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The Church

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Title: The Church


1
The Church
  • Sacrament of Salvation

2
The Church
  • Chapter 3

3
Chapter 3
  • The Story of the
  • Early Church

4
Chapter Objectives
The student will be able to understand
  • The mission of the Apostles
  • Pentecost
  • What the Holy Spirit does for the Church
  • The primacy of St. Peter and the papacy
  • Early persecutions
  • St. Paul
  • How the Church learned that the Gospel was also
    for Gentiles
  • Biographical facts about Sts. Peter, James the
    Greater, John, Andrew, and Philip
  • Biographical facts about Sts. Nathanael,
    Matthew, Thomas, James the Lesser, Jude, and
    Simon
  • Biographical facts about Judas Iscariot and St.
    Paul
  • The universal call to apostolate
  • The fullness of the Kingdom of God

5
Keys to Chapter 3
  • The gift of the Holy Spirit made it possible for
    the Church to fulfill her Christ-given mission.
  • The papacy is also a gift to the Church.
  • Persecutions are difficult to endure, but they
    make the Church stronger and more effective.
  • The Church, under St. Peter, was led to
    understand that Gentile converts need not adopt
    the Mosaic Law.
  • We know the lives of the Apostles from Scripture,
    history, and tradition.
  • We are all called to evangelize as we await the
    final Revelation of the Kingdom of God.

6
For Discussion
  • What instructions did Christ give to his Apostles
    before his Ascension?
  • What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the
    Church?
  • What was the role of St. Peter in the Church?
  • How did the Church reach out to all nations?
  • How did each of the Apostles fulfill the mission
    that Christ had given him?

7
The Mission of the Apostles and Pentecost
  • Lesson Objectives
  • The mission of the Apostles
  • Pentecost

8
The Mission of the Apostles and Pentecost
Basic Questions
What mission did Christ give the Apostles before
he ascended into Heaven?
Just before his Ascension, Christ commanded the
Apostles to fulfill the promise of the kingdom of
David by bringing the Gospel to the whole world,
beginning in Jerusalem.
9
The Mission of the Apostles and Pentecost
Basic Questions
What was the significance of Pentecost?
The Apostles mission became practically possible
by the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost,
which made them fearless evangelizers.
10
Focus Question
How could the period between the Crucifixion and
Pentecost be called a time of confusion for the
Church?
The Apostles were confused by the rejection of
Christ by the crowds, by his Crucifixion, by
their own disloyalty toward him, by the reports
of his Resurrection until they saw him, and then
by his leaving them behind at his Ascension.
11
Focus Question
How do Christs words about the mission to
evangelize also indicate that the Church is to
fulfill Gods promise to David?
The spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem, to Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
indicated that Christ intended the Church to
encompass the entire world.
12
Focus Question
What is the significance of Christ appointing
twelve Apostles?
They were to be symbolic rulers of the Twelve
Tribes of Israel.
13
Focus Question
Why did the Apostles feel they needed to replace
Judas?
They believed that if they were to be the
foundation of the restored kingdom, they would
need to restore their number to twelve.
14
Focus Question
What did the Apostles do between the Ascension
and the Descent of the Holy Spirit?
They returned to Jerusalem, to the Upper Room
where the Last Supper had taken place, where,
together with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the
rest of Christs disciples, the Apostles devoted
themselves to prayer.
15
Focus Question
Who initiated the action to choose a replacement
for Judas?
St. Peter, the leader of the Church on earth now
that Christ had ascended into Heaven.
16
Focus Question
Who was chosen as an Apostle to replace Judas?
St. Matthias.
17
Focus Question
Who was present for the Descent of the Holy
Spirit in the Upper Room?
The Apostles, Mary, and other disciples.
18
Focus Question
What similes did St. Luke use to describe the
coming of the Holy Spirit?
There was a sound like the rush of a mighty
wind and there appeared tongues as of fire,
distributed and resting on each one of them.
19
Focus Question
How were the Apostles immediately transformed?
They lost all their fear and began boldly
proclaiming the Gospel, unafraid of the
consequences.
20
Focus Question
How long did Christ remain on earth after his
Resurrection?
Forty days.
21
Focus Question
What did Christ do during this time?
He appeared to his Apostles speaking of the
Kingdom of God.
22
Focus Question
How did the Apostles understand Christs phrase,
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to
the end of the earth?
Christ was drawing a verbal map of the ancient
kingdom of David. Jerusalem was Davids capital
city. Judea was the tribal territory of David
that surrounded Jerusalem. Samaria was the land
north where the rest of the tribes of Israel were
located. The ends of the earth represented all
the Gentile nations that David had brought under
his control.
23
Guided Exercise
Identify the criterion St. Peter laid out for
Christs successor and then speculate on why
this requirement was essential.
24
Focus Question
Where does the Jewish feast Pentecost get its
name?
It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after
Passover. Pentecost comes from the Greek word for
fiftieth.
25
Focus Question
What was the gift of tongues the Apostles
received?
Men of different nations heard the Galilean
Apostles speaking in their own native language.
26
Focus Question
What was the basic message that St. Peter
preached?
The long-awaited Messiah had come in the Person
of Christ, who was crucified, who rose from the
dead, and who now sits at the right hand of God
the Father in Heaven.
27
Focus Question
What did St. Peter say they must do to be
saved?
Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of
sins.
28
Focus Question
In what sense was Pentecost the beginning of the
Church?
Pentecost marks the beginning of the Churchs
public ministry in the world.
29
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
question Why was Pentecost an auspicious date
for the beginning of the Church?
30
The Service of the Holy Spirit and the Primacy of
St. Peter
  • Lesson Objectives
  • What the Holy Spirit does for the Church
  • The primacy of St. Peter and the papacy

