Paschal Mystery: Final

New Testament images and references of the Holy Spirit

"Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving win, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the sPirit enabled them to proclaim".

Doctor of the Church

(Thomas Aquinas) A Church writer of great learning and holiness whose works the Church has highly recommended for studying and living the faith.

sacrament

An outward (visible) sign of invisible grace. An efficacious symbol that brings about the spiritual reality to which it points. This Term applies to Christ Jesus, the great sign of God's love for us; to the Church, his continuing presence in our world; and to the Seven Sacraments.

effacious

An understanding of God's grace centered around that it is perfect in accomplishing the salvation of men. This view of grace is held by Calvinism and rejected by Arminianism.

virgin birth

A Church dogma that teaches that Jesus was conceived through the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit without the cooperation of a human father.

amen

A Hebrew word for "truly" or "it is so". This signifies agreement with what has been said. New Testament and liturgical prayers and creeds and other Christian prayers end with Amen to show belief in what has just been said.

Protestant

A baptized Christian who believes in Christ but who does not accept all the teachings of the Catholic Church. Protestant communities first came into existence during the Reformation in the sixteenth century.

reincarnation

A belief that the human soul is reborn time and again into new bodies.

dogma

A central truth of revelation that Catholics are obliged to believe.

catechism of the catholic church

A compendium of Catholic doctrine on faith and morals published in 1992 that serves Catholics as "a sure norm for teaching the faith" and "an authentic reference text.".

Edict of Milan

A decree signed by Emperors Constantine and Licinius in AD 313 proclaiming religious toleration in the Roman Empire, thereby ending he persecution of Christians.

parable

A favorite teaching device of Jesus in which he told a short story with a striking, memorable comparison that taught a religious message, usually about some aspect of God's Kingdom.

infallibility

A gift of the Spirit whereby the Pope and bishops are preserved from error when proclaiming a doctrine related to Christian faith or morals.

saint

A holy person who lives in union with God through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Great Schism

A major break between the Churches of the West (centered in Rome) and the East (centered in the city of Constantinople). The Roman Church had added the expression "and the Son" to the article of the Niceness Creed referring to the Holy Spirit ("he proceeds from the Father and the Son") without seeking approval from a Church-wide council of bishops.

atheist

A person who denies the existence of God.

catechesis

A process of "education in the faith" for young people and adults with the view of making them disciples of Jesus Christ.

3 ministries (priest, prophet, King)

A prophet is a messenger sent by God, a person who speaks for God. He or she witness to God, calls people to conversion, and may also tell the future. A priest is a mediator, or bridge, between God and human beings. He offers sacrifices to God on behalf of all. A king is a person who has supreme authority over a territory.

mystery

A reality filled with God's invisible presence. This term applies to the Blessed Trinity's plan of Salvation in Jesus Christ, the Church that is his Body, and the Sacraments.

mortal sin

A serious violation of god's law of love that results in the loss of god's life (sanctifying grace) in the south the Sinner. To commit mortal sin, there must be grave matter, full knowledge of the evil done, and full consent of the will.

sins of commission vs. sins of omission

A sin of commission would be like stealing, lying, cheating, or misusing the gift of sexuality. A sin of omission would be like failing to help a person who falls sick while we pass by.

charism

A special gift of the Holy Spirit that helps us build up the Church, Christ's Body. Some of these gifts are the ability to express wisdom and knowledge, healing, prophecy, and discernment of spirits.

eschatology

A study of and teaching about "last things" (death, judgement, heaven, hell, purgatory, the Second Coming of Christ, and the resurrection of the body).

presbyter

A synonym for "elder" in the Acts of the Apostles and an alternative word for "priest" today.

gospel

A term meaning "Good news.". The term refers to Jesus' own preaching, the preaching about Jesus the Savior (Jesus Christ is the Good n ews proclaimed by the Church), and the four Spirit-inspired written versions of the Good news—the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Christ

A title for Jesus meaning "the anointed one". In Greek, the word Christos translates the Hebrew Messiah.

immanence

A trait of God that refers to God's intimate union with and total presence to his creation.

transcendence

A trait of God that refers to God's total otherness and being infinitely beyond and independent of creation.

martyrdom

A witness to the saving L message of Christ through the sacrifice of one's life.

ecumenical council

A worldwide, official assembly of the bishops under the direction of the Pope. there have been twentyone ecumenical councils, the most recent being the Second Vatican council (1962-1965).

Paraclete

Another name for the Holy Spirit that means "advocate, defender, or consoler".

Sacraments & Grace

As Life Giver, the Holy Spirit is God's grace to us. Grace means "good will, benevolence, or gift given". When we are baptized, the Holy Spirit comes to us. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we are justified before God. Justification means our sins are forgiven and we are able to enter into a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. This justification begins a lifelong healing process, a conversion or turning to God that leads to eternal life and makes it possible to share in God's own life.

Council of Jerusalem

At this council, Saint Peter took everyone's view into consideration and thoughtfully considered, with the help the Holy Spirit, the best course for the Church to take.

vices

Bad habits or dispositions (like pride) that turn us from the good and incline us to commit evil.

agnostics

People that claim God's existence cannot be known.

heaven

Perfect Life of supreme happiness with God and the Communion of Saints for all eternity.

fruits of the Holy Spirit

Perfections that result from living in union with the Holy Spirit. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

Paul

Peter & Paul are often associated together. They are known as the "pillars of the Church" because from the beginning, they held it up and carried it as pillars hold up a roof and carry the weight of the building. His Feast Day is celebrated on June 29th. He was beheaded and the Basilica of Saint Paul was built over his burial place.

Peter

Peter & Paul are often associated together. They are known as the "pillars of the Church" because from the beginning, they held it up and carried it as pillars hold up a roof and carry the weight of the building. His Feast Day is celebrated on June 29th. He was crucified upside down, by his request.

Jesus' different titles and symbols ~Jesus, Christ, Son of God, & Lord ~Chi Rho, Alpha Omega, & INRI

Different Titles: 1. Jesus: This name came from the Hebrew word Yehoshua (Joshua) which means "God saves: "God is Salvation" or simply, "Savior". This means God's own name is present in the person o his son. The angel Gabriel revealed this name to MAry, which signified Jesus' identity and mission. 2. Christ: This name translates the Hebrew word Messiah. The Messiah was the "anointed one" of Yahweh" through whom all of God's promises to the Chosen People were fulfilled. 3. Son of God: The Gospels repeatedly make the truth that Jesus was the unique Son of God very clear. Jesus' Father is the first Person of the Blessed Trinity. Jesus Christ is the natural son who shares in God's very nature. Human beings, on the other hand, are God's adopted children. 4. Lord: In the New Testament, Lord has various meanings. The title Lord when referring to Jesus proclaims his divinity. The simple statement that "Jesus Christ is Lord" is earliest and shortest Christian creed. Jesus proved he was God during his ministry through his miracles. Different Symbols: 1. Chi Rho: the symbol is a monogram of the first two letters of Chi (X) and Rho (p) of the Greek word for Christ. 2. Alpha Omega: "I am the Alpha and the Omega' says the Lord God 'the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty." 3. INRI: I=Jesus, N=of Nazareth, R=King, I=of the Jews.

hell

Eternal separation from God that results from a person dying after freely and deliberately choosing to act against God"s will ( that is, not repenting of mortal sin).

beatific vision

Seeing God face-to-face in Heaven, the source of our eternal happiness; final union with the Triune God for all eternity.

polytheist

Religions that believe in multiple gods and goddesses. The ancient Greeks and Romans were polytheistic, as is the Hindu faith.

monotheist

Religions that believe that there is only one God. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are three great monotheistic world religions.

Religious life

Religious life would be if you were a brother or a sister, like a nun.

marks of the Church

Four essential signs or characteristics of Christ's Church that mark her as his true Church. The Church is one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic.

Catholic

From a Greek word meaning 'universal" or "general". The Catholic Church is the Christian community that is one, holy, apostolic, and Catholic--that is, open to all people everywhere at all times ad that preaches the fullness of God's Revelation in Jesus Christ.

capital sins

Sins that are the root of other sins and vices. There are seven capital sins; lust, envy, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony, and greed. LUST: is being attracted to someone or something that it is almost completely ruling your life. ENVY: is extreme jealousy. PRIDE: is having too much confidence and is considered the deadliest of the seven deadly sins. Pride is the sin that Satan committed. WRATH: is having an uncontrollable amount of rage. SLOTH: is having too much rest. Gluttony is having too much food. GREED: is taking something for the sake of taking it. The Seven Deadly Sins (vices) are so deadly because they all are having too much of something, or an abundance, and that is never good for the soul or anyone else around you.

2 forms of revelation (tradition & scripture)

TRADITION: is the living transmission or "handing on" of the Church's Gospel message. We find this Tradition in the Church's teaching, life, and worship. SCRIPTURE: is like a library of divinely inspired writings God used human authors and their unique talents to put into writing what he wanted written, and nothing more.

different God views (ways of thinking about God)

God created an orderly and good world out of nothing. He is omnibenevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent.

If God is good, why is there evil? (Job)

God does not cause or send suffering. He is all-good and only brings about goodness. For example, the Old Testament book of Job confronts the very question of why bad things happen to good people. Job was a good man who lost all his children and property and contracted a horrible disease. Always trusting God despite his setbacks, Job's sufferings revealed one partial answer to why there is suffering: good can come from it. As the proverb goes, "God writes straight with crooked lines." Job became a more holy man, a better friend, and more trusting of God because of his sufferings. The story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 also points this out. Joseph was shoved into a ditch and left for dead there by his jealous brothers. Yet from suffering he emerged as the pharaoh's assistant in Egypt, in charge of dispensing food during a worldwide famine. In this position he was able to save his own family from starvation.

salvation

God's forgiveness of sins , accomplished through the mercy of Jesus Christ, resulting in the restoration of friendship with God.

grace

God's gift of friendship and life that enables us to share his life and love.

divine providence

God's loving and watchful guidance over his creatures o their way to their final goal and purification.

Church

The Body of Christ, that is, the community of God's people who profess faith in the Risen Lord Jesus and love and serve others under the guidance of the only Spirit. The Roman Catholic Church is guided by the Pope and his bishops.

resurrection of the body

The Christian belief that hen Christ comes again, he will reunite the bodies of every human with their souls.

Church's relationship with non-Catholics and non-Christians

The Church believes that anyone can go to Heaven. Our relationship with non-Catholics and non-Christians is a very good one. We do not harm each other or even shame each other, but rather watch them succeed in their journey to a greater good. For us, we believe that the sole purpose of life is to get to Heaven, where anyone is welcome. Non-Catholics: we have much in common with them, such as; faith in the blessed Trinity, acceptance of the bible, prayer & grace, the theological virtues (faith, hope & love), the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the sacrament of Baptism, and a commitment to God's. Kingdom and the desire to live a moral life. Non-Christians: Jesus invites everyone to belong t the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. Catholics, other Christians and all people to whom God extends the gift of salvation in different ways belong to or are ordered by to the unity found in the Catholic Church.

Immaculate Conception

The Church dogma that holds that the Blessed Mother, by a special grace from God and by virtue of her son's merits, was preserved immune from all stain of original sin from the very first moment of her human existence. This feast is celebrated on December 8th, a holy day of obligation.

Assumption

The Church dogma that teaches that the Blessed Mother, because of her unique role in her son's resurrection, was taken directly to Heaven when her earthly life was over. The feast of the Assumption is on August 15th, a holy day of obligation.

The Trinity: images, symbols, teachings & how the Triune God is experiences in the life of a sophomore in 2010

The Church teaches three important truths about God's own inner life: there is only one God, there are three distinct persons--Father, Son & Holy Spirit--, the Divine Persons have distinct relationships with one another.

Incarnation

The dogma that God's eternal Son assumed a human nature and became man in Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.

original sin

The fallen state of human nature which all generations of people are born. Christ Jesus came to save us from Original Sin.

Epiphany

The feast that celebrates the mystery of Christ's manifestation as the Savior of the world.

Chronological heresies

The first major heresy concerning Jesus— Gnostic Docetism —held that God could not have actually taken on human flesh and that Jesus only appeared to be a man. It would follow, then, under this belief, that Jesus only appeared to suffer and die for us. If that were so, then it would only appear that we are saved! Another heresy, promoted by a priest named Arius, denied the true divinity of Jesus. Arianism taught that God the Father created Jesus as the greatest of creatures but that Jesus was not equal to God (not of the same "substance"). Once again, if Arius were correct, then our Salvation would be void since only God can save us. A later heresy— Nestorianism — taught that Christ was two persons and that Mary was the mother of the human Jesus, not the divine Jesus. Monophysitism held that Christ's divine nature absorbed his human nature, thus in effect destroying Jesus' true humanity.

evangelist

The four Evangelists refer to the author is of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The word evangelist means "one who proclaims in word and deed the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Apostolic

The fourth mark of the Church, which is an exposition of faith accepted by most self-identifying Christian Churches and communions.

particular judgement

The individual's judgement right after death, when Christ will rule one one's eternal destiny to be spent in Heaven (after purification in Purgatory, if needed) or in Hell.

Bible

The inspired Word of God; the written record of Revelation.

Sacred Tradition

The living transmission of the Church's Gospel message found in the Church's teaching, life, and worship. It is faithfully preserved, handed on, and interrupted by the Church's magisterium.

purgatory

The state of purification that takes place after death for those who need to be made clean and holy before meeting the all-hoy God in Heaven.

communion of saints

The unity in Christ o all those he has redeemed--the Church on earth, in Heaven, and in Purgatory.

theological virtues

Three important virtues bestowed on us at Baptism that relate us to God: faith (belief in and personal knowledge of God); hope (trust in God's Salvation and his bestowal of the graces needed to attain it); and charity (love of God & love of neighbor).

mary, her feasts, & why she's unique and special

Mary is the Mother of God. She has 2 feast days; Immaculate Conception & Assumption. The Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8th, and is a holy day of obligation. This day celebrates how Mary was born and conceived without original sin. Assumption is celebrated on August 15th, and is also a holy day of obligation. ths day celebrates how when Mary died she was taken directly to Heaven, because of her unique role in her son's resurrection.

Old Testament images and references of the Holy Spirit

To Moses, God showed himself by the power of the Holy Spirit. for example, in the theophany that revealed God's presence as in the burning bush and one in the clouds that led the people through the desert. God's Spirit helped the Israelites keep the Law. The Law served as a teacher to lead people to Christ, but it could not save them.

evangelization

To bring the good news of Jesus Christ to others.

persecutions

Under the rulers Nero, Diocletian, Decius and Domitian, thousands of people paid the price for this faith. Christians were thought to be atheistic because they did not believe in the Roman gods. They were blamed for the natural disasters like plague and earthquakes. In AD 64, Nero was blamed for starting a fire that burned Rome, and he deflected the blame onto the Christians and began a persecution that took the life of St. Peter. A second persecution was led by Nero, where Saint Paul was beheaded. Other persecutions followed in. waves, some being sever and some not.

evangelical councils

Vows of personal poverty, chastity understood as lifelong celibacy, and obedience to the demands of the community being joined, which are professed by those entering the consecrated life.

veneration vs. worship

We venerate sins, not worship. We look up to them and study their stories, but we do not idolize or aspire to be them.

Constantine

When Constantine reached Rome to take power, he faced the forces of a rival emperor and found himself and his troops engaged in a critical battle outside Rome. Constantine & Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, which proclaimed religious toleration in the Roman Empire.

Martyrs covered in class

When the Romans took over Israel, the Jewish leaders asked for and received an exemption from this requirement (the belief in many gods). But, when the Christians could no longer be identified as a subset of the Jews and could claim a religious identity of their own, the exemption no longer applied to them. With their refusal to worship the emperor or offer sacrifices to Roman gods, Christians became easy scapegoats when Rome found itself in turmoil. Roman cruelty found an outlet in. the torture and death of Christian who suffered martyrdom rather than renounce their faith.

the Pentecost & its impact

Pentecost was a great feast day for the Jews. It was a harvest feast of first-fruits, a feast of rejoining in the first evidence of abundant life to come. The Apostles and MAry gathered in a room, and the Holy Spirit came upon them in flames and wind, to remove all fear. It also sent them out to proclaim the message of Christ and begin the spread of the Gospel to all nations.

Symbols of the Holy Spirit

Fire, Tongues of Fire, Anointing with oil, Water, Hand, & Dove.

