 

garment. 

ӹ Parents ask for Baptism for their child. 

ӹ Godparents promise to help the parents. 

ӹ The bishop lays hands on the confirmand. 

ӹ The bishop anoints the confirmand. 

ӹ The bishop says, “Be sealed with the gift of 

the Holy Spirit.” 

ӹ We approach the bishop and hear his 

words, we may speak our saint’s name, 

and wish the bishop Christ’s peace. 

ӹ Our sponsor stands with us, with a hand 

on our shoulder. 

ӹ Bread and wine become the Body and 

Blood of Jesus Christ. 

ӹ We reverently approach the Eucharist. 

ӹ We must fast for one hour before 

receiving. 

ӹ We may kneel or bow our heads. 

ӹ We may receive on the tongue or in the 

hands. 

How does this 

Sacrament unite the 

person to Christ? 

The person is made an 

adopted son or daughter 

of God the Father, and 

part of Christ’s Body. 

The person receives 

a strengthening of 

the graces received at 

Baptism, including the 

Gifts of the Holy Spirit, 

which are qualities of 

Christ which make us 

better able to respond 

to the Holy Spirit’s 

promptings. 

We are united to Christ 

when we literally receive 

Him into our bodies: we 

consume the Body and 

Blood of Christ, becoming 

one with Him. We 

are thereby united with 

other Christians in Him. 


Sacrament 

Penance and 

Reconciliation 

Anointing of 

the Sick 

Marriage 

Holy Orders 




ӹ The penitent kneels. 

ӹ The penitent speaks his sins. 

ӹ The penitent asks for forgiveness. 

ӹ The priest listens and offers advice, as 

well as a penance. 

ӹ The penitent listens to the advice and to 

the penance he has been given. 

ӹ The priest speaks words of absolution. 

ӹ The penitent hears words of absolution. 

ӹ The penitent performs the penance he 

was assigned. 

ӹ The priest lays hands on the person being 

anointed. 

ӹ The sick person presents his body to the 

priest for anointing. 

ӹ The priest anoints the person with oil. 

ӹ The man and woman speak vows. 

ӹ The man and woman exchange rings. 

ӹ Bishop lays hands on the man being 

ordained. 

ӹ The man being ordained lies prostrate 

in humility before Christ. 

How does this 

Sacrament unite the 

person to Christ? 

We offer our sins to 

Jesus for His forgiveness; 

our penance is a small 

suffering that unites us 

to Christ’s suffering. 

The sick person receives 

the loving touch 

of Christ and is able to 

unite their suffering 

to Jesus’ Passion. The 

sick person may also 

receive the Eucharist as 

Viaticum. 

Each spouse vows to love 

the other for the sake 

of Christ, for as long as 

they both shall live. Each 

spouse must give up his/ 

her own life for the sake 

of the other and helps 

the other get to Heaven 

throughout this life. 

A man vows to give his 

life for the salvation 

of souls, as did Christ 

Himself. 


49

Activity #2: Baptism Videos 

Ask your class (including parents) if any have a video of their Baptism. If so, ask if they 

would be willing for the class to view it. The personal gift of a share in God’s life for that 

student will bring joy to the whole class. 

Activity #3: The Gift of Self in Marriage 

You will need: Bibles, and one The Gift of Self in Marriage worksheet (pg. 54 of this 

guide) for each student. 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: The Sacrament of Marriage is a 

Sacrament at the service of Communion. That title means that, along with Holy Orders, 

Marriage is about helping others get to Heaven. To love is to will the good of another. 

When spouses promise to love their spouse, they freely promise to will the good of their 

spouse in an exclusive and fruitful way that requires a complete gift of self. Jesus gives 

us the ultimate example of what a true gift of self looks like. Pope St. John Paul II wrote, 

“That gift of self to the Father through obedience to the point of death is...an act of ‘giving 

himself for the Church.’ In this expression, redeeming love transforms itself... into spousal 

love: by giving himself for the Church, with the same redeeming act, Christ united 

himself once and for all with her as the Bridegroom to the Bride, as the husband with 

the wife…” (Theology of the Body A90:6). This beautiful truth about the union between 

Christ and His Church gives us the model for marriage. 

B. Distribute The Gift of Self in Marriage worksheet and have students work individually 

to use their Bibles to complete it. 

Answer Key 

The Gift of Self in Marriage 

1. God calls the spouses to be a communion of persons through their bodies. 

2. Wives are called to be subordinate to their husbands as the Church is subordinate to 

Christ. Husbands are called to give up their lives for their wives as Christ gave His life 

for the Church. 

3. Both spouses are called to submit in a certain way to the other. The husband is the 

head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, which means the wife is called to 

follow her husband’s leadership. For this reason, wives are expressly called to respect 

their husbands. The husband, however, far from being given authority to lord power 

over his wife, is a servant leader. Like Christ, the husband is called to give himself up 

out of love for his wife. These different roles mirror the natural differences between 

men and women. Accept additional reasoned answers. 



SACRAMENT SHUFFLE 

Directions: 

For each Sacrament, explain the physical signs used, and how we use our bodies 

in the reception of the Sacrament. Then, explain how the Sacrament unites the 

person receiving it to Christ. A few have been done for you as examples. 

Sacrament 




How does this Sacrament 

unite the person to Christ? 

Baptism 

The person is made an adopted 

son or daughter of God the 

Father, and part of Christ’s Body. 

Confirmation 

Eucharist 


51


SACRAMENT SHUFFLE (continued) 

Sacrament 






Penance and 

Reconciliation 

ӹ The penitent kneels. 

ӹ The penitent speaks his sins. 

ӹ The penitent asks for forgiveness. 

ӹ The priest listens and offers advice, 

as well as a penance. 

ӹ The penitent listens to the advice and 

to the penance he has been given. 

ӹ The priest speaks words of absolution. 

ӹ The penitent hears words of 

absolution. 

ӹ The penitent performs the penance 

he was assigned. 

Anointing of 

the Sick 

Marriage 



SACRAMENT SHUFFLE (continued) 

Sacrament 






Holy Orders 


53


THE GIFT OF SELF IN MARRIAGE 

Directions: 

Read the information and then respond to the questions using your Bible. 

All human persons are made with a special 

dignity because we are created in the image 

and likeness of God. Our bodies, created 

male and female, express our very selves. 

Through our bodies, we can think, reason, 

speak, and act. Our physical bodies speak a 

language: they express who we are, as well as 

our desires and intentions. God created man 

and woman to love as He loves: “This is my 

commandment: love one another as I love you” 

(John 15:12). 

In marriage, God calls the spouses to be a communion 

of persons through their bodies. A man 

and a woman give themselves to each other in 

a physical way, which expresses an invisible 

reality: that they are a covenant of persons 

through the Sacrament of Marriage. Through 

the union of their body and soul in the marital 

act, a husband and a wife have the power to be 

co-creators with God. In the normal course of 

things, their invisible love is made visible in a 

new person: a child! 

1. In what special way does God call married persons to make a gift of self to their spouse? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. Read Ephesians 5:21–33. St. Paul tells spouses to be subordinate to one another out of 

reverence for Christ. In what ways are wives called to be subordinate to their husbands? 

In what ways are husbands called to be subordinate to their wives? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. How is each spouse called in a particular way to make a gift of himself or herself? How 

do the differences in the vocation of a husband and wife mirror the natural differences 

between men and women? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


MINI-LESSON 5 

Discipleship 

CCC 

CCC 1695, 1730–1734 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.1.2 TOB Provide examples 

of rightly ordered desire, given 

by God, and disordered 

“desire.” (TOB 48:4; CCC 

374-379, 400, 2514-2516, 

2517-2520, 2528-2531, 2541, 

2543-2544, 2546, 2548-2549, 

2555, 2557) 

7.9.1 TOB Point out that as 

a result of original sin man 

experiences concupiscence 

and needs to bring emotions 

and desires into harmony 

with what is truly good. (TOB 

26:5, 31:3, 31:6, 32:3, 33:1- 

2, 51:5-6, 54; CCC 397, 400, 

405, 1707, 1865, 1949, 2514- 

2520, 2534-2535, 2549). 


Jesus’ promises remain even amid our often hyper-sexualized 

culture. To truly follow Him and be His disciples, we 

must abide in His word; and if we can, by the grace of God, 

we shall know the truth, and this truth shall set us free! To 

abide in the Word of God means to read it, to contemplate 

it, to make it the focus of our lives, and to live it. The Word, 

as it relates to sexuality, describes a life of self-giving 

love, a life where the sexual powers God has given us are 

harnessed for the good. This life as the disciple of Christ 

is truly joyful; that joy comes not from worldly pleasure 

but through the cross of self-sacrifice and the gift of self 

that is our ultimate calling. As young people begin their 

mature journey of faith, they must learn to recognize the 

difference between the Lord’s way of love and the way of 

selfishness and perversion that has too often become the 

norm of our modern life. The world is eager to mislead 

young people into thinking that sexual license is the highest 

form of freedom, whereas Christians know that true 

freedom is freedom from slavery to sin. True freedom is 

the ability to freely choose the good God wants for us. 


Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be 

my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

JOHN 8:31–32 

“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love 

one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

JOHN 13:34–35 


55


Activity #1: Abide in Me Music Reflection 

You will need: the video of the song “Abide in Me” by Matt Maher, found at SophiaOnline. 

org/AbideinMe, and one Abide in Me worksheet (pg. 59 of this guide) for each student. 

A. Begin by distributing the Abide in Me worksheet to each student and play the music 

video for your students. 

B. Next, work through the first four questions on the worksheet together. As you complete 

the chart, discuss the following with your class: The world tends to think freedom 

means having no rules or restraints, and the ability to do whatever one wants. The 

Church understands that true freedom means having the ability to do what one ought 

to do, freedom from sin, and the freedom to cultivate virtue. To be created in the image 

of God means that we are persons capable of love and communion. God has given us the 

supreme dignity of freedom for the sake of this vocation to love. The gift of freedom is 

thus a capacity God gives to us to make our life a gift to others. Through sin, we impair 

our capacity for love by abusing our freedom and using it for selfish purposes. When we 

exercise our freedom for the sake of loving God and one another, we become like Him. 

C. You may wish to allow a few minutes of reflection about the questions, then replay 

the video. Allow the students to choose one of the essays and compose a response. 

Answer Key 

Abide in Me Reflection Activity 

1. To be with him, to help the artist remain true to Jesus and to preserve in the Christian 

life. 

2. A. to know the truth 

B. to be truly His disciples 

C. to abide in His Word 

3. Read Scripture, attend Mass, pray every day, go to Confession, strive for holiness, actively 

practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, accept additional reasoned 

answers. 

4. Accept answers that include the idea that true freedom is not the ability to do whatever 

we want, but the ability to choose the good; to be what we were created to be, 

free of the inclination to sin. 

5. Accept reasoned answers. 


Activity #2: Living Out the Gift 

You will need: one Living Out the Gift worksheet (pg. 61 of this guide) per student. If 

possible, invite a priest or religious to the class, along with a married person, to speak to 

ways they bear “the fruit of the Spirit” by charity in action in different ways. 

A. Begin by explaining the following to your students: Jesus wants human beings to express 

love in a way that is fitting for our state of life. Single people, people who are dating, married 

people, and those who have consecrated themselves to God will all express the love of 

God in different ways. 

B. Next, read aloud Catechism paragraph 1695 and discuss it briefly, clarifying any questions 

students may have. 

C. Then, have them begin to complete the chart in class. If you were unable to invite 

speakers to the class, have your students interview a priest or religious, along with their 

parents and/or another married couple, to help generate ideas. 

Answer Key 

Living Out the Gift 

Suggested answers follow; accept additional reasoned answers. Note that all persons are 

called to live chastely. 

Single person: Prayerfully discerning their vocation; going to Mass; living chastely; praying 

for one’s future spouse or future religious community; offering gifts of service to 

those around them; volunteering; helping the poor; and so forth. 

Priest or religious brother or sister: Directing their heart and mind completely to God; 

administering the Sacraments (if ordained priests); going to Mass; living chastely; putting 

the needs of their community/flock ahead of their own; praying for one’s community 

and/or flock; offering gifts of service to those around them; volunteering; helping the 

poor; and so forth. 