31
The Service of the Holy Spirit and the Primacy
of St. Peter
Basic Questions
What does the Holy Spirit do for the Church?
The Holy Spirit works within the Church in many
ways, for example, in assisting the Pope and
bishops in governing, sanctifying, and
proclaiming the Gospel, in the writing and
interpretation of Sacred Scripture, in the
sacraments, and in the gifts, fruits, and special
charisms of the Holy Spirit.
32
The Service of the Holy Spirit and the Primacy
of St. Peter
Basic Questions
What is the primacy of St. Peter and the papacy?
Similar to the prime minister of the Davidic
kingdom, St. Peter and his successors, the Popes,
possess primacy of authority in the Church as
vicars of Christ.
33
Focus Question
What is the primacy of Peter?
It is the authority Christ gave to St. Peter and
his successors, the Popes.
34
Focus Question
How does the office of St. Peter relate to the
office of the prime minister in the Kingdom of
David?
In the Old Testament kingdom of David, the king
appointed a prime minister from among his twelve
chief servants. Similarly, in the New Testament
kingdom, Christ the king appointed one of the
Twelve to have primacy over the others. In both
cases, the prime minister is identified by the
sign of his officethe keys of the kingdom.
35
Focus Question
What does the term Vicar of Christ signify?
It means that St. Peter and his successors
possess the authority of the kingChristhimself.
36
Focus Question
What is the extent of St. Peters authority over
the Church?
It is full, supreme, and universal.
37
Focus Question
Has the role of the papacy been exactly the same
throughout the centuries?
No. It has evolved as the political and social
circumstances surrounding the Church have
changed.
38
Focus Question
What has remained constant in the role of the
papacy?
The papacy is the Churchs highest moral and
doctrinal authority. When disagreement and
conflict arise in the Church, it is the Pope who
has the authority to resolve and clarify matters
of faith and morals and maintain the unity of the
faith.
39
Guided Exercise
Summarize CCC 553 (p. 81), and then come up with
two examples of St. Peter exercising his ministry
during this time.
40
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to organize the
various ways in which the Holy Spirit continues
to work within the Church.
Way Explanation
Through the Pope and the bishops
In Sacred Scripture
In the Sacraments
In the gifts of the Holy Spirit
In the fruits of the Holy Spirit
Through special graces
41
Early Persecutions and St. Paul, Apostle to the
Gentiles
  • Lesson Objectives
  • Early persecutions
  • St. Paul

