Christian Living Education - Prelims PDF

CHRISTIAN LIVING EDUCATION BR. EMMANUEL S. MARAMBA FAITH AND REASON  “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth;” FIDES ET RATIO POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II Faith and science: "Though faith is above reason, there...

CHRISTIAN LIVING EDUCATION BR. EMMANUEL S. MARAMBA FAITH AND REASON  “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth;” FIDES ET RATIO POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II Faith and science: "Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth." CCC, ¶ NO. 159 The heart has reasons of its own which reason does not know. BLAISE PASCAL PRAYER “Prayer is nothing but love” ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO “The light of the soul, giving us true knowledge of God” ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM  “The raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God" ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS “A surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX "Vital and personal relationship with the living and true God". CCC, ¶ NO. 2558  DEFINITIONS OF PRAYER ARE IMPORTANT, BUT INSUFFICIENT PRAYER as God’s gift  Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. CCC, ¶ NO. 2559 PRAYER as Covenant Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man in Christ. CCC, ¶ NO. 2564 PRAYER as Communion In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. The grace of the Kingdom is "the union of the entire holy and royal Trinity... with the whole human spirit." CCC, ¶ NO. 2565 Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him. This communion of life is always possible because, through Baptism, we have already been united with Christ. CCC, ¶ NO. 2565  Prayer is Christian insofar as it is communion with Christ and extends throughout the Church, which is his Body. Its dimensions are those of Christ's love. CCC, ¶ NO. 2565 SIGN OF THE CROSS “The sign of the cross, on the threshold of the celebration, marks with the imprint of Christ the one who is going to belong to him and signifies the grace of the Redemption Christ won for us by his cross” CCC, ¶ NO. 1235 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” MATTHEW 28:19 (NABRE)  “The Christian begins his day, his prayers, and his activities with the Sign of the Cross: “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” The baptized person dedicates the day to the glory of God and calls on the Savior's grace which lets him act in the Spirit as a child of the Father. The sign of the cross strengthens us in temptations and difficulties.” CCC, ¶ NO. 2157  “Nowhere other than looking at himself in the mirror of the Cross can man better understand how much he is worth.” ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA  The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 (NABRE) SIGN OF THE CROSS EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER VOCAL, MEDITATION, AND CONTEMPLATION VOCAL PRAYER  CCC, ¶ NO. 2722 Vocal prayer, founded on the union of body and soul in human nature, associates the body with the interior prayer of the heart, following Christ's example of praying to his Father and teaching the Our Father to his disciples.  CCC, ¶ NO. 2701 Vocal prayer is an essential element of the Christian life. To his disciples, drawn by their Master's silent prayer, Jesus teaches a vocal prayer, the Our Father. He not only prayed aloud the liturgical prayers of the synagogue but, as the Gospels show, he raised his voice to express his personal prayer, from exultant blessing of the Father to the agony of Gethsemane.  CCC, ¶ NO. 2702 The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our supplication. MEDITATION  CCC, ¶ NO. 2708 Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER  CCC, ¶ NO. 2713 Contemplative prayer is the simplest expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gift, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty. Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts.  CCC, ¶ NO. 2713 Contemplative prayer is a communion in which the Holy Trinity conforms man, the image of God, "to his likeness." EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER VOCAL, MEDITATION, AND CONTEMPLATION  OUR FATHER ORIGIN AND STRUCTURE ORIGIN LONG VERSION: MATTHEW 6:9-13 SHORT VERSION: LUKE 11:1-4 STRUCTURE OF THE LORD’S PRAYER SEVEN PETITIONS OF THE OUR FATHER  HALLOWED BE THY NAME... THY KINGDOM COME... THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN... GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIEVER US FROM EVIL  ACTS FORMULA OF PRAYER Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication The Mystery of the Holy Trinity Why is it that definitions of prayer IMPORTANT but INSUFFICIENT? The Mystery of the Holy Trinity ONE GOD Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! DEUTERONOMY 6:4 (NABRE) “there is no God but one.” 1 CORINTHIANS 8:4 (NABRE)  THREE PERSONAS  After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” MATTHEW 28:19 (NABRE) “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” MATTHEW 28:19 (NABRE) “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. JOHN 15:26 (NABRE) MYSTERY Heresy Modalism Partialism The Mystery of the Holy Trinity St. Augustine’s Dream PRAYER: Hail Mary  Luke 1:28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” κεχαριτωμένη Kecharitomene (Full of Grace)  Luke 1:42 “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  Hail Mary Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. PRAYER: Glory be  Glory Be Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Fatima Prayer  Fatima Prayer O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen. GROUP WORK  WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR?