CATECHESIS HANDING ON THE FAITH
Jesus empowered the Church to continue His mission when He said, Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth; go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, until the end of time. Matthew 28:18-20
This great commission has been handed on to women and men, whom God has called, to proclaim the Good News. This ministry of teaching and forming has traditionally been referred to as catechesis. Catechesis is the effort within the Church to make disciples, to help people to believe that Jesus is the Son of God…and to educate and instruct them in this life and thus build up the Body of Christ. (Catechesi Tradendae #1)
Knowledge of God
OPENING PRAYER (WELCOME GOD INTO OUR STUDY)
Almighty and Great God you created us out of love. Jesus, your Son has taught us to call you Abba, Father. You sustain us, Father and nourish us in your revealed Word. Father lead us into a deeper knowledge of you who is love itself. In Jesus’ name, we pray.
CATECHESIS (STUDY THE FAITH)
REFERENCES FROM CATECHISM OF CATHOLIC CHURCH 2ND EDITION
CCC 27 -30 Man’s desire for God
CCC 31 – 35 Ways of coming to know God
CCC 36 -38 Knowledge of God according to the Church
CCC 39 – 43 How we can speak about God
The first Roman Catechism was commissioned in 1546 by the Council of Trent. It prevailed for four centuries and was still highly recommended by Pope John XXIII in 1960. On June 25, 1992 Pope John Paul II officially approved The Catechism of the Catholic Church now in its second edition. The Roman Catechism of Trent and the recently published Catechism of the Catholic Church are the only official Catechisms published by the Catholic Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1992 is broken into four parts like the Roman Catechism of Trent: The Creed (Faith Professed) Sacraments (Faith Celebrated) Commandments (Faith Lived) and Our Father (Faith Prayed.)
Our Creed begin with the words “I believe.” To believe does not mean to think, to suppose, or to be of the opinion of but rather it is an expression of a person with the deepest conviction and of unhesitating assent to all God has revealed and taught through his Son, Jesus Christ.
The knowledge derived from faith is NOT to be considered less certain than knowledge derived from physical objects and sense experience. Our Faith is given to us by a God who can neither deceive nor be deceived and testified to by Jesus Christ and his disciples.
The desire for God is written in the human heart because man is created by God, for God. God never ceases to draw us to Himself. God loved me into existence. We can forget God or reject God, but God never ceases to call everyone to seek Him and to find eternal life.
There are many ways to know or approach God. Beginning with Creation, its beauty, and order, we can come to the knowledge of an intelligent First Cause. There is a first cause that exists outside of ourselves that most people call God. Nothing in Creation is necessary. All is contingent. Something exists in creation because God loved and willed it into existence.
Our holy Mother, the Church, holds and teaches us that God is the first principle and last end of all things and can be known with certainty from the created world and by the natural light of human reason. When we speak about God it is always limited because God is infinite and we are not.
It is easier to say what God is not. God is always more than we can know or say about Him. We may speak about God, even if our knowledge is limited and our human words always fall short of the full mystery of God
CLOSING PRAYER: (PRAY THE FAITH)
Loving God, I praise you for the gift of divine Revelation which helps my reason discover you in creation and in my conscience. Thank you for giving me a capacity for your presence within the depths of my heart. Cleanse my heart of any obstacles to your loving presence. In Jesus’ name we pray.
LIFE APPLICATION: (LIVE THE FAITH)
1. Is my curiosity about God and the world still alive and well or am I too grown up to be amazed in awe and wonder?
2. Do I sense a spiritual restlessness in my soul? What have I done to satisfy this restlessness that makes me feel a deepening need of God’s presence in me?
3. What am I most passionate about in life? Where do I place my enthusiasm and energy?
4. We make plans and God laughs! What is God’s plan for me?