Church- The people of God - Book 8
Lesson 1- Church: The people chosen by God
a. How did Abraham respond to God’s call?
a. As a result of the sin of man, the children of God was degraded and scattered.
b. But, God wanted to gather them into one flock and lead them on the path of salvation and raise them to the dignity of the children of God.
c. The call of Abraham came in this context as God wanted to give rise to a new generation through him. Through faith and obedience Abraham responded to God’s call.
d. God’s promises came to Abraham at a time when he had no children. Trusting in the promise of God, Abraham ventured to leave behind his dear native land and go to the place God had shown him.
e. God was greatly pleased with Abraham’s faith and obedience and he blessed him with a son named Isaac, fulfilling His promise.
b. Why did God call Moses?
a. The authorities in Egypt became increasingly jealous and suspicious of the people of Israel as they made steady progress numerically and economically.
b. Gradually the Egyptians began to pressurize and persecute the Israelites. They treated them like slaves and made them work like slaves.
c. God called Moses to liberate the people of Israel from slavery and persecution under the Egyptian authorities
d. And to make them once again God’s own people in accordance with the promises he had made to Abraham and his descendants.
c. What do we mean when we call the people of Israel ‘Kahal’ or ‘Ecclesia’?
a. In the Old Testament, the word ‘Kahal’ (in Hebrew) or ‘Ecclesia’ (in Greek) is used to mean a people called into one flock by God and who were made God’ own people.
b. Literally, the word ‘Kahal’ or ‘Ecclesia’ means the ‘assembly of those who are called together’. This word received a religious significance when it was used in the Bible. The word ‘Ecclesia’ means in three things in the context of Israel’s history.
c. The people of Israel constitute an assembly called by God.
d. They were called together for a special purpose. (To worship the Lord, their God and to keep his covenant was the purpose for which they were called).
e. Through this election, Israel became God’s own people.
1. Write two verse from the Bible that indicates that we, the Christians, are God’s own people.
a. ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after this day, says the Lord: I will put my laws within them, and I will write it upon their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people’ (Jer 31:33).
b. ‘For our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God’. (2Cor 5:21)
5. How did Jesus establish the new covenant?
a. In the fullness of time, Jesus, the Son of God, through his life, death and resurrection realized this covenant.
b. Jesus established a new covenant of love by giving the transformed bread and wine as his own body and blood at the last supper.
c. This covenant was sealed with this sacrificial death on the cross.
d. Thus God forgave the sins of humanity through the death of His own son on the cross. God remembers our sins no more.
Lesson 2- Church: The Community of the Redeemed
1. What does St. Paul say to show that all men are in need of salvation?
a. We were all under the power of sin on account of the sin of our first parents.
b. But God willed to bring salvation to all through his only son, Jesus.
c. St. Paul makes it very clear in the letter to the Romans that sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and righteousness came through another man, Jesus.
d. Again Paul Says: “None is righteous, no, not one”. St Paul highlights the universality of sin to show that the whole mankind was in need of salvation.
2. What is the experience of salvation?
a. God entered into a covenant with the liberated Israelites and made them His own people.
b. He gave them commandments so that they may become a redeemed people who are God’s own.
c. The commandments that God gave them through Mses constituted a way of life that ensured salvation.
d. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all people.
e. The experience of salvation consists in being God’s own people and being united to Him.
3. Why do we say that obedience to the commandments is the condition for salvation?
a. God entered into covenant with the liberated Israelites and made them his own people. He gave them commandments so that they may become a redeemed people who are God’s own.
b. The commandments that God gave them through Moses constituted a way of life that ensured salvation.
c. The Jews through that mere observance of the law would ensure their salvation and that belief made them keep the law in a literal sense. However, they failed in understanding the real meaning of God’s law and living it out.
d. But God in His goodness willed to lead this people on the path of Salvation through an inviolable covenant.
e. The terms of this covenant will be written in their hearts and not on tablets of stone. This covenant was established through Jesus, the son of God.
4. Jesus is the Saviour of the world, Explain.
a. The promise that God gave to humankind that he would send a Saviour, was fulfilled in Jesus. He was born to save us from the slavery of sin.
b. This is depicted in the words of the angel addressed to Joseph, asking him to call his name ‘Jesus’: “She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
c. Announcing the glad tidings of Jesus’ birth the angels told the shepherds that a Saviour had been born for them in the city of David.
d. While Jesus was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, Simeon spoke with a prophetic vision:”… for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all people…”
e. Jesus, through his suffering, death on the cross and glorious resurrection saved humanity from the slavery of sin and fulfilled all the prophecies that had been made about him.
5. How are salvation and the sacraments related?
a. The sacraments are the means to obtain the forgiveness of sins and salvation or eternal given by Jesus.
b. By offering us forgiveness of sins and divine life, the sacraments lead us to the experience of salvation, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
c. The Church can be seen as the custodian of the salvation achieved by Jesus and she is the one who distributes it. It is this salvation that the Church ever proclaims.
d. This salvation becomes available to us through the Word of God and the sacraments administered by the Church. The Church always invites and inspires people to come into the salvation through conversation and baptism.
e. Thus the Church, redeemed by Jesus Christ, offers salvation for all and remains in the world as a sign and instrument of salvation for all people.
Essay Questions
1.Jesus is the Saviour of the world and the only Saviour. Explain.