Married person: Selflessly loving their spouse for the sake of Christ and their salvation; 

putting their spouse’s needs ahead of their own; if they are blessed with children, nurturing 

them and raising them in the Faith; living chastely; and so forth. 


57

Activity #3: Freedom from Slavery to Sin 

You will need: four to five, 2in. x 11in. strips of paper for each student and a stapler. 

A. Begin by sharing the following quotation with your students: “Watch your thoughts, 

they become your words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, 

they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, 

for it becomes your destiny.” 

B. Next, ask your students to define a habit. A habit is an action or thought that is repeated 

often and becomes a pattern of behavior. The more the habit is reinforced, the 

easier it becomes to do. Ask students to identify several examples of actions that are 

good habits. 

C. Then, distribute four to five strips of 2in. x 11in. paper to each student and, on each 

strip, have them write down an action that is NOT a good habit. (Note: If necessary, 

remind students that something good is something that helps us live in accord with 

our nature — to be what we were created to be: saints.) 

D. Have students bend each strip of paper to create a circle, staple, and interlock them 

to create a chain. As they do so, invite students to share some of what they chose to 

write down on their strips of paper. 

E. Now that you have a visual representation of the “yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1) that 

is sin, ask students what this chain represents. The chain of our sins weighs us down 

and limits our freedom. (Note that just as a reinforced habit is easier to do, it is also that 

much more difficult to break free from.) We cannot do it ourselves! Jesus offers to break 

these chains for us. If we follow Him, pray, receive the Sacraments, and exercise virtue, 

we become more and more free, with His grace, to choose the good, which helps us on 

our way to sainthood. 



ABIDE IN ME REFLECTION ACTIVITY 

Directions: 

Answer the following questions, complete the chart, and then answer the essay 

question. 

1. Listen to the song lyrics. What is the artist asking of the Lord? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. We read in the Gospel of John, “Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, ‘If you 

remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the 

truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32). 

a. What does Jesus say is needed to be set free? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

b. What does Jesus say is needed to know the truth? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

c. What does Jesus say is necessary to truly be His disciples? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. What are ways you can abide in Christ’s word? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4. Complete the chart with your thoughts and ideas based on class discussion. 

How the world defines “set you free” 

The true meaning of “set you free” 

1. No rules. 

2. No fixed “right” and “wrong.” 

3. The ability to do whatever we want. 

4. Having no constraints on our thoughts 

or behavior. 


59


ABIDE IN ME REFLECTION ACTIVITY (continued) 

5. After reflecting on the above Scripture quotation and listening to the song, “Abide in Me”, 

choose one of the essay prompts and write a response. 

Option #1: Do popular films, television shows, music, and other forms of popular culture 

reveal the truth about the human person? Why do you think so? Use an example of a song, 

video, or other media to illustrate your point. Do you think people who do not abide in 

Jesus’ word experience true freedom? Why or why not? 

Option #2: Jesus wants us to abide in Him and to follow Him as His disciples. How can we 

do that when we experience sin? What are some of the ways that we can grow closer to 

Jesus, and abide with Him more perfectly? What effects can these efforts have on our lives? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



LIVING OUT THE GIFT 

Directions: 

Read the information and then complete the chart with your ideas. 

Jesus wants human beings to express love 

in a way that is fitting for our state of life. 

Single people, married people, and those 

who have consecrated themselves to God 

will all live out this gift in different ways. 

They will bear “the fruit of the Spirit” by 

charity in action in different ways. 

“Justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 

and in the Spirit of our God,” “sanctified . . . 

[and] called to be saints,” Christians have 

become the temple of the Holy Spirit. This 

“Spirit of the Son” teaches them to pray to 

the Father and, having become their life, 

prompts them to act so as to bear “the fruit 

of the Spirit” by charity in action. Healing 

the wounds of sin, the Holy Spirit renews us 

interiorly through a spiritual transformation. 

He enlightens and strengthens us to live 

as “children of light” through “all that is 

good and right and true” (CCC 1695). 

State of Life 

What actions will help this person live their baptismal calling to 

be a disciple of Jesus and a temple of the Holy Spirit? 

Single person 

Priest or religious 

brother or sister 

Married person 


61

MINI-LESSON 6 

Purity and Chastity 

CCC 

CCC 2338–2339, 

2518–2519 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.10.1 TOB Explain how 

Christ does not accuse but 

instead appeals to the human 

heart to be pure. (TOB 

45:5, 46:5-6, 49:7; CCC 

2517-2519) 


When thinking of the virtues of purity and chastity, we 

can sometimes slip into the mindset of simply following 

rules to avoid impure thoughts or sexually sinful actions. 

Purity and chastity, however, are about so much more 

than seeking to avoid sexual sin, sins against modesty, 

or occasions of sin. Purity and chastity are virtues that 

ennoble the whole person, body and soul. These virtues 

help us to live out the plan of God for our lives, in integrity 

and wholeness, and bring true freedom and joy. To live 

a chaste life, regardless of one’s state in life or circumstances, 

is to live body and soul united to God and firm 

in the knowledge of who one is — one’s baptismal dignity 

and worth as a child of God. The cornerstone of this truth 

is what Jesus told us, Himself — “Blessed are the clean in 

heart, for they will see God.” 


“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” 

MATTHEW 5:8 

Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in 

him there is no darkness at all. If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk 

in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we 

have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 

1 JOHN 1:5–7 



Note: This mini-lesson consists of one multi-step activity. 

Activity: Demonstrations of the Power of Purity 

You will need for each student: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

A half-pint glass jar. 

1 cup water. 

½ teaspoon baking soda. 

1 teaspoon 1% phenolphthalein solution (Note: Phenolphthalein is a common pH indicator 

that your science teacher will have, or you can order it here: https://www. 

flinnsci.com/products/chemicals/phenolphthalein-solution/. The liquid inside the 

jar will be magenta pink.) 

1 Color Grid per student (pg. 65 of this guide). 

Black paper. 

2 Blank Grids per student (pg. 65 of this guide). 

Colored pencils. 

ӹ White vinegar (Step 3). 

ӹ Teaspoons (Step 3). 

Step #1: Prepare Jars and Make Observations 

A. In advance of class, prepare a half pint glass jar for each student by mixing 1 cup water, 

½ teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of 1% phenolphthalein solution. 

B. Compose and print the grid of colors. Print, cut out, and tape the grid to the outside 

of the jar so the colors face the inside of the jar. Then tape a piece of black paper on 

the back of the grid, to conceal the colors. 

C. In class, distribute to your students the prepared jars, a blank grid, and a set of colored 

pencils. Instruct them to look at the color grid through the magenta-pink colored 

water. Have them color their blank grid to record the color of each square in the grid 

as they see it through the pink liquid. 

Step #2: Scripture Reading 

A. Next, have each student read the Biblical Touchstones to themselves and quietly reflect 

on one or both of those verses, in the light of the virtue of purity. 

B. After a period of reflection, ask each student to journal their thoughts on these Bible 

verses. 


63

Step #3: Revelation of Truth by Purification 

A. Then, have each student add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the pink liquid in their jar. 

The pink liquid will turn clear. 

B. Give each student another empty color grid and, using colored pencils, have them 

record the colors that they view through the now-clear liquid. 

C. Have them compare the colors they previously observed to the colors they now see. 

Step #4: Focus Questions 

A. Next, ask your students the following questions: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Did the colors on the grid change, or did your perception change? In other words, 

did the truth change, or did your ability to see the truth change? Accept reasoned 

answers. 

Does the fact that the true colors were at first obscured to our vision make them 

any less true? Accept reasoned answers. 

What is the connection between the pink liquid and sin? What is the connection 

between the vinegar and the Light of God, as described in the Bible verse? The 

pink liquid, like sin, affects our ability to see God: Truth who is Jesus Christ. It 

makes us less able to see things as they are, as God sees them. 

What are the effects of the virtues of purity and chastity? These virtues enable us 

to see things as they are, i.e. as God sees them. It helps us see our own and others’ 

bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. 

ӹ How can we become pure of heart? Encourage the class to respond in terms of 

abiding in Christ’s Word, as we have been learning throughout these mini-lessons. 

B. Wrap up by explaining the following to your students: Jesus does not accuse us in 

our sin, but rather, appeals to our hearts to be pure. The “pure in heart” are promised 

that they will see God face to face and be like him. Purity of heart is the precondition 

of the vision of God. Even now, during our earthly lives, it enables us to see as God 

sees, to accept others as “neighbors”; it lets us perceive the human body — ours and our 

neighbor’s — as a temple of the Holy Spirit, a manifestation of divine beauty (CCC 2519). 


Mini-Lesson 6 Activity 

TEACHER RESOURCE 

Color Grid 

Blank Grid 


65

MINI-LESSON 7 

Prayer and Spirituality 

CCC 

CCC 364, 2700–2703, 

2726–2727 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

7.7.1 TOB Explain the bodysoul 

unity in the human 

person from the standpoint 

of the “language of the 

Body.” (TOB 9:4, 10:1, 14:6, 

15, 16:1-2, 23:4-5, 123:4-5, 

125: 1-2, 127:4; CCC 2518, 

2521-2524) 

7.9.1 TOB Point out that as 

a result of original sin man 

experiences concupiscence 

and needs to bring emotions 

and desires into harmony 

with what is truly good. (TOB 

26:5, 31:3, 31:6, 32:3, 33:1- 

2, 51:5-6, 54; CCC 397, 400, 

405, 1707, 1865, 1949, 2514- 

2520, 2534-2535, 2549). 


As a result of Original Sin, human beings experience concupiscence 

and need to bring our emotions and desires into harmony 

with what is truly good. The key to life in Christ is prayer. 

Prayer is how we meet the gaze of our loving Savior who longs 

to renew us from within and release us from the bondage 

of sin. Many today, however, misunderstand what prayer is. 

Influenced by popular psychology, they may view it as a simple 

psychological activity. Others, perhaps due to Eastern religion 

or New Age influences, think it is an effort of concentration 

to center oneself, or reach a mental void. Still others reduce 

prayer to ritual words and postures. Some regard prayer as a 

waste of time, competing with all the other things they have 

to do. The Church teaches that in the battle of prayer, we must 

face and correct these erroneous notions (CCC 2726). 

Prayer is born of love between God and His sons and 

daughters. Just as a true gift of self cannot withhold the 

body, prayer also must involve our bodies. As St. Therese 

said, “Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look 

turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of 

love, embracing both trial and joy” (CCC 2559). We see that 

prayer involves the whole person, body and soul, as the 

giving and receiving of love for that person. 


But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And 

your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 

MATTHEW 6:6 

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from 

God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify 

God in your body. 

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19–20 



Activity #1: Scripture Reflection 

You will need: art supplies, paper and pencils, and/or internet access. 

A. Begin by having your students read Matthew 6:6 in silence and allow time for 

contemplation. 

B. Next, hold a brief classroom discussion using the following questions as a guide: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What constitutes an “inner room”? Does Jesus mean a physical room in our home? 

Or something else? Accept reasoned answers. 

Given that He does not necessarily mean a physical room, what does He mean by 

“shut the door”? Accept reasoned answers. 

ӹ How do the following elements contribute to the inner room that Jesus speaks of? 

• Physical surroundings 

• Bodily posture and state of being 

• Language 

• Memory and senses 

C. Ask your students to create a work of art, music, or poetry that symbolizes their “inner 

room,” where they go to meet the loving gaze of Jesus Christ. 

Activity #2: The Human Body in Prayer 

You will need: one copy of The Human Body in Prayer worksheet (pg. 69 of this guide) 

for each pair of students. 

A. Begin by having students choose a partner and give each pair a copy of The Human 

Body in Prayer worksheet. 

B. Next, give them a few moments to skim over the selections from the Catechism and 

underline all the references to the human body. 

C. When they have finished, use the Answer Key to debrief on this activity as a large 

group, calling on different groups to share their thoughts. 

D. Conclude by having students keep the prayer journal described on the worksheet for 

two weeks. Let students know that after that time has passed you will check them for 

completeness but will not require students to turn them in. 

