under thy patronage, dear mother, and calling on the mystery of thine immaculate conception, i...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 1Jesus Christ and the Founding of the Church
Following the Crucifixion the Disciples . . .
• Were fearful • Were uncertain of their
future • Were (for the first time)
left alone without a leader
Pentecost • Fifty days after Easter (Resurrection)• Apostles received the Holy Spirit • Apostles given strength and courage to continue forth with
their mission
Stopped here
History of the Christian Church
• A unique history that reflects Christ’s constant presence in the Church that at all times drives, interferes with, and shapes human history
PART IThe Life of Jesus Christ
Jesus of Nazareth
• Born in the year 3/4 B.C.
• Spoke Hebrew/Aramaic
• Was a Carpenter • Teachings constitute
the Deposit of Faith • Crucified in the year
33 A.D.
The Shroud of Turin
Jesus of Nazareth’s Childhood
• Birth/Infancy Narratives
• Presentation in the Temple
• Flight of Mary and Joseph to Egypt
• Jesus preaching in the Temple to the Rabbi Elders
Ministry of Jesus
• Began with the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist
Ministry of Jesus
• First miracle: the Wedding at Cana• Cured the sick, healed the blind• Preached and taught the Word of God
Passion of Christ
• Jesus is condemned to death • Jesus is given His Cross
Passion of Christ
• Jesus falls for the first time• Jesus meets His mother • Simon carries the Cross• Veronica wipes the face of Christ • Jesus falls the second time • Jesus meets the daughters of
Jerusalem
Passion of Christ
• Jesus falls the third time• Jesus is stripped of his
garments• Jesus is nailed to the
Cross• Jesus dies on the Cross• Jesus’ body is removed
from the cross• Jesus is laid in the tomb
and covered in incense
Resurrection and Appearances
As Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" were running from the empty tomb to inform the disciples that he is alive, Jesus tells the women to instruct the disciples to go to Galilee ahead of him to greet him (Matthew 28:10).
Resurrection and Appearances
• To Mary of Magdala. At first she did not recognize him and thought that he was a gardener. When he said her name, she recognized him.
• To the disciples (not including Thomas) on that same day. They were indoors "for fear of the Jews." Jesus entered and stood in their midst while the doors were shut.
• To the disciples including Thomas, called Didymus. This was a week later, again indoors, and resulted in the famous doubting Thomas conversation.
(The Gospel of John)
Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
St. Augustine of Hippo:
“Perfect standard of Christian Life”
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 3-12)
• Beatitudes:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 3-12)
• The Beatitudes:
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
• Brought to fulfillment through the example of Christ’s suffering, death, and Resurrection
PART IIPentecost: the Birth of the Church
Jewish Pentecost (Shavuot)
• Fifty days after Passover • Festival of the Harvest
Christian Pentecost • The Holy Spirit, just as Christ promised,
descended on the Apostles • Each Apostle spoke in tongues to a
multitude of pilgrims
Christian Pentecost
• Through the reception of Baptism, pilgrims were forgiven of their sins
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Wisdom• Allows us to see God at work in our lives and in
the world• For the wise: historical events, wonders of nature,
and our daily lives take on a deeper meaning
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Understanding • Helps us comprehend how to live a life as a follower of
Christ • Perfects a person’s speculative reason in apprehension
of the Truth
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Right Judgment (Counsel)
• Helps us know the difference between right and wrong
• Person with Right Judgment avoids sin and lives life according to the teachings of Christ
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Fortitude (Courage)• Helps us to take risks as followers of Christ
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Knowledge• Helps us
understand the meaning of God’s Revelation
• Person with knowledge is always learning more about Scripture and Tradition
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Piety (Reverence) • Gives us a deep sense of respect for God and His Church
Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Fear of the Lord • Gift of wonder and awe
gives us the ability to know the majesty and glory of God
PART IIIThe Church
The Church (Scripture)
• The Church is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit
(Eph 1: 22-23)
The Church . . .
• Gk: “Things belonging to the Lord” • Latin: “ecclesia”: Gk “assembly”
The Church . . .
• … is both the means and the goal of God’s plan” (CCC 778)
• Founded by Jesus, guided by the Holy Spirit
The Church . . .
