Reward Raffle• “Purchase tickets” through attendance and

homework – Drawing will be May 5– 3 tickets for attending each session• 3 tickets for attending monthly study/faith group

– 2 tickets for bringing book and folder– 1 ticket for each completed unit quiz

• What shall our prizes be?– Movie passes?– Gift cards? – ??? (suggestion box)

Review• 2 Ways of Knowing God– Divine Revelation• Public – Scriptures, ended when last apostle died• We continue to explore and understand , “break open” • Private – no obligated to believe

– Divine Inspiration• Holy Spirit and human writer act as a team

• Cannon of Scripture– Old Testament: God’s covenant with Israel mediated

by Moses– New Testament: God’s covenant with all people

mediated by Jesus

Old Testament• Liken to a three-act play• Creation – Act One: God Creates us– Creation story conveys religious truths not historical facts

• De-Creation – Act Two: Sin Destroys Us– Misuse of free will; Misuse of environment– Sin – 2 Forms: personal, corporate

• Commission –Doing Bad• Omission – Not doing good

• Re-Creation – Act Three: God Re-creates Us– Covenants with Abraham, Israel, David

• After David: God’s People sinned, exiled • Hebrew Scriptures end “unfinished”, Faithful Jews awaited the

messiah

New Testament

Chapter 4Path Through Catholicism

Birth of Jesus• Mary was probably about 13 and Joseph was probably about

18 and may have barley known each other when they became betrothed.

• Jewish marriages began with a betrothal (like an engagement,) that lasted one year and had all the legal force of a marriage.

• Jesus was not born on December 25 – this date was chosen by early Christians because it was the pagan Roman feast of the “Unconquerable Sun.”

• Only Matthew & Luke begin with birth narratives. Matthew, with his frequent references to Old Testament prophecies probably wrote to a Jewish audience. Luke’s world-history background suggests he was writing to a non-Jewish audience.

Birth Narratives: Preview of Jesus’ Ministry

Gift Symbolism:

Gold (“king” of metals) Kingship Son of DavidMyrrh (used for burial) Humanity Son of MaryFrankincense (used in worship) Divinity Son of God

Gentile/Jewish Response to Jesus’ Message:

Magi Many Gentiles will accept itHerod Many Jews will reject it

About The Four Gospels:

• Mark was written first, about 70 AD in Rome to persecuted Romans• Suffering Messiah, symbol a winged lion

• Mathew was written second between 70 and 75 AD in Syria to converted Jews• Teaching Messiah, symbol a winged man

• Luke was written third between 70 and 80 AD in Greece to lower-class Greeks• Compassionate Messiah, symbol a winged ox

• These three are called the synoptic Gospels because of their similarities

• John was written last after 90 AD in Ephesus to all Christians• Life-Giving Messiah, symbol an eagle (which has wings!)• John’s Gospel is different; it assumes the reader has knowledge

of Jesus• Look up the Last Supper in each Gospel:

• Mt 26: 26-30; Mk 14:22-26; Lk 22:14-20; Jn 13:1-20

Baptism of Jesus• The sky opens above Jesus: – New Era in history is beginning– Represents the Son in the Trinity

• A dovelike form descends upon Jesus: – New Creation: third act in play image of the Bible:

• 1. Creation, 2. De-creation, 3. Re-creation– Represents the Holy Spirit in the Trinity

• A heavenly voice identifies Jesus: – New Adam: first born of new creation

• Adam: first born of old creation– Represents the Father in the Trinity

Contexts:

Historical: the time frame in which an event took place

Cultural: the moral, faith, social, artistic values of a people

Reminder:

We believe the Holy Spirit worked with cooperative human writers to compose the Scriptures; IN OTHER WORDS: the Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of Scripture in what they wrote.

Miracles of Jesus• Jesus’ miracles were signs that announced two long-

awaited events:– The Kingdom of God

• Manifestation of Jesus’ power over demons (evil spirits)– God's Kingdom is like a seed. It is planted and growing, but

has it has not yet borne its intended fruit.– Satan’s Kingdom is doomed. It is like a flower severed from

its roots. It still look as though it has life, but its days are numbered.

– The Messiah of God• What the prophets foretold about the Messiah, Jesus

fulfilled.• Invite faith:

– Blind: open your eyes; see what Jesus does– Deaf: open your ears; hear what Jesus says– Raising: open your hearts; begin a new life

Applying the Parable of the Sower to Everyday life:four students were discussing a guidance counselor…

The “seeds:” Mike, Jordan, Amy, Jan

The “fates:”• Seed falls on path• Seed falls on rocks• Seed falls among thorns,• Seed falls on good soil

Death of JesusFour kinds of pain Jesus suffered:

Mind HeartMental EmotionalPain of anticipation Pain of desertion by apostles

Body SoulPhysical SpiritualPain of crucifixion “Forsaken” by God

Crucifixion is a sign, invitation and revelation:“No greater love” (sign)“Love as I love” (invitation)“Love entails pain” (revelation)

Resurrection of Jesus

Resuscitation: Lazarus, Jairus’ daughterThey returned to old life

Resurrection: JesusHe leaped into a new life

His resurrection is a promise that we too shall rise to new life after death! (We know this by faith and a kind of deep-down intuition.)

