7. God Has Sent His Son

IN THE WEEK AHEAD

Our Questions

What to Read

In UNITED STATES CATECHISM  Chapter 7: Good News ~ God Has Sent His Son

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS at end of this page

In your Bible:   

    John 1:14, 16

    1 John 1:1-4

    Philipians 2:5-8

    Galatians 4:4-5

    Hebrews 10:5-7

Glossary

Incarnation = the taking on of human nature, a human body and human soul with intelligence and will, and all human characteristics except sin by God the Son.  Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God and is sthe ultimate manifestation of God’s self-communication.

Catholic Practice

Checking on What I Understand

There is a set of fun and stimulating quizzes that will confirm what you know and challenge what you do not yet know. Go to St. Edward Church website < www.saintedwardshelton.org> and click on “Becoming Catholic”.  Choose lesson seven and  do do the self-correcting on-line <quiz 7>

Getting Personal

How do I look upon Jesus? Do I have the perspective that in Him God is revealing the hidden plan for my salvation?

Going Deepeer

Video

    JESUS OF MONTREAL (1989)

    GODSPELL (1973)

    THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW (1964)

    THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965)

    JESUS OF NAZARETH (1977)

    JESUS (1999)

THE THREE AMIGOS (theme of misplaced salvation)

Music

    Cristy Lane “Give Them All to Jesus”

    Anne Murray “Softly and Tenderly”

    “Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man from Galilee”

Reading

KC Catholic Information (Hart) Jesus Christ

   Jesus Christ:Why the Word Became Flesh  by Stephen Doyle, O.F.M.

Jesus the Jew by Father J. Patrick Mullen

    In the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (optional) #422-682

    Lee Strobel THE CASE FOR CHRIST

SUPPLEMENTARY

Jesus is the Solution

God is the only one who has the solution. He has already provided the solution! His is the only true, radical, definitive, and integral solution. Through Jesus and in Jesus, the Father has already given us salvation. "There is no other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" Acts 4:12. His very name signifies salvation from God: Yahweh Saves. "You are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" Mt. 1:21.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him" Jn 3:16-17.

"In Him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of His grace" Eph 1:7.

He has saved us by His cross and by His resurrection He has won a new life for us. His death on the cross and His blood shed for us are the price paid for our redemption, justification and salvation. "I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly" Jn 10:10. "God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us... Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son." Rm 5:8,10.

A door has been opened in the wall that separates us from God. A bridge has been placed to transcend the abyss between heaven and earth. It is JESUS on the tree of the cross. He is the true ark of salvation.

We cannot penetrate the wall nor can we build our own bridges. Justification comes only through faith in the saving sacrifice consummated by Jesus. He is the fulfilled promise of redemption, salvation and reconciliation. By His incarnation Jesus unites heaven and earth, God and humanity. All His life and everything He did had salvific value. During His public ministry. He proclaimed and announced the Good News of the Kingdom of God. He initiated and established the Kingdom, and demonstrated it with signs and wonders.

THE APOSTOLIC KERYGMA
Jesus, the Messiah we waited for, the Lord arid Savior, has died on the cross for you. He canceled the account you owed. He shed His blood to cleanse your sins; this was the wage of your redemption. Jesus offered Himself as an immaculate lamb, as an atonement for you. You also have been nailed to His cross, and with Him your old person, your sin and flesh, have died. Through His cross, Jesus has reconciled you with God, and sealed the New Covenant. He rose from the dead so that you may have life. He rescued ail humanity and all creation. The blood of salvation and water of the Spirit spilled from. His side, the fruit of His glorification and lordship."If then we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him... Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus" Rom 6:8,11.

Salvation is a fate already accomplished and consummated by Jesus. We must believe this with our hearts, confess it with our lips, giving thanks and making it our own. "...for if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that He rose from the dead, you will be saved" Rm 10:9.

This is not simply the retelling of past events. Instead, it is the proclamation of our salvation now. It is the "Paschal Mystery"; death on the cross, resurrection and the Gift of the Spirit.

He died on the cross for you! He shed his blood for you! He rose again that you may be a new creation and have abundant life!

Jesus offers His salvation to each and every person and His salvation reaches man's entire being: Spirit, soul and body. Jesus saves every area of our lives. He saves our families, society, our structures and systems, and all creation. He does it so that we may be new men and women; so that we may live in a new world and a new creation. Mary, the Mother of our Lord was the bearer of the Redeemer and thus most intimately associated with Him and His saving work. She is the neck of the body of Christ and is the model and prototype of a disciple of Jesus Christ.