• Foundation began with God’s covenant with the Jewish people
Dimensions of the Church
• The Visible • The Spiritual
Church’s Unity with Christ
• “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him”
• (Jn 6:56)
The Marks of the Church (Nicene Creed)
• The Church is
One • The Church is
Holy • The Church is
Catholic • The Church is
Apostolic
PART IVThe Apostles
“Apostle”
• Gk: apostolos• “to send away” • Twelve men chosen
by Jesus
The Apostles • Fishermen, tax collector, friends and relatives of Jesus • Left former lives to follow Jesus (Mt 4: 18-22)
The Apostles
• Were selected by Jesus after a night of prayerful reflection
• (Lk6:12-16, Mk 3:13-19, Mt 10:1-4)
The Apostles
• First witnesses to Christ’s life, message, and Resurrection
The Apostles
• Mission: to intro. World to “Good News”
• Passed on their priestly powers through the office of Bishop
St. Stephen
• Deacon • First Martyr for Christ
St. Paul
• Saul • Sadducee (studied the Law under a Pharisee) • Consented to execution of St. Stephen
St. Paul
• The Law was the sacred covenant between God and His people
• The Christian Church was a threat to this covenant
St. Paul
• Converted to Christianity on the way to Damascus
Writings of St. Paul “Apostate to the Gentiles”
• 50 AD• Thirteen Epistles • Refers to missionary
work • Highly developed
theology • Oldest in NT
Conversion of the Gentiles
• Christianity part of the Jewish community
• Early Christians still followed Jewish Law
• Jewish laws forbade inclusion of the Gentiles
The Council of Jerusalem
• Around 50 AD• Did Gentiles who converted to Christianity have
to follow Mosaic Law?• St Paul: Faith in Jesus excludes Gentiles from
Old Law• Pharisees: Gentiles had to follow the Old Law
The Council of Jerusalem
The Gentiles were to:
• Avoid eating the meat and blood of animals sacrificed to idols or other animals that had been strangled
• To refrain from unlawful marriage
(St. Peter/ James)
Missionary Activities of the Apostles
St. Peter (1-64 AD)
• Fisherman • Walked on water:
Sank when Faith wavered (Matthew)
• First pope• Special Power over
Roman Church (St. Ignatius)
St. Peter (1-64 AD)
• Opposed Christian Pharisees (Council of Jerusalem)
• “Domine quo vadis” • Crucified under Nero
St. Paul
• Beheaded in Rome • Ministry in Palestine and Asia Minor
St. Paul
St. Andrew
• Brother of St. Peter • Eusebius recorded that his
missionary activities took him to Scythia
• Last journeys took him through Byzantium, Greece, and Patros
• Was crucified in Patros on an “X” shaped cross
St. James (the Greater)
• The son of Zebedee• Were simple fishermen • Formed, with Peter, the inner
circle among the Twelve (witnessed the raising of the daughter of Jairus, the Transfiguration, and the agony in the Garden)
• St. James was among the first of the Twelve to give his life for his Master
St. John
• Authored the fourth Gospel, Revelation, and three of the Catholic Epistles (according to tradition)
• Was imprisoned with St. Peter and summoned before the Sanhedrin
• “Beloved Disciple” • Believed to have been
unharmed after placed in burning oil by Domitian
• Son of Zebedee
St. Bartholomew
• Only mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels
• Made journey to preach the Gospel in and around Persia
• India: Left Gospel of Matthew (Eusebius)
• Flayed alive in Armenia (according to tradition)
St. Matthew
• Apostolic mission was directed toward the Jews
• Gospel is the only one written in Aramaic
• Martyr? • Was a tax collector
St. Thomas
• “Doubting Thomas” listed as one of the Twelve in all four Gospels
• Eusebius claims Thomas evangelized the Parthians
• The Acts of St. Thomas (Gnostic): India
• Gospel According to St. Thomas (Gnostic): Childhood of Jesus
St. James the Less
• Son of Alphaeus• Younger in age/ short
(than James the Greater)• The first Bishop of
Jerusalem
St. Simon
• Not much is known ….• Name is only mentioned
St Phillip
• Was present at the multiplication of the fish and loaves
• Presented a group of Greeks to Jesus
St. Judas (Thadeus)
• Patron St. of Lost Causes
• Brother of St. James the Less
Judas Iscariot
• Betrayed Jesus • Fall serves as a
warning that even the graces given to Christ’s Apostles may be no avail of one is unfaithful and does not believe