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Rahmania Offest Press, Banglabazer, Dhaka- 1100First Print (Bangla version) : September 2005First Print (English Version) : February 2007

2nd Print (English version) : March 2008

Reprint (English Version) : April 2009

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Preface

For improving the existing quality of Primary Education in Bangladesh, National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) in collaboration with PEDP-2 initiated an extensive program for development of curriculum and teaching learning materials in 2002. In the light of this program the curriculum, textbooks and other teaching learning materials of Primary levels have been prepared, revised and evaluated.

The textbook entitled, 'Christian Religious Studies' has been prepared on the basis of attainable competencies for the students of Class Four. The subject matter of the textbook is derived from the basic issues of the religion familiar to the children through their family practices. This will facilitate our young learners to know how they can make best use of this religious knowledge & values in their day-to-day life.

The contents of the book are analyzed and explained in such a manner with practical examples, illustrations and system of planned activities, that students are inspired to study the subject with a keen interest.

This book is originally published in Bangla. From this year NCTB is publishing the English version of the textbook. English is the language of choice in today's globalized world. To facilitate the verbal and written communication skills of our future citizens and suitably prepare them for international competition, we decided to translate the original Bangla textbooks into English. It's pleasant to note that the number of English medium schools in Bangladesh is increasing very fast. In this context NCTB decided to publish all the textbooks of Primary level in English. This was a big endeavour for us. Despite our all efforts the first edition may not be totally error free. However, in the future editions we shall try to remove all errors and discrepancies.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to those who have made their valuable contributions in writing, editing, evaluating and translating this book. I sincerely hope that the book will be useful to those for whom it has been prepared.

Prof. Md. Mostofa Kamaluddin Chairman

National Curriculum and Textbook Board

Dhaka

Chapter One

God's Creation: Land and Water, Day and Night

God loves us very much, for He has created us. He is our Father. He has created beautiful things for us. He has created a beautiful world for us. In this world we can see God's creation like men, animals, birds, trees, rivers, land, fruits, flowers and many other things. Beyond the earth we can see the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets and other heavenly bodies. He commanded and things were created at once. He is the Almighty. That is why He can create anything only by giving orders. In six days God created everything. He took rest after He had created all these. The seventh day was God's day of rest.

On the first day God created the sky. On the second day He created the light. After creating them. He became very delighted. After that He created many other beautiful things. Here we will learn what God created on the third and the fourth days.

God,s creation at day three

On the third day God created land and the sea. He created the land by just giving a command. He commanded, "Let the water below the sky come together in one place and let the land appear." So it happened. God named the land "Earth". In the land He then created different things. He created grass, vegetables, different plants that bear flowers and fruits. He endowed plants with seeds. He also desired seeds to germinate and grow into

Christian Religious Studies2

plants. We live on the earth created by God. In this land we till and grow crops, and set up villages, markets, towns, ports etc.

The water that had come together at one place by God's command was named "Sea". There is a lot of water in rivers, ponds, lakes and pools. But the main source of water is the sea. There is a connection between the sea and the other sources of water. However, God created fishes, crocodiles and many other aquatic animals.

God was pleased with His beautiful creation of the Earth and the Sea. Thus God completed His third day's creation.

Benefits of the Land and the WaterGod has created the land and the water that benefit us in many ways.

Below we give a few examples:

1. We live on earth.

2. We plough the land and grow crops and plant trees.

3. We play on the land.

4. Different kinds of animals live on earth. There are useful to us.

5. On land we travel in vehicle or on foot.

6. By digging the earth we get many kinds of minerals.

1. We cannot live without water and plants or animals cannot live without water either.

2. We wash things with water.

3. We swim in water.

4. In water live many kinds of animals that are useful to us. For example, fish that we eat.

5. We use vessels like boats, steamers or ships to travel on water.

6. We use water for cultivation.

Benefits of the land or the earth Benefits of water

Christian Religious Studies 3

Land and Water on the EarthThe world as created by God is very big. The earth is divided into seven parts. They are Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia and the Antarctic. These divisions are known as continents.

All the water in the world is divided into five parts. We call them oceans. They are the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the North Ocean and the South Ocean.

The amount of the water in the world is more than that of the land. Only one-fourth of it is the land and the remaining three-fourths is the water.

One-fourth land and three-fourths water


What God created on the fourth dayWe know God has created light for us. He has separated darkness from light. He has named light "Day". He has named darkness "Night". He has created the sun to separate light from darkness. The sun gives light to half of the earth at a time when the other half remains dark. God placed the moon, stars and other heavenly bodies to shine on the earth at night.

To us the night is a blessing from God because we take rest at night. All the creation of God are well-planned. He gave the earth a round shape. That is why half of the earth gets light from the sun when the other half remains dark.

The earth has 'day' in one part and 'night' on the other part

We need darkness as well. During the daytime we study, do work, play or go out. When we get tired, we need rest. That was why God gave us night. At night we study or work for some time and then go to sleep. After the day's work we become tired. As we sleep we get rid of our tiredness. Next day we wake up to start our day's work again.


The chart below shows how we get benefit from 'Day' and 'Night'

Benefit from Day Benefit from Night

We learnt in grade three what God had created on the first day and the second day. Now we have learnt what God had created on the third day and the fourth day. Let us now fill in the table with the names of God's creation of the fourth day.

1. We can see things clearly in the sunlight.

2. We can work in the field for a longtime because we can see things clearly in the sunlight.

3. We can dry wet things in the sunlight.

4. In winter the heat of the sun makes us feel warm.

5. The light of the day makes us feel fearless when we go out to do our work.

1. We can have a sound sleep in the darkness of the night.

2. Things become very hot because of the heat of the sun. At night they cool down.

3. In the stillness of night we can think properly and make plan for the next day.

4. In the stillness of night we can talk to God and spend time in praise of Him.

5. The stillness of night helps us study.

1.

2.

3

4


Prayer O Father! We thank You for Your beautiful creation. You have filled this earth with fruits and flowers for us. You have provide us with water to survive. During daytime we work hard under the sun. But You have blessed us with 'night' when we take rest. For all these things we praise You. Amen.

Assignment (Prayer Song)

We praise You, Father

As we feel happier

For Your love we thank You

For a happy life we thank You.

Exercise

1. Match the phrases in column A with column B:

A B

God created things round.

The three-fourths of the earth we can talk to God.

God has made the earth on the land.

In the stillness of night is more than that of the land.

We can play consists of water.

The amount of water in the world only by giving orders.


2. Fill in the blanks:

a. God has _________ us.

b. On the third day God created the _________ and the _________ .

c. God named the land as _________ .

d. God named light as _________ .

e. God named darkness as _________ .

f. We can _________ things clearly in the sunlight.

3. Answer in brief:

a. Who has created the things that we see in earth?

b. When did God create the land?

c. For whom did God create the land and the water?

d. What did God name darkness?

e. How do we make use of the land?

f. What are the animals that live in water?

g. In how many parts has the earth been divided?

h. How many oceans are there in the world?

4. Essay type questions:

a. How does the land benefit us? Give three examples.

b. How does water benefit us? Give three examples.

c. What do we do at night?

d. What can we do during the daytime?

Chapter Two

Taking Care of Plants and Animals and its need

How beautiful the earth is!When we look out of our house we can see many beautiful things; for example, people, plants, fruits and flowers, birds and animals, the sky, the clouds, the sun, the moon, the stars and so on. How beautiful the earth is! Who created all these? Everything is created by God, the Father. We should praise God for creating all these. Let us now sing a song in praise of our Lord.

The moon, stars, forests, mountains and riversAll sing the glory of the Lord of theirsO Father, You are everywhere, in every soulYour help and protection we all do seek.