Answer : Lesson 2, Page18 Last paragraph under the heading of Jesus: The Saviour of the world
&
page 19 1st paragraph under the heading of Jesus: The only Xavier
Lesson 3- Church: The Community of the Believers
1. What do you mean by faith?
a. Faith is man’s response to the call of God, who reveals Himself. The expression of this response is a loving surrender to God.
b. The people who listened to the speech of the Apostle Peter, on the day of Pentecost, were so touched and moved that they asked this apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
c. And Peter said to them: “Repent, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.
d. Accepting this call, they repented and received Baptism. And they were added to the community of believers who accepted, Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
e. Faith is found on the belief that the Word of God will be done even if it is unintelligent for the human mind. In the letter to the Hebrews we read: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
f. What underlines this faith is a deep love-relationship with God. Moved by love we surrender our minds, intelligence and heart to God in an act of faith.
2. How faith is reflected in the lives of Abraham, our father in faith and Mary, the Mother of Jesus?
a. The lives of our forefathers Abraham and Mary, the blessed mother of Jesus, are models of faith.
b. Abraham believed the Promise of God, although his wife was past the age of bearing and knew that, what was impossible with man was possible for God.
c. The same is true with Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, who believed the message of the angel and submitted to the will of God.
d. Faith is found on the belief that the Word of God will be done even if it is unintelligent for the human mind.
3. Name the five attributes of faith.
a. It is man’s response to God who reveals Himself.
b. It is the total acceptance of all that God has revealed.
c. It is man’s total obedience and self-surrender.
d. It is the awareness that it is God who enables us to believe and strengthens us in our faith.
e. It is the awareness that faith is both man’s response to God and a free gift of God.
4. The proclamation of the Gospel leads to faith. Explain.
a. The proclamation of the Gospel is the door through which we came into faith.
b. St. Paul asks, how are they to call on in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
c. So we know how essential it is to preach in order to lead people to faith. The Proclamation of the Good News is the mission entrusted to the Church by the risen Saviour.
d. He told his disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved…”
e. Having received this mission from Jesus, the disciples went to different parts of the world proclaiming his Word. Their preaching and witnessing led many to faith in Jesus.
5. Explain the community dimension of Christian faith.
a. Christian faith has 2 realms: individual and social. Fundamentally, it is s participation in the fellowship of the Church.
b. Faith is our response to God’s revelation. This kind of response always leads to fellowship.
c. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they ate their food with glad and generous hearts.”
d. It is through baptism that one enters into the fellowship of the Church. The other sacraments enhance our growth in the Church.
e. Thus the Church is the community of people who respond to God’s call in faith and live together in prayer and fellowship and sharing, being nourished by the Word of God and the sacraments.
Essay Questions
1. A. What do you mean by faith?
B. How faith is reflected in the lives of Abraham, our father in faith and Mary, the Mother of Jesus?
Answer: Answers of Question 1 and 2
Lesson 4- Church: The Community led by the Spirit
1. How do we know that the early Church was led by the Holy Spirit?
a. The active presence of the Holy Spirit in the early Church can be clearly seen in the activities of the apostles. We can see the Spirit directly leading the apostles, talking to them and helping them to take proper decisions.
b. It is the Spirit who gives them clear instructions as to where they should go and what they should do.
c. The Spirit dwells with them, strengthens them and makes them enthusiastic and cheerful.
d. “Now in the Church at Antioch… while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
e. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cypress.”
2. How does the Holy Spirit build up the Church?
3. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed on the faithful?
a. The gift of the Holy Spirit varies from person to person. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
b. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit
c. to another faith by the same Spirit to another gifts of healing by the same spirit, to another the working of miracles,
d. To another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between Spirits, to another the gifts of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
e. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills
4. How do we become the temples of the Holy Spirit?
a. The Second Vatican Council (The Church 4) teaches us that the Holy Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful as in a temple.
b. This teaching is based on the words of St. Paul in the first Corinthians: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy and that temple you are”.
c. We are God’s temples, because, God’s Spirit dwells in us. We read the scriptures how to risen Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit by breathing on them.
5. What should we do that we may be led by the Spirit?
a. To be led by the Spirit, we should live according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We receive such promptings through the commandments of God, the laws the Church and the directions of our superiors
b. Our attitude to the Holy Spirit should be one of submission and obedience. The Bible tell us that we should not grieve the Holy Spirit.
c. St. Paul, in the letter to the Romans, again speaks to us about the Holy Spirit: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship.
d. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit thatwe are children of God….”
6. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
a. St. Paul names the fruits of the Holy Spirit distributed among the believers.
b. They are love, happiness, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control, endurance, chastity and moderation.
c. All these are given by the Holy Spirit in order to build up the Church and make it grow.
Essay Questions
1.) How did the Holy Spirit work in the early Christian community?
Answer: Lesson 4, 3rd, 4th and 5th paragraph from page 29 and 1st paragraph from page 32 under the heading of the work of the Holy spirit in the Early Christian Community
2.) What are the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit bestowed on the faithful?