Spirit of Jesus (Holy Spirit) changed everything!

Without the Spirit, God is far away.The cosmos is steeped in mystery;Jesus is only a teacher;Scripture is just a book;The Church is only a club.

In the Spirit,The cosmos is steeped in labor,Giving birth to the Kingdom.Jesus is risen,Drawing all things to himself.Scripture is God’s Word,Revealing all truth.The Church is God’s People,Alive in the Spirit.

Chapter Test:

Matching:1. C2. A3. E4. B5. I6. G7. H8. D9. J10. F

True/False1. T2. F3. T4. F5. F6. T7. T

Fill In the Blanks1. a. Gold

b. Frankincense c. Myrrh

2. a. God’s Messiahb. God’s Kingdomc. Kingshipd. Divinitye. Humanity

God the Father

Chapter 5Path Through Catholicism

Parable of GodParables are short, fictional stories Jesus used to teach people.

Parables are constructed so that the characters or images in them mirror characters in real life: parables of the Sower, the Good Shepherd, Prodigal Son, etc.

Images of God from Scripture:Old Testament:

Ps 104:5-9 (Creator)Dt 32:11 (Eagle)Ps 23:4,6 (Shepherd)

New Testament

Lk 12:30, 15:20 (Father)Jn 14:10, 15:20 (Trinity)

“One afternoon a musician…” What do we mean by the expression “give glory to God”? What are ways we give “glory” to God?

God as CreatorChicago Sun Times 12/25/68:

From the Earth to the Moon,1865, Jules Verne- Launched from Florida on Dec 1- Three men aboard- Twelve feet tall and 12,230 lbs.- Traveled about 25,000 mph on its 238,000-mile journey- Splashed down: Pacific, Dec 11

Apollo 8, 1968

- Launched from Florida on Dec 22- Three men aboard- Twelve feet tall and 12.392 lbs. (minus 36-story Saturn rocket)- Traveled 24,200 mph on its 225,000-mile journey- Splashed down: Pacific, Dec. 27

Prayer is not only talk to God, but “listening” to God, not with the ears of our body, but with the “ears of the soul.”

St. Irenaeus: God’s glory is a human being fully alive.

(From George Bernard Shaw’s play, St. Joan:)Interrogator: How do you mean, voices?Joan: I hear voices telling me what to do. They come from God.Interrogator: They come from your imagination.Joan: Of course. That is how the messages of God come to us.

St. Augustine: Our hearts were made for you, O Lord, and they will not rest until thy rest in you.

A convict: God is always with us; it’s just that we’re not always with God.

St. Augustine: If you pray and so what you can do, God will hear you and help you do what you can’t do alone.

God as FatherJesus called God the Father, “Abba”Children in Palestine today still call their Father, “Abba” (Daddy.)

Our love is finite: we loveGod’s love is infinite: God is love

Bishop Fulton Sheen summed it this way:Creation God gives lifeRedemption God’s love forgivesEucharist God’s love unitesHeaven God’s love is eternal

God's love is often mediated through people:

John Drescher, If I were Starting my Family Again:

I remember a little fellow, frightened by lightening and thunder,who called out in the dark, “Daddy, come. I’m scared.”“Son,” the father said, “God loves you, and he’ll take care of you.”“I know God loves me,” the boy replied, “but right now I want somebody who has skin on.”

When are times you have needed someone with “skin on”?How have you experienced God’s love through people?

God as TrinityJesus mentions or refers to God as Father or the Spirit over 100x’s in the Gospel of John.

Trinitarian images:The Bible: Old Testament= Father; Gospel=Son; Acts, Letters, Revelation=SpiritDenis Hayes:

Light Father (Creator)Heat Son (Redeemer)Energy Spirit (Sanctifier)

St. Ignatius: 3 notes, one soundSt. Patrick: 3 petals, one leafJohn Wesley: 3 candles, one lightH20: 3 forms, one substance (solid, gas, liquid)

Mother: 3 roles, 1 person (wife, mother, friend)

Chapter Test:

Matching:1. B2. C3. A4. G5. D6. E7. F

True/False1. T2. F3. T4. T5. F6. F7. T8. T9. F10. T11. T12. T

Fill In the Blanks1. a. Creation

b. Scripture c. Jesus

2. a. Sonb. Spiritc. Father