The beautiful earth of God


God has created trees and plants. Some of them bear juicy fruits; for example, mangoes, blackberries, litchi, jackfruits, bananas, shaddocks, grapes and the like. Some of the trees give us valuable wood; for example, teak, sal, sundari, karai etc. Some other trees give us beautiful flowers. Besides these, there are small plants called shrubs. They give us vegetables.

God has also created animals. They are very useful to us. We use cows and buffaloes to plough the land. We get milk and meat from cows, goats, buffaloes etc. Ducks and hens lay eggs for us. We eat their meat. Many useful things are made of the hide of some animals. Dogs guard us, especially they keep a close watch on our houses when we go to sleep at night.

All of God's creation are useful to us. God has created them to make us happy. This shows that God loves us very much. We thank God for His creation.

Let us write down some of the names of God's creation in the table below:

The Names of God's Creation

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10


The Importance of Plants and Animals

Sometimes we ask ourselves why God has created plants and animals. He has created them for our good. The following table will show how they help us.

How Plants and Animals help us

1. Plants give out oxygen and take in carbon dioxide.

2. We get firewood from trees.

3. We take rest in the shade of trees.

4. We get wood from trees to make houses and furniture.

5. Fruits of trees satisfy the hunger of men, birds and animals and help them to keep good health.

6. Flowers of trees make things beautiful and keep our mind fresh.

7. Birds make their nests in trees.

8. Some animals live in trees.

1. We eat meat and eggs of some animals.

2. Pet dogs keep a close watch on our houses.

3. We use cows and buffaloes to plough the land.

4. Some animals draw cart.

5. Some animals carry us on their back from one place to another.

6. We use the hide of some animals to make bags, shoes etc.

Help from plants Help from animals


How to take care of God's Creation

God created man in His own image. Man is the representative of God. To represent God means obeying Him and doing His work as He desires. So it is the duty of human beings to take care of God's creation.

Write down in the table how we take care of the following creations:

Prayer

O Father! How beautiful the earth is! You have given us the sky, air, fruits and flowers, birds and animals, trees and so on. We thank You for this. Please bless us and keep us in good health to do work that You desire. Please bless us that we can take care of all Your creation and worship You to our best. Amen.

Assignment

Write down in a table the importance of plants and animals in our life.

Plants of fruit andflowers

Dogs

Cows

Goats and sheep

Ducks and hens

Name of creation How can the creation be taken care of


Exercise

1. Tick (3 ) the correct answer and cross (x) the incorrect answer:

a. We should praise God for His creation.

b. Plants give out carbon dioxide.

c. Some animals draw cart.

d. We take meat of some animals.

2. Fill in the gaps:

a. God _______ man in His own image.

b. Man is the _______ of God.

c. Pet _______ keep a close watch on our houses.

d. We use cows and buffaloes to _______ the land.

e. Some animals live in _______ .


a. How do plants help us? Give five examples.

b. How do animals help us? Give five examples.

c. Write down the names of five creation of God.

How should we take care of them?

Chapter Three

Conduct of Cain and AbelWe know and do believe that God is Almighty. He is present everywhere. He is able to watch all our acts, conduct and behaviours. We cannot do anything out of His sight. And the story of Cain and Abel that follows will bear proof of it.

Cain and AbelAdam and Eve had two sons. They were Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd.

Cain cultivates the land Abel tends his sheep

They wanted to have good relation with God by offering their harvest and domestic animals. One day, Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to God. Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. God was pleased with Abel and his offering, but he rejected CainÊs offering. Cain became angry.


Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? If you had done

the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. You must restrain your anger."

Offering of Cain and Abel to God

Cain was yet envious of Abel. So he hit upon a plan to kill Abel. One day Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out in the fields". When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.

The Lord asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?" But God is all-knowing. He can read one's mind. He knew Cain's evil intention. Cain thought that he would be able to kill Abel beyond God's knowledge. But God saw him do the worst possible sinful act that one could ever do.

God said to Cain, "Why have you done this? Your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge. You are now placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother's blood and is, therefore, under a curse. If you try to grow crops, the soil will not produce anything. You will be a homeless wanderer on the

Cain Abel

1.

2.

3.

4.

1.

2.

3.

4.


earth."

Then Cain said to the Lord, "This punishment is too hard for me to bear. You are driving me off the land and anyone who finds me will kill me."

But the Lord answered, "No. If anyone kills you, the killer will face seven times hander punishment ." Then Cain went away from the Lord's presence and lived in a land called "Nod Desh", which is east of Eden Garden.

Conduct and Attitude of Cain and AbelFrom the story we come to know the attitude and conduct of both Cain and Abel. Cain was selfish. He was ungrateful to God. His attitude towards God was not fair. He used to offer the harvest to God but not with a pure heart. So God did not accept his offering. This made him envious and angry. So he killed his brother Abel.

But Abel was very simple. He had deep love for God. So he offered beautiful lambs to God. He always felt grateful to God. That is why God accepted his offering.

Let us write down the main traits of Cain's and Abel's character in the following table:


God accepts the offering of the polite and the humble. If we are generous and honest, God shall accept our offering. So we should be generous and honest. God wants us to love our brothers and sisters. He wants us to give Him the best thing as an offering.

Moral

1. God watches and knows everything. We cannot do anything

out of His sight.

2. God loves all equally.

3. It is our sin that breaks our relations with God.

4. We shall sacrifice the best thing to God as Abel did.

5. None should take revenge. God wants us to have patience and

forgive each other.

Prayer

O Father! Give us a kind and pure heart so that we can love human kind. Guide us to the right path and help us do the work that You like. Amen.

Assignment

1. Draw the pictures of the textbook in your exercise book either

at home or in the classroom.

2. In your exercise book write down five lesson learnt from the

story of Cain and Abel.

Threw himin the pond

Threw him

in the wellKilled him Kept him

hiding


Exercise1. Tick (3) the correct answer: a. How many sons did Adam and Eve have?

1 2 3 4

b. What did Abel tend in the field?

Buffaloes Sheep Cows Goats

c. What did Cain do to his brother Abel?

d. How many times the killer of Cain will be punished ?

Three Five Seven Nine

2. Fill in the blanks: a. We know and do believe that God is __________ . b. If you had done the __________ thing, you would be smiling. c. Am I supposed to take __________ of my brother? d. Cain became __________ .

3. Answer in brief: a. Who were the parents of Cain and Abel? b. What were Cain and Abel? c. Why did God reject Cain's offering? d. Why did God accept Abel's offering?

4. Essay type questions: a. What did Cain and Abel sacrifice to God? b. Why did Cain kill Abel? c. What punishment did God give Cain? d. What was the attitude of Cain and Abel towards God?

e. Write five lesson learnt from this story.

Chapter Four

The Good SamaritanGod is kind. He is kind to human kind of the world because He has created them. He loves everyone equally. He is the Father of mankind. From Him we have come. So, He takes care of us. He has created us in His own image. We all are equal in the eyes of God. He wants us to be equally kind to all. We should be kind not only to our near and dear ones but also to others irrespective of the caste and creed. The parable of the good Samaritan teaches us a good moral. We also learn from it that God loves all equally.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan in the Holy Bible (Luke 10:25-37)

One day a teacher of the Law asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbour?" In reply to this question Jesus told him a story. The storyruns thus:

Once there was a man who was going to Jericho from Jerusalem . Suddenly a band of robbers attacked him and snatched everything from him. They beat him up and left him half dead. It so happened that a priest was going down that road. But when he saw the man, he walked away. In the same way a Levite also came along, looked at the man, and also walked away. But a Samaritan who was travelling that way came to see the man, and his heart was filled with pity. He washed his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn. The next day he took out two silver coins


and gave them to the innkeeper. He said to the innkeeper, ''Please take care of the man and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever you spend on him.''