3.) Answer: lesson 4, page30, 2nd, 3rd and 4th paragraph under the heading of The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Lesson 5- Church: The body of Christ
1. How did St. Paul get the insight that the Church is the body of Christ?
a. The Church is the body of Christ. This was a great insight of St. Paul. Jesus made it clear to him that when he persecuted the Christians he was persecuting Christ himself.
b. Paul shares with us the same insight in his letter to the Romans: “For, as in our body we have many members and all the members do not have the same function,
c. So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another.”
d. Paul teaches us that Christ is the head of the body that is the Church. We are members of this body, the Church of which Christ is the Head.
2. How does Jesus continue his constant presence in the Church?
a. Jesus told his disciples that he would not leave them orphans; that he would be with them to the end of the age.
b. Jesus ensures his constant presence in the Church through the Word of God, the sacraments and fellowship in the Church.
c. He led us through this world and nourishes us, day after day through the Holy Eucharist.
d. We become one with him by participating in his body and blood in the Eucharist.
e. At the same time we become united with one another by partaking of the one bread and the one cup. Thus the fellowship in the Church is reinforced.
3. How does the Holy Eucharist unite us to Jesus and to one another?
a. Jesus told his disciples that he would not leave them orphans; that he would be with them to the end of the age.
b. Jesus ensures his constant presence in the Church through the Word of God, the sacraments and fellowship in the Church.
c. He led us through this world and nourishes us, day after day through the Holy Eucharist.
d. We become one with him by participating in his body and blood in the Eucharist.
e. At the same time we become united with one another by partaking of the one bread and the one cup. Thus the fellowship in the Church is reinforced
4. How should we use the gifts given to us as members of the Church?
a. As children of the holy mother, the Church, our duty is to acknowledge their gifts and serve the Church according to the will of Jesus.
b. We should use the gifts for the glory of God and the growth of the Church
c. Do good to others and share with others what you have, is the core of Biblical teaching, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
2. We cannot see Jesus apart from the Church nor can we see the Church apart from Jesus. Explain.
a. Just as we love Jesus, we should love His body, the Church. We cannot love Jesus apart from the Church nor can we love the Church apart from Jesus.
b. We can love the Church only if we see in it Jesus himself. Jesus Christ lives in the Church and through the Church He leads us, teaches us and sanctifies us.
c. Let us be aware of the fact that we are all members of the body of Christ
d. And have special love and concern for the poor, the afflicted, the sick, the orphans, the widows, the aged and the children.
Essay Questions
1.) How did the Church become the Body of Christ?
Answer: Lesson 5, page 35, paragraph 2nd & 3rd under the heading of Church: The Body of Christ
2.) What are the functions of the various ministers in the church?
Answer: Lesson 5, last paragraph from page 35,
1st , 2nd & 3rd paragraph from page 36 under the heading of various ministers in the Church
Lesson 6- Church: The Priestly People
1. What were the functions of the priesthood in the Old Testament?
a. This is the beginning of Israel’s history of Priesthood. A priest in the Old Testament was set apart to offer worship to the Lord and as such, he was blameless and holy.
b. His primary function was to offer sacrifices, gifts and incense to the Lord in the name of the people.
c. He was to pray for the people and be a mediator between God and his people.
d. A priest was to be a witness of God’s holiness before his people.
e. It was also his duty, as in Leviticus, to teach the people of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.
2. Why did God liberate Israel from their slavery?
a. God called Israel out from slavery in order to make them a people who would offer him worship and priestly service.
b. For this purpose, he anointed Aaron and his sons and priests. God told Moses while making covenant at Sinai:
c. “Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possessions among all peoples;
d. For all the earth is mine and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
3. How does the Church, saved by the blood of Christ, become a priestly people and a worshiping community?
a. By becoming member of the Church through baptism, we share in the royal priesthood of Christ. St. Peter says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…”.
b. Those who are chosen specially for the service of the Church, participates in the ministerial priesthood.
c. Those who are not called to the ministerial priesthood in the Church perform only the functions of royal priesthood.
d. They should perform this function in association with their respective parish Church, the parish priest and the community of believers.
e. The document on the Church instructs us how Christians should exercise their priestly functions.
4. The Sacrifice of the Holy Qurbana is the highest form of worship. Explain.
a. The Holy Qurbana is the highest form of worship the Church can offer to God.
b. It is offered by Jesus Christ, the head, in association with the Church, his body, to the Eternal Father.
c. At the same time, it is also a worship offered by the Church, the body of Christ, in union with Jesus Christ.
d. Through the Holy Qurbana we participate in the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the eternal priest.
5.As a priestly people of God in the New Testament, how are we to exercise our ministry of common priesthood?
a. By becoming members of the Church through baptism, we share in the royal priesthood of Christ. St. Peter says, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…
b. Those who are chosen specially for the service of the Church, participates in the ministerial priesthood.
c. Those who are not called to the ministerial priesthood in the Church perform only the functions of royal priesthood. They should perform this function in association with their respective parish Church, the parish priest and the community of believers.
d. The document on the Church instructs us how Christians should exercise their priestly function.
e. For all their works, prayers and apostolic endeavors, their ordinary married and family life, their daily occupations, their physical and mental, relaxation, if carried out in the Spirit and even the hardships of life, if patiently borne-all these become “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (199).
f. Together with the offering of the Lord’s body, they are most fittingly offered in the celebration of the Eucharist. Thus, as those everywhere who adore in holy activity, the laity consecrate the world itself to God. (The Church, No.34).
Essay Questions
1.What do you mean by the Priesthood of the Old Testament and the Priesthood of Jesus Christ?