Models of the Church

1. Church As An Institution: Clerics (Pope, bishops, priests & deacons) responsible to the laity for teaching, sanctifying, and ruling. 2. Church aAs Community: (Body of Christ) A worshipping community of believers who by their faith become a sign and instrument of the Union of God and man. 3. Church As Sacrament: The church is understood as the visible infestation of the grace of Christ in the human community. 4. Church as Herald: A faithful people who "hear the word of God and keep it" by putting their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and proclaiming the Christ event in their lives. 5. Church As Servant: A redeemed people who have the mandate to establish in this world Christ's kingship of peace, justice, love and reconciliation. 6. Church As School of Discipleship: The process of learning (disciple means learner) "the job description" of the Church.

Thomas Aquinas' 5 arguments for God's existence

1. First Cause: Nothing causes itself. 2. The Supreme Model: The symmetry, beauty and power in the world. 3. Grand Designer: We can only speak of degrees of goodness, truth, and beauty by comparing them to a reference point. 4. The Unmoved Mover: Whatever is in motion had to be moved by something else. 5. Everything Comes From Something: Nothing cannot create something.

God's 9 attributes

1. God is Unique: There is no God like Yahweh. 2. God is Infinite and Omnipotent: God is everywhere, unlimited, and all powerful. God can do everything. 3. God is Eternal: God always was and always will be. God is the one being who cannot be. 4. God is Immense: God is not limited to space. 5. God Contains All Things 6. God is Immutable: God does not change--ever. 7. God is Utterly Simple--A Pure Spirit: The opposite of simple is complex, which means divisible into parts. In God there are no parts, n divisions. God is not material. God's image cannot be made. 8. God is Personal: God is alive, knows all things, and loves and cares beyond limit. The saving God manifested personal love through the compassionate acts in history of the Israelites and most supremely y singing his son, Jesus Christ, to all people. 9. God is Holy: Holiness is a quality of being absolutely other than creation. God's goodness and love are unlimited. We cannot praise the Holy God enough.

3 conditions of a mortal sin

1. Grave Matter: for example, murder, adultery, and apostasy are serious, gravely wrong actions. 2. Sufficient Reflection: this means that the person knows full well that what he or she proposes to do is seriously wrong, but does it anyhow. 3. Full consent of The Will: this means that the person commits the sinful action with freedom and not under the influence of limiting factors like force, fear, or blinding passion.

venial sin

Actual sin that weakens and wounds our relationship with God, but does not destroy divine life in our souls.

the Great Commission

After Pentecost, the Apostles are beginning to do what Jesus asked of them as he gathered them together on a mountain in Galilee. This is what we now know as the Great Commission. Jesus' great "sending out" of the Apostles before his Ascension. Before Pentecost the Apostles were simply just his followers, but after Pentecost they truly became Apostles, which means "emissaries". They would now continue his is soon and invite the whole world in the New Covenant in his name.

laity

All the members of the Church who have been indicted into the Church through Baptism and who are not ordained (the clergy) or in consecrated life. The laity participates in Jesus' prophetic, priestly, and kingly ministries.

Abba

An Aramaic term of endearment meaning "daddy". Jesus used this week word to teach that God is a loving father.

theophany

An appearance or manifestation of God to humans.

concupiscence

An inclination to commit sin that can be found in human desires and appetites as a result of Original Sin.

heresy

An obstinate denial after Baptism to believe a truth that must be believed with divine and Catholic faith, or and obstinate doubt about such truths.

faith, hope, and charity (love)

FAITH: Faith enables us to believe in God and all that he has said and revealed to us. It also helps us to accept what the Church proposes for our belief, because God is truth himself. Catholics are called not only to cultivate their faith, but also to proclaim, bear witness to, and spread it to others. HOPE: The virtue of hope leads to a desire for Heaven and eternal life. It helps us trust in Christ's promises and rely on the help of the Holy Spirit and his graces, not our own strength and abilities. Hope keeps us from getting discouraged as we live the Christian life. Hope makes it possible for us to strive for true happiness and live in imitation of Christ. CHARITY (LOVE): Charity, or love, is the greatest of the virtues. Charity empowers us to love God above all things for his own sake and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. this key virtue helps us practice al the other virtues. It uplifts our human ability to love, raising it to the perfection of divine love.

difference between "faith" & "religion"

FAITH: is a great gift that the Holy Spirit bestows on us at Baptism. This gift enables us to enter into a loving, personal, and intimate relationship with the Blessed Trinity. The gift of faith enables us to trust in Jesus Christ and the Good News of Salvation he has won for us and communicates to us. The gift of faith allows us to believe with all our hearts the truth of the Lord's proclamation that each one of us is precious and wonderful in his eyes RELIGION: faith results in religion. Religion binds us into a relationship with God. Our Catholic religion extends God's initiation to believe in, accept, and dedicate our lives to Christ. Because of God's love for us, at Baptism Catholics become members of the Church, which is a family of faith who believes that Jesus is lord.