The Good Samaritan takes care of the wounded man

Now Jesus asked the teacher of the Law, "In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a good neighbour towards the man." The teacher of the Law answered, "The one who was kind to him."Through this parable Jesus teaches us the following:

a. God loves and protects us in the same way as the good Samaritan did;

b. He who loves God, loves mankind to;

c. We can love God by loving our neighbours;

d. We can serve God by serving our neighbours;

e. All men irrespective of the caste and creed are our neighbours.

How Sujan takes care of othersSujan is nine years old. On his way to school he used to see a lame boy begging. The name of the boy was Shyamal. One day


Sujan said to Shyamal, "How did you lose your leg?" Shyamal answered, "In a bus accident I lost one of my legs." At this Sujan's heart was filled with pity. He thought how he could help Shyamal.

Sujan talks to the lame beggar-boy Shyamal

One day he was delighted to read a news item in a newspaper. It said that a team of doctors from abroad would visit a government hospital in Dhaka. They would give voluntary services by fixing artificial legs to patients who lost their legs. Sujan thought that he could help Shyamal. He told Shyamal's parents about it. They agreed to Sujan's proposal for their son's treatment. Sujan took Shyamal to the doctors. They gave him an artificial leg to walk all by himself.Now Shyamal begs no more. There is a night school near his house. Those who work by day can read in this school at night. Shyamal now reads in this school and works in a grocer's shop during the daytime.

We too can help others in this way. We can be kind to the poor and the helpless and take care of them. We can be kind like our kind Father by being kind to others.


Our dutiesWe should come forward to help the needy and the distressed. We should serve God by serving mankind.Write down in the table below what we can do for the needy and the distressed:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Assignment

1. Make a list of the kind deeds of the good Samaritan.

2. Write down in your exercise book some deeds of kindness

that you can do.

Word meaningsArtificial = not real; made by man in imitation of something natural.

Inn = public house or small old hotel where lodgings, drink

and meals may be had.Parable = story told to illustrate a moral or spiritual truth (especially in the Bible).

Samaritan = a native or the language of Samaria; a follower of the

Samaritan religious system.

Levite = a person of the tribe of Levi.


Exercise


a. God is the Father of __________ .

b. A man was going to Jericho from __________ .

c. A __________ who was travelling that way came to see

the man.

d. All men irrespective of the caste and creed are our

__________ .

e. God __________ and __________ us.

2. Answer in brief:

a. Who left the man half dead?

b. Who felt pity for the wounded man?

c. Where was the wounded man taken to?

d. Who gave silver coins to the innkeeper?


a. How did Sujan help Shyamal?

b. How did the good Samaritan take care of the half-dead man?

c. What does Jesus teach us by telling the parable? Answer in

five sentences.

Chapter Five

Mary Surrenders to the Will of GodThe whole of mankind were addicted to sin. There was a need to free mankind from the curse of sin. The God wanted to set people free from sin. So, God planned to send a Saviour to the earth. The Saviour was none but the Lord God's own and only son. He would set mankind free from sin. But he must be born of a mother. The Lord God chose Mary for this purpose.

However, the God had already decided Mary to be the mother of the Saviour. So He sent the angel Gabriel to her to know if she agreed to this.

Mary sews a piece of cloth The angel Gabriel talks to Mary

Whom do we see in the pictures?

1.

2.In the picture above, we see Mary and the archangel Gabriel. They are talking to each other. We learn it from the story of the Holy Bible. Let us now read the story. (Luke 1:26-38).


Gabriel Brings God's Message to Mary

There was a village called Nazareth in the province of Galilee. The angel Gabriel was sent there with a message for a girl who was promised in marriage to a man named Joseph. The girl's name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, ''Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you.''

Mary was amazed by the message. She wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, ''Don't be afraid, Mary. God has blessed you. You will be pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of God. The Lord God will make him a king as his ancestor David was. He will be the king of the descendants of Jacob for ever. His kingdom will never end!''

Mary said to the angel, ''I am a virgin. How, can it be?''

The angel answered, ''The Holy Spirit will come on you. God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. Remember your relative Elizabeth. She herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do.''

Mary said, ''I am the Lord's servant. May it happen to me as you have said.'' The angel then left her.

This is how Mary surrendered herself to the will of the Lord God. Surrender means giving oneself up to someoneÊs wishes. Mary gave herself up to the Lord God. No human being but the Lord God Himself would have His power rest on her. So, how could Mary avoid it!


We learn the followings from the story of Mary's surrender to God:

1. God wanted to set people free from sin. He decided to send His

son Jesus as the Saviour whose mother would be Mary.

2. The Lord God chose Mary to be the mother of His son.

3. Mary was promised in marriage to Joseph.

4. Mary gave herself up to the will of God with complete faith in Him.

5. Mary accepted the will of God and acted accordingly.

Our duties

We should lead a simple life like Mary. We should remain

faithful in our prayers. We should act according to God's desire.

Let us remember

Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant. May the Lord's wishes be

fulfilled in me.''

Assignment

1. Write in your own words what Mary had replied to the angel.

2. Write what we should do to follow the path of God.

Word meaningsVirgin = an unmarried woman

Surrender = yield to someone's wishes

a. God sent the angel Gabriel never end.

b. Mary wondered to a virgin.

c. His kingdom will what the angel's words meant.

d. God's power will that God cannot do.

e. There is nothing rest upon you.

A B

Christian Religious Studies26¯

Exercise

1. Match the phrases in column A with the phrases in

column B:

2. Answer in brief:

a. What was the name of the angel?

b. Who was promised in marriage to Joseph?

c. Who was pregnant at a very old age?

d. Why did the Lord God send His only son to the earth?


a. Write down what the angel had told Mary.

b. Describe what Mary had replied to the angel.

c. Write down what we learn from the story.

Chapter Six

The Old Testament and the New TestamentWe have already learnt something about the Holy Bible. We must remember it. It includes the following:

1. The name of the holy book of the Christian religion is the Holy Bible.

2. This holy book is the words of God.

3. The Holy Bible has two main divisions. They are the Old Testament and the New Testament.

4. The Old Testament contains the facts that begin from the creation and end before the birth of Jesus. The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus and describes things relating to his work, teaching, preaching, crucifixion and resurrection.

5. The Old Testament consists of 46 books (some Churches believe it consists of 39 books). The New Testament consists of 27 books.

Now we shall learn more about the Old and the New Testaments. The Holy Bible has two major parts.

The Old Testament and The New Testament


God told mankind so many things. He revealed himself in many ways.

He advised mankind to know Him and to follow the right path. All these were written in 46 books (some Churches believe the number to be 39). The books were compiled together and known as the Old Testament.

The New Testament begins from the birth of Jesus. It contains the life, deeds and teachings of Jesus. It also contains the preaching of the apostles and their lives. How God revealed Himself to them is also written here.