42
Early Persecutions and St. Paul, Apostle to the
Gentiles
Basic Questions
What difficulties did the early Church face?
The early Church faced persecution and martyrdom,
difficulties she could bear because of the gifts
of the Holy Spirit. These problems actually
strengthened the nascent Church.
43
Early Persecutions and St. Paul, Apostle to the
Gentiles
Basic Questions
Who was St. Paul?
Saul was a superbly educated Jewish Roman citizen
who zealously persecuted the Church in Jerusalem
until his conversion by the Risen Christ, after
which he became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
44
Guided Exercise
Conduct a focused reading of the paragraph
beginning, A man named Stephen (p. 83), using
the following question What are some parallels
between the deaths of Christ and Stephen?
45
Guided Exercise
Write and answer three focus questions about St.
Polycarp, going beyond simple factual ones.
46
Focus Question
Why are the martyrs held in such high esteem in
the Church?
Martyrs are the ultimate witnesses to the truth
of the Faith, bearing witness even unto death.
They have imitated Christ to the point of dying
out of love for him.
47
Focus Question
What is an example of Christs predicting the
future suffering of the Church?
He told the Apostles the world would hate them
and persecute them because of him.
48
Focus Question
How could early Christians face suffering and
death?
They were confident that the same Holy Spirit who
empowered the Apostles at Pentecost would also
strengthen them in the face of persecution and
death.
49
Focus Question
What did the Jewish authorities assume would be
the result of Christs death?
They assumed it would scatter Christs followers
and silence his message.
50
Focus Question
How did the Church respond to the first
persecution?
The Apostles refused to stop preaching and the
Churchs numbers grew, with the Apostles being
held in higher and higher esteem.
51
Focus Question
In Christian terms, what is a martyr?
Someone put to death because of his faith in
Jesus Christ.
52
Focus Question
Who was the first Christian martyr?
St. Stephen.
53
Focus Question
What did St. Stephens death mark?
The beginning of a tremendous persecution of the
Church in Jerusalem.
54
Focus Question
How many of the Apostles would eventually suffer
martyrdom?
All of the Apostles except St. John.
55
Focus Question
What was the effect of the persecutions of the
Church of the first centuries?
They had the exact opposite of their intended
effect. The martyrs became the Churchs greatest
testimony to Jesus Christ. Through the witness of
the martyrs, Christianity soon spread throughout
the entire Roman world.
56
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to articulate St.
Pauls unique qualifications to become the
Apostle to the Gentiles.
Qualification Benefits to Evangelization
Classical Education
Training in Philosophy and Logic
Thorough Knowledge of the Old Testament
Roman Citizenship
57
Focus Question
How did St. Pauls life become transformed?
He went from being a fierce persecutor of
Christianity to one of its staunchest supporters.
58
Focus Question
Where did St. Paul meet Christ?
On the road to Damascus.
59
Focus Question
What question did Christ ask St. Paul?
Why do you persecute me?
60
Focus Question
What was St. Pauls specific mission after his
conversion?
To bring the Gospel to Gentiles.
61
Focus Question
Why was St. Paul spared crucifixion?
Because St. Paul was a Roman citizen, he was
spared the humiliation of the cross.
62
Focus Question
Where was St. Paul born?
Tarsus, a seaport in what is now Turkey.
63
Focus Question
Why did St. Paul have two names?
Like many Jews who lived in the Roman Empire, he
had a Roman name (Paul) and a Jewish name (Saul).
64
Focus Question
What does it mean to say that in Tarsus and
Jerusalem St. Paul received an ideal education?
In Tarsus, Paul received an excellent classical
education and in Jerusalem, under Gamaliel, Paul
received the best Jewish education possible at
that time.
65
Focus Question
What job did the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem
grant Saul?
To lay waste the Church by imprisoning her
members.
66
The Gospel for All People
  • Lesson Objectives
  • How the Church learned that the Gospel was also
    for Gentiles

