Chapter 1encountering the sacred

p.7

What is sacred to you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SB16il97yw

Field of Dreamshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SB16il97yw

Sacred• sa·cred• [sey-krid]• adjective 1. devoted or dedicated to a deity or to some religious

purpose; consecrated. • 2. entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with

divinity or divine things; holy. • 3. pertaining to or connected with religion ( opposed to secular

or profane ): sacred music; sacred books. • 4. reverently dedicated to some person, purpose, or object: a

morning hour sacred to study. • 5. regarded with reverence: the sacred memory of a dead hero.

Sacred P. 10

The Catholic faith suggests that the sacred---the holy, that which is of God

is right before our eyes.

Where do you find God?Activity B or C

Q: Where is God?

A: EVERYWHERE

Q: Well..If that is true why are we not always aware of God’s presence in our lives?

The Answer is…..

• SACRAMETAL DULLNESS

WHYYYYYYYY are we dull???

1. We are toooooo busy2. Pain and suffering3. Do not know where to look

For Review Questions#2 and #3

Soooo busy….

PAIN and SUFFERING..Where is God?

Where do we look for the sacred?

We need to look close and carefully to find the sacred.

GRACE

No, not that grace…..

What is grace……p. 13http://realfaithtv.com/videos/amazing-grace/

• Grace is the creative, sustaining, and transforming self gift of God that is always

being offered.

• Whaaaaaa??????????• http://realfaithtv.com/videos/amazing-grace/

Noooo we cannot read this whole thing! Yessssss you can…

• Grace can be understood as any undeserved gift or help and lovingly provided by God in and through Jesus the Christ in faith. There are several scriptural references to God’s grace being freely bestowed upon humanity: Romans 3:21–26, 4:13–1,25; Ephesians 2:5–8; 1 Timothy 2:4–6. Grace is the mystery of God’s self-communication and self-revelation of empathy, compassion, and love. God gives every person the same amount of grace, but it is solely up to the individual person to “tap into” God’s grace. It is the ability and drive of the person that empowers him or her to turn ordinary events into extraordinary events―people such as Pope John XXIII, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, Caesar Chavez, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Dalai Lama. Their faithfulness to God and their ability to synergize God’s grace as Christian or world leaders has empowered them to live extraordinary lives.

• Grace thereby has the potential to transform the human heart and human nature and move a person beyond sin, selfishness, and egocentricity toward a life of simplicity, service, and social justice. In the simplest sense, grace is cooperating with God’s cosmic and celestial design for humanity, and the motive is sheer love. Nevertheless, the relationship between grace, human freedom, and free will remains an open theological question, and one that involves one’s conscience.

Let’s take it one step at a time

Main points…

1. Grace can be understood as any undeserved gift or help and lovingly provided by God in and through Jesus the

Christ in faith.2. Grace is the mystery of God’s self-communication and self-

revelation of empathy, compassion, and love.3. God gives every person the same amount of grace, but it is

solely up to the individual person to “tap into” God’s grace.4. Grace has the potential to transform the human heart and

human nature and move a person beyond sin, selfishness, and egocentricity toward a life of simplicity, service, and

social justice.

Grace continued…

5. It is the ability and drive of the person that empowers him or her to turn ordinary events into extraordinary events―

Examples….people such as Pope John XXIII, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, Caesar Chavez, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Dalai Lama. Their faithfulness to God and their ability to synergize God’s grace as Christian or world leaders has empowered them to live extraordinary lives.

Finally, but so perfect!

6. In the simplest sense, grace is cooperating with God’s cosmic and celestial design for humanity, and the motive is sheer love.

How do we (PEOPLE, HUMANS, EARTHLINGS communicate with each other????

• Words• Physical expressions• Body language

Recognizing God……

• When we recognize God’s grace in our life we are experiencing sacraments in the broadest sense of the term.

A sacrament is …God’s loving presence made visible and tangible in our life here and now

Sacraments continued…

• Sacraments are not ABOUT God ..They are meant to provide an experience

OF God.

How does God communicate with us?How do we see God’s grace?

1. Nature

2. The Scriptures3. The inspiring lives of Church heroes past and

present4. Others (insert your family and friends picture

here)