Divisions of the New TestamentThe New Testament includes 27 books. These books can be divided into four groups, namely:

1. The Gospel: The gospel means good news. An angel appeared before the shepherds on the day when Jesus was born. He said to them, ''I've brought a piece of good news to you. Your Saviour is born today. He is none but Christ, the son of God. So Christ himself is that good news.'' Four evangelists have written these gospels. They are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

a. The Gospel of Matthew: Matthew was a money-lender. People called him a sinner. He used to extract interest from the people more than the original amount. So the people looked down upon him. But Jesus invited him to do good deeds. A change came over him. He followed the teaching of Jesus. He changed his mind from doing sinful acts. That is why his gospel speaks of Jesus' love for sinners.


b. The Gospel of Mark: Mark was the brother of Barnabas. He went with his brother to different places to preach the messages of God. Later he did it with Paul and Peter. The followers of Christ used to come to his house regularly. His gospel contained his personal experiences and those of others.

c. The Gospel of Luke: Luke was not a Jew. He hailed from Antioch. He was mainly a physician. He changed his mind and embraced Christianity. Later with Paul he preached the teachings of Jesus for a long time. Thus Luke recorded his experiences of Jesus in his book.

d. The Gospel of John: John was the brother of Jacob. His father was Zebedee and mother was Salome. He was an affectionate apostle of Jesus, the Son of God. The book presents his experiences of deep love for Jesus.

2. The Acts of the Apostles: The book contains the description of the preachings by the apostles. Jesus went to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit. The apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit. They started preaching the teachings of Jesus. The number of believers of Christ began to increase. They went to different countries to preach the teachings of Christ. Thus the number of Churches increased. Luke is the writer of this book.

3. Letters of the Apostles: So far the letters of six apostles are available. They are a. Paul, b. Jacob, c. Peter, d. John, e. Jude and f. an anonymous writer.


a. Paul: Paul wrote a total of thirteen letters. These are:1. Paul's Letter to the Romans.2. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians.3. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians.4. Paul's Letter to the Galatians.5. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians.6. Paul's Letter to the Philippians.7. Paul's Letter to the Colossians.8. Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians.9. Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians.10. Paul's First Letter to Timothy.11. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy.12. Paul's Letter to Titus.13. Paul's Letter to Philemon.

b. The Letter to the Hebrews: The Jewish Christians are otherwise known as the Hebrew Christians. Once they were under oppression and were about to give up their faith. On hearing this an anonymous writer sent this letter to the Hebrew Christians.

c. The Letter of Jacob: Jacob was the first Bishop of Jerusalem. He wrote this letter to the Jewish Christians.

d. The First and Second Letters of Peter: The first letter from Peter was addressed to the Christians who were scattered throughout the northern part of Asia Minor. The main purpose of the letter was to encourage those Christians who were being tortured for their faith. He asked them to stick to their faith. He mentioned in the letter that they must not lose their faith though they had to undergo suffering.


e. The First, Second and the Third Letters of John: John, the writer of gospel, wrote these three letters. He warned the followers of Christ against false teachers and their teachings. As a result of which they stuck to the right path.

f. The Letter of Jude: Jude wrote the letter to a group of devotees of Jesus Christ. They were about to lose their faith because of the false teachings of the false teachers. After reading the letter from Jude their faith in Christ became firm again.

4. The Book of Revelation

John is the writer of this book. He wrote it at a time when the Christians were being tortured because of their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. He wrote it to give them hope and encouragement. He wrote that Jesus would build a new world free from suffering and misery. As the faithful people read this book they were really inspired with a new hope.

Let us remember

The Holy Bible consists of the Old and New Testaments. The Holy Bible is the words of God. We can know God by reading the Bible. We can also know what God wants of us. And thus we can lead our life according to God's will.

Assignment

Memorise the names of the thirteen letters of Paul.


Exercise1. Tick (3) the right answer: a. How many main divisions of the Holy Bible are there? two three four five

b. How many books are there in the New Testament? 37 27 17 47

c. How many evangelists wrote the gospels? 1 8 5 4

d. How many letters did John write?

1 2 3 4

2. Fill in the blanks: a. Matthew was a _________ . b. Paul wrote a total of ________ letters. c. Peter ________ those Christians who were being tortured. d. Jesus would build a new ________ free from suffering and

misery.

3. Answer in brief: a. What is written there in the Old Testament? b. What is written there in the New Testament? c. What does the gospel mean? d. With whom did Luke preach the teachings of Jesus? e. Who was the writer of ''The Book of Revelation''?

4. Essay type questions: a. Write in ten sentences about any two writers of the gospel. b. What does the book ''The Acts of the Apostles'' contain? c. Which book was a source of inspiration to the faithful

people? How did it inspire them? d. Write down a thanksgiving prayer to God in five lines for

the writers of the Holy Bible.

Chapter Seven

The Ten Commandments of God

Our parents love us very much. They take care of us. As they love us they try to give us whatever we need. We also love our parents. With much affection we call them 'Mom' and 'Dad'. We obey them and help them in their work. We enjoy things with them. Thus we maintain good relation with our parents. But this alone does not make a happy family. For this, the brothers and the sisters of a family must be on good terms with one another. Our parents, therefore, want that we _ the brothers and the sisters _ love one another.

Love, peace and happiness are essential for a family. But this is possible only when there is discipline in a family. Our parents want us to follow their advice, such as, to get up early in the morning, to go to school regularly, to read at home seriously, to keep books and clothes in order, to return home before sunset, not to quarrel with others, not to keep bad company, to speak the truth and so on. Our parents feel happy if we obey their orders. On the other hand, we too feel happy by obeying them.

God is also our Father. We all human beings are His children. All the human beings of the world are the members of a family. God loves us like our parents. So He gives us whatever we need. God wants that we should love Him. By loving God we can maintain good relation with Him. But that is not enough. We must maintain good relation with all other human beings. That is why God gave us the Ten Commandments. These were the words of God. We have in the Holy Bible various commands or

1. Worship no god but the Lord God.

2. Do not use God's name for evil purposes.

1. None but your Lord is your God.

2. Do not worship an idol.

The Catholic Church Other Churches


laws given by God. But the Ten Commandments are the best of all His commandments. He wrote these in His own hands and gave us through Moses. That is why these commandments are very important.

God wrote the Ten Commandments on two pieces of stone and gave them to Moses

Twice the Bible refers the ten commandments of God. These are in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Let us learn the Commandments of God and obey them. We write here only the summary of the commandments so that we can remember them easily. The Catholic Church and the other Churches write the Ten Commandments in different ways as shown below:

The Summary of the Ten Commandments of God

3. Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy.

4. Respect your father and your mother.

5. Do not commit murder.

6. Do not commit adultery.

7. Do not steal.

8. Do not give any false evidence.

9. Do not desire another man's wife.

10. Do not desire things of others.

3. Do not use your God's name for evil purposes.


5. Respect your father and your mother.

6. Do not commit murder.

7. Do not commit adultery.

8. Do not steal.

9. Do not give any false evidence against your neighbour.

10. Do not desire things of your neighbours.


Two parts of the Ten Commandments of God

The Ten Commandments of God mainly teach us 'love'. As God loves us, so He wants us to love Him. The Ten Commandments teach us to express our love in two ways: to love God and to love mankind. Thus the Ten Commandments can be divided into two main parts.

1. Worship no god but the Lord God.

2. Do not use God's name for evil purposes.


1. None but your Lord is your God.

2. Do not worship an idol.

3. Do not use your GodÊs name for evil purposes.


Catholic Church Other Churches


The First Part of the Ten Commandments

Here we shall discuss the First Part in detail. We shall discuss the Second Part in the next grade.

The meanings of the Commandments of the First Parta. To Worship none but God

We have a close relation with our parents. So we cannot leave them. Similarly, we have a close relation with God. So we cannot leave Him and worship any other god. That is why God forbade to worship an idol or any other god. Long ago, the people of Israel did not have any idea of One God. So they worshipped idols. But gradually they came to know the existence of One God. We do not make any idol to worship. We worship no other god but God.

But there are some people who attach more importance to earthly things than God. They worship these things but not God.


1. Worship of things like Money, Houses and Cars, Land Property, Clothes etc.:

There are some people who are greedy for the earthly things. They are interested only in earthly pleasures. They do not think of God. They do not worship God either. They do not go to church. If they at all go to church they think of making money even in their prayers. They commit robbery and even kill people for the sake of money. They occupy the land property of others by foul means. To such people wealth is more important than God.