67
The Gospel for All People
Basic Questions
How did the Church come to understand that
Christianity was for Gentiles, as well as for the
Jews?
Although the Apostles knew from the beginning
that their mission was the spread the Gospel to
all nations, they learned from experience and the
guidance of the Holy Spirit that Gentile converts
to Christianity did not have to become Jews
first.
68
Focus Question
Who were the first converts to Christianity?
Jews living in or traveling to Jerusalem.
69
Focus Question
What was the question the Apostles had to answer
as they attracted Gentile converts?
Did the people of the whole world have to become
Jews and follow the Mosaic Law before they could
become Christians?
70
Focus Question
Was there a clear answer in the Apostles
minds?
No. They were initially divided.
71
Focus Question
In the early Church, what was always the best
way to convince people that Christ was the
Savior?
To show them how Christ fulfilled the Scriptures.
72
Focus Question
Why is it unlikely that St. Philip set aside
doctrinal questions and simply baptized the
Ethiopian eunuch?
St. Stephen had been led by an angel and guided
by the Holy Spirit so he must have concluded that
baptizing the eunuch was the will of God.
73
Focus Question
Why was it symbolically appropriate that the
Ethiopian was the first Gentile convert to
Christianity?
To the Romans, Ethiopia represented the farthest
point of the known world, in other wordsthe end
of the earth.
74
Focus Question
What two major changes in their lives did
non-Jews have to undergo if they wanted to
convert to Judaism?
They had to be circumcised and follow the Jewish
dietary laws.
75
Focus Question
How did St. Peter decide that it was not
necessary to follow the Jewish dietary laws to
convert to Christianity?
He had a divine vision in which he was told to
kill and eat animals the Jewish Law labeled as
unclean.
76
Focus Question
How did Jews look at associating with non-Jews?
It was unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to
visit Gentiles.
77
Focus Question
How did St. Peter overcome this prohibition?
In his vision about the net, Peter was told to go
meet Cornelius, a Gentile. St. Peter said, God
has shown me that I should not call any man
common or unclean.
78
Guided Exercise
Look up Deuteronomy 231 and reread Isaiah
564-5 (p. 88). Explain how it could be said
that the Church fulfilled one of Gods promises
in regard to eunuchs.
79
Focus Question
What was the Council of Jerusalem?
It was the first Council of the Church and a
prototype for the later Ecumenical Councils.
80
Focus Question
What did the Council decide?
That Gentile converts did not have to follow the
Mosaic Law.
81
Focus Question
Why was the Council of Jerusalem a first for the
papacy?
Here we find the first instance of a Pope
officially defining a teaching of the Church.
82
Guided Exercise
Extract the various meanings of twelve from the
section The Meaning of Twelve (p. 90).
83
The Apostles Peter, James the Greater, John,
Andrew, and Philip
  • Lesson Objectives
  • Biographical facts about Sts. Peter, James the
    Greater, John, Andrew, and Philip

84
The Apostles Peter, James the Greater, John,
Andrew, and Philip
Basic Questions
What do we know about Sts. Peter, James the
Greater, John, Andrew, and Philip?
St. Peter was the rock upon whom Christ founded
his Church and the first Pope. St. James the
Greater was St. Johns brother. St. John was the
Apostle whom Jesus loved. Sts. Peter, James, and
John formed Christs inner circle. St. Andrew,
St. Peters brother, and St. Philip were both
originally followers of St. John the Baptist.
85
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
question To what extent could you say that
Christ was family friend-oriented when it came to
choosing his Apostles?
86
Focus Question
What will the next section of this text do?
It will follow the lives of the Apostles from
Christs calling to their deaths.
87
Focus Question
What is the basis of these brief biographies?
They are based on available evidence from
Scripture, history, and tradition.
88
Focus Question
After Christ called St. Peter to be his follower,
what was the defining moment in his life?
When St. Peter, speaking for the Apostles,
declared Jesus to be the Christ.
89
Focus Question
What is the significance of the names Simon,
Cephas, Petros, and Peter?
Simon was the Apostles original name. Cephas was
the new name Christ gave him, meaning rock.
Petros was the Greek form of Cephas, and Peter is
its English translation.
90
Focus Question
What is the meaning of St. Peters new name,
Rock?
This name signified that St. Peter would be the
foundation of the Church that Christ would
establish.
91
Focus Question
What do the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
signify?
They indicate that St. Peter would be both the
leader in the Church and Christs own
representative.
92
Focus Question
What is the power of binding and loosing Christ
granted Peter?
It is the authority to make decisions in Christs
Church.
93
Focus Question
What is St. Peters relationship to the city of
Rome?
In Rome, St. Peter helped to establish and
nourish the Christian community, the place he
eventually suffered martyrdom.
94
Focus Question
Why does each bishop of Rome become the successor
of St. Peter?
Because St. Peter was the first bishop of Rome,
each successor takes his office as head of the
Catholic Church.
95
Focus Question
Why was St. Peter crucified upside down?
According to tradition, St. Peter requested this,
saying that he was not worthy to die in the same
manner as Our Lord.
96
Focus Question
Why is St. Johns brother called St. James the
Greater?
He is called this to distinguish him from the
other Apostle named James, who is called the
Lesser, perhaps because of their relative age or
height.
97
Focus Question
Why were St. James the Greater and his brother
St. John considered to be in Christs inner
circle?
They were chosen by Christ to be with him at the
Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
98
Focus Question
What was St. James the Greater the first to do?
He was the first of the Twelve to suffer
martyrdom.
99
Focus Question
What special title did St. John receive?
St. John was the disciple whom Jesus loved.
100
Focus Question
What reward did St. John receive for being the
only Apostle with enough love and courage to
stay with Christ at the foot of the Cross?
Christ asked St. John to care for his mother and
gave St. John to the Blessed Mother as her son.
101
Focus Question
How was St. Johns death unique among the
Apostles?
He was the only Apostle to die a natural death,
according to tradition, at a great age.
102
Focus Question
What were some of St. Johns writing?
The Gospel of St. John, three epistles, and the
Book of Revelation (or Apocalypse).
103
Focus Question
With what city is St. John associated?
Ephesus.
104
Guided Exercise
Identify and explain one sensible speculation
about one of the Apostles mentioned in the text
of this lesson.
105
Focus Question
Who was St. Andrews famous brother?
St. Peter.
106
Focus Question
Who did St. Andrew follow before Christ?
St. John the Baptist.
107
Focus Question
What is St. Andrews cross?
It is an X-shaped cross according to tradition,
this was the shape of the cross he was crucified
on.
108
Focus Question
Why was St. Philip one of the first future
Apostles to encounter Christ?
He was a follower of St. John the Baptist who
pointed out to his disciples that Jesus was the
Lamb of God.
109
Focus Question
What good deed did St. Philip do for his friend,
St. Nathanael?
He brought him to Christ.
110
Focus Question
What is an example of a Gospel scene in which St.
Philip is mentioned?
St. Philip asked Jesus to show God the Father to
the Twelve.
111
The Apostles Nathanael, Matthew, Thomas, James
the Lesser, Jude, and Simon
  • Lesson Objectives
  • Biographical facts about Sts. Nathanael, Matthew,
    Thomas, James the Lesser, Jude, and Simon.

112
The Apostles Nathanael, Matthew, Thomas, James
the Lesser, Jude, and Simon
Basic Questions
What do we know about Sts. Nathanael, Matthew,
Thomas, James the Lesser, Jude, and Simon?
St. Nathanael was introduced to Christ by his
friend St. Philip. St. Matthew was a tax
collector who wrote one of the Gospels. St.
Thomas at first doubted Christs Resurrection.
St. James the Lesser, the brother of Jesus,
headed the Church in Jerusalem. St. Jude is the
patron of lost causes. St. Simon the Zealot is
probably nicknamed for his zeal for the Mosaic
Law.
113
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
question Why might St. Nathanael have concluded
that Christ was the Messiah simply because
Christ said he saw St. Nathanael under the fig
tree?
114
Focus Question
What was St. Matthews profession before he met
Christ?
He was a tax collector.
115
Focus Question
Why, at first glance, was a tax collector an
unlikely choice for an Apostle?
Tax collectors were generally hated by the Jews
and were considered public sinners on a level
with prostitutes.
116
Focus Question
What does the choice of St. Matthew emphasize?
The universality of Christs call and the Church
as a refuge for the forgiveness of sinners.
117
Focus Question
How did St. Matthew respond to Christs call?
He underwent a complete conversion, immediately
leaving his profession and becoming his disciple.
118
Focus Question
Why was St. Matthew both an Apostle and an
evangelist?
St. Matthew was an Apostle because he was one of
the Twelve. He was an evangelist because he wrote
a Gospel.
119
Focus Question
By what other names is St. Judas known?
He is called St. Jude and Thaddeus.
120
Focus Question
How is St. Simon distinguished from Simon
Peter?
The Gospels often refer to him as Simon the
Zealot to distinguish him from Simon Peter.
121
Focus Question
Who were the Zealots?
They were a violent group that desired a
political messiah who would drive the Romans from
Palestine and reestablish Israel as an earthly
kingdom.
122
Focus Question
By what other name is St. Bartholomew
identified?
St. Nathanael.
123
Focus Question
What did St. Nathanael think about Christ when he
first learned where he was from?
He assumed Christ could not be the Messiah, since
he was from Nazareth, from which he said nothing
good could come.
124
Focus Question
How did Christ convince St. Nathanael to follow
him without reserve?
Christ told St. Nathanael that before St. Philip
called him, he saw St. Nathanael under the fig
tree. This was enough to convince St. Nathanael
that Christ was the Son of God and King of
Israel.
125
Guided Exercise
Write on what Christ meant when he said to St.
Thomas, Have you believed because you have seen
me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
believe (Jn 2029).
126
Focus Question
Why is St. Thomas often called Doubting?
St. Thomas, who was absent when Christ first
appeared to the Apostles, refused to believe in
the Resurrection, saying, Unless I see in his
hands the print of the nails, and place my finger
in the mark of the nails and place my hand in his
side, I will not believe (Jn 2025).
127
Focus Question
What is St. Thomass profession of faith, often
repeated even today?
When St. Thomas saw the risen Christ, he said,
My Lord and my God! (Jn 2028).
128
Focus Question
Which Church did St. James head?
The mother Church of all Christianity, the
Church in Jerusalem.
129
Focus Question
What is St. Jamess epistle like?
It shows a very concrete and practical
Christianity, emphasizing that good works are the
teachings of Christ put into practice.
130
The Apostles Judas Iscariot and Paul, the
Universal Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness
of the Kingdom
  • Lesson Objectives
  • Biographical facts about Judas Iscariot and St.
    Paul
  • The universal call to apostolate
  • The fullness of the Kingdom of God