The Human Body in Prayer Answer Key 

364 The human body shares in the dignity of “the image of God”: it is a human body precisely 

because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and it is the whole human person that 

is intended to become, in the body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit: Man, though made 

of body and soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition he sums up in himself 

the elements of the material world. Through him they are thus brought to their highest 


67

perfection and can raise their voice in praise freely given to the Creator. For this reason 

man may not despise his bodily life. Rather he is obliged to regard his body as good and 

to hold it in honor since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day. 

2700 Through his Word, God speaks to man. By words, mental or vocal, our prayer takes 

flesh. Yet it is most important that the heart should be present to him to whom we are 

speaking in prayer: “Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of 

words, but on the fervor of our souls.” 

2701 Vocal prayer is an essential element of the Christian life. To his disciples, drawn 

by their Master’s silent prayer, Jesus teaches a vocal prayer, the Our Father. He not only 

prayed aloud the liturgical prayers of the synagogue but, as the Gospels show, he raised 

his voice to express his personal prayer, from exultant blessing of the Father to the agony 

of Gethsemane. 

2702 The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds to a requirement of 

our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate our 

feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our 

supplication. 

2703 This need also corresponds to a divine requirement. God seeks worshippers in Spirit 

and in Truth, and consequently living prayer that rises from the depths of the soul. He 

also wants the external expression that associates the body with interior prayer, for it 

renders him that perfect homage which is his due. 

Activity #3: Saint Quotes 

You will need: internet access. 

A. Have your students research saint quotes about the mystery of prayer and choose one 

quote that they would like to share with the class. 

B. You may want to share the St. Therese quote provided in the Teacher Background 

paragraph as an example. If students request guidance on where to begin, let them 

know a few saints who wrote extensively on prayer including St. Teresa of Avila, St. 

John of the Cross, and St. Padre Pio. 

For Homework 

For the next two weeks, keep a prayer journal. Make special note of the way your body is involved 

in your prayer. Are you distracted or helped by your surroundings and the positioning 

of your body? What is your posture? What are you doing with your hands? How does your 

body express the emotions you experience? How does your body express any consolations 

(awareness of God’s love) that you experience? 



THE HUMAN BODY IN PRAYER 

Directions: 

Read the selections from the Catechism and underline all the references to the 

human body in prayer. Be ready to discuss these with your class! 

CCC 364 

The human body shares in the dignity of “the 

image of God”: it is a human body precisely 

because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and 

it is the whole human person that is intended 

to become, in the body of Christ, a temple 

of the Spirit: Man, though made of body and 

soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition 

he sums up in himself the elements of 

the material world. Through him they are thus 

brought to their highest perfection and can 

raise their voice in praise freely given to the 

Creator. For this reason man may not despise 

his bodily life. Rather he is obliged to regard 

his body as good and to hold it in honor since 

God has created it and will raise it up on the 

last day. 

CCC 2700 

Through his Word, God speaks to man. By 

words, mental or vocal, our prayer takes flesh. 

Yet it is most important that the heart should 

be present to him to whom we are speaking in 

prayer: “Whether or not our prayer is heard 

depends not on the number of words, but on 

the fervor of our souls.” 

CCC 2701 

Vocal prayer is an essential element of the 

Christian life. To his disciples, drawn by their 

Master’s silent prayer, Jesus teaches a vocal 

prayer, the Our Father. He not only prayed 

aloud the liturgical prayers of the synagogue 

but, as the Gospels show, he raised his voice 

to express his personal prayer, from exultant 

blessing of the Father to the agony of 

Gethsemane. 

CCC 2702 

The need to involve the senses in interior 

prayer corresponds to a requirement of our 

human nature. We are body and spirit, and we 

experience the need to translate our feelings 

externally. We must pray with our whole being 

to give all power possible to our supplication. 

CCC 2703 

This need also corresponds to a divine requirement. 

God seeks worshippers in Spirit 

and in Truth, and consequently living prayer 

that rises from the depths of the soul. He also 

wants the external expression that associates 

the body with interior prayer, for it renders 

him that perfect homage which is his due. 


69

GRADE 8 

MINI-LESSONS 

——————— • • • ——————— 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Lesson 1: We Are Body and Soul 

Lesson 2: The Universal Call to Holiness* 

Lesson 3: Created Male and Female* 

Lesson 4: God’s Plan for Human Sexuality* 

ӹ Lesson 5: Offenses against Chastity Part 1* 

ӹ Lesson 6: Offenses against Chastity Part 2* 

ӹ 

Lesson 7: Mercy and Redemption 

* This lesson should be sent home for parents to review or complete 

with their child, and, if presented in school, should be within 

single-sex groups of students only. 

71

MINI-LESSON 1 

We Are Body and Soul 

CCC 

CCC 362–368 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

8.12.1 TOB Explain what will 

happen to the body at the 

Resurrection. (cf. TOB 64-72; 

CCC 997-1001) 


On the sixth day of creation God made Adam a creature 

of both physical and spiritual dimensions — an integrated 

composite of body and soul. 

All human beings are made in the image and likeness of 

God and are given the ability to participate in God’s creative 

power. Parents give their children a physical nature, 

but it is God who gives life by infusing a person’s immortal 

soul at the moment of conception. Yet our soul and body 

are not separate parts of our being; as humans we are a 

spiritual and physical unity. 

After the Fall of Adam and Eve, mankind became subject 

to death, which brings about a separation of the physical 

and spiritual realities of the person. Yet Jesus conquered 

death by His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, and gave 

us a glimpse of the hope that His victory gives us. Just as 

Jesus rose from the dead and presented His glorified self 

to the Disciples, so will the Resurrection of the Body at 

the end of time be a reunion of our physical and spiritual 

natures in a glorified body. 


Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground, and blew into his nostrils the 

breath of life, and the man became a living being. 


You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am 

wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know. My bones are not hidden 

from you, when I was being made in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw 

me unformed; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be. 

— PSALM 139:13–16 



Activity #1: Warm Up Questions 

A. Begin by reviewing the information in the teacher background with your students. 

B. Next, write out Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:7 on the board, and lead the students in a 

discussion to answer the following questions: 

ӹ Who is God creating in this passage, and what is he “made of”? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What makes humans different from all other living creatures? 

What makes human life sacred? 

Activity #2: We are Body and Soul 

A. Begin by having your students work in pairs to brainstorm a list of things that are a 

unity of other things, but in which all the parts are essential to the thing. You may 

give the example of coffee, which is composed of coffee beans and hot water, infused 

together to make up a cup of coffee. 

B. When they have made their lists, have students share their examples with the class. 

Then, ask them what makes a human a human. We are body and soul. Both are essential 

to our being human. 

C. Next, explain the following: We are at the same time a physical and a spiritual creation. 

God created Adam as a living being when He breathed into him the breath of life, and 

Adam existed in a state of original holiness and justice and grace before he sinned. God, 

working through our parents, has formed and ensouled our bodies too. Our bodies and 

souls are a part of who we are and what God desires for us. Death, the consequence of 

Adam’s fall, in which we share, is the separation of the body and soul. Yet we believe that 

the Resurrection of the Dead, of which Christ is the “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:23), will 

restore all those who sleep in Christ to eternal life, with body and soul united once more. 

Activity #3: Scripture Reading and Reflection 

A. Have your students read Psalm 139, focusing especially on verses 13–16. 

B. As a large group, lead a discussion using the reflection questions below: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

How do verses 13–16 especially illustrate that we are created by God, body and 

soul? 

How does the Psalmist reflect God’s intimate knowledge of every person? 

Which verse stood out to you most? Why? 


73

MINI-LESSON 2 

The Universal Call to Holiness 

Note: this lesson should be sent home for parents to review or complete with their child, and, if 

presented in school, should be within single-sex groups of students only. 

CCC 

CCC 372–373, 2012–2016, 

2331–2332, 2342 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

8.5.1 TOB Compare how the 

loving communion of man 

and woman is like that of the 

Trinity, a communion of persons 

who are love and who in 

giving and receiving are fruitful. 

(TOB 9:1-3, 10:4, 14:6, 

15:1; CCC 355-357) 

8.11.1 TOB Describe the idea 

of a vocation and how it is the 

way one makes a total gift-ofself. 

(TOB 78, 86; CCC 915- 

916, 929, 932, 1579, 1603, 

1605, 1618-1620) 

8.11.3 TOB Explain how God 

invites, and does not force, 

when he calls someone 

to the vocation of married 

life, consecrated life, or the 

priesthood, leaving the person 

free to respond. (TOB 

73:3-4, 76:4, 79:8; CCC 915, 

1565, 1578, 1599, 1618, 

1625-1628, 2233). 


God made men and women to be complementary; we are 

made for communion with each other and with Him. What 

we willingly do with our bodies we do with our whole person. 

Naturally, this puts certain expectations upon us, as 

men or as women, and invites us to a perfection of our 

whole person, in our actions, our words, and our thoughts. 

God calls us to a harmony of our interior and exterior 

life: because we are a composite of body and soul, our 

call to holiness is an invitation to grow in our physical and 

spiritual maturity, and ultimately our own self-mastery. 

We are all called to join the saints, who have gone before 

us and demonstrated this integrity of the physical and 

spiritual life, and who have given us an example of how to 

embrace God’s invitation to love as He does. 

Biblical Touchstone 

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples 

questioned him about the parable. He said to them, “Are 

even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize 

that everything that goes into a person from outside 

cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach 

and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared 

all foods clean.) “But what comes out of a person, that is 

what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come 

evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, 

malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, 

folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” 

— MARK 7:17–23 



Activity #1: Lumen Gentium 

You will need: The text of the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church Lumen Gentium, which 

can be found at: SophiaOnline.org/LumenGentium. 

A. Read Paragraphs 40 and 41 of Lumen Gentium together and present the following 

questions in a discussion. Ask your students to use the text to support their answers. 

These paragraphs illustrate how all Christians, regardless of their function within the 

Church, are called to live the same upright and pious lives because “holiness is one.” 

ӹ In paragraph 40: What is the calling of every Christian? Jesus calls all to love God 

and invites all people to “love God with their whole heart and their whole soul” and 

to extend this love others. We are all sinners who need God’s help and forgiveness 

to live as He wishes us to. As more accept Christ’s invitation to holiness, the more 

visible the holiness of the Church will become to all. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

In the first section of paragraph 41: What does it mean that “holiness is one?” God 

calls all the faithful equally to share in His life and gives each person unique gifts 

to help him or her accomplish this. 

In the second, third, and fourth sections of paragraph 41: What does holiness 

look like in the earthly leadership of the Church? Bishops are called especially to 

live like Christ, working to serve the Church and even lay down their lives as an 

example. Priests, deacons, and other ministers are called to a similar life of prayer 

and service, especially in cooperation with their bishops. 

In the fifth section of Paragraph 41: What does holiness look like in the married 

laity? Accept reasoned answers. A married couple “should follow their own proper 

path (to holiness) by faithful love.” They must raise their children in the Faith 

and must live as an example of the sacrificial love exemplified by Christ for His 

Church. It is also their responsibility, because they are in the world, to sanctify 

society through their good work and example. 

Activity #2: Guard Your Heart 

A. Begin by asking your students what they think it means to guard your heart. To protect 

your heart from pursuing evil inclinations, to keep your heart clean and pure by being 

wary of occasions of temptation, knowing your own weaknesses, praying for grace and 

divine intercession, and by controlling to the best of your ability what you experience 

through your bodily senses, so you do not succumb to temptations to sin. 

B. Next, read Mark 7:17–23 aloud. 

C. Draw a T-chart on the board and write out on the left side of the chart the sins that 

come from the heart, listed by Jesus in the Gospel. Review the list with your class, 

ensuring they understand what each sin on the list is. 


75

D. Then, explain the following to your students: To defile is to make something unclean 

or to violate the sanctity of something. Jesus shares a list of acts that make a person 

unclean in the sight of God and destroy their relationship with Him. He teaches that 

these sinful acts emerge from the heart. Committing these acts causes incredible harm to 

ourselves and to others and damages our relationship with God. Jesus’ teaching shows us 

how important it is to guard our hearts, for all evil deeds and desires come from within 

the person. 

E. Conclude by having your students work in pairs or small groups to create lists of ways 

we can guard our hearts from the inclination to sin. Have them think of a virtuous 

practice to correspond with each sin listed on the board. 