2. Worship of Drugs and Narcotics: There are people who are addicted to various kinds of

drugs, alcohol and narcotics. They spend a lot of money on these things. Many young men and women have given up study and become drug-addicts. To such people addiction to drugs is more important than the worship of God.

Greed for money Greed for property


b. Don't use God's Name for evil purposes

God is Almighty. He is the Creator of everything. He is holy. He is the Infinite. We must utter His name with great devotion. But there are people who utter His name for evil purposes or for nothing. By doing this they belittle God. This is most undesirable. We shall utter God's name with great devotion and respect.

c. To observe the Sabbath (Sunday) and keep it Holy

We all need rest. By taking rest we take care of ourselves. It means we take care of God's creation. After the day's hard work we take rest. This gives us strength and energy. Thus we prepare ourselves for the next day's work.

But resting on Sunday does not mean merely lying idle on bed. Rather it means to spend time talking to God. In other words, Sundays are meant to commune with God in prayer. God Himself worked for six days and took rest on the seventh day. God has created us in His own image. He has created us to care for all His creation. On Sunday we sing songs in praise of our Lord the God. We also think how well we can serve His creation. We also try to know what God wants of us. Therefore, to observe the Sabbath (Sunday) and keep it holy will mean to worship and praise our Lord the God.


Consequences of disobedience to the Commandments

We have learnt about the Commandments of God. We have also

learnt their meanings. Now, if we do not follow them we will

commit sins. Because we know it is a sin to disobey the orders

of God wilfully. To disobey the Commandments will mean

disobeying God.

We have to do what our parents want us to do. It will be an act

of neglect and disrespect towards our parents if we do not do it.

They become displeased with us. Thus we develop bad relation

with our parents.

If we do not obey the orders of God, it will be an act of

disregard and disrespect towards God. God will then be

displeased with us. Thus our relations with God no more

remains good. We can show respect to God by obeying His

Commandments.

Let us pray

O Father of Heaven! Give us strength so that we can obey Your

Commandments and love You. Guide us to love You by loving

all human beings. Amen.

Assignment

Learn the Ten Commandments of God by heart.

Three gods One God Tow gods Many gods

1 day 7 days 6 days 5 days

To obey theorders of God.

To disobeyone's own will

To do wrongunknowingly

To disobey theorders of God

A B

a. All the human beings of the world the words of God

b. We must maintain good relation are the members of a family.

c. The Ten Commandments are in His own hands.

d. God wrote the Commandments there is mention of the Ten Commandments.

e. In two places of the Holy Bible with all other human beings.


Exercise

1. Tick (3) the correct answer: a. How many Gods do we worship?

b. How many days did God work for?

c. What is sin?

2. Fill in the blanks: a. Don't use God's ____________ for evil purposes. b. Long ago the people of Israel did not know that God is ______. c. We do not make any ____________ to worship. d. By taking rest we take care of God's ____________. e. God Himself took ____________ on the seventh day.

3. Match the phrases in column A with the phrases in column B:


4. Answer in brief: a. What will it mean if we disobey the words of God wilfully?

b. When does God become displeased with us?

c. What do the greedy people do?

d. How can we show respect for God?

e. How many Commandments did God give us?

5. Essay type questions: a. Write down the First Part of the Ten Commandments of God.

b. How and through whom did God give us the Commandments.

c. Which are the places of the Holy Bible to mention the ten

commandments of God?

d. How many main parts of the Ten Commandments of God

are there? What are they?

Chapter Eight

Jesus Loves Even The Sinners

God loves all human beings equally because He has created them. He wants to correct them if they do wrong. He does not want His creation to be spoiled. But man did not realize it before. That is why God came down to the earth as a human being and expressed His love towards mankind. He expressed His love through His words and deeds. He visits the houses of both the rich and the poor. Both saints and sinners are equally dear to Him. He forgives and accepts even the sinners if they change their mind and become good. We shall come to know from this chapter that Jesus loves the sinners too.

Once Meena's father gave her a beautiful pen. She used to take the pen to school with her. One day she lost it. She searched around for hours, but could not find it. With a heavy heart she started weeping. The teacher said to her, "Why are you crying?" She replied, "I've lost my pen. I looked for it but in vain". The teacher asked all the students if they had found it. But they replied in the negative. So the teacher checked their bags. He found the pen in Monti's bag. But how could it be there in Monti's bag? One could easily guess that Monti took it without Meena's knowledge.

In a calm voice the teacher said to Monti, "To take one's thing without one's knowledge is stealing. To steal is a sin. They will speak ill of you if you steal. Jesus Christ is also hurt if he sees anyone to steal."


Monti repented her wrong doing. She said, "I'm sorry for what I've done. I'm really ashamed of it. I won't do it any more." So saying Monti gave the pen back to Meena and asked her to forgive her. At this Monti's teacher and all the classmates became very happy. Meena too became happy. This is how Jesus brings about changes in the mind of sinners. Here is another story. This will also tell you how Jesus corrects a sinner by changing the sinnerÊs mind.

Jesus' love for Zacchaeus

Jesus loves all. He loves the sinners too. He wants the sinners to change their mind. So he visits the houses of sinners. Jesus becomes happy if a sinner changes his mind. The following story will tell us more clearly about it.

Jesus says to Zacchaeus, "Get down from the tree. I'll go to your house today."


There was a tax collector named Zacchaeus. He used to collect tax from people by force. He did people much wrong. Since, he was a very favourite employee of the country's ruler. Nobody could say anything against him. The amount of taxes he collected from the people was more than what was due. The ruler of the country never told him anything for his dishonesty. Thus Zacchaeus gathered much wealth and became rich. He did it out of greed and had no peace of mind. He knew that the amount of his sins was so great that people would not forgive him. He heard a lot about Jesus who loved even the sinners and went to their houses. So he thought that he would confess his sins to Jesus. But he did not find an opportunity to do so.

A great change came over ZacchaeusOne day Jesus was going to the town of Jericho. His disciples were also with him. Many people started following him. Zacchaeus was trying to see who Jesus was. But he was short in size and could not see Jesus because of the crowd. So he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a tree to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to Zacchaeus, "Hurry up, Zacchaeus, get down from tree. I will go to your house today."

Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed him with great joy. Jesus and his disciples went to Zacchaeus' house. Zacchaeus committed much sins and thought that Jesus would never go to his house. But now he was very happy to see Jesus in his house. A great change came over him. He put his faith in Jesus. He promised not to commit sins any more.


All the people who saw it could not make out why Jesus had gone to the house of a sinner. They spoke ill of Jesus.

Zacchaeus said ''Lord, please listen sir! I will give half my

belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay

him back four times as much." Jesus said to him, "Salvation has

come to this house today." He further said, "I've come to the

world to seek and save the lost."

How nice the story is! It tells us how kind Jesus is. It also tells

us that Jesus goes to the house of sinners as well. Because he

wants to change sinner's mind. Jesus forgives them who change

their mind. Jesus will forgive us only when we promise not to

commit sins any more.

Moral

The story of Zacchaeus teaches us that Jesus loves all human

being. He loves the sinners in particular. He never hates them.

He wants to correct the sinners through his love. He came to the

world for the salvation of mankind. We have also committed

sins. Jesus will forgive our sins and bless us. Like Zacchaeus we

must confess our sins to Jesus and correct ourselves.

Assignment

Draw a picture showing Zacchaeus on the top of a tree and

Jesus under it.