Mysteries of Christ's life ~Infancy, Temptation, Kingdom of God, Transfiguration, & Miracles

INFANCY: Each Evangelist had a particular audience and theological perspective in mine when he wrote his version of the Gospel. TEMPTATION: According to Luke's Gospel, after Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit led him into the desert to pray, fast, and prepare himself for his difficult mission ahead. During this forty-day retreat, Jesus was tempted by Satan. Like us, Jesus was tempted; though he never gave in to his temptations nor sinned. Jesus' response to temptations are the opposite of Adam's and show him to be the New Adam. By repudiating Satan, Jesus remained faithful to God. Unlike the Chosen People who turned from God many times during their history, Jesus was God's obedient servant. He showed that he would be a Suffering Servant Messiah, not a typical earthly ruler. KINGDOM OF GOD: The Kingdom of God is God's power and active presence, his saving activity in the entire universe, I Heaven and on earth. We can see God's presence in love, forgiveness, healing, compassion, works of Justice, and creative goodness. TRANSFIGURATION: Jesus revealed his divine flory before Peter, James and John on a high mountain. His face"shone like the sun and his clothes became while as light". By doing so, he was giving a foretaste of the Kingdom. In this special revelation, two Old Testament f igures—Moses and Elijah—also appeared. Their presence recalls how the Law (given to Israel through Moses) and the prophets (Elijah was a great prophet) had announced the sufferings of the Messiah. This vision also reveals all three persons of the Blessed Trinity: the Father (in the voice); the Son; and the Holy Spirit (in the shining cloud). MIRACLES: Jesus performed many miracles to accompany his words. These mighty works, wonders, and signs revealed that God's Kingdom was present in his very person. They prove that he is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus' miracles were signs of the messianic age. These signs freed some people from earthly problems and evils, but they did not abolish all human suffering. Their purpose was to show Jesus' power over sin. His exorcisms demonstrated his control over demons. All of his mighty works foreshadowed his great victory won by his Death and Resurrection. This victory over the power of sin, Satan, and death won us eternal life.

apologists covered in class

In addition to strengthening the faith of the Christian community, these writers and philosophers carried on a dialogue with pagan philosophers and intellectuals, sometimes even with emper-ors. They wanted to show that Christianity was reasonable, creditable, and respectable—and that it should not be subject to persecution. Some used the ideas and vocabulary of pagan philosophy to show how these ideas were present and yet more fully developed in Christianity. These Christian writers and philosophers were called apologists.

last judgement

Jesus' Christ judgment of the living and the dead on the last day, when he comes to establish God's Kingdom fully.

apologists

One who speaks or writes in defense of someone or something.

original sin vs. actual sin

Original Sin is the term used to describe the prideful disobedience of Adam & Eve and the effects of this disobedience that all humans inherit. This turning from Gid brought with it: alienation from God, self, others, and God's beautiful creation. Actual sin is a personal, individual sin. It is an act, word, or desire to contrary to eternal law. Actual sins would include freely chosen bad attitude, failures to act, and actions.

gifts of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit offers the gifts we need to live Christ-like lives. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel (right judgement), Fortitude, Piety (reverence), and Fear of the Lord (wonder & awe). Wisdom is looking at reality from God's point of view and basically having wisdom involves praying before making tough or often easy decisions. Understanding involves taking time to uncover the "deeper meaning" of faith and the mysteries of God's magnificent creations. Knowledge is the grace to see how God is working in our lives, especially in the areas of great moral decisions. Counsel (right judgement) helps us to form our conscience in light of Church teaching. Fortitude is the strength to follow our own convictions in the face of peer pressure. Piety (reverence) is respect we shot to the Lord through praise and worship. Lastly, Fear of the Lord (wonder & awe) is the gift of the Spirit that helps us to show concern about the reality of sin in our life and to avoid anything that might alienate us from God and others.

writing of the New Testament

The New Testament continues and fulfills the Old Testament; it does not contradict it. The Old Testament tells us about God's covenant with his Chosen People. The New Testament reveals that our loving God has extended his Salvation to all people. A collection of various books, the New Testament's primary purpose is to announce the fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ, his son. The New Testament consists of: The Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, The New Testament Letters, The Catholic Letters, and the Revelation to John.