Answer:Lesson 6, 3rd and 4th paragraph from page 40 under the heading of The Priesthood of the Old Testament and the Priesthood of Jesus.
Page 41, 1st paragraph under the heading of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ
2. What is the difference between the royal priesthood and the ministerial priesthood?
Answer: Lesson 6, 2nd and 3rd paragraph from page 41 under the heading of We are a Priestly People. 3rd paragraph from page 42 under the heading of The ministerial priesthood
Lesson 7- Church: The Community of people who share
1. Christian sharing is rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus. Explain.
a. Jesus came for those who suffer hunger and thirst, those who are afflicted by various diseases and those who are over burdened by their sins.
b. He gave himself totally for them. He gave them his flesh and blood and his entire life. The disciples of Jesus should be marked by this quality of sharing.
c. John, the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus told the people that those who had two coats should share with those who had none and do the same with food.
d. The message of sharing shows clearly in Jesus’ teaching. He asked his disciples to give freely what they had received as gifts. To the one who would take away your coat, give your cloak as well. While giving alms, the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing.
e. The same message of sharing is brought home in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus multiplied bread in order to share it with those who were hungry.
f. The Church, called to follow the example and teaching of Jesus, is bound to be a sharing community.
2. What is the life-style of the early Church?
a. The early Church lived in its fullness the compassion of Jesus and His readiness to share. We read in the Acts of the Apostles, the community of believers was of one heart and one soul.
b. Nobody claimed anything as his own. Everything was held in common and there was no one in want among them.
c. For, they sold everything they had and brought the proceeds and laid it at the feet of the apostle and distribution was made according to each one’s need.
d. We read in the Acts, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”.
e. As they continue to grow in their generosity and good will to share, there was no one who suffered poverty or want among them.
3. What are the teachings of the early Church on sharing?
a. We should grow in our generosity and readiness to share with others in imitation of Jesus who though he was rich, became poor for our sake.
b. St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians teaches us on alms giving and charity. God loves those who give cheerfully.
c. Alms giving is an acceptable sacrifice to God. Apostle James tells us that we should show our faith in action by helping those who are I need.
d. “If a brother and sister is without clothes and in lack of daily food and one of you says to them, “go in peace, be warmed and filled”, without giving him the things he needs for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no work, is dead”
e. The disciples urged the early Christians community to share with others through their teachings and examples with a generous heart.
4. It is the hope of resurrection that urges on to share: illustrate.
a. It was the hope of resurrection that motivated the early Christians to share what they had, with the needy one.
b. Another motive force that prompted them to share was the teaching of Jesus about the final Judgement at the end of time and how he would address the just and say that when they did it to the least of his brethren, they did it to him.
c. Those who put all their trust in material things can never share. Only those who put their trust in God and believe in resurrection and eternal life can share what they have with others.
d. The awareness that everything in the world is perishable and nothing material can be carried away when one dies, prompts people to share what they have with others.
e. They are urged to engage themselves in charitable deeds and sharing of material resources so that they may reap its fruits in eternal life.
5. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church. Explain.
a. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church which is the body of Christ. When one member of the body suffers pain, it affects the entire body and steps will be taken to relieve that pain.
b. In the same way, in the body of Christ, the Church, we should engage ourselves in charitable deeds to relieve the sufferings of others.
c. The majority of the world population who are poor, find their hope in the Charity, and sharing of the Church.
d. The institutions managed by the Catholic Church use their resources for the common good and not for the individual benefit of those who run these institutions.
e. We can see this spirit reflected in the educational institutions, hospitals, orphanages, counselling centres, hospitals for the mentally retarded, boys’ homes, homes for the aged, centres for the care of cancer patients and aids patients and rehabilitation centres for those who are released from prisons.
f. The Church is proud of Fr. Damien who lived and died for lepers, St. Vincent de Paul who dedicated his total life for the care of the poor and the abandoned and Mother Teresa who became a model of Charity and love for the entire world.
g. The Church should be always at the beck and call of the poor, the abandoned and the persecuted.
h. The members of the Church should actively participate in works of charity and become witnesses of a sharing Church in the world.
Essay Questions
1. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church. Explain.
a. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church which is the body of Christ. When one member of the body suffers pain, it affects the entire body and steps will be taken to relieve that pain.
b. In the same way, in the body of Christ, the Church, we should engage ourselves in charitable deeds to relieve the sufferings of others.
c. The majority of the world population who are poor, find their hope in the Charity, and sharing of the Church.
d. The institutions managed by the Catholic Church use their resources for the common good and not for the individual benefit of those who run these institutions.
e. We can see this spirit reflected in the educational institutions, hospitals, orphanages, counselling centres, hospitals for the mentally retarded, boys’ homes, homes for the aged, centres for the care of cancer patients and aids patients and rehabilitation centres for those who are released from prisons.
f. The Church is proud of Fr. Damien who lived and died for lepers, St. Vincent de Paul who dedicated his total life for the care of the poor and the abandoned and Mother Teresa who became a model of Charity and love for the entire world.
g. The Church should be always at the beck and call of the poor, the abandoned and the persecuted.
h. The members of the Church should actively participate in works of charity and become witnesses of a sharing Church in the world.
