Prostrations and Humility

OBJECTIVE

Orthodox Spirituality is a complex subject that develops slowly over a lifetime. This module aims to teach the disciplines of spirituality as we practice them in the Orthodox Church. Fifth graders are concrete thinkers and may have a difficulty grasping the invisible. Also, at this age they enjoy and want to be part of a group. This module aims to guide them to understand spiritual concepts through development of communal group practices of the Church. Every week of this module will focus on how the physical and spiritual are connected: week 1 -- Sanctification, week 2 -- Fasting and Prayer, week 3 -- Prostrations and Humility, week 4 -- Sign of the Cross. Week 5 is the capstone week to review and apply the concept. Please read through all the lessons in this module in preparation for this lesson.

INTRODUCTION - 10 Minutes

Welcome the class and introduce the lesson and the word "prostration." Open the class by doing prostration together and correctly. Make sure furniture is cleared out and there is plenty of space for this. Remember to have the children make the sign of the cross and say "Lord Have Mercy" during the prostration.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 20 Minutes

Read these Bible passages together. Help the children find these passages in their Bibles or Synaxarium

  • The humility of St. Simon the Shoemaker. St. Samaan and the Mokattam Mountain
  • The pride of Naaman and his healing from leprosy 2 Kings 5:1-19 (see Resources for commentary)
  • Jacob meets Esau after 7 prostrations in repentance (Gen 33:3)
  • 24 presbyters who bow before the throne of God in worship (Rev 4:10)
  • Balaam who bowed before the Angel of the Lord (Num 22:31)

APPLICATION (Action) - 10 Minutes

Compare and contrast the pride of Naaman (and ultimately his healing through humbling himself to the instructions of Elisha the prophet) to the humility of St Simon the Shoemaker. Each of us consist of body and spirit together. When the spirit prays, the body prays as well. Prostration is a physical motion, but is also referred to as "bending the neck of the soul." Metanoia also means change of mind, because it is related to the change of mind and our position to God in repentance.

When we bend our necks and prostrate our bodies, we are humbling ourselves. Give a visual example of some very old churches in monasteries purposely built the entrance to the church very small so that you have to bend your neck in humility to enter the church.

We practice prostration daily in our prayers.

Point out when we make prostrations in our daily prayers in AGPEYA book of the hours.

  • Ex: prostration of worship in beginning of First Hour (We bow down...), vs. prostrations of repentance (Kyrie Eleison).

ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes

Challenge students to incorporate prostrations in daily prayer. Remind them that while making prostrations to say "Lord Have Mercy" and focus on the virtue of humility.

Display the images found in the attached Printable Activities Sheet. Using the table in the Appendix as a guide, ask the children which category the characters in today's stories and events fall into (Pride or Humility). Name the character in the first column, have the students answer, and explain using column 2.

RESOURCES

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

  • Practice doing prostrations (metonias) with your children this week during morning and bedtime prayers. Create an area in front of your family icons where they can do prostrations on a daily basis.
  • Book recommendation: From I-ville to You-ville

APPENDIX

LESSON ATTACHMENTS

Grade 5 Week 3 Activity (Spirituality).pdf