Exercise

1. Tick (3) the correct answer:

a. What was Zacchaeus?

a tax collector a fisherman a politician a beggar

b. What did Zacchaeus climb to see Jesus?

a hill the roof of a house a tree a ladder

c. What did the people speak of Jesus when he went to

Zacchaeus' house?

good ill God's son glutton

d. How was Zacchaeus' physical appearance?

fat thin tall short

2. Fill in the gaps: a. There was a ________ named Zacchaeus.

b. Zacchaeus was a very ________ employee of the

country's ruler.

c. Jesus said, "I have come for the _________ of sinners".

d. Jesus wants to ________ the mind of the sinner.

e. Jesus loves ________ .


3. Answer in brief: a. What was Zacchaeus?

b. How did Zacchaeus become rich?

c. What did Zacchaeus do to see Jesus?

d. What did Jesus tell Zacchaeus when he saw him on the

top of a tree?

e. Why did Jesus come to the world?


a. Why does Jesus love the sinners?

b. What did Zacchaeus hear about Jesus?

c. What made Zacchaeus change his mind?

d. What did Zacchaeus say to Jesus when a great change

came over him?

Chapter Nine

Jesus' Power of Control Over Nature

Nature is a force. It is there all around us. But we cannot see it. We can see only the work of nature. For example, the wind blows everywhere. But we cannot see it with the eyes. The wind, the sunshine, the moonlight, trees and plants, oceans and rivers, the sky, beasts and birds etc, are all but parts of nature. God has created these objects of nature for us. The power of nature has come from God. Therefore, nature obeys Jesus. In this chapter we will read Jesus' power of control over nature.

You must have seen a storm. Wind blows very hard during a storm. Sometimes plants and trees are uprooted and houses and buildings are razed to the ground. Sometimes the storm creates huge waves in the river. So, boats, launches, ships and other vessels with passengers on board are anchored close to the bank of the river. Otherwise, these will sink into the water and cause a loss of many lives.

Scientists have made many useful inventions for us. They went to the moon. They sent satellites to the planet Mars. These satellites send back to the earth pictures of the planet. Thus we can know a lot of things about the planet. Scientific inventions like the computer, aeroplane, radio and television are very much useful to us. All these inventions prove man's great power or ability of doing things.


But man has no power to stop or calm down a storm. Only Jesus has the power to do so. Jesus was born in the form of a human being. But in reality he is God. God created everything only by a command. Jesus can also do everything by a command. Jesus has the power to calm a storm only by a command.

Jesus calms a stormOne evening Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, "Let us go, across the other side of the lake." So they set out. As they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep because he was tired of the day's hard work.

Suddenly a strong wind blew up and the boat was about to sink. At this the disciples got frightened. They went to Jesus and woke him up. They said, "Master, out boat is about to sine and we are about to die!" Jesus was not afraid. Because Jesus is God and he can control anything. Jesus got up and gave an order to the wind. Then and there storm and the wane call med down.

Jesus calms the storm


Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Why are you frightened? Where is your faith?" The disciples could not make out anything. They were amazed and afraid, and said to one another, "Who is this man? He gives orders to the winds and waves, and they obey him!"

We are filled with wonder as we read the story above. No man can stop a storm. Only Jesus can do it because he is a man as well as God. The storm and the sea obey him. Not only that, everything on the earth obeys him. Because he is Almighty! Jesus can heal the sick. He can cause the dumb to speak. He can make a lame man walk. He can cure a man suffering from leprosy. He can even give life to a dead man.

Those who have faith in Jesus do not face any danger. Because Jesus always protect them. We will put our faith in Jesus. We will bear in mind that Jesus is the source of all power.

Let us write down some miracles of Jesus:

Miracles of Jesus

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.


Moral

We learn from the story that Jesus can do miracle with his power. He is Almighty. He loves us. He is always with us and saves us from any danger. We must always keep faith in him.

Assignment

Draw a picture of the boat of Jesus and his disciples that was driven by the storm.


Exercise1. Fill in the gaps:

a. Scientists have made many useful ________ for us.

b. Man has no ________ to calm down a storm.

c. Jesus was born in the form of a ________ ________.

d. God created everything only by a ________ .

e. Jesus has the power to stop a ________ only by a command.

2. Answer in brief:

a. Where were Jesus and his disciples going by a boat?

b. What was Jesus doing in the boat?

c. What did the disciples say to Jesus when they got frightened?

d. How did Jesus stop the storm?

e. What did Jesus say to his disciples after he had stopped the

storm?


a. What happens when there is a storm in the lake?

b. Why do nature and all other things of the earth obey the

order of Jesus?

c. What were the deeds of miracle that Jesus did with his power?

d. What are the things that are beyond the power of the scientists?

4. Act the scene of storm in the classroom.

Chapter Ten

Jesus Calls Matthew

'Call' means to summon. We have read in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible that God called Samuel for His work. Many other persons also heard the call from God and carried out the work that God wanted of them. Jesus is the Son of God. He came down to the earth to do the work that God wanted him to do. That was why Jesus also had the call from God. Coming down to the earth Jesus started preaching the message of God the Father. But to continue this great task Jesus felt the need of others. So he gave a call to many. Jesus also called Matthew to be his disciple.

Matthew was a Tax-collector. Jesus called him to be his disciple. Matthew readily responded to Jesus' call leaving everything behind. It has been mentioned in the Bible about Jesus' call. We will learn a lot about the 'call' when we discuss more about it. At the same time we will be able to explain what a 'call' means.

Jesus calls Matthew while Matthew follows him.


Jesus calls MatthewOne day Jesus was going along the shore of Lake Galilee. As he walked along, he saw a tax-collector named Matthew, sitting in his office. Matthew was also known as Levi. His father's name was Alphaeus. Jesus not only knew Matthew but also was aware of some of his good qualities. Jesus thought within himself to call Matthew for his work. Jesus said to him, ''Follow me.'' Matthew heard Jesus' call and decided to respond to it. He got up, left everything and followed Jesus.

Jesus in Matthew's house

Matthew invited Jesus to his house Matthew changed his mind when Jesus called him. He decided to follow Jesus. He loved Jesus from the core of his heart. As a mark of his love he gave a feast in his house in honour of Jesus. Matthew used to cheat people. But now he changed his mind and became Jesus' disciple. Since others did not know this and they spoke ill of Jesus and said, ''Why does Jesus go to the house of a sinner?''


Jesus heard them and answered, ''People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. The souls of sinners are sick. They need spiritual doctors for treatment. I have come to change the mind of sinners. I have come to save and look for the lost ones.'' On hearing this they did not question Jesus any more.

Matthew's Life and Work

Jesus called all his disciples to take part in his work. He also called Matthew for his work. We will read some special works of Matthew.

First, Matthew was the writer of a gospel. He was one of the four gospel writers. The gospel was a noble work of Matthew. Matthew presented the story of Jesus in a beautiful way. Some important events recorded in the gospel include the birth of Jesus, instructions to the twelve disciples for their mission, the Sermon on the Mount, special teachings, miracles, sufferings of Jesus, crucifixion and Resurrection etc.

Secondly, Matthew preached the sayings of Jesus. He also preached the teachings of Jesus with other disciples. He went to Persia, Africa and Ethiopia to preach the message of Jesus. He advised people to follow the teachings of Jesus.Thirdly, Matthew was an educated, intelligent, dutiful and disciplined man. He was Jesus' companion and saw for himself the life and deeds of Jesus. He saw the sufferings, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. So he followed the teachings of Jesus faithfully throughout his life.