Lesson 8- Church: The Prophetic people
1. Who is a prophet? What are his functions?
a. A prophet is the one who communicates God’s message to the people. He speaks for God. He also bears witness to God’s Word in his own life.
b. He may have to face rejection, persecution or even death as he is called to raise his finger against all kinds of wrong doings and abuses.
c. However, as one lead by the Spirit of God, he stands firm and bears witness to the truth to the best of his ability.
d. The prophets of the Old Testament have shown great courage to walk into the royal palaces and point out the injustice and misdeeds of the rulers.
2. What do you understand when we speak of the prophetic function of the members of the Church?
a. The members of the Church who receive the Holy Spirit through Baptism and Anointing became a prophetic people.
b. The prophetic people are those who are anointed by the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit.
c. Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.
d. To become witnesses of Jesus Christ is the mission of those who receive the Spirit and become prophets in the Church.
3. A prophets is called to be the light of the world and salt of the earth: illustrate.
a. Jesus said to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth. “ He again said to them. “You are the light of the world.”
b. He also warned us not to let salt lose its saltness and not to let the light go out. Salt preserves edible things: it also gives taste.
c. In fulfilling their prophetic function the members of the Church should work for the elimination of evil in the society and to add taste to life which they experience deep within them.
d. Wherever they are, the members of the Church are called to bear witness to Christ through proclaiming the Word of God and by the example of their lives.
e. As a prophetic people, Christians are called to shed the light of Christ on those who live in the darkness of immorality, deceitfulness and fraud.
4. Write a short note on: A Christian is one has to bear witness to truth.
a. Jesus said that he came to the world to bear witness to the truth. Jesus proved this though his words and actions.
b. Our prophetic function in the world is to bear witness to truth like Jesus.
c. The Church should really become the conscience of the world by fighting against untruth and injustice and by witnessing to truth, justice and love. This is the prophetic function of the church.
d. John the Baptist was beheaded because he raised his voice against untruth. St. Thomas More, who bore courageous witness to truth became a martyr.
5. How do the lay people fulfil their prophetic mission?
a. Like the priest and the religious, the lay people have a prophetic function. Everyone who becomes a member of the Church through baptism is called to be a prophet.
b. The lay persons are called to fulfil their prophetic function in the Church by strengthening themselves through the reception of the sacraments, by leading a life of faith and by proclaiming the gospel through their words and lives.
c. Family life has a central place in the prophetic function of the laity. The husband and wife are to be witnesses of faith and love of Jesus between them, before their children and in the society in which they live.
d. All Christians are bound to participate in the prophetic function of the Church. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, let us fulfil our prophetic function in today’s world.
Essay Questions
1. A. What do you understand when we speak of the prophetic function of the members of the Church?
B. How do the lay people fulfil their prophetic mission?
Answer A: Answer of Question no. 2
Answer B: Answer of Question No.5
Lesson 9- The Missionary Church
1. The Church is missionary by her very nature. Explain.
a. After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to his disciples and said “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you”
b. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”.
c. Jesus entrusted the Church with the mission to bear witness to him. Therefore the Church, by her very nature, is missionary.
2. How does the Church perform her missionary function?
a. The Church’s mission is to proclaim Christ and make him known as the only Saviour of the world and lead all peoples to this path of Salvation.
b. It is the duty of every Christian to proclaim Jesus Christ to others who do not know him yet.
c. Likewise the members of the Church are bound to deepen their own faith and confirm others in their faith by their words and deeds.
d. The Church performs this God given mission in three ways (1) The Church proclaims Christ to those people who have not heard of him.
e. (2) She instructs those who are already in the Church through faith and baptism, so that they may deepen their knowledge in the mystery of faith.
f. (3) She re-evangelizes those Christians who have become weak in their practise of faith.
3. Every Christian is a missionary. Illustrate.
a. One is called to participate in the mission of proclaiming Christ by virtue of his baptism. To bear witness to Christ by leading a life in accordance with the gospel values is the fundamental mission of every Christian.
b. This mission is carried out differently by the members of the Church depending on the state of life each one has chosen.
c. Those who are in the priesthood and those who are in religious life are set apart exclusively for sharing the mission of the Church.
d. They have accepted a call and are set apart to go to any part of the world to proclaim the gospel. They laity are also called to participate in the mission of the Church.
e. They bear witness to Jesus Christ by their words and actions, particularly when they live out their lives in the midst of people who are non-Christians.
4. Write notes on: The missionary endeavours of the Syro-Malabar Church.
a. The Christians who receive faith from St. Thomas, imbibed his missionary zeal and faith. Many missionaries, both men and women, from the Syro-Malabar Church are engaged in octane missionary work in different parts of India.
b. To this day a considerable member of Indian missionaries belong to Syro-Malabar Church. This church has succeeded in maintaining and increasing the Christian faith among the non-Christians.
c. In recognition of the missionary spirit and zeal of the Syro-Malabar Church and its members, Pope John 23rd entrusted the care of Chanda Mission to the Syro-Malabar Church.
d. Later a number of dioceses in the north, such as Satna, Sagar, Ujjain, Bignor, Rajkot, Jagadapur, Ghorakpur were entrusted to the Syro-Malabar Church by the Holy See.
e. Diocese of Kalyan was established in 1988 to look after the spiritual needs of the members of the Syro-Malabar Church who have settled in Mumbai for job and track and commerce.
f. The diocese of Thakkala in the South was established in 1996 and in the North, the diocese of Balthangadi in 1999 comprising the mission territories of Kerala.
g. The diocese of Chanda was divided and the diocese of Adilabad was formed. The diocese of Chicago in USA is a part of the Syro-Malabar Church.