F. When they are finished, have groups share and discuss their lists with the class. 


MINI-LESSON 3 

Created Male and Female 



CCC 

CCC 371–373, 2331–2336, 

2360–2363 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 








15:1; CCC 355-357) 

8.11.5 TOB Explain that 

when God calls two people 

to the vocation of marriage, 

he is inviting them into a special 

sacrament of his love. 

(Ephesians 5 and TOB 87- 

93; CCC 1601, 1604). 


A couple united in marriage demonstrates the importance 

of the difference between the sexes. While man and woman 

are equal in dignity because they are both created in 

the image of God, there is an inherent difference between 

the two. This difference reflects the unique, complementary, 

dimensions of masculinity and femininity. God made 

Adam and Eve in a state of marriage, and Adam instantly 

recognized Eve as his partner and companion. 

The male and female sexes together reflect the completion 

and communion of humanity, reflecting the perfection 

and harmony of the Holy Trinity. Just as God is an eternal 

and life-giving communion of the Father, Son, and Holy 

Spirit, so too do man and woman possess the ability to enter 

into a permanent, loving and life-giving relationship in 

marriage. God commanded Man and Woman to “be fertile 

and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). This command was an invitation for 

Adam and Eve to participate in God’s own generative ability 

and, through their marriage union, cooperate with God in 

creating new life. 

God’s image and likeness is reflected in both man and 

woman, “with equal dignity though in a different way” 

(CCC 2334). A husband and wife that join in marriage and 

lovingly give themselves to the other, join with God in 

participating in a life-giving love. They become “one body” 

(Gen. 2:24) and so can embody God’s own creative love, 

primarily through bearing and educating children. 


77


God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he 

created them. 


The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him. 



Activity #1: The Creation of Adam 

You will need: Image of Michelangelo’s fresco The Creation of Adam from the Sistine Chapel, 

which can be found at: SophiaOnline.org/CreationOfAdam, and the means to project it for 

your students. 

A. Project for your class the image of the creation of Adam by Michelangelo. 

B. Lead your students in an examination and discussion of the figures in the painting 

using the following guide: 

ӹ Who are the figures in the painting? Adam is on the ground to the left; God and a 

heavenly host of figures on the right. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

How is the painting organized? Adam and God are looking at each other and are 

reaching out toward each other. There are many other figures surrounding God. 

How are the figures positioned in relation to each other? The figure of Adam 

is looking toward God and beyond to the female and child figures. God is looking 

toward Adam and is reaching toward him as well as holding his arm around the 

female and child figures. The female figure is looking toward Adam. The figure of 

the child is looking “beyond” the painting, perhaps toward the viewer. 

God’s left arm is wrapping around a female figure: what female figures in the life 

of the Church could this symbolize? Possible answers are Eve, women collectively, 

Mary, or even the Church herself. 

God’s left hand is resting on a child: who might this represent? God’s left hand and 

the child are almost a reflection of God’s right hand and Adam. This figure might 

represent the children of Adam and Eve, Cain, Abel, or Seth; children of a husband 

and wife in general; or even Jesus Himself. 

What do you think it means if Adam and God are looking at each other? Adam and God 

are reaching for each other because Adam desires communion with God, his Creator. 

What do you think it means if Adam and the female figure are looking at each 

other? If we interpret the figure to be Eve, the text of Genesis 2 comes to life, and 

we see God’s understanding that Adam should not be alone; He has already planned 

a companion for Adam. 


Activity #2: Man and Woman Were Created as Companions 

You will need: one Complementary Chart (pg. 81 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by summarizing the information in the Teacher Background essay. Emphasize 

the equal dignity of man and woman, the concept of complementarity, and how it 

reflects the love of the Holy Trinity. 

B. Next, explain the following: Things complement each other when they complete, or perfect, 

each other. A complementary relationship enhances each person’s gifts, and draws 

each person into a closer relationship with God. 

C. Then, have students give examples of things in daily life that complement each other 

— especially those where one of each pair cannot be fully understood except in 

light of the other. 

ӹ If students know what complementary angles are, you might mention those as 

an example. 

ӹ Movies and soundtracks 

ӹ Quarterbacks and receivers 

ӹ Dancing partners 

D. Read Ephesians 5:21-33 aloud and ask students to summarize what they heard. 

Acknowledge that some find this Scripture difficult to accept because we are so used 

to thinking that “equal” must mean the same. The truth is that men and women are 

equal, both beautifully and lovingly made, but not the same. 

E. Next, distribute the Complementary Chart to your students and have them list as 

many of the differences (physical, emotional, role-related, and so forth) between a 

man/husband and a woman/wife as they can, then answer the reflection questions. 

F. When they are finished, review and discuss their answers. 

G. Conclude by explaining the following to your students: The natural differences between 

men and women are what make them complementary as spouses and as parents. 

Men and women, who are equal in dignity, have different and respective strengths, roles, 

powers, and gifts, according to God’s loving plan for the human family. By God’s design, 

the bond of marriage between a man and woman, who are equal, but very different, 

forms something greater than the sum of its parts. Their marriage is a sign to the world 

of Christ’s love for His Church. 


79

Activity #3: The Family Reflects the Trinity 

A. Begin by drawing a T-chart on the board with the following headings: “Ways my family 

makes me feel loved” and “Ways I show my love to my family.” Invite students to come 

up to the board in small groups to write in one thing at a time until all students have 

written at least once. 

B. After all students have written one example, invite them to come up again if there are 

any different examples that they want to add to the chart. Then review the chart with 

the class and ask students to comment on what they see. 

C. Finally, lead the class in a discussion about how these actions express love, and how 

they show the complementary nature of family life. 

D. Explain the following: We are created to give and receive love, which reflects the perfect 

love between the Holy Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in an eternal relationship 

and communion of love. A holy marriage creates a communion of persons in a 

way that echoes, and even points to, the Holy Trinity. Just as the love between the Father 

and the Son begets the Holy Spirit, so too, by God’s design, the love between husband and 

wife is life-giving (even if they cannot physically have children). 



COMPLEMENTARY CHART 

Directions: 

List in the chart below as many examples as you can of how men/husbands/ 

fathers are naturally different from women/wives/mothers. Then re-read 

Ephesians 5:21-33 and answer the questions that follow. 

Man/Husband/Father 

Woman/Wife/Mother 

Read Ephesians 5:21-33. How does the union between husband and wife reflect the mystical 

union between Christ and His Church? How does this Scripture evidence to you the way God 

created man and women equal, yet with different roles? How is the vocation of a husband different 

from the vocation of a wife, and vice versa? 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 


81

MINI-LESSON 4 

God’s Plan for Human Sexuality 



CCC 

CCC 1644, 1652, 2336, 

2337–2350, 2361, 2363 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 








15:1; CCC 355-357) 

8.11.5 TOB Explain that 

when God calls two people 

to the vocation of marriage, 

he is inviting them into a special 

sacrament of his love. 

(Ephesians 5 and TOB 87- 

93; CCC 1601, 1604). 


Our sexuality is a gift from God and a part of our nature 

that is “ordered to the conjugal love of man and woman” 

(CCC 2360). Sexuality refers to far more than just the physical 

sexual act. God created our bodies, and He created 

marriage as the authentic context for the sexual act to be 

fulfilled. God intended sexuality to be ordered toward the 

procreation of children and the union of spouses (the procreative 

and unitive aspects of the martial act). The sexual 

act is an incredibly personal experience and marriage 

helps protect each person in a permanent, life-giving, and 

loving bond. In this way, marriage defends the dignity of 

all human beings. 

All the baptized are called to a life of chastity. A married 

couple lives out chastity through fidelity to their spouse. 

A single person is called to respect the place of sexuality 

within marriage and should find other ways of expressing 

love and affection that respect the sacred nature of sexuality. 

Modesty, an under-valued virtue in our culture today, 

opens the door to embracing chastity. How we carry 

and treat ourselves reflects how we view and treat others. 

It is important that we understand and respect our own 

dignity as well as that of others. 

The Church’s teachings on chastity and sexual ethics 

are not burdensome rules but rather help us become the 

selfless, loving people that God has made us to be. These 

teachings help us to treat others with the love and dignity 

they deserve, and they are reflections of the truths that 

we are called by God to love and that our entire being is a 

sacred reality and a gift from God. 



The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he 

brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my 

flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man this one has been taken.” 

— GENESIS 2:22–23 

This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality, that each of you know 

how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion as do the Gentiles 

who do not know God; not to take advantage of or exploit a brother in this matter, for the Lord 

is an avenger in all these things, as we told you before and solemnly affirmed. For God did not 

call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human 

being but God, who [also] gives his holy Spirit to you. 

— 1 THESSALONIANS 4:3–8 


Activity #1: The Purposes of Marriage 

A. Begin by summarizing and presenting the information in the Teacher Background essay. 

B. Our students live in a culture that defines the purpose of marriage as the pleasure 

of the spouses, accepts gay marriage, and accepts contraceptive use. Therefore, it 

is helpful for them to understand the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church. 

Several common errors—the idea that marriage is for the pleasure of the spouses, the 

acceptance of contraception, and the acceptance of gay marriage—all arise from the 

same misunderstanding of the purpose of marriage and sexuality. 

C. Write on the board a selection of quotes: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

“[T]he principal end of matrimony, [is] the good of the offspring. …[T]he secondary 

end of matrimony, […] is the mutual services which married persons render 

one another in household matters” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Supplement, Q 41. A1). 

“Amongst the blessings of marriage, the child holds the first place… there are 

also secondary ends, such as mutual aid, the cultivating of mutual love, and the 

quieting of concupiscence ” (Casti Connubi, 11, 59). 

ӹ “No human law can abolish the natural and original right of marriage, nor in any 

way limit the chief and principal purpose of marriage ordained by God’s authority 

from the beginning: ‘Increase and multiply’ (Rerum Novarum, 12). 

ӹ 

“Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation 

and education of children” (Humanae Vitae, 9). 


83

D. Discuss how the purpose of marriage does not mean infertile people should not 

marry or that their marriages are invalid. The Church recognizes infertility as a cross 

many couples bear, and calls us to support and treat them compassionately. Through 

Socratic questioning, help students realize they already know this: 

ӹ Does a person with hearing loss change the true purpose of ears as for hearing? 

ӹ 

Does a car that won’t start mean that the purpose of cars is not for driving? 

ӹ Similarly, the fact that some couples are unable to have children does not change 

the true purpose of marriage. 

E. Conclude that marriage is the total, faithful, and fruitful gift of self between husband 

and wife according to God’s plan. The Catechism teaches the purposes of marriage 

are “the good of the spouses and the transmission of life. These two meanings or 

values of marriage cannot be separated without altering the couple’s spiritual life and 

compromising the goods of marriage and the future of the family.” (CCC 2363). The 

Church calls these ends the unitive and the procreative ends of marriage, and while 

they are two distinct things, they cannot be separated. This teaching, while it is very 

counter-cultural, flows from the Church’s true understanding of the human person, 

and helps us see why the use of contraception and homosexual activity are always 

morally wrong. 

Activity #2: Chastity is a Virtue 

You will need: one Chastity is a Virtue worksheet (pg. 86 of this guide) per student. 

A. Write on the board “What is chastity?” Invite students to suggest definitions to gauge 

their understanding, and then share with them the definition from the Catechism: 

“The moral virtue which, under the cardinal virtue of temperance, provides for the 

successful integration of sexuality within the person leading to the inner unity of the 

bodily and spiritual being” (CCC Glossary). 

B. Next, explain the following: Chastity is a virtue, which means practicing it requires 

self-control and intentionality. Chastity preserves and guards our sexuality so it can be 

fulfilled in the fitting and appropriate context of marriage. All the baptized are called to 

a life of chastity, but chastity is understood differently depending on a person’s station 

of life and marital status. A married couple lives out chastity through being faithful to 

their spouse and not engaging in lustful thoughts or in any sexual activities that would 

wound or violate their vows of faithfulness to each other. A single, unmarried person is 

called to respect the place of sexuality within marriage and should find other ways of 

expressing love and affection that respect the sacred nature of sexuality. 

C. Then, distribute the Chastity is a Virtue worksheet and have your students work 

individually to complete it. 