Write down what we learn from the Gospel of Matthew:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

Jesus calls us tooJesus calls us too as he does Matthew. We must continue the work that Jesus started. So we need a good number of people to carry on the difficult task of Jesus. Matthew responded to the call of Jesus. He sacrificed his life for the sake of Jesus. We should also respond to the call of Jesus. Matthew did not make any excuse for avoiding Jesus' call. We should not make any excuse for not responding to Jesus' call either.

PrayerO Jesus, our Friend! You called Matthew and other disciples to do your work and they responded to your call. You also call us to carry on your work. Please make us realise it. Let us not make any excuse to turn down your call. Please make use of us in your service. Amen.

AssignmentMake a stage performance of the story entitled ''Jesus Calls Matthew."

Chapter Fifteen

The Last Supper

In the third grade we have discussed the sacrament and we also know how many sacraments are there. We have also discussed the Baptism in detail.

Now we shall discuss the Last Supper of our Lord Jesus. It is also called the Eucharist. This meal is the acceptance of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ in us which he had given us before his death. These should be taken with a sacred heart. Moreover, in order to attain the purity of our soul we do the sacrament of confession. So we shall discuss the sacrament of confession as well.

How did we get the sacrament of the Lord's Last Supper? Why was this bestowed on us? Why do we take it? What is the result of it? We should all know the answers to these questions.

The Last Supper

Christian Religious Studiesa90

The Last Supper or the Holy CommunionThe meal is the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. Before his death Jesus had taken his last meal with his disciples. In that supper he sacrificed his flesh and blood for all human beings. He gave his flesh through bread and blood through wine. We can eat his flesh and drink his blood through communion.

Our Lord Jesus had told his disciples to take this meal. He also asked us all to take this in his memory. That is why we call it the meal of our Lord. This heavenly meal is also a food for our soul. Through this meal Lord Jesus descends from the heaven to our soul. That is why we also call it the communion of Christ.

The Last Supper is the symbol of Love and Sacrifice God has sacrificed His only son for us. Because He loves us and wants us to keep away from sin. He wishes that we should find the path of salvation. God's only son Jesus Christ is our way to salvation. He has sacrificed himself for our salvation. We call it the self-sacrifice. He has given us his flesh and blood as a symbol of sacrifice.

The night before his crucifixion he arranged a supper. During the supper he took a loaf of bread in his hand and thanked God. Then he said, ''This bread is my flesh. You all eat this.'' In the same way he took a glass of wine, he again thanked God and then said, ''This glass of wine is the glass of my blood. I give you my blood. You will get salvation from sin through this blood.''

The next day his enemies captured him and forced him to carry a huge cross. Then they took him to a mountain named Calvary.


There they crucified him. Jesus sacrificed himself on that cross. He did that because he loved us. That is why his last supper is the symbol of love. We also learn to love by taking this meal. We also learn to sacrifice ourselves for one another by taking this meal.

Different kinds of food

A human being has his mind and soul just as he has his body. We need food for body, mind and soul. For our body we need rice, bread, water, vegetables etc. For our mind we need sports, enjoyment, musics, dance and other recreations. We also need food for our soul. Our body dies if it does not get food. Similarly, our soul too becomes sick if it does not get its food.

The food for our soul

The food for our soul is the acceptance of Jesus in our heart. We accept God through Jesus or through the meal of our Lord. We have already learnt that there is only One God. But He has three forms·the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Together they form One God. At the time of our meal of the Lord, we commune with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We establish this communion through Jesus. This communion with God is nothing but the food for our soul.

We need to have good relation with one another to take this food. We shall not have good relation or unity among us if our heart is full of sin. Therefore, to accept God or His food, we need to confess.


The things we do before taking Eucharist

Sometimes we are invited to our relatives' house. We do not, however, start eating as soon as we go there. First, we greet each other and talk about our wellbeing. We also try to repair our past mistakes through discussion. We also relate to them our joys and sorrows and listen to theirs. We may even promise to help them in their hour of need. Then our host serves us food and drink and we eat them with joy. However, we do not return home just as we finish our meal. We sit for a little while more and talk with them. And then we thank our host because he invited us and served us delicious food. When we say good-bye we also invite the host to our house.

The Eucharist being offered in the Church

During the Eucharist God too invites us. He calls us to accept the flesh and blood of His son. We do not start taking the food


as soon as we arrive at the church. Reaching there we meet one another. We ask ourselves whether we are on good terms with

one another. We also think whether we have hurt others

knowingly or unknowingly. We also ask ourselves whether we

have done any wrong by ignoring God in our action, words or

thoughts. We apologise to one another and to God. And then we

praise Him for His beautiful creation.

Then the important step is the recitation from the Holy Bible.

The Holy Bible is the sayings of God. We recite a few lines

from the Holy Bible and listen to them. Some one among us

explains the meaning of what is read out. Normally the priest or

the pastor does this. We submit our joys and sorrows to God. It

means, we let Him know about our worldly needs. Then we

prepare ourselves for the meal. Here again we do not leave just

as we finish our food. Rather we take our time to talk to God.

We also thank Him for inviting us, for letting us hear Him and

for listening to us. Then we take leave of Him.

Benefit of taking the Eucharist

We remain healthy if we take proper food at proper time.

Similarly our souls also remain pure and healthy if we take our

soul's food regularly. If our souls remain pure and healthy, our

mind also remains clean and free from impurity. This also

influences our character and we can live in peace and unity with

others. God resides a healthy soul. If we listen to God in a


healthy state of mind and soul and do everything according to

His will, we will never take a sinful path.

Who can take the Eucharist?

In order to take the Eucharist, we need to be baptised. We also need to have the sense of right and wrong. We must try our best to accept all that is good and give up the bad. We should also be pure in heart. There are certain Churches where the children are baptised. So in these Churches children, who are 10 to 12 years old, can take the Eucharist. Again, there are certain Churches, where elderly persons are baptised. As a result, they can receive the Eucharist after they have attained a certain age.

The Importance of Confession

After baptism we wash away our sins and become pure. But later, as we commit sin knowingly, we lose the purity of the heart and the soul. With a heart full of sins we cannot accept God. That is why we must confess.

Assignment

Memorise what Jesus said with bread and wine in his hand.


Exercise1. Match the phrases in column A with the phrases in column B.

A B

a. We must accept Jesus' flesh for us. and blood

b. The Eucharist for us is with a pure heart.

c. God has sacrificed His only son to one another.

d. We need food the heavenly food or

the food for the soul.

e. We apologise to God and for our soul.

2. Fill in the gaps:

a. The Last Supper is also called __________.

b. The Eucharist is the __________ and __________ of Jesus.

c. God's only son Jesus is our way to __________.

d. The Eucharist is the symbol of __________.

e. __________ is the food for soul.

f. The Holy Bible is the __________ of God.

3. Answer in brief:

a. What is the name of the meal of the Lord?

b. Who is our only way to salvation?

c. What had Jesus sacrificed for us?

d. When did Jesus arrange the Last Supper?

e. What is the food for our soul?

f. What should we do to accept God?



a. What do we call the meal of God?

b. What does this meal symbolise?

c. What did Jesus say with bread in his hand in the Last Supper?

d. In the last supper what did Jesus say with wine in his hand?

e. Through whom do we accept God?

Chapter Sixteen

Duties and Responsibilities of a Christian Family

Parents, brothers, sisters and other relatives make our family. If we live alone, our life becomes monotonous. But if we live together, our life becomes full of joy. When we do something alone, it takes a long time. However, when we do it with others in our family, it can be done quickly and easily. We have learnt these things earlier. We have also learnt how many types of families are there. We have learnt about a Natural Family, a Christian Family and the World Family as well.

We have learnt what a Christian family is. We have also learnt their important qualities. Now, we shall discuss the duties and responsibilities of a Christian Family. Look at the following picture carefully.