Paschal Mystery: passion, death, resurrection, & Ascension

The Paschal Mystery is one of the central concepts of Christian faith relating to the history of salvation. Its main subject is the passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ - the work God the Father sent his Son to accomplish on earth.

Parousia

The Second Coming of Christ, when the Lord will judge the living snd the dead.

Salvation history

The account of God's saving activity for humankind. Begins with the creation of the first humans and the beautiful world we live in.

college of bishops

The assembly of bishops, headed by the Pope, that holds the teaching authority and responsibility in the Church.

deism

The belief that God did create the universe but that he takes no further interest in it.

the Creation stories and the Fall of Man (Genesis)

The book of Genesis includes two stories of creation. These stories are interested in the why of creation; they do not describe how the world began. The Bible is not a scientific textbook. Rather, it is a record of Revelation about God's love for human beings. What the biblical authors were interested in was religious truth. For example, regardless of how the created world came to be, God is the source of all that is. They also teach the basic reason for human existence and destiny, the meaning and source of evil, God's saving action in human history, and so forth.

Blessed Trinity

The central dogma of the Christian faith that there are three divine persons---Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--in one God.

4 marks of the Church

The marks of the Church are present in the Church, but at the same time challenge the Church to live up to her true identity. ONE: The Blessed Trinity is the source of unity in the Church. HOLY: Christ is the model for the Church's holiness. Jesus and God the Father have sent the Holy Spirit to sanctify the Church, to United her members to the Triune God who alone is holy. CATHOLIC: Means "general" or "universal". This was applied to the Church by St. Ignacio's of Antioch, a bishop who was martyrdom around 110. The Church is Catholic because Christ's presence gives the Church the fullness of the means of Salvation, it follows Jesus' command, it teaches everything that Christ taught, and each local diocese is Catholic because of its holy Union with the Holy Father in Rome. APOSTOLIC: The Church is apostolic because she continues the faith of the Apostles, those Christ especially chose and sent forth to proclaim the Gospel to all people.

liturgy

The official public worship of the Church. The sacraments and the Divine Office constitute the Church's liturgy. The Mass is the most important liturgical celebration.

magisterium

The official teaching authority of the Church. the Lord bestowed the right and power to teach in his name on Peter and the apostles and their successors. the Magisterium is the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome (Pope).

hierarchy

The official, sacred leadership in the Church made up of the Church's ordained ministers--bishops, priests, and deacons. The symbol of unity and authority in the Church is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, who is the successor of St. Peter.

covenant

The open-ended contract of love between God and human beings. Jesus' death and resurrection sealed God's mew covenant of love for all time.

Kingdom of God

The reign of God proclaimed by Jesus and begun in his Life, Death, Resurrection. It refers to the process of God reconciling and renewing all things through his Son, t his will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

religion

The relationship between God and humans that results in a body of beliefs and a set of practices: creed, cult, and code. religion expresses itself in worship of and service to God and by extension service to all people and all creation.

Yahweh

The sacred Hebrew name for God that means "I am who am", "I am", or "I am who I am".

Paschal Mystery

The saving love of God most fully revealed in the Life and especially the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and glorious Ascension of his son, Jesus Christ.

divine missions of the Blessed Trinity

The special roles in Salvation History attributed to each member of the Trinity: the Father is the Creator, the Son is the Savior, and the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier. The whole plan of Salvation is the common work of the three divine Persons who possess one and the same nature.

original justice (holiness)

The state of man and woman before sin. "From their friendship with God flowed the happiness of their existence in paradise."

doctrine and history of infallibility

This means that a certain doctrine is free from error. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the College of Bishops, in union with the Pope, can exercise the gift of infallibility when teaching about or protective Christ's revelation on matters of belief or morality.