17. ONE HOLY CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC

17. ONE,HOLY ,CATHOLIC ,APOSTOLIC The four marks of the Catholic Church are essential to understanding the Body of Christ. Compendium 161-176 Matthew 28:19-20 Christ founded only one Church, and entrusted it to Peter and his successors in communion with the bishops. In spite of the problems and divisions due to human frailty and sinfulness, there exists a fullness of Truth, sacramental life and communion. We must all pray and work for unity in Christ. The Church provides all that we need to respond to the call to holiness. Mary and the saints show us how to participate in God's truth, goodness and love and assist us with their prayers. The Church is Catholic because her mission is to all nations and to bring the totality of the Christian Faith. We must work and pray to bring non practicing Catholics back to church and also promote unity with non Catholic Christians by our Faith and witness. We have a special affinity to those of the Jewish faith as the first to receive the Word of God. Many non Christian faiths reflect God's truth and goodness. We must foster understanding with other religions for the common good. Non Christians can be saved if they sincerely seek God and follow their conscience. Those who know the truth of the Church and reject it imperil their salvation. Christ founded the Church upon the Apostles. The Church adheres to and hands on the teachings of the Apostles. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles in communion with the Successor of Peter. By the Sacrament of Holy Orders the mission and power of the Apostles are transmitted to their successors, the bishops, thereby maintaining the link to the Church's Apostolic mission, faith and origins.

16. THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST

THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST, IS A SIGN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH. Compendium 147-160 1 Corinthians 12:12-14,26-27 At Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and Mary and the mission of the Church began in earnest. Christ lives and acts in and with his church, especially through the preaching of the Word and the Sacraments. Ekklesia are those who are called and gathered in Faith and Baptism to become children of God, members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit. As members of Christ we are called to live our vocation, faithfully and robustly, for the common good. "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" Matthew 28:16-17 The Church does not only point to the Kingdom of God, it is the Kingdom of God in seed form, teaching us to live in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We are called to live the new commandment of love, to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world leading all to God's Kingdom already begun on earth. The Church is the Body of Christ and we are the members of that Body. The Church is the Bride of Christ and we are the children of that Bride. The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and we are the living stones of that Temple through Faith, Worship and Service, through the Sacraments and sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

15. I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

15. I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT The Third Person of the Holy Trinity is the "Driving Force" of the Church's Life Compendium 136-146 John 14:16-17,26 To be the Third Person of the Trinity does not mean to be less important. The Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified and coequal to the Father and son. The Trinity is a splendid mystery of God's inward communion of life and love of which we are destined to share fully. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, Counselor, Comforter and The Giver of Life. The Holy Spirit is "Living Water" at Baptism and "tongues of fire" at Pentecost. The Spirit descends as a Dove at Christ's baptism. He is the inspiration of the Prophets. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit Mary conceived and became the mother of Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother. The Holy Spirit enables us to pray and proclaim the saving Gospel of Truth And Love, he restores divine likeness in those who are baptized, confirms his gifts at Confirmation, empowers priests to bring forth the living presence of Christ in the Eucharist, imparts forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance. When we open our hearts to the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit we bring forth a rich harvest of new life and love. "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful."

14. AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

14. AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER The risen Lord remains present to the church today as we work to build his kingdom on earth Compendium 127-135 Ephesians 1:17-23 The Resurrection of Jesus was not a resuscitation. Those who Jesus brought back from the dead eventually died but when we are resurrected on the last day our bodies will die no more. The Resurrection confirmed the Jesus was truly God and the truth of all he said and did. We share his risen life now through the life of grace and we hope one day to share in his resurrection when our lowly bodies will be transformed in the pattern of his own glorious body. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God interceding for us and he also remains with us through the ministry and sacramental life of the Church. With the first Christians we look to the heavens and pray "come Lord Jesus".

13. The Paschal Mystery

13. THE PASCHAL MYSTERY In the liturgy of Holy Week, we commemorate Christ's Passion , Death, and Resurrection. Compendium 112-116 John 13:1 These events are inseparable and stand at the center of our faith. The Hebrew word "paschal" means both "the passing over" and "passage". In the Exodus the homes of the Israelites, marked by the blood of the sacrificial lamb, were "passed over" by the Angel of Death thereby sparing them so they could make the passage from slavery to freedom. "Passover" is not just an historical celebration but a living memorial. This first Passover anticipates Christ's shedding his blood for us as the sacrificial lamb to free all from the slavery of sin. With Baptism in Christ we pass over from sin to a new and eternal life with Christ. Christ is the new Moses who definitively interprets the Law and the Prophets. We cannot impute guilt for the death of Jesus on those who historically participated in bringing it about. Christ died for all our sins and as Christians we bear a greater responsibility for sin. But God sent his Son in expiation for our sins. Jesus assumed our humanity in order that it would become the very means of our redemption. The entire life of Christ was a free offering to the Father to carry out his plan of salvation. He announced the Kingdom, confirmed it with miracles, took our sins upon himself, cancelled death and showed us the path to everlasting life. "Do this in memory of me" Jesus not only commands the Apostles to recall but also reenact the very same mystery of love. "As often as you eat this bread and drink this blood you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes."1 "Obedient unto death" Jesus' agony unmasks the enormity of our sins. Obedience is the key to our reconciliation with God and with those we have harmed. Jesus invites us to take up our daily cross and walk with him. We await with Mary as the sadness of death gives way to the joy of the resurrection.

