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 Galatians 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.