NOTRE DAME OF TALISAY CITY

GRADE LEVEL: 9 MODULES: 8

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN LIVING WEEK: 8
TOPIC: Becoming a Good Citizen: Obedience and Respect for Authority and the Law
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OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the learners should able to:
1. Determine to be a good citizen of the country
2. Perform the duties and obligations of the citizen.
3. Obey the legitimate authority and care for the good of the society.
LESSON PROPER:
Becoming a Good Citizen: Obedience and Respect for Authority and the Law
“Every good citizen adds to the strength of a nation”
Gordon B. Hinckley
DEFINING OBEDIENCE
Obedience comes from Latin word obedire which means “to listen.”
Listening is an important component of obedience. Obedience means
putting into practice what is learned by listening to the other who is
usually a person of authority or someone in charge of our formation.
Obedience means compliance to a plan which is set by the community,
observing the rules, submitting oneself to the standard set by the group,
and submitting oneself to the will of another and the act or instance of
obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior.
Whom Do We Obey?
People have a general duty to obey the law because it is democratically decided. Legal duty: The obligations people have
put upon them by the law. Moral responsibility: The personal obligations people feel based on their beliefs about what is
right and wrong. In order to obey authority, the obeying person has to accept that it is legitimate (i.e. rightful, legal) for
the command to be made of them, the people who are in authority, whether at home, in school, or in the local
community that every member gets to do what he or she needs to do to become a better person.
1. Parents: “Ephesians 6:1” Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this right.” Our parents are our first
teachers who guide us. We must obey them because we trust that our parents know what is best for us, and
their goal is to keep us safe from harm.
2. Teachers, administrators, and other people in authority in school:
Follow what our teachers say and observed the rules in school help us
become better person. In the classroom a student is there to learn, a
teacher is there to teach things and manage the learning
environment.
3. Leaders in our society, from the barangay chairman, police to the
president of the country: “1 Peter 2:13-14”
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or
to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.”
We practice social responsibility, solidarity, and contribute to the common good and we show true citizenship
when we abide by the laws of the land following simple traffic rules, keeping the environment clean and
participating local and national elections are some examples of being a responsible citizen.
4. GOD- JOHN 14:23 “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to
them and make our home with them.”
Following the commandment that Jesus has give to us to live by; we come to fullness of life in God the father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Why Obey?
“The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with
respect, and insofar as it is deserved, with the gratitude and good-will” (CC 1900).
In everyday situations, people obey orders because they want to get rewards and they want to avoid the negative
consequences of disobeying. True obedience is done with “gratitude and goodwill”; each time we obey to do what is
right we strengthen our character. Practicing obedience will lead us to learn other virtues such as humility, patience,
kindness, respect, and others.
Following the Law
“No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it.”
(Theodore Roosevelt)
Laws protect our general safety, and ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people, by organizations, and
by the government itself. We have laws to help provide for our general safety. These exist at the local state and national
levels. All of us bound to obey the Natural Laws. The Natural Law is the universal moral law grounded on our human
nature. They are natural in the sense that they are not created by humans; rather these are objective principles that
come from human nature. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, people are naturally disposed to understand some basic
primary principles like “Do what is good and do not harm others”. The primary goal of the Natural Law is to direct all
human beings to what is good; Natural law as our duty to treat other human beings with care and dignity. The Natural
law is written in our hearts and commands us to do what is good and avoid evil.
How to Be a Good Citizen of the Country
Good citizens are actively involved in their community and in the betterment of their fellow citizens. They take pride in
where they live and strive to make it a better place. We all want to be known as a good citizen, and with a little thought
and effort, anyone can be one.
Here are some things we can do to help our country and show that we are true citizens:
1. Be loyal to our country : Be proud of the beauty of our land, our people, and our culture
2. Read the news: Be aware what is happening in our country
3. Obey the laws: Abide the local or national rules and policies in the country
4. Volunteer in the local social outreach activities: contribute to the welfare of our country
5. Respect and promote human rights: Uplift and promote one’s human dignity
6. Buy Filipino- made products: Patronize locally- made products
7. Be an asset to the community not liability: Do not be part of the problem; be part of
the solution
8. Participate in local and national elections: It shows our character of being a
responsible citizen
9. Be a responsible and disciplined: Preparing to serve the country in the future
through our studies
10. Help keep a clean and green environment: Contributing to a better surrounding and
environment starts with our own home.