D. When they are finished, review and discuss their answers as a class. 


Activity #3: The Catechism on Chastity 

You will need: drawing or construction paper and markers and/or colored pencils. 

A. Begin by reading aloud CCC 2337–2338. 

B. Next, arrange students into small groups and distribute paper and coloring materials. 

Instruct the groups to design a single page magazine ad that defends chastity and 

the authentic expression of sexuality. Write the following questions on the board for 

students to answer or address in their ads: 

ӹ Why is sexuality itself good? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Why is chastity essential to treating others as they deserve to be treated? 

Why is chastity essential to treating oneself properly? 

Why is the marital act a gift of the whole self and not just the body? (Hint: How 

did God create us?) 

ӹ Why is it, as a total gift of self, something that can only truly happen within a 

sacramental marriage? 

C. When they have finished, have groups share their ads with the class. 

D. Finally, address the following question with the entire class: Some critique the 

Catholic Church, in all her teachings on sexual ethics, as being against sex. Why is 

this not actually the case? Help students understand that like all things, sexuality is a 

gift from God and is a part of our desire for communion. The Church desires to uphold 

human dignity and God’s purposes for all relationships, including sexual relationships. 

The virtue of chastity is meant to help us appreciate the gift of sexuality and understand 

it in the right context of marriage. Because the marital act is both unitive and procreative, 

we want to be in a relationship that supports us, gives us life, and complements 

us: marriage is the life-long fulfillment of this desire according to God’s plan. 


85


CHASTITY IS A VIRTUE 

Directions: 

Answer the questions below. 

1. The Church teaches that chastity is a virtue. What are some everyday things we can do to 

help us form the habit of chastity? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2. What do you think are the most difficult barriers to chastity and modesty in American popular 

culture today? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

3. How widespread are these barriers to chastity? What effect do you think they have on our 

society? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

4. In your opinion, what responsibility do we have as consumers of media (TV, films, video 

games, social media, etc.) as we strive to live chastely? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

5. Do you think courage is needed to acquire the virtue of chastity? Explain. 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 


MINI-LESSON 5 

Offenses against Chastity Part 1 



CCC 

CCC 2239, 2351–2352, 

2355, 2395 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

8.1.1 TOB Propose that creation 

should be received as 

a gift and not manipulated, 

dominated and controlled. 

(cf. TOB 13:3-4, 59:3; CCC 

358, 373) 

8.6.1 TOB Give examples of 

how a person is pure in heart, 

that is, when he/she perceives 

and respects others 

as a gift and seeks to make 

a gift of him/herself to others. 

(TOB 50, 54, 57:3; CCC 2518, 

2519) 


All of creation is good, therefore all sins are at their root 

a misuse or neglect of something good. The sins against 

chastity can be understood as disordered expressions of 

the love that God calls us to and distortions of the true 

purpose of human sexuality. The sins against sexuality 

ultimately reduce a person from someone to be loved to 

something to be used, which dehumanizes and degrades 

all participants. Chastity calls all people to a way of life 

that respects the purpose of human sexuality. God gave 

sexuality as a gift to humanity as a way of living in a loving 

relationship that mirrors the love of God Himself in the 

Trinity. In this relationship, a couple cooperates with God 

in His sacred act of Creation. God gave the Israelites the 

Sixth and the Ninth Commandments to help steer them 

away from the evils of viewing or treating another person 

as an object of desire, and Christ continues and deepens 

this understanding in His own teachings. 

Lust is a harmful way of looking at another person and 

viewing them as an object for one’s own pleasure. Lust is 

different from sexual attraction: it is a “disordered desire 

for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure” (CCC 2351). 

More than just a feeling, lust is a pattern of thought and 

imagination that comes from habits of sexual thoughts 

contrary to chastity. Lust is harmful to the person experiencing 

it because it wounds their ability to truly see and 

respect other people. Lust also wounds the other because 

it undermines their dignity and reduces them to a sexualized 

object in the eyes of the viewer. 

Pornography is designed specifically to arouse lust. It 

is wrong to view pornography or use it in any way because 

it separates sexual pleasure from married love. Far 

from a victimless crime, it breeds distorted views of sexual 


87

intimacy and addictive tendencies. Furthermore, many actors in pornographic films are victims 

of human trafficking or are pressured or forced into their situations. Even if the people involved 

believe themselves to be consenting adults, they are victims of a culture that undermines the 

true value of sexuality. But even more, we must always remember that consent to an action does 

not make it right. 

Masturbation, the deliberate stimulation of one’s own sexual organs, removes sexual activity 

from its intended purpose. It is an act that falls short of the love of our own person that God calls 

us to, because sexual pleasure itself is a gift from God tied intimately to the physical expression 

of love in marriage. It is an offense against personal human dignity. 


You shall not commit adultery… You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. 

DEUTERONOMY 5:18, 21 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you, everyone who 

looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 

MATTHEW 5:27–28 


Activity #1: Teaching in Scripture 

A. Begin by having your students read Deuteronomy 5:18 (the Sixth Commandment) and 

then Matthew 5:27–30 (Jesus’ teachings on Lust in the Sermon on the Mount). 

B. Next, lead the class in a group discussion using the following prompts. Allow students 

to continue to refer to their Bibles as you discuss the questions. 

ӹ What is the context of each passage? The Ten Commandments and the Sermon 

on the Mount. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Why does Jesus reference the Ten Commandments in His sermon? Allow students 

to brainstorm ideas; eventually have them to turn to Matthew 5:17: “Do not think 

that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but 

to fulfill.” Jesus references the Law to show that He is the Messiah; the anointed one 

of the Lord who has come to give us a deeper relationship with God. 

How does Jesus expand upon the traditional Jewish teaching to reflect the true 

intent of God’s desire for our relationships? Jesus helps us see that what is in our 

hearts matters, adultery is not limited to sexual relations with another. 

Why does every person possess dignity? This question should help to remind students 

that all people are created in the image and likeness of God. 


ӹ 

How does avoiding lust help us to love our neighbor and fully respect his or her 

dignity? When we commit the sin of lust, we view another person as something 

rather than someone; we think only of how we can use that person for our own 

pleasure or gain. The reality of dignity demands that we love each person. 

Activity #2: Self-Mastery 

You will need: one Self-Mastery worksheet (pg. 90 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by writing CCC 2395 on the board: “Chastity means the integration of sexuality 

within the person. It includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery.” 

B. Next, distribute the Self-Mastery worksheet and have students work individually to 

complete it. 

C. When they are finished, review and discuss their answers as a class. 

D. Conclude by reading aloud CCC 2339. 

E. Help students understand that all passions must be tempered; we need to learn how to 

control not just our emotions and impulses but also our desires and activities. We alone, 

out of all the animals, are created in the image of God. We can freely choose, unlike 

animals, to moderate our impulses. If we act in a way that is less than human, we deny 

our dignity and reject our relationship as children of God. 

Activity #3: Prayerful Meditation 

A. Create a prayerful atmosphere in your classroom. Then lead your students in a guided 

meditation of Colossians 3:5–17. Pause and allow the students to think. 

B. Then read the passage a second time. Ask the class the following questions: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What sorts of sins does St. Paul encourage us to “put to death”? Immorality, impurity, 

passion, evil desire, idolatry, angry, fury, malice, slander, obscene language, 

lying. We are also encouraged to stop seeing each other mainly by our race or nationality 

and instead understand that “Christ is all and in all.” 

What do “immorality,” “impurity,” and “passion” refer to? Lust and sinful activities. 

Impurity often has a sexual connotation, especially in reference to passion. 

What sorts of virtues does St. Paul encourage us to “put on”? Compassion, kindness, 

humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, thankfulness. 

ӹ How can these virtues help us actively combat the temptations and sins that St. 

Paul lists earlier? Accept reasoned responses. 

C. Finally, read the passage a third time. Ask your students to write a one-to-two paragraph 

response to the following reflection questions: 

ӹ What strikes you most in this passage from Colossians? 

ӹ 

What do you think God is telling you in this passage? 


89


SELF-MASTERY 

Directions: 

Answer the questions below. Be prepared to share your answers with the class. 

1. What is an apprenticeship? How are childhood and adolescence like an apprenticeship? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2. What does it mean to master oneself? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

3. What might an “apprenticeship in self-mastery” look like? Would it be difficult? Explain. 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

4. How do you think the “apprenticeship in self-mastery” is connected to chastity? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 


MINI-LESSON 6 

Offenses against Chastity Part 2 



CCC 

CCC 2333, 2353, 

2355–2359 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 

8.1.1 TOB Propose that creation 

should be received as 

a gift and not manipulated, 

dominated and controlled. 

(cf. TOB 13:3-4, 59:3; CCC 

358, 373) 







(TOB 50, 54, 57:3; CCC 

2518, 2519) 


Without the complete gift of self to the other person that 

becomes possible through a sacramental marriage, the 

sexual act, regardless of affection or intent, becomes only 

a shadow of the true beauty and purpose God intends 

for it. The sexual act is an incredibly personal experience 

and marriage helps protect each person in a permanent, 

life-giving, and loving bond. As we have learned, in this 

way marriage defends the dignity of all human beings. 

Fornication, or sex outside of marriage, deprives participants 

of that protection. 

Prostitution, which has sometimes been termed “sex 

work” in an attempt to legitimize it, terribly distorts what 

should be the most intimate and private of acts into a 

commodity that can be bought and sold. It reduces the 

participants to objects, further feeds the vice of lust, and 

drives the industry of sex trafficking. Some feminists have 

tried to legitimize prostitution as a valid line of work. 

But no little girl, when she looks ahead to adulthood, 

dreams of being a prostitute. Far from liberating women, 

prostitution traps them in abusive situations. And 

like contraception and abortion, (which some feminists 

also claim to be liberating) it actually deprives women of 

the dignity and protection of marriage and, ironically, in 

fact “frees” men from the responsibilities of marriage and 

childrearing. 

Rape and incest are terrible acts of sexual abuse, especially 

when perpetrated against children. The aggressors 

violate the body, the free will, and the human dignity of the 

victim. These acts are a complete distortion and perversion 

of the sexual act. 


91

People with homosexual inclinations face many difficulties, and they must not be made to 

feel as if they are evil because of an inclination that they did not choose. Same-sex attraction is 

not sinful. However, dwelling or acting on disordered temptations is always sinful, whether in 

the form of gluttony, drunkenness, or homosexual activity. Homosexual acts are not open to the 

creation of new life and do not reflect the complementarity of man and woman that God exalted 

within marriage. Those who experience homosexual inclinations are called, like all people, to 

live a chaste life, respecting the unitive and procreative nature of sexuality. God loves every 

human person and has made each of us capable of living out His will. 


You shall not commit adultery…You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. 

DEUTERONOMY 5:18, 21 

Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Your every act should be done 

with love. 

1 CORINTHIANS 6:13–14 


Activity #1: The Demands of Love 

A. Begin by reading through CCC 2391. Students may need help defining certain terms 

within this text (e.g. carnal, liaison, and so forth). 

B. Pose the following questions to your students, and respond to any other questions 

that students might have: 

ӹ Why is it difficult to live a chaste life when cohabitating, or living a “trial marriage”? 

A young unmarried couple in love may find it very difficult to play out married 

life without being tempted toward the sexual part of the relationship, especially 

when living together. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Why might many young people choose to live together outside of marriage? 

Answers might include the idea of “trying out” marriage, indifference toward or 

distrust of marriage (perhaps because of negative family experiences), expense of 

weddings, financial trouble or job insecurity, ignorance of the sinful nature of the 

arrangement due to the normalization of cohabitation in our culture, etc. 

How could living together before marriage affect a married couple’s risk of 

separating later? The ideas of a “trial” marriage is based on the assumption that 

couples who experience conflict should not marry. This mindset may lead to separation 

when inevitable conflicts arise. Failure to commit early on can lead to one 


doubting one’s own or the other’s ability to stay committed later on. Living a “trial 

marriage” (CCC 2391) in cohabitation can also lead to a sense of marriage itself 

being a non-committal and non-binding act. Marriage preparation in the Catholic 

Church helps the future spouses to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Holy 

Matrimony in a way that cohabitation cannot. 

