Welcome The Creed Session 2 I Believe in

Welcome! The Creed Session 2: “I Believe in Jesus Christ”

Who is Jesus, and how do I know him today?

Session Schedule • • Opening Prayer Paired Activity Talk #1: The Incarnation and Jesus’ Identity Standing Activity Talk #2: Jesus’ Paschal Mystery and Mission Small Group Activity Closing Prayer

Opening Prayer The “Jesus Prayer” and the Rosary… - Practice in silence, or amid your daily work… - “Breathe in, ” silently praying: Lord Jesus Christ… - “Breathe out, ” silently praying: …have mercy on me.

The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation of our Lord Our Father Hail Mary (10 x) Glory be Meditating on the Life of Jesus, through the eyes of his Mother… To Jesus, through Mary…

Overview of the Catechism Introduction: Human desire for God; God’s Self Revelation; Our Faith Response I. Profession of Faith A. Father B. Son C. Holy Spirit II. Celebration of the Christian Mystery IV. Christian Prayer III. Moral Life in Christ

Paired Activity: Apostles’ Creed Nicene Creed . . . and in Jesus Christ, . . . I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried,

Paired Activity: Apostles’ Creed Nicene Creed on the third day he rose again from the dead; and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. . . *Compare and contrast *Discuss which word or phrase speaks to you about who Jesus is at this point of your faith journey He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. . .

Talk #1: Mystery of the Incarnation and Jesus’ Identity • Jesus = “God saves” • Christ / Messiah = “anointed one” • Lord = “the One to whom we must completely submit our personal freedom” (Comp. 84)

“Who do you say that I am? ” • Fr. Barron on “Who do you say that I am? ”

Incarnation: Both Fully Human and Fully Divine “We believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth, born a Jew of a daughter of Israel at Bethlehem at the time of King Herod the Great and the emperor Caesar Augustus, a carpenter by trade, who died crucified in Jerusalem under the procurator Pontius Pilate…is the eternal Son of God. ” (CCC, n. 423)

Four Reasons for the Incarnation 1. The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God (CCC, n. 457). 2. The Word became flesh so that we might know God’s love (CCC, n. 458). 3. The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness (CCC, n. 459). 4. The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature” (CCC, n. 460).

The Incarnation: Christianity’s great “Both/And” • Eternal God enters history • Word made flesh • Jesus became truly man while remaining truly God • Two natures— human and divine— united in one divine Person

Heresy Orthodoxy (“right belief”) Denying Christ’s humanity: Gnostic Docetism True Incarnation in the flesh: John 1: 14 Different substance than the Father: Arianism Consubstantial with the Father: Nicea 325 Mary is mother of Jesus: Nestorianism Mary Mother of God Theotokos: Ephesus 431 Human nature ceased to exist when the divine Person of God’s Son assumed it: Monophysites “We confess that one and the same Christ, Lord, and only-begotten Son, is to be acknowledged in two natures without confusion, division, or separation. The distinction between the natures was never abolished by their union, but rather the character proper to each of the two natures was preserved as they came together in one person (prosopon) and one hypostasis (person). ” Chalcedon 451

Orthodoxy: Only Human Arians Both Fully Human and Fully Divine + Nestorians Only Divine Gnostics Docetists Monophysites Key truths of Orthodoxy: • Eternal God entered history • Jesus became truly man while remaining truly God • The Word was made flesh ord made flesh • Two natures—human and divine—united in one divine Person (Hypostatic Union)

Mary: Mother of God • Catholic faith beliefs about Mary are based on beliefs about Christ. • What the Church teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ… • Immaculate Conception: “thanks to the grace of God and in anticipation of the merits of Jesus Christ. ” (Comp. , 96)

Mary: Ever-Virgin and New Eve • Mary conceives “by the Holy Spirit. ” • Jesus has only God as Father. (CCC, n. 503) • “Brothers and sisters” of Jesus are his close relations. • “Standing at the side of the New Adam, Jesus Christ, the Virgin is the new Eve, the true mother of all the living…in the order of grace. ” (Comp. , 100)

Jesus’ “Hidden” and “Public” Life • Fellowship in a daily life marked by prayer, simplicity, work and family love • Prefiguring the gift of Baptism • Recapitulating the temptations of Adam in Paradise and the Israelites in the desert (Comp. 106) • Announcing and bringing about the Kingdom of God • Working signs and miracles; calling and teaching disciples

Standing Activity: Luminous Mysteries 1) Review and discuss key details in the Scripture verses below: * How would you explain its importance to someone who doesn’t know the story? * Bonus: How is it related to the Incarnation? 2) Role play a conversation in which an inquiring person(s) asks about one of these events and a believer(s) explains its significance in relation to Jesus’ identity and mission. Scripture Verses: 1. Baptism in the Jordan (Mt 3: 13) 2. The Wedding at Cana (Jn 2: 7, 9) 3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mk 1: 15) 4. The Transfiguration (Mt 17: 2) 5. Institution of the Eucharist (Lk 22: 19 -22)

Talk #2: Jesus’ Paschal Mystery and Mission How can we believe in a God who is good and loving when we see so much suffering in our world--especially the suffering of the innocent?

The Problem of Evil How can a world marked by so much injustice, innocent suffering and cynicism of power be the work of a good God….

The Passion in the Creed “For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scripture. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. ”

The Passion “Man is worth so much to God that he himself became man in order to suffer with man in an utterly real way—in flesh and blood—as is revealed to us in the account of Jesus’ Passion. ” Pope Benedict XVI

Christ: Redeemer of the World * Christ came to set us free from being slaves of sin -- He redeemed us * Christ’s death is: -- An offering from the Father to us to reconcile us with him -- An offering of Christ’s obedience to the Father to make up for our disobedience * The Cross is what the love of the Father, Son and Spirit looks like when it is lived out in this world.

The Resurrection • Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection & Ascension – The Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ “Passover”) as one inseparable event – Resurrection shows us that Jesus is who he said he was – the Son of God • The Resurrection changes everything: – From divine tragedy to triumphant drama

Four Last Things • Death • Judgment • Heaven • Hell

Christ and our Lives Because we know who Christ is and what he did, we are: – incorporated into his life through Baptism, the Eucharist, and the other Sacraments – able to live in the New Law of the Beatitudes – able to pray, that is, be in communion with Christ--within the communion of the Church

Jesus is always present Jesus Christ, You are My Life

Partner Activity: Billboard or Mind Mapping Create a "Billboard" or “Mind Map” for your term: – Use a sign or symbol to represent it – Create a catchy slogan to help explain the concept to others - Annunciation The Incarnation Jesus’ identity & mission Paschal Mystery Physical Resurrection Ascension - The Blessed Trinity - Immaculate Conception Covenant Jesus and the Law - Jesus’ New Covenant

Who is Jesus Christ, and how do I know him today?

Follow-up Reflection and Resources 1) Session Evaluation & Feedback 2) Recommended follow-up: US/CCA, ch. 7 “The Good News: God has sent his Son” 3) For Catechists & Catholic School Teachers: “Record of Formation, ” including: required reflection & documentation

Act of Hope O my God, relying on Your almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Your grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.