The limbs of a human body


We can see a human body in the picture above. It has a head, hands, eyes, mouth, nose, belly and legs etc. All these are different parts of a human body. These parts are taken together to form a complete body of a human being. All these parts are inter-connected and they function unitedly. All of the parts together love the body itself. One part of it feels for the other one. For example, if a hand is hurt, the whole body feels pain too. In the same way, the rest of the body feels pain if a toe is injured.

Each part of the body functions for the whole body. For example, the head uses its brains properly and the mouth eats and talks, the eyes see and the legs stand erect and walk. The ears again listen properly, while the nose smells and breathes. If any of these does not function well, the whole body suffers.

A family also functions just like this. In a family we have father, mother, brothers and sisters. All of them have their own responsibilities. If any one of them fails to perform his or her duties, the whole family suffers. Again, if any one of them becomes sick, the others look after him or her.

A Christian Family

A family is called a Christian family when the parents and children are Christians. Again, several Christian families of an area can be called a Christian family. The Christians of a religious community is also called a Christian family. In the same way, all Christian families around the world can also be called the Christian family.


There are some characteristics of a Christian family. The members of these families are baptised in the names of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They lead their lives following the ideals of Jesus Christ. They love and serve one another. They also forgive and help one another.

They follow the ideals of the family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus Christ. The conduct and behaviour of the Christians are modest and tolerant. They believe one another they discuss matters with one another and come to a decision. They possess the qualities, such as unity, honesty, simplicity, righteousness and love for peace.

A Christian family

Duties and Responsibilities of the Parents of a Christian Family

a. The parents raise their children and teach them the ideals of Christianity;

b. The parents also follow what they teach their children;

c. The father and mother respect and love each other;


d. Everyday they join the family prayers together with their children;

e. They regularly take part in the prayer of the Church;

f. They take part and assist in the work of the Church.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Children of a Christian Familya. They respect their parents;b. They live together and maintain good relationship with one another;c. They respect and obey their parents and elders;d. They teach themselves the ideals of Christianity;e. They form the habit of praying regularly;f. They try to acquire good qualities;g. They try their best to give up their bad habits;h. They give up laziness and become diligent.

A Christian family life in a community


Christian Families of a Religious CommunityA Christian community consists of the priests, teachers, preachers, the conductor of prayer and all other devotees of the Christ. They have their own duties and responsibilities. In a Christian community the priest conducts the prayer. The preacher preaches God's messages and the teacher teaches. The Pastor conducts the prayer moving from house to house in different locality. Again, some of them nurse the sick while others discuss things with the school children. Some of them help the poor. In this way, each of them performs a duty.

Assignment

1. Write down the characteristics of ideal children.2. Write down the duties and responsibilities you have towards

others as an ideal Christian child.

Exercise

1. Match the phrases in Column A with the phrases in Column B:

A B

a. Father and Mother and maintain good relationship.

b. Form the habit of bad habits.

c. Live together in the work of community.

d. Change your the whole family suffers.

e. Take part praying regularly.

f. If any member fails respect each other. his/her duties


2. Fill in the blanks: a. Our life becomes __________ if we live alone.

b. The head uses its __________ properly.

c. A family also __________ just like this.

d. Everybody should do his __________ .

e. The member of a Christian family __________ and

serves others.

3. Answer in brief: a. What is the function of eyes?

b. How does a family function?

c. What do the other members do if any family member

becomes sick?

d. What do we call a family if all its members are Christians?

e. What do the members of a Christian family accept in the

names of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit?

f. What does the pastor conduct in the families of a

religious community?

4. Essay type questions: a. What is a Christian family?

b. What qualities should the members of a Christian family

possess?

c. Write down the duties and responsibilities of the parents

of a Christian family.

d. Write down the duties and responsibilities of the

Christian children in your own language.

Chapter Seventeen

The Contribution of the Christians in the War of Liberation

In Bangladesh the War of Liberation took place in 1971. This war

continued for long nine months. Then we achieved our freedom from the Pakistanis. Thousands of our people participated in that war. The Pakistanis had killed a large number of our people and burnt our houses. Many people became homeless. They took shelter here and there. However, they returned to their houses after the

independence. In this way, after a struggle for nine months we

achieved freedom.

The brave freedom fighters going to war with arms in their hand


In this picture, we can see the freedom fighters. They took training on how to fight before going to war. Then they started the war in this war many of them were martyred. Many innocent people too gave up their lives. Then on 16th December 1971 the Pakistani army surrendered. We achieved our victory. Through this war, we became an independent nation. That is why, we call this war the War of Independence.

Many Christians also took part in this war. Many of them were martyred. Some of them are still alive. We certainly want to know how they fought the war.

Our Christian brothers took part in this war basically in two ways � direct and indirect. Those who fought with arms were the direct freedom fighters. However, many of them helped people and gave them shelter, food, money, information etc. We call them the indirect freedom fighters. All of them, in fact, played important roles. The war needed everyone's cooperation. Otherwise, winning this war could have become very difficult.

The Direct WarThose who fought with arms directly with the Pakistani soldiers are the direct freedom fighters.

Our freedom fighters fought directly with the Pakistani soldiers with arms. Such a war as fought by them is called the direct War of Liberation.

The Indirect WarIndirect war means helping the fighters indirectly in the following

ways:

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1. By training and advising the freedom fighters.2. By providing shelter for the freedom fighters.3. By providing food for the freedom fighters.4. By donating money and providing other support for the fighters.5. By nursing the sick and the injured soldiers and supplying them with medicine.6. By informing the freedom fighters of the enemies' whereabouts.7. By carrying arms and ammunition to different war zones. 8. By providing food and shelter for the destitute for a long time.

People took shelter in the schools and churches of the community. The priests and sisters are nursing them

That time, in almost every religious community distressed people got shelter. Because of this war the schools and colleges were closed down. That is why people went to the schools of these communities to take shelter. The priests, clergies and nuns provided them with food and medicine.

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A family serving food to the freedom fighters

The Christian women too contributed in the war. They cooked for the freedom fighters and the destitute and nursed the sick. They even gave them secret information. In this way, the Christians contributed much in the War of Liberation. We remember the freedom fighters including the Christian ones with honour and respect.

The freedom fighters love the country

This will go under the subtitle. Our country is just like our mother. That is why we call our country our motherland and our language, our mother tongue. We also call out country our mother in the national anthem. We love and serve our

Christion Religious Studies 107

motherland just as we love our mother. We protect her as we protect our mother in distress. The freedom fighters showed pure love to the motherland in the war. The Pakistanis were doing much harm to our country. But, the freedom fighters defended our motherland by sacrificing their lives.

Assignment

Make a list of how the Christian women contributed to the War of Liberation.

Exercise

1. Match the phrases in column A with the phrases in column B: A B

a. Many people let the freedom fighters for nine months.

b. They provided food through this war.

c. People in this way struggled indirect help.

d. We got our freedom stay in their house.

e. Many people needed to the freedom fighters.

f. That is why we call our country our motherland.

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a. In Bangladesh the Liberation War took place in _________

b. The War of Liberation continued for long _______ months.

c. __________ of our people took part in the war.

d. Our country is just like our __________.

e. We call our language our __________ .

f. The __________ __________ also love the country.

3. Answer in brief:

a. When did the War of Liberation in Bangladesh take place?

b. When did the Pakistani army surrender?

c. What do we call the language of our motherland?

d. What did the freedom fighters save?

e. What happened to the schools and colleges during the War of

Liberation?


a. How did the Christians take part in the War of Liberation?

b. What is direct War of Liberation?

c. Give five examples of indirect War of Liberation.

d. What was done for the people who took shelter in the

religion community?

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