ӹ 

Why is it important to encourage cohabitating couples to pursue marriage, if 

they are otherwise avoiding it? Accept reasoned responses. There are many reasons 

why couples may avoid marriage, but the “total and definitive gift of persons 

to one another” (CCC 2391) is only possible within a sacramental Marriage. True 

love, and a truly good expression of sexuality, requires a true commitment, which 

is missing when a couple only cohabitates. 

Activity #2: Attacks against Dignity 

A. Begin by presenting for your students the material in the Teacher Background essay 

on fornication, prostitution, rape, incest, and homosexuality. These are sensitive topics 

but ones which students need to understand correctly. Help students recognize first 

and foremost that fornication, prostitution, rape, and incest are all direct and purposeful 

attacks against another person’s dignity. You may need to define concepts such as 

human trafficking. At the end, remind students that the Church’s teachings on human 

sexuality can help us protect, defend, and minister to the victims of these terrible acts. 

Emphasize the pastoral message of the Church: all people are called to chastity, and all 

are welcomed. 

B. Next, lead your class in a short group discussion: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

What is the purpose of sexuality, as it has been designed by God? This review question 

should help students remember the unitive and procreative aspects of sexuality. 

What does our culture say is the purpose of the sexual act? Personal fulfillment, 

intimacy, or pleasure seeking. 

Why is the Church’s teaching on homosexual activity so countercultural? It is 

counter to the notion that sex is for personal fulfillment, intimacy, or pleasure. 

Homosexual activity (while it can unite two people physically) cannot be a complete 

gift of self because it is closed to the possibility of life. Like the use of contraception, it 

removes the procreative purposes of marriage. Note, however, that homosexual activity 

cannot be truly said to be unitive either, because it does not take place within a 

sacramental marriage that allows a couple to grow closer to God as well as each other. 


93

Activity #3: Courage International 

You will need: links to the website of Courage International: 

SophiaOnline.org/CourageMission, SophiaOnline.org/CourageFAQs. 

A. Begin by informing your class that together you will be looking at the website for 

Courage International, an apostolate that seeks to help Catholics with homosexual 

inclinations to live a chaste and celibate life. 

B. Next, project for them the page detailing the Overview & Mission of Courage, 

found at: SophiaOnline.org/CourageMission, followed by the FAQs page, found at: 

SophiaOnline.org/CourageFAQs. (Note: The Church’s offer of mercy and love is often 

misunderstood. Be sure to receive students’ questions compassionately and provide pastoral 

responses with care.) 

C. Guide a discussion using the following prompts: 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

How does Courage demonstrate God’s love for every person? It encourages a 

deeply faithful, sacramental life, that allows people to grow in selfless love for each 

other and for God. 

How does Courage seek to uphold Catholic teachings on sexuality while embracing 

Christ’s call for mercy? They recognize that living a faithfully Catholic life 

in this culture is very difficult, but they nevertheless seek to help people recognize 

their own purpose. 

What can fellow Catholics do to help those who experience homosexual inclinations 

feel included, welcomed, and loved in the Church? Remind students of 

the Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery: every person faces temptations, 

and we all struggle with sin. Some sins seem more private, or easier to hide, than 

others, but we are all working to be saints, and it takes a great deal of effort and 

trust in God’s grace. 


MINI-LESSON 7 

Mercy and Redemption 

CCC 

CCC 733–736, 1443–1445, 

2838–2849 

Standards 

for Christian 

Anthropology 







(TOB 50, 54, 57:3; CCC 

2518, 2519) 

8.11.3 TOB Explain how God 

invites, and does not force, 

when he calls someone 

to the vocation of married 

life, consecrated life, or the 

priesthood, leaving the person 

free to respond. (TOB 

73:3-4, 76:4, 79:8; CCC 915, 

1565, 1578, 1599, 1618, 

1625-1628, 2233) 


Sin wounds our relationship with God, but it also wounds 

us and our relationships with other people. Our spiritual 

healing is inextricably woven into how we offer and seek 

forgiveness. God calls us out of a life of sin, not simply because 

sin offends Him, but because it destroys our relationship 

with Him. Through Baptism, we receive the grace and 

strength to live in friendship and peace with God and His 

people. We often fail in this calling, however, and so the life 

of a Christian is one ever mindful of God’s love and mercy. 

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) illustrates 

the depths of sin into which we fall and the willingness of God 

to extend His mercy to us. The younger son wasted his inheritance 

on prostitutes: he also engaged in practices that are 

damaging to the institution of the family. The father, however, 

extended love and mercy to his fallen son and welcomed him 

back from a living death with forgiveness and a loving embrace. 

Sin is a failure to love as we truly should. Our own selfishness 

often impedes our ability to love others as full persons 

made in the image and likeness of God, and we risk treating 

others as objects or as means to an end. All people bear the 

image of God, are loved by Him, and are therefore deserving 

of our love, mercy, and forgiveness. Just as we turn to God and 

realize our own brokenness and seek His forgiveness, so too 

are we encouraged to extend that forgiveness to others just as 

freely as we have received it. 


95


Blessed is the one whose fault is removed, whose sin is forgiven. Blessed is the man to whom 

the LORD imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit. 

PSALM 32:1–2 

His son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve 

to be called your son.” But his father ordered his servants, “Quickly bring the finest robe and put 

it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter 

it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life 

again; he was lost, and has been found.” Then the celebration began. 

LUKE 15:21–24 


Activity #1: Guided Meditation 

You will need: one Guided Meditation worksheet (pg. 98 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by creating a prayerful atmosphere in your classroom. Then, read aloud Luke 

7:36–50. 

B. Next, explain the following to your students: There are many interpretations of why 

this woman is described as sinful, and some have thought her to be Mary Magdalene, 

who because of this association was understood to have been a prostitute before her 

encounters with Jesus. Regardless of the many traditions, we can read in this passage 

an encounter between Jesus and a woman who has sinned and has suffered because of it. 

C. Then, inform your students that you will be leading them in a guided meditation on 

the passage from Luke. Distribute the Guided Meditation worksheet, and slowly reread 

Luke 7:36–50 to your students as they answer the questions. 

D. When students are finished, invite them to share their reflections with the class. 

E. Close by asking students the following reflection questions, and having them write 

their answers on the lines provided in the worksheet: 

ӹ Was there ever a time that you excluded someone, even if you did not realize it 

at the time? 

ӹ 

When have you experienced God’s forgiveness in a way that helped you to personally 

feel His love for you? What are ways in which you have felt included in a 

way that helped you to feel appreciated? 


Activity #2: The Woman Caught in Adultery 

You will need: one Woman Caught in Adultery worksheet (pg. 99 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by having students read John 8:1–11 in their Bibles, or read it aloud to the class. 

B. Distribute The Woman Caught in Adultery worksheet and have your students answer 

the questions individually. 

C. When they are finished, review and discuss their answers as a class. 

Activity #3: My Story 

You will need: one Interview on Forgiveness worksheet (pg. 101 of this guide) per student. 

A. Begin by presenting for your students the material in the Teacher Background, emphasizing 

that we should be merciful and forgive others because God has forgiven us 

first. 

B. Next, distribute the Interview on Forgiveness worksheet. Arrange your students into 

pairs and invite them to take turns “interviewing” each other using the prompts on 

the worksheet and recording the responses on the lines provided. 

C. When the interviews have been conducted, give students time to arrange their notes 

into an article or biographical column format. Then, invite student volunteers to share 

their articles with the class. 


97


GUIDED MEDITATION 

Directions: 

Answer the questions below as you listen to the Gospel reading. 

1. Imagine that you are in the place of the woman in the encounter. What does it feel like to 

be known as a “sinful” person? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2. What do you hear, see, or otherwise feel as you come into the room? As you clean Jesus’ feet? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

3. What does it feel like to be excluded by everyone, especially because of something you have 

done? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflection Questions: My Answers 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 



THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY 

Directions: 

Answer the following questions about the Gospel account of the woman caught 

in adultery. 

1. How did Jesus show mercy to the woman? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2. Did Jesus approve her actions? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

3. What command did Jesus give to the Pharisees? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

4. What was the meaning of Jesus’ command? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

5. How did the woman’s actions wound herself and those around her? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 


99


THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY (continued) 

6. Imagine that you were one of the Pharisees. How would you have felt at the beginning of this 

story? How would you have felt at the end? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

7. What command did Jesus give to the woman at the end? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

8. How does Jesus’ example show us how we should treat people when they fail? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

9. Remember that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law (the Ten Commandments). 

How did Jesus uphold the Sixth Commandment, which prohibits adultery, in this passage, 

despite the mercy He shows? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 



INTERVIEW ON FORGIVENESS 

Directions: 

Use the prompts below to interview your partner and record their responses. 

1. When have you experienced forgiveness after doing something wrong? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2. When have you forgiven someone after something they have done to you? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

3. What do you think makes it so difficult to forgive someone? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

4. What is it like to experience giving or receiving forgiveness? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

5. Why is forgiving others so important for healing relationships? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

6. Why is faith and prayer such an essential part of this process? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 


101

APPENDIX: 

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS 

——————— • • • ——————— 103

A Dialogue of Trust and Openness 

In giving life, parents cooperate with the creative 

power of God and receive the gift of 

a new responsibility — not only to feed their 

children and satisfy their material and cultural 

needs, but above all to pass on to them the 

lived truth of the faith and to educate them 

in love of God and neighbor. This is the parents’ 

first duty in the heart of the “domestic 

church”. 

The Church has always affirmed that parents 

have the duty and the right to be the first and 

the principal educators of their children…. 

Having given and welcomed life in an atmosphere 

of love, parents are rich in an educative 

potential which no one else possesses. In 

a unique way they know their own children; 

they know them in their unrepeatable identity 

and by experience they possess the secrets 

and the resources of true love. 

The normal and fundamental method…is 

personal dialogue between parents and their 

children, that is, individual formation within 

the family circle. In fact there is no substitute 

for a dialogue of trust and openness between 

parents and their children, a dialogue which 

respects not only their stages of development 

but also the young persons as individuals…. 

THE TRUTH AND MEANING 

OF HUMAN SEXUALITY, 

THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL 

FOR THE FAMILY 

Read the full document at: 

SophiaOnline.org/TruthandMeaningofHumanSexuality 


Practical Tips for Parents on 

Discussions of Sensitive Topics 

Starting a Conversation: All Ages 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

It may be helpful to talk to your daughter or son separately. 

If at all possible, have dad talk to your son(s) and mom talk to your daughter(s). 

You might want to go for a walk or a drive so you can have a private, one-on-one conversation 

while being able to look at the scenery so it may feel a little more relaxed for you both. 

Another option is to talk while playing a game, or doing another fun activity so the pressure 

of all the attention being on the conversation is lessened. 

Remember that chastity only makes sense within the Church’s larger teaching on virtue and 

holiness. We should not focus on it in isolation. Rather, if we focus on living a virtuous life 

in general and help our children strive for holiness, chastity will naturally be a part of that. 

Tips for Conversations with Teens 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Be honest with your son or daughter if talking about sexuality is not easy for you, and you 

understand it may be uncomfortable for them. Being honest will clear the air. 

Remind your child that the emotions and uncertainties they are experiencing are normal, 

and you want to love, support and encourage them. 

Check in with your child regularly on the topics you discuss. 

Always return the conversation to your unconditional love for your child. Your love for them 

is like God’s love. We all strive throughout our lives to turn away from sin and back towards 

God. When we fall, Jesus offers us His mercy and the chance to begin anew in Confession. 

During your Conversations 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Read and Reflect on Psalm 139: 13-14 together. God loves us and made us good! 

You formed my inmost being; 

you knit me in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; 

wonderful are your works! 

My very self you know. 

We are all called to make a gift of self in love. Share the specific ways you and your spouse 

help each other grow in holiness. Express your appreciation for the fact that marriage is 

about helping your spouse get to Heaven! If you have a trusted pastor or religious brother 

or sister, talk about how this person has given their whole life to Jesus and His Church, in 

the service of His mission. 


105

ӹ 

If you are not sure how to answer a question, be honest with your child and tell them you 

will find the right answer. You could consult a trusted priest, religious, or the Catechism of 

the Catholic Church for help. 

After Initial Conversations 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

It is good to let your child know that you are always available to them, but telling them you 

are available is not enough. Initiate regular, on-going conversations; do not wait for your 

child to come to you. 

Remind your child that holiness does not mean never making mistakes or never sinning, but 

it does mean repenting (turning away from sin, resolving not to sin again, and returning to 

Jesus), receiving forgiveness, and beginning anew. 

Remember that you, not your school and not your parish, are responsible for your child’s 

education. Communicate with your child’s teachers and be aware of what is being taught, 

especially with respect to sexuality and gender. Get actively involved when needed. 

Emphasize that nothing they do could ever change your love for them, or God’s love for 

them! 


Talking Points for Sensitive Topics 

Note: As parents, we may feel “hypocritical” by 

discouraging/prohibiting our children from 

things we ourselves have done when we were 

their age. Do not let this feeling stop you from 

helping guide and protect your child and form 

their conscience. 

Keep in mind: the true hypocrisy would be 

to know something is wrong and yet NOT 

try to protect your child from that harm! 

Throughout their lives you will help your 

children grow in holiness and virtue; part of 

that may come from learning from your own 

mistakes. 

You also many find you disagree with a teaching. 

In these cases, our perceived disagreement 

is often because we do not fully understand 

the teaching. It can take great patience 

and humility to trust the Church in these 

cases. But it can be a good opportunity to 

demonstrate to our children the responsibility 

all Christians have to form our consciences. 

Whatever the moral truth is, the Church has 

been consistently studying and teaching it for 

2000 years. That alone could provide the reason 

to be open to the teaching and investigate 

further. 

When can I begin dating? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Explain that feelings of attraction to the opposite sex are normal. They indicate that we are 

called to love others, and one day, if God calls us to marriage, we may choose a spouse and 

share our affection spiritually, emotionally, and physically. 

Our attractions can help us understand the kind of person God is calling us to marry. Will 

they be especially funny, kind, hardworking? 

Emphasize here too that while feelings of attraction are normal, an integral part of maturing 

is that we don’t act on every feeling we have. 

• When you feel attracted to someone, you can ask, is this someone I’d like to raise a family 

with? Do I enjoy being with this person? Do we share the same goals and values in life? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Help your child understand the true purpose of dating – to find a spouse. Your readiness 

to marry is a good indicator of your readiness to date. 

Discuss with older children how the culture says that dating is to have fun and “hook up” 

and have casual sex. But this behavior inevitably leads to unhappiness. (See the question 

below on waiting for marriage to have sex for more information.) 

Conclude by explaining what boundaries you are comfortable with. For example, going out 

on a date alone with someone may have to wait, but you may be comfortable with your 

son/daughter socializing in mixed-sex groups. Chaperoned school dances might be okay, 

whereas unchaperoned “after parties” may not be. And so forth. 


107

How far is “too far”? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

A response to this question could be: “Would you go to the edge of a cliff and see just how 

far you could hang off without falling down into the abyss below? No! Of course not.” 

We shouldn’t try to “go as far as we can” without actually having sex. Instead, we should see 

the other person as worthy of affection that does not put their soul in danger of sin. 

Remember that we strive to avoid the near occasion of sin (or situations in which we may 

be especially tempted to sin). We should not put ourselves in a tempting situation where 

we are acting in a sexual way with the person we are interested in or dating. 

Some suggestions for showing affection to the opposite sex that would not be compromising 

yourself would be hugging or holding hands. Try to find other ways to show your love 

by planning a fun day at the park or going for a bike ride together. 

Do I really have to wait to get married to have sex? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Answer this question with clarity: Yes, you should wait till you are married to have sex. 

God’s plan for marriage is not meant as a burdensome rule or because the Church thinks 

sex is bad, or dirty. The reason we should wait for marriage is because life will be better for 

us and for our future spouse, in every possible way: spiritually, physically, psychologically, 

and emotionally. 

Like many sins, sex outside of marriage can seem like harmless fun. But pretending sex 

can be “causal” or that we can have “friends with benefits” does not make it so. Sexual 

intercourse is the most intimate act two people can share, and abusing it inevitably leads 

to anxiety, loneliness, feelings of regret, abandonment, and other emotional harms, and to 

at least one person feeling used. 

Sex within marriage has two purposes, and those purposes cannot be separated. Those 

purposes are the procreation of children, and the uniting of the spouses. 

• A husband and wife’s marriage vows in which they promise to give themselves to each 

other freely, faithfully, totally and forever are expressed physically in an act of intercourse. 

When we have sex outside of marriage, we are using our bodies to express a 

covenant that has not been made, so we are not being true to the person we are having 

sex with. We make empty promises. No one wants this for someone they love. 

• A husband and a wife’s union is also creative. A new human person can come forth from 

their love. This is no small responsibility and God wants each child to have a mother and 

father who are committed to each other through the Sacrament of Marriage! The procreative 

aspect of intercourse reminds us that in marriage we are a living sign of God’s 

love in the world. 

ӹ 

What if I made a mistake/went too far/lost my virginity? 

• Emphasize above all that God loves them, and that you love them. 


• Making mistakes can lead us to become stronger in our will to follow God’s plan for our 

lives. With God’s grace and the Sacrament of Confession, we can begin again and pursue 

a life of purity. 

• No matter what has happened in the past, you are still loved and cherished by God, and 

He will help you heal and renew your commitment to chastity. Find consolation in a 

good Confession, and the Eucharist: God gives us His Body and Blood to strengthen us 

in living out our Faith! 

What if I get pregnant/got someone pregnant? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Emphasize your love for your child and their growing baby. 

We rejoice with you about this new life but know that you are uncertain and scared. 

We love you and will do everything to take care of you and your new baby. 

If your daughter is pregnant, let her know you will do all you can to encourage the baby’s 

father to take responsibility as well. 

Without implying the baby should be put up for adoption, express your support for the 

possible decision. 

Should I have an abortion? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

No. We do not want you to have an abortion. Abortion is not the answer to the fear you’re 

feeling. Every single mother who has an abortion is terribly wounded, even if they may not 

realize it for a long time. 

Your child’s life is precious: he or she is a unique and unrepeatable human being who is 

growing inside of you/their mother’s womb. 

It is a lie society tells women that having a baby is a punishment, means having to give up 

their dreams, or will ruin their life. 

A lot of women openly regret their abortions but no mother ever regrets having her baby. 

I had abortion/my partner had an abortion. 

ӹ 

ӹ 

I love you. God loves you, and nothing can ever change that. There is forgiveness and healing 

waiting for you in Jesus. 

Post-abortive men and women have experienced trauma and need special support. Rachel’s 

Vineyard (www.rachelsvineyard.org) is a Catholic apostolate that offers a safe place to renew, 

rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion. Retreats are held in over 375 locations. 

They offer a supportive, confidential and non-judgmental environment where women and 

men can express, release and reconcile painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process 

of restoration, renewal and healing. 


109

Can I watch pornography? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Answer this question with clarity: no, you should not use pornography. 


When we view pornography, we observe lust, the use of another person for pleasure, and 

a distortion of what an intimate, loving embrace should be between a husband and wife. It 

demeans the persons who are engaged in it. This is far from God’s plan! We do not watch 

pornography because it will distort our ideas about God’s design for our lives. It will become 

addictive and has the serious potential to get in the way of a happy marriage one day. 

Pornography destroys innocence; it is especially harmful for boys, who have a natural inclination 

towards visual stimulus. Through depictions of women as disposable sexual objects, 

it encourages fantasies of male supremacy. 

As a parent, be aware that pornography can be strongly addictive. (See the section on masturbation 

below for more information.) 

Pornography is an especially difficult challenge today because it is accessible in unprecedented 

ways. 

• Consider removing unfiltered access to Internet, cable TV, streaming services, and other 

media in your home. 

• Consider disallowing social media apps which are designed to facilitate sexting. 

• Monitor your child’s social media use. 

• You may want to look into services that allow you to set up accountability partners to 

support your efforts to avoid it on the Internet. 

ӹ 

Especially encourage your sons to protect the privacy of the girls and women in their life. 

Not only should they guard their eyes for the sake of their own purity, they can also be 

proactive and give privacy to a person who needs it by averting their eyes if they see an 

indecent image, or if someone is dressed in a way that will lead them into temptation. 

What about masturbation? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 


Masturbation is the stimulating of one’s own sexual organs for pleasure. Masturbation is 

not ordered toward God’s two purposes for human sexuality: uniting with your spouse and 

procreation of children. 

As with all topics, emphasize God’s love and mercy, and take into account your child’s age, 

maturity, and mental well-being when discussing masturbation as a sin. The Catechism 

explains that a person’s “affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety 

or other psychological or social factors [can] lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral 

culpability” (2352). 


ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Masturbation, at its root, is selfish. It does not take into account that our sexual organs 

were made to be shared only with our spouse within the sexual act in marriage. 

Like pornography which often fuels it, masturbation has the potential to become addictive. 

Like a drug addict who requires greater and greater doses to achieve the same “high,” 

pornography and masturbation can lead to sexual dysfunction, potentially hurting a man’s 

ability to be truly intimate with his spouse. 

We can and should pray that God would give us the grace we need to conquer temptations 

which would cause us to fall into sin and lead us from the plan He has for our life. 

One of my friends says they are gay. How do I respond? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Emphasize our duty to treat every person with respect and dignity. A charitable response 

emphasizes our love and concern for our friend, including for his/her soul. 

While we do not understand fully why some people are attracted to a person of the same 

sex, we do know that we are all wounded and experience the effects of Original Sin. 

Our very bodies tell us something about how God created men and women to complement 

each other. We were made male and female, and God’s instructions were to “be fertile and 

multiply” (Gen 1:28). It is clear that two men or two women cannot do this. 

Homosexual activities are disordered because they do not uphold the plan of God which is 

laid out clearly in Scripture. Although it is not sinful to have homosexual temptations, it is 

a sin to act on them. No matter what, all of us are called to live chastely. 

Our identity should not be found in who we are attracted to, but instead in the way we are 

made in God’s image and likeness. We should be loving and kind to each and every person 

we meet, but we cannot encourage anyone to act on their homosexual feelings, the same 

we way we would not encourage anyone to engage in sexual activity outside of marriage. 

What if I think I’m gay? 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

I love you and nothing can ever change that. 

God loves you and wants you to be who you were created to be. 

You are much more than your feelings of attraction. You are a creature of God, made in His 

image and likeness. 

As a baptized Christian, you are a child of the Most High! God is your loving Father. He 

wants what’s best for you and so do we as your parents. 

Homosexual activity, like any sexual activity outside of sacramental marriage, is not what 

is best for you; it will harm you physically, spiritually, and psychologically. 


111

ӹ 

ӹ 

ӹ 

Homosexual activities are disordered because they do not uphold the plan of God which is 

laid out clearly in Scripture. Although is not sinful to have homosexual temptations, it is a 

sin to act on them. No matter what, all of us are called to live chastely. 

Refraining from acting on same-sex attraction is not “denying who you are” or “not being 

true to yourself.” Who we feel attracted to is NOT the total of our identity. 

Homosexual attraction is not in and of itself sinful but homosexual actions are. These acts 

cannot fulfill our human nature, and do not allow us to flourish as God created us to. 


Wisdom from Sacred Scripture 

Use the selection of quotes below to reflect and inspire you in these important discussions. 

Rejoice, O youth, while you are young 

and let your heart be glad in the days of your 

youth. 

Follow the ways of your heart, 

the vision of your eyes; 

Yet understand regarding all this 

that God will bring you to judgment. 

— ECCLESIASTES 11:9 

No trial has come to you but what is human. 

God is faithful and will not let you be tried 

beyond your strength; but with the trial he 

will also provide a way out, so that you may 

be able to bear it. 

— 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 

Let no one have contempt for your youth, 

but set an example for those who believe, in 

speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. 

— 1 TIMOTHY 4:12 

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are 

earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil 

desire, and the greed that is idolatry….Put on 

then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, 

heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, 

and patience, bearing with one another 

and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance 

against another; as the Lord has forgiven 

you, so must you also do. And over all these put 

on love, that is, the bond of perfection. 

— COLOSSIANS 3:5, 12-14 


113

The Culture Says / The Truth Is 

To help guide conversations, this section 

presents ideas or statements popular in 

the current culture, alongside true statements 

that flow from Catholic teaching. The 

first section on definitions and first principles 

is important to understand before beginning 

any conversations on Section II. 

Often, the reasons for disagreements in the 

specific topics in Section II are based on 

disagreement over the principles in Section 

I. For example, Planned Parenthood founder 

Margaret Sanger argued that abortion and eugenics 

were good for human flourishing, while 

the Church teaches that abortion and eugenics 

are morally wrong. How can there be such 

disagreement? The difference is based on unspoken 

assumptions about human nature and 

the meaning of life. If you are beginning with 

the assumption that individuals exist to serve 

society, it makes sense that the less capable, 

less intelligent, or otherwise “unfit” should 

be removed. In this distorted world view, removing 

less “desirable” traits will lead to “human 

flourishing.” It is clear, however, when 

you begin with the true principles, that every 

human life is precious, specifically willed and 

cherished by God. 

When seeking to understand Church teaching 

about sex, gender, or any other topic that 

might present a challenge, it’s often helpful to 

look over these basic definitions as a starting 

point, in order to see if it might be the root of 

the difficulty. 

Section I: DEFINITIONS AND FIRST PRINCIPLES 

The Culture Says: The Truth Is: Notes 

The meaning of life is 

to maximize happiness. 

The meaning of life is to get to 

Heaven. 

Human Nature 

Our value comes 

from our talents or 

achievements. 

The individual exists to 

serve the economy. 

Our value is infinite as persons 

made in the image and likeness of 

God. 

The economy exists to serve 

individuals. 

People are naturally 

good. 

People are inclined to sin but 

capable of virtue, and need God’s 

grace to live as we should. 



Our feelings should 

guide our choices. 

Our intellect should guide our 

choices; feelings are subordinate 

to our intellect and will. 

The Role of Feelings 

Love is a feeling. 

Good things are those 

which feel pleasant, 

or bring feelings of 

happiness. 

Love is an act of the will. It is the 

free choice to will the good of 

another. 

Good things are those which help 

us be what God created us to be. 

If it feels good, it must 

be right. 

Our physical body isn’t 

really who we are. It’s 

more like a “shell” for 

our true self, which is 

who we are “inside.” 

Our feelings can lead us in the 

wrong direction, and to sin. It’s 

important to keep our feelings in 

check, under our intellect and will. 

Every human being is a unity of 

body and soul. Our body, male or 

female, is a fundamental part of 

who we are. 

The Meaning of the Body 

Our bodies are ours to 

do with whatever we 

want. 

We should use whatever 

medical technology 

is available to make 

our body do what we 

want. 

We should care for our bodies in 

light of the reality that they are 

gifts from God, and Temples of the 

Holy Spirit. 

We should use medicine and 

medical technology to restore the 

body to how it was designed to 

function. 

If something occurs 

in a lot of people, it is 

natural and therefore 

good. 

The fact that something is common 

does not make it natural or good. 

Natural things are those which 

help us achieve our purpose: bodies 

to function as designed, and 

souls growing closer to God. 


115

Section II: SEX, GENDER, AND MARRIAGE 


Sexual differences 

are just social constructs. 

Our culture 

expects and so 

produces different 

things from girls 

and boys. 

Gender is fluid, it 

can change. 

We choose our 

gender. Sex is 

“assigned” at birth 

but later, as we get 

older, we decide 

whether we are truly 

male or female. 

It’s a sign that a 

boy is trans if he 

wants to do traditionally 

feminine 

things, or vice 

versa. 

The purpose of 

marriage is the 

happiness of the 

spouses. 

Marriage can be 

ended through 

divorce. 

Love is a feeling. 

Girls and boys are equal in dignity, but inherently 

different. 

A person being male or female cannot change, 

even if someone has surgery, takes hormone 

therapy, or has other interventions. 

Although a tiny minority of people are born 

with physical abnormalities, we are all either 

male or female in our DNA. This includes 

those who, for some unknown reason, identify 

themselves a person of the opposite sex. This 

belief can result in severe psychological confusion 

and pain for the person, as well as for the 

person’s family and friends. 

Boys can have interests that are considered 

“feminine” and girls can have interests that are 

considered “masculine.” It does not make the 

boys into girls, or the girls into boys. 

The purpose of marriage is for the spouses 

to help each other and their children get to 

Heaven. 

Marriage is a life-long, indissoluble bond. 

Love is an act of the will. It is the free choice 

to will the good of another. 



You shouldn’t marry 

unless you feel 

you’ve found your 

soulmate. 

No one should 

stay in a marriage 

where they are 

unhappy. 

The Church says 

married couples 

should stay together 

even in abusive 

situations. 

Children are 

resilient and not 

harmed by their 

parents’ divorce. 

Everyone has the 

right to be a parent. 

You do not have a single soulmate you must 

find for your marriage to be happy. All spouses 

will have conflicts. In marriage, you promise to 

love your spouse in good times and in bad, for 

as long as you both live. 

Marriage can be a cross, but Jesus offers the 

spouses the graces they need to endure in 

their marriage. 

This is false. The Church does not teach that 

a wife should live with an abusive husband or 

vice versa. When needed for the sake of safety 

and to seek healing, couples should separate. 

The Church prays for their healthy reunion. 

Removing a mother or a father from a family 

destabilizes the home and puts children at 

higher risk of poverty, incarceration, substance 

abuse, sexual abuse, and suicide. Children 

raised by their married parents are more likely 

to thrive physically, achieve more education, 

and enjoy a higher socio-economic status. 

The tragedy of infertility causes despair, grief, 

and tension for many couples, and the Church 

extends them special concern in this cross they 

bear. But the truth is that a child is not a right. 

IVF is a good approach 

for couples 

to take to infertility. 

IVF takes a consumeristic, scientifically-controlled 

approach to reproduction, and always 

involves the intrusion of a third party into the 

sacred bonds of married love. Also, IVF creates 

many embryos that will be destroyed or otherwise 

denied a chance to live their lives. IVF is 

completely opposed to the way God has given 

us to bring a baby into the world, and does not 

respect the sacred quality of human life. 


117

Section III: TRANSGENDERISM 


Those who identify 

as the opposite sex 

should be affirmed 

in that decision. 

Trans people 

should be celebrated 

in a special way. 

Someone who 

believes they are 

the opposite sex 

should be encouraged 

to have 

surgery or take hormones 

to change 

their body. 

Men who identify 

as women should 

be able to compete 

in women’s sports 

(and vice-versa). 

Manhood and womanhood are realities. They 

are not feelings, no matter how sincerely those 

feelings are experienced. 

Those who struggle with a confused sense 

of sexual identity must be lovingly accepted 

as persons created in God’s image with the 

same dignity as any other person. Further, 

as Christians, we must pray for peace in 

their unique struggles and support them with 

Christian charity, all the while upholding the 

truth of God’s plan for life and love. 

We should treat those experiencing gender 

dysphoria with compassion, and it is never 

compassionate to lie to someone. Just as we 

would not withhold food from someone with a 

body image disorder, we should not encourage 

someone to mutilate or poison their body 

to align with a mistaken belief about gender. 

We should lovingly encourage and help them 

to accept their body including their identity as 

male or female. 

The reason we have separate sports for girls 

and boys is because of the inherent differences 

between males and females, and the 

physical advantages most boys have over 

most girls. It is true that some of the strongest 

women are stronger than the weakest men. 

But on average, men are bigger, stronger, 

and faster than women, making meaningful 

competition between them unrealistic in most 

sports. Girls deserve teams of their own to 

fairly compete. 



Boys who identify 

as girls should 

be able to use 

girls’ bathrooms 

and showers (and 

vice-versa). 

We should use 

peoples’ preferred 

pronouns, even 

if it requires us to 

call a biological 

female a male and 

vice-versa. 

Girls need private spaces of their own. Boys 

experiencing gender dysphoria deserve to be 

treated with compassion, and so do girls. They 

deserve places of privacy where they can be 

free of the gaze of boys/men while they are 

showering/changing clothes. 

Saying a male is female or vice versa is a 

lie. God calls us to tell the truth, but we must 

always tell it with charity. We must find charitable 

ways to express ourselves that do not 

require us to break the Eighth Commandment. 

For more ideas, see “Explaining Transgender to Kids — Without 

Puppets” from Catholic Answers, available at: 

SophiaOnline.org/ExplainingTransgender 


119

Section IV: HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY 


Love is love. 

Our feelings of attraction 

define who we are. 

Homosexual acts are 

an intimate expression 

of affection that are no 

different from heterosexual 

activity. 

The Church unjustly 

singles out gay people 

and calls their experience 

sinful. 

People who feel 

attracted to others of 

the same sex should 

not be told they should 

suppress their desires. 

It’s too much to ask 

anyone to live without 

sexual expression. 

Love is the choice to will the good of another. This 

love was modeled for us by Jesus’ sacrifice on 

the Cross. Through Him, we have life. Human 

beings image God not only as individual persons, 

but most perfectly as male and female in a common 

union (communion) of life-giving love. 

We are not defined by our feelings. The identity 

and dignity of all human beings come from being 

made in God’s image and likeness. As baptized 

Christians, we are adopted children of God. This 

is our identity. 

Homosexual acts are always closed to the possibility 

of generation of children. They do not originate 

from the complementarity of the male and 

female bodies and sexuality. Therefore, homosexual 

acts can never be full expressions of the total 

self-giving love found in marriage. 

Every person is called to chastity. Homosexual inclinations 

are not sinful, but homosexual acts are. 

Just as heterosexual attractions can pose certain 

challenges at various stages in life, homosexual 

attraction can present a burden to those who 

experience it. Those who experience homosexual 

attraction are called to uphold the same standard 

of love and chastity in their particular state in life 

as all Christians are. They are assisted in this 

through prayer, friendship, and sacramental grace. 

There is no such thing as a situation that requires 

us to act immorally. There is always a virtuous 

choice to be made, even if it is a very difficult one. 

We will often find that the virtuous choice is the 

hardest choice and we need God’s grace to do 

the right thing. But with God’s grace, nothing is 

impossible. 


Section IV: GAY MARRIAGE 


Love makes a family. 

Government should 

define who is a family. 

The government 

should recognize gay 

marriage. 

Everyone has the right 

to be a parent. 

A nuclear family, which was chosen by Jesus to 

be born into, is a biological reality. 

Government recognizes the family, a pre-existing 

reality. The family should be protected from, rather 

than defined by, government intervention. Except 

in cases of crisis such as death or abandonment, 

children should be raised by their parents because 

of the biological reality of parenthood. 

The purpose of government is to promote the 

common good. Traditional marriage promotes 

the common good because it is best for human 

flourishing. Marriage results from the intention 

of the couple to form a unitive covenant which, 

by definition, is ordered to procreation. By contrast, 

the government has no interest in romantic 

relationships between same-sex couples who 

cannot procreate. At its root, marriage involves 

the rearing of children: “By its very nature the 

institution of marriage and married love is ordered 

to the procreation and education of the offspring 

and it is in them that it finds its crowning glory” 

(CCC 1652). 

Parenthood is not a right. Within a family, parents 

are more rightly said to have duties than rights. It 

is the child who has a right to his or her natural 

parents. When tragic circumstances such as 

death or abandonment occur, adoption is a loving 

response. 


121

Parent Permission Letter 

Dear Parent: 

As part of our study of Catholic theology, we are offering the option to explore some topics related 

to Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and human sexuality. These topics include 

the meaning of the body, our creation as male and female, and, in high school, natural family 

planning. 

Lessons will be sent home ahead of time for you to review so you can determine whether you 

would like your children to receive this instruction. 

Girls and boys will receive separate instruction for all lessons involving sexual differences. 

We encourage you to discuss the material at home, as the best way to impart these teachings is 

through frequent and on-going family conversations. 

If you would like your child to participate in these lessons, please contact me at: 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

If you do not contact me to give permission, your child will NOT participate in these lessons. 

Thank you, 


Additional Resources 

For more authentically Catholic resources on 

the topics in this guide, please visit 

SophiaOnline/TOBResources 

We will keep this page regularly updated with curated resources 

for parents, teachers, and catechetical leaders. 


123

6683 TOB Gr6-8

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