5. How can we participate in the mission of the Church as its members?
a. One is called to participate in the mission of proclaiming Christ by virtue of his baptism. To bear witness to Christ by leading a life in accordance with the gospel values is the fundamental mission of every Christian.
b. This mission is carried out differently by the members of the Church depending on the state of life each one has chosen.
c. Those who are in the priesthood and those who are in religious life are set apart exclusively for sharing the mission of the Church.
d. They have accepted a call and are set apart to go to any part of the world to proclaim the gospel. They laity are also called to participate in the mission of the Church.
e. They bear witness to Jesus Christ by their words and actions, particularly when they live out their lives in the midst of people who are non-Christians.
Essay Questions
1.Write notes on: The missionary endeavours of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Answer: answer of Question 4
Lesson 10- The Pilgrim Church
1. What is the hope that gives meaning to Christian life?
a. Christian life is a pilgrimage; it is a journey from the slavery of sin leading to the heavenly Canaan, a land of promise.
b. A pilgrimage is a journey towards a holy place on a place of religious significance. It is usually a journey undertaken with many difficulties.
c. But, by the end of the pilgrimage when we reach the holy place, it will be a wonderful experience of joy and delight.
d. In the same way our pilgrimage to heaven involves many difficulties and trials but at the end, when we reach heaven we enjoy eternally the bliss of Paradise.
e. Heaven is the real and perfect experience of salvation towards which the entire humanity moves with eager longing. This salvation is made possible through Jesus and in Jesus.
f. Jesus revealed to us that there are many rooms in His Father’s house and that he would take us there.
g. Hence, Christians are a people who move forward with eager longing for heaven and the bliss of Paradise. It is this hope of eternal life, which gives meaning to Christian Life.
2. How does the Christian life become a foretaste of life in heaven?
a. Christian Life means our union with Jesus Christ.it is a state in which we are in Christ He is in us. A complete and final realization of this union with Christ is heaven.
b. We will see God face to face in heaven and we will live in union with Him eternally enjoying beatific vision.
c. As Paul the apostle says, we see Him now as if in a mirror faintly, but then we shall see Him face to face; now we know Him in part, but then we shall understand him fully.
d. Life in heaven is something spiritual, having nothing to do with flesh and blood or other material realities. There will be no desires of the flesh in heaven, as life in heaven is spiritual.
e. While here on earth, in real Christian life, we can have a fore taste heaven, provided we live according to the promptings of the Spirit.
f. Peace and happiness are the fruits of the Spirit which the presence of the Holy Spirit ensures in our lives.
g. Enjoying peace and happiness here on earth through presence of the Holy Spirit, is an experience of heavenly life – only in small measures here, but there in full.
3. How can we help our departed faithful?
a. The faithful who are on earth and assist the souls in purgatory, through their prayers, particularly the Eucharist, alms giving and sacrifices.
b. The Holy Scripture gives us some indication about purgatory. In the Book of Maccabees we read that nothing unholy will enter the presence of God.
c. It also exhorts us to pray for the dead.
d. Mar Aprem, the Syrian Church Father says, “My brothers, observe my memory thirty days after my death, for the dead are helped through the sacrifices offered by the living.
4. Explain, individual judgement and final judgement.
a. The Church is clear in her teaching about life after death. It contains her views in individual judgment and final judgment.
b. The separation of the soul from the body is death. The body gets decayed in the soil but the soul, at the very moment of death, appears before God, to be judged individually, according to each one’s life and conduct. We call this individual judgment.
c. The final judgement is the one in which the just and the unjust are going to be separated finally and eternally.
d. St. Matthew gives us a complete and a vivid description of the final judgement. “Before Him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats..
e. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, come, blessed of my father, inherits the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
f. Then He will say to those at His left hand, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and His angels.
Essay Questions
1.Explain, individual judgement and final judgement.
Answer: Lesson 10, 4th and 5th paragraph from page 63 under the heading of , individual judgement and final judgement.
1st paragraph, 2nd paragraph under the heading of The Final Judgement is the Act by which God Glorifies the Just and Punishes the Unjust from page 64
3rd and 4th paragraph under the heading of The Final Judgement and Glorification
Please write the contents of all these paragraphs
2. Explain Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.
Answer:page 65, 1st para under the heading of Hell
2nd and 3rd paragraph under the heading of Purgatory
4th paragraph from page 65 and 1st paragraph from page 66 under the heading of Heaven.
Lesson 11- The Church is one
1. The Catholic Church is the fellowship of the individual Churches. Explain.
a. In the Church, the members live out their Christian life in individual Churches under one common authority of the Pope.
b. The Catholic Church is the fellowship or communion of these individual Churches. There exists a wonderful unity among these Churches.
c. Diversity does not affect the unity of the Church, rather it enhances it and reinforces it.
d. There are 22 individual Churches in the Catholic Church which are different in liturgy, theology, spirituality and discipline.
e. Each of these Churches has sprung up in its own particular historical context and is rooted in a particular culture. Each of them has its own life-style. They, have all equal status in the Catholic Church.