12. Christ Gave Himself For Us

12. Christ Gave Himself For Us The season of Lent invites us to repent and encounter the Kingdom of God Compendium 106-111 Mark 1: 12-15 Lent is a time of renewal. We ask for the grace to strengthen our prayer life, practice fasting and to mortify our senses and give generously of ourselves to those in need and to participate more deeply in Christ's sacrifice of love and the sacraments of confession and communion. Lent is about recovering our Baptismal innocence and victory over temptation. We read about Christ's struggle with Satan in the desert over power, wealth and self-indulgence which reminds us of Adam and Eve's encounter with Satan and Israel's struggle in the desert. The Transfiguration on Mount Tabor foretells the changing of our lowly bodies into his glorious body.

11. Born To Save Us

11. Born to save us Born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus brings new life to the world Compendium 98-105 Ephesians 1:3-14 The eternal Son of the Father was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus is the only Savior of the entire human race. He is truly the Son of God in both his human and divine natures because he is only one Person. He is the Son of God in his divine nature and son of Mary in his human nature. Mary remained a perpetual virgin and his "brothers and sisters" were actually close relatives. Mary's pure love and spiritual motherhood are extended to all who are saved and she has an essential role in God's plan of redemption. She is the ultimate model of the Church in her purity and motherly love. We can learn much by meditating on the"hidden life" of the Holy Family. Jesus received the baptism of repentance by John the Baptist, although he was sinless, he identified with, sanctified the waters and prefigured our baptism by the Holy Spirit and water through which we begin to participate in the eternal life Jesus won for us by his cross and resurrection.

10. Jesus Christ, The Only Son Of God

10. Jesus Christ, The Only Son Of God Truly God and truly man, Jesus Christ stands at the center of history Compendium 79-97 Galations 4:4-5 The proclamation of the name of Jesus and his saving deeds is the heart of the Gospel. "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" the entire life and mission of the Church has been built on this confession of Peter. Our faith in Christ should instill in us the desire to share the Good News and to reveal in the Person of Christ the entire design of God and to put humanity in communion with him. "Jesus" means "God saves" - because he will save his people from their sins. In no other name can we find salvation (Acts 4:12) That is why we are never to take Jesus' name in vain. "Christ" is not a family name but a Greek term meaning "anointed one" or "Messiah" Through Baptism we become members of the Church and heirs to all that the Lord did to save us through his life death and resurrection. Both Jesus'' baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist and his Transfiguration on Mount Tabor were marked by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" "Lord" refers to Jesus' divine sovereignty demonstrated by his miracles, control over nature and his forgiveness of sins. We should never let a day go by without repeating with the apostle Thomas "my Lord and my God" Although Jesus was from eternity God's Son, at a certain point two thousand years ago he assumed our human nature and entered history. This happened because God wanted to draw near to us, reconcile us to his love and enable us to share in his divine life. Jesus is at once "true God and true man" - of one substance, "consubstantial" with the Father and at the same time truly our brother. Fully God and fully man, Jesus has revealed the Father to us and also revealed us to ourselves Who we are and what we should become. As God, he has made us, partakers in the divine nature, in the life and love he shares with his Father from all eternity. He worked with human hands, thought with a human mind and learned by experience. Jesus possessed both a human and divine will. The human will of Jesus was fully conformed to the Father's saving love. Jesus's obedience serves to heal our disobedience and its effects. His human heart also knows and loves us. The Sacred Heart of Jesus symbolizes the boundless love of the Holy Trinity for us.

9. The Fall

9. The Fall Scripture and Tradition Shed Light on the Origin and Mystery of Evil Compendium 73-78 Genesis 3:14-15 Evil began with the rejection of God by Satan and the fallen Angels. Satan seduced our first parents to doubt God's friendship. In creating beings that share in his own freedom, God takes the risk of love. Love means the lover freely chooses the beloved and vice versa. It also means that the lover can love someone or something else in place of the beloved. Adam and Eve chose to replicate the sin of the fallen angels. That is to be "like God" on their own terms and masters of their own destiny. This was the original sin which caused the loss of original grace of holiness and justice. Although human goodness and dignity were not lost completely, the natural harmony and friendship between the human family and God were radically disrupted. Original sin is not a personal act but an inherent part of the human condition that leads to the shared human tendency to reject God and choose what is evil. All human beings, save the Blessed Virgin by a singular grace, are born with ordinal sin. God, the consummate lover, did not withdraw his love but lavished it all the more and promised that evil would be conquered and man would be lifted up from his fall. The Church sings of the sin of Adam and Eve as a "happy fault".

8. Male and Female He Created Them

"Male and Female He Created Them" 8 The communion of love between husband and wife finds its ultimate source in God. Compendium 71-72 Genesis 2:18-24 "God created mankind in his own image/ male and female he created them" Genesis 1:27 "Maleness" and Femaleness" are part of God's creative design and go the depths of one's very being. Sexual differences do not exist in God. "Being man" and "being woman" are two equal and complementary ways of being human. God created man and woman together and willed each for the other. "Be fertile and multiply" Genesis 1:28 is at the heart of the Churches teaching against contraception. Man and woman created as a "unity of two" in their common humanity, are called to live in a community of love and to mirror to the world the community of love that is in God. God in himself is love. Each of the divine Persons is truly divine but in a way that the other is not. Similarly, male and female are two distinct ways of being fully human.

7. The Dignity of Man

The Dignity of Man 7 Only humans are created with the capacity to know love and serve God Compendium 66-70 Genesis 1:26-31 Only man was created in the "image of God" Genesis 1:27 God willed us into being for no other reason than his love for us. Since God values us for our own sake, so too, should we value others for their own sake. We were made to know, love and serve God in this life and to be happy with him in the next. We are a unity of body and soul. A material body given by our parents and a spiritual soul directly created by God. Each person is an unrepeatable reality. We are the only creatures who can know love and serve God. We are called to a greatness that goes beyond earthly existence.

6. Creationism vs Evolution

Creationism vs Evolution 6 By believing that God created the universe we are not rejecting the value of science. Compendium 50-65 Genesis 1:1-25 Only God is creator in the strict sense. He created the universe "out of nothing" The biblical account of creation is not a scientific but rather a theological explanation to show that creation is the foundation of all God's plans. It is how he communicates his merciful love for us. Through life's joys and sorrows, God leads us to our destiny to share his life and love forever. The answer to evil is the whole of God's plan to reveal himself in creation and history and to redeem the world. God did not create evil or will its existence, but he does permit it. In his omnipotent love he brings forth good from evil. The Church guards against all-inclusive explanations of creation that go beyond the limits of the scientific method and exclude the all important role of God. The Church rightly insists that each human soul requires God's creative intervention.

5. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

5. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit The One God has Revealed Himself as a Trinity of Persons Compendium 44-49 Matthew 3:13-17 The Trinity is the most sublime and central mystery. It sheds light on every aspect of our faith and our lives. From the Scriptures we learn that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit hovered over him at his baptism and the Transfiguration. The Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to forgive sins and descended on Mary and the Apostles at Pentecost. The Father eternally generates the Son and the bond of love between them is the Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity possess completely and co equally the divine nature. They are three identifiable Persons, each fully God in a manner that is distinct yet related to others.

4. Faith's Foundation

Faith's Foundation 4 : Discovering and knowing the one true God - Compendium 36-43 Dt 6:4 I believe in One God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. Faith does not destroy reason but enables it to look more competently beyond itself. God revealed his name to Moses as "I Am Who Am" this indicates that he has always existed and will always exist beyond the universe and history. He is transcendent, omnipotent, eternal, personal, and perfect. God is Love.

3. Our Response to God

Our Response to God 3: Faith is a gift to be both received and shared Compendium 25-35 Luke 1:26-38 Obedience of Faith: Divine Faith acknowledges the Truth that God has revealed in his goodness and authority and enables us to remain in his presence and follow him. The Blessed Mother's response to Gabriel "let it be done unto me" is a model for everyone. We say "I believe" because Faith is both personal and ecclesial. Faith is nourished in an through the community of believers.

2. God's way of coming to us.

God's way of coming to us 2: Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium Compendium 11-24 Scripture 1 Timothy 2:4 Our Faith is not a matter of personal conjecture and preferences but rather a Revelation from God and Jesus Christ through Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium. The high point of revelation occurred when God the Father sent his only Son, the second Person of the Trinity into the world and the Son became like us in every way yet without sin. God has revealed himself in ways entirely suited with our humanity so that we might share in his divinity in an eternal relationship of love. The two sources of God's revelation and self-communication to us are Scripture and Tradition. The Apostles shared God's revelation of his life and love in his Son, Jesus Christ, in their inspired preaching, example, martyrdom and the institutions they established. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition constitute the deposit of Faith. Christ established Peter and the Apostles as the first Magisterium and promised to protect their teachings from error. The Pope and the bishops together are the only unbroken successors of that Magisterium and promise.

1. Athirst is my soul

Athirst is my soul 1 Man's capacity for God and God's plan for man. Compendium 1-10 Scripture Psalm 63: 1-8 God himself, in creating man in his own image has written upon his heart the desire to see him. Even if this desire is often ignored, God never ceases to draw man to himself because only in God will he find happiness for which he never stops searching. This is God's plan: to go in search of us despite our sinfulness and our substitution of possessions and false loves for his true and everlasting love. "You have made us for yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in you" (St Augustine of Hippo)