131
The Apostles Judas Iscariot and Paul, the
Universal Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness of
the Kingdom
Basic Questions
What do we know about Judas Iscariot and St. Paul?
Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ. St. Paul went
from the greatest persecutor to the greatest
missionary in the early Church.
132
The Apostles Judas Iscariot and Paul, the
Universal Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness of
the Kingdom
Basic Questions
What is the universal call to the apostolate?
All of the Christian faithful are called to be
missionaries.
133
The Apostles Judas Iscariot and Paul, the
Universal Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness of
the Kingdom
Basic Questions
When will the Kingdom of God reach its fullness?
The Church awaits her definitive fulfillment at
the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time.
134
Focus Question
Why is Judas Iscariot infamous?
He betrayed Christ to the Jewish authorities.
135
Focus Question
What hard lesson does Judass downfall teach?
Even the graces given to Christs Apostlesand
the familiar friendship of Christ himselfmay be
of no avail if one is unfaithful and does not
believe.
136
Focus Question
What kind of Jew was Saul?
He was a dedicated and pious Jew who went to
Jerusalem to study the Mosaic Law under the great
rabbi Gamaliel.
137
Focus Question
What was Sauls professional occupation?
He was a tentmaker, a useful trade that permitted
him to support himself during his later apostolic
travels.
138
Focus Question
What did Sauls zeal for Judaism lead him to
do?
To stop the spread of Christianity, which he
considered both erroneous and blasphemous.
139
Focus Question
How did St. Pauls life change when he met Christ
on the way to Damascus?
St. Paul placed his life entirely at the service
of Jesus Christ and his Gospel.
140
Focus Question
What is St. Pauls most famous title?
Apostle to the Gentiles.
141
Focus Question
Why is it correct to say that St. Paul was one
of the greatest missionaries in Christian
history?
St. Paul brought the Gospel to many places in the
Roman Empire, even planning to go to Spain,
suffering great hardships to do so.
142
Focus Question
What was the central message of Christs public
ministry?
The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is
at hand repent, and believe in the gospel.
143
Focus Question
What did some Jews envision the Messiah as being
and doing?
A great political or military leader, an earthly
king, one who would lead a revolution to end the
Roman occupation of Israel.
144
Focus Question
Where was the Kingdom of God already present when
Christ preached it?
It was present in the Person of Jesus Christ.
145
Focus Question
Why is faith needed to see the Kingdom of God
present in the pilgrim Church?
Because without the eyes of faith, the Church
looks like just another human institution.
146
Focus Question
What do we mean in praying, Thy kingdom come
in the Mass shortly after the Consecration?
We are acknowledging Christs hidden presence in
the Eucharist and asking him to hasten his final
coming, which will reveal the glory of his
presence now veiled under the appearance of bread
and wine.
147
Focus Question
Why is the Church called pilgrim?
The Church on earth knows that her final
destinationHeavenhas not yet been reached.
148
Guided Exercise
Complete a focused reading on the section,
Called to be Apostles (p. 99), using the
following question What does it mean to say
that every Christian is called to be a
missionary?
149
Guided Exercise
Explain in what sense the following statement,
taken from the student text (p. 100), is a
proof of the Gospel. The fact that these
simple fishermen and ordinary people whom Christ
appointed as his Apostles were willing to risk
their lives to the point of martyrdom for the
Gospel is itself a strong witness to the truth
they had heard from Christ and the gifts they
had received through the Holy Spirit.
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