2. What are the factors that constitute the basic of the Church’s fellowship and unity? – Essay Question
a. Unity in Faith- Fundamentally, it is faith that makes the Church a fellowship. Our faith is in Triune God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as revealed by Jesus. It is the faith in the salvation, made real by the Son of God, who was sent by the Father, for the redemption of the world and completed by the Holy Spirit. Thus all the believers are united in one Spirit through one Lord, one faith and one baptism.
b. Unity in Sacraments – Having been made into one body with Jesus through baptism, we are nourished by the Holy Eucharist and other sacraments. St. Paul says that the cup of blessing that we share is a participation in the blood of Christ. The Church is the fellowship of those who participate in the one and the same life by participating on the same spiritual drink and the same spiritual food. Thus the members of the Church are united through one baptism and one bread for all.
c. Unity in Apostleship- Jesus formed the Church through the apostles whom he chose, anointed in the Spirit and sent to preach and baptise. He wanted the church to be led, sanctified and instructed by the apostles and those who took their place after them, the Bishops. Fellowship with the apostle and the Bishops is essential for maintaining the fellowship of the believers in the Church. This is called unity in apostleship. The believers who are united like this have one faith, one sacrament and one apostolic leadership. In this way all the believers are made into one body in the Holy Spirit.
3. Which are the main liturgical traditions in the Catholic Church?
The individual Churches follow six liturgical traditions which are ancient. Of these, Byzantine, Antiochian, Alexandrian, Chaldean and Armenian are of Oriental liturgical traditions and Roan (Latin) traditions is Western.
4. To which liturgical tradition does the Syro-Malabar Church belong to?
a. The Mar Thoma Christians of India received the light of faith from Thomas, the apostle and became Christians in the very first century itself.
b. The Syro-Malabar Church has been following the Mar Thoma Tradition in an unbroken manner right from the start.
c. The Syro-Malabar Church follows the Oriental Syrian Liturgical Tradition with certain adaptions to Indian culture. Both the Syro-Malabar Church and Chaldean Church follow the Oriental-Syrian liturgical tradition.
d. Though those Churches sprang up and grew outside the Roman Empire, thy have always maintained unity and fellowship with the See of Peter.
e. The Syro-Malabar Church, having its own individuality and tradition, is united in fellowship with the Catholic Church through Faith, Sacraments and Jurisdiction.
5. On what basis are the individual Church form?
a. There are 22 individual Churches in the Catholic Church which are different in liturgy, theology, spirituality and discipline.
b. Each of these Churches has sprung up in its own particular historical context and is rooted in a particular culture.
c. Each of them has its own life-style. They, have all equal status in the Catholic Church.
Lesson 12- The Church is Holy
1. How did God reveal his holiness to the prophet Isaiah; explain.
a. Once prophet Isaiah was praying in the temple and he had a vision. He saw the Lord seated on a throne.
b. The hem of his robe filled the entire temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had 6 wings; with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew.
c. And one called to another and said: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His Glory.”
d. And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. This vision of Isaiah is one that reveals God’s holiness.
2. Why do you say that the Church is holy?
a. The Church is at once holy and yet to be sanctified. She is constantly being sanctified though repentance and conversion.
b. The Church is a community called by the highest God, who is Holy and dedicated to His service. The holy one, God, is dwelling in the Church.
c. The Church is being led by the Holy Spirit. The Church is also enriched by the presence of so many holy people in it. All these factors account for the holiness of the Church.
d. However we should not forget that members of the Church are also sinners and weak mortals. In the letter to the Hebrews we read: “…. Strive for peace with all men and for the holiness without which no one will see the lord.
e. This word of God refers to the importance and need for keeping holiness in our lives.
3. What are the means of sanctification in the Church?
a. Sanctification through the Word of God,
b. Sanctification through the Sacraments,
c. Sanctification through the Sacramentals,
d. Sanctification through Prayer, Fasting and Abstinence,
e. Sanctification through our Vocation.
4. How do the vocations become the means of holiness?
a. Perfection of love is attained and holiness is achieved, by fulfilling faithfully the duties pertaining to each one’s state of life. Any state of life in the Church is a divine vocation.
b. Whatever is the state of life, when one moves forward on the path of perfection of love according to his / her state of life and inspire others to grow in holiness, the holiness illuminates.
c. In a way the works entrusted to one’s care can also be seen as a divine call. Through this we get an opportunity to participate in the creative, redeeming and sanctifying works of God.
d. They become means of holiness for us when we lovingly co-operate and creatively respond to the call of God and the works entrusted to us.
e. Thus we become holy when we are nourished by the Word of God, the sacraments, the sacramental, prayer, fasting and abstinence and live according to our divine call.
5. How do abstinence, prayer and fasting help us to grow in holiness?
a. Prayer fasting and abstinence are also means for sanctification. In prayer we meet God; we come to know His will for us. T
b. hrough prayer we can confess our weaknesses and limitations before the Almighty God and gain strength and confidence.
c. Anyone who prays sincerely is greatly strengthened against falling into sin or in case of failure, he gets back to the path of holiness quickly through repentance.
d. Through fasting and abstinence we make amends for our own as well as for others sins.
e. Fasting gives us the strength to keep away from the situations of sin.
Essay Questions
1. The Church is holy , and yet to be sanctified. What are the means of sanctification in the church?
Answer: Church is holy and she is constantly being sanctified thruogh repentance and conversion
The church is acommunity called by the most high God, who is Holy and dedicated to his service.
