A. Answer with one of these words: yourself, only, friend or mother.

1.Meaning of the fourth commandment

   Parents are the instrument willed by God to bring new lives into the world. Besides life, parents feed their children and give education in order to grow, develop and receive all the aids to achieve the holiness of life of the children of God.

    The fourth commandment reminds us the obligations we have with our parents: love, respect and obedience. The behavior of Jesus with Mary, his mother, and Joseph, who was as a father for him, it must be an example to emulate by everybody.

    By extension, the fourth commandment includes respect and obedience to whom by any aspect, are qualified as an authority: teachers, ecclesiastical and civil authorities, homeland, etc.

2. Duties of children towards parents

   a) Love. The first duty of a son towards his parents is to love them, and love is shown with deeds. We must pray for them, give them satisfaction and joy and help them according to our possibilities, above all if they are sick or elderly.

    b) Respect and gratitude. Respect for parents is shown with a sincere veneration, when we talk about them and when we talk to them, it means with reverence. It would be disrespectful to lift the hand against them, despise them, insult or offend them in any way and to be ashamed of them.

    If you notice that parents have any defect -particularly when they are elderly-, or they don’t do what they should, we must pray, understand and excuse them, hiding their defects and trying to help parents to overcome them, without leaving from the mouth a word of criticism.

    c) Fair obedience. We must obey parents promptly and diligently, provided that it is not sin what they order to do. Obedience requires effort because it’s easier to be “rebellious” making our own whim continuously. It is necessary to have a kind heart to obey and overcome selfishness.

B. Choose one of these words: lives, deaths, fun, education, love, respect or obedience.

3. Other obligations of the fourth commandment

   In this commandment is included, besides parents, other people that we must also obey, love and respect:

    a) Brothers. Specially, older brothers who should set a good example avoiding anger, quarrels and jealousies. In short, selfishness.

    b) Relatives and Friends. Family’s love and respect reaches particularly grandparents, uncles, cousins and friends.

    c) Teachers and benefactors. They are the representatives of our parents and for that reason we should show them gratitude and respect.

    d) The Pastors of the Church. Because we are children of the church, we must love to whom govern our soul, pray for them and obey their instructions. Loyalty asks never murmur.

    e) Duties to the homeland and civil authorities. As all authority comes from God, we must love and serve the homeland, the common mother, respect and obey the civil authorities and enforce the laws, provided that they are fair.

4. Duties of parents towards children

   Parents must love, support and educate their children: caring about their spiritual and material needs, giving them a solid human and Christian education. To achieve it, besides praying for them, they should put effective means: the example itself, good advice, school choice, caring about his friends, etc. After having advised their children, parents must respect and promote the vocation of the children when they choose the path of their human and supernatural lives.

5. Fulfill with love the obligations of this commandment

   Jesus, Mary and Joseph are the Holy Family –a model for all families- where love, obedience and joy reigned. In our family, there must be love to God –and to others for God- what moves us gladly at all times to fulfill our duties.

    The fulfillment of the fourth commandment brings a reward: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may have a long life in the land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you” (Éxodo 20, 12). God blesses the peace and the prosperity with spiritual and temporal fruits. On the contrary, do not observe it to involve an extensive damage, not only for the person but also for the human community.

Catechesis course. Don Jaime Pujol Balcells and Don Jesús Sancho Bielsa. EUNSA. Navarra. 1982. With the permission of the authors

C. Answer with one of these words: brothers, relatives, teachers, Pastors, homeland, authorities, give away, educate, vocation, hobby

  Catechisms questions

1. ¿What is the content of the fourth commandment?  The content of the fourth commandment is that –after God- we shall honor our parents and elderlies as for age, dignity and government.

2. ¿What are the duties of children towards parents?  The duties of children towards parents are: love, gratitude, respect and fair obedience, and help them when our parents are in need.

3. ¿What are the obligations of parents towards children?  The obligations of parents towards children are: love, support and educate them in a Christian manner, since parents are the first responsible of the education of the children as for the faith, prayer and other virtues.

4. ¿What are the duties of citizens to civil society?  The duties of citizens to civil society are cooperating with the authority, for the common welfare, showing a Spirit of truth, solidarity and freedom.

  D. Choose the right answer. Below are the possible answers: A, B, C, D