The Holy one, God is dwelling in the church. The Church is being led by the Holy Spirit.
The church is also enriched by the presence of so many holy people in it.All these factors account for the holiness of the church.
Sanctification through Jesus
In Old testament, the blood of lamb that was sacrificed in expiation of sins could sanctify the temple, the altar and the people.
In the New Testament, Jesus, the Lamb of God, purifies us thruogh his blood.
It was his sacrifice on the cross that liberated us from the power of the evil one, sanctified us from sin and made us God’s children.
Sanctification through Word of God
It has the power to sanctify us. Jesus told his disciples that they were made clean by the Word which He spoke to them.
Jesus healed many simply by telling them to be healed. This shows the power of His Word to cleanse us and sanctify us.
When we receive the Word of God and carry it out in our lives, we become purified and clean.
The Word of God has the duty to equip everyone who hears it to carry out good works.
The members of the Church can walk on the path of holiness by reflecting on the Word of God and living it out during the course of the day.
Sanctification through Sacraments
They sanctify the Church for they are the streams of divine life established by Jesus.
God sanctifies every phase of human life through various sacraments, from birth till death.
The Holy Eucharist plays an important part in sanctifying a believer. The altar is the symbol of Holiness in a Church.
The participation of the faithful in the Holy Mass is indicative of the unworthiness of the people on the one hand and on the other, their participation in the holiness of the Triune God.
Sanctification through Sacramentals
The Sacramentals help us to grow in holiness. They prepare us to receive God’s love and kindness and assist us in our growth in holiness.
The sacramentals are rituals that sanctify the members of the church, in their varying states of life, situations, places and things they use.
Sanctification through Prayer, fasting and abstinence
In prayer we meet God and we come to know His will for us.
We acknowledge and confess our weaknesses and limitations before God and gain strength and confidence.
Through fasting and abstinence we make amends for our own as well for others sins.
Fasting gives us the strength to keep away from the situations of sin.
Sanctification through Vocation
By fulfilling faithfully the duties relating to our state of life, perfection of love and holiness is achieved.
The church regards all state of life as a divine vocation.
By being holy in our chosen state of life, we partake in the creative, redeeming and sanctifying works of God.
By being part of God’s work we are cooperating and responding to the call of God and thus fulfilling our purpose as God’s creation.
Lesson 13- The Church is Apostolic
1. How does the faith experience of the apostles become the foundation of the Church?
a. The faith experience of the apostles is the basis of the Church. When Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
b. Jesus was pleased with this answer and he said: “Blessed are you, Bar-Jona!... For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church…”
c. Representing all the apostles Peter made this proclamation of faith in the divinity of Jesus.
d. Remember St. Thomas, the Father of our faith, also proclaimed his faith in the Lord Jesus saying “MY Lord and my God.” (John 20:29).the apostles believed in Jesus and the Lord and God and proclaimed this faith with boldness to others.
e. And those who listened to the proclamation accepted this faith. Thus the faith-experience of the apostles became the basis of the Church, the community of believers.
2. What are the functions of the Bishops, the successors of the apostles?
a. God chose prophets, the Priests and the Kings , entrusting them with certain missions. The prophets spoke to the people in the name of God and corrected when they went wrong
b. The priests offered sacrifice to God for the sanctification of the people, the Kings gave leadership and defended Israel against the enemies
c. This triple mission was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus became a prophet, priest and King at the one and the same time. Jesus, by anointing the apostles with the Holy Spirit, handed over this triple mission to them.
d. The apostles fulfilled their salvific mission, entrusted to them, through teaching the people, the prophetic mission through sanctifying, the priestly mission and through shepherding, the kingly mission.
e. The Bishops, who derived their authority from the apostles, share in the same mission
3. Write a short note on the apostolicity of the Syro-Malabar Church.
a. Our fore-fathers had the privilege of receiving the faith directly from St. Thomas, the Apostle.
b. We, the members of the Syro-Malabar Church inherit this faith tradition.
c. Referencees like ‘Mar Thomma Nazranikal’ ‘Mar Thomma Christians are indicatives of our apostolic tradition and heritage.
d. It was St. Thomas who confessed Jesus as Lord and God and expressed his readiness to go and die with him.
e. The faith experience that we have received through the apostle St. Thomas is the apostolic foundation of the Syro-Malabar Church.
4. When does the council of Bishops express itself in the Church?
a. Jesus as St. Peter and the other eleven apostles had apostolic fellowship, the Bishops who are the successors of the apostles and the Pope who is taking the place of St. Peter, have an apostolic mission and fellowship which is exercised in the leadership of the Church.
b. The Pope is the Head of the council of Bishops. When the Bishops of the Church exercise their apostolic authority in union with the pope, we see the collegiality of Bishops.
c. The ecumenical councils also reflect the collegiality of Bishops.
d. The Catholic Church is the Church that has received its faith from the apostles and is led by the Bishops, the successors of the apostles.
5. What do you mean by the Primacy of the Pope?
a. Jesus himself gave the first place to Simon Peter among all the apostles chosen by him. Peter was a witness to all the important events in Jesus’ life.
b. Peter who enjoyed the privilege of special consideration and love of Jesus and who was also scolded by him on certain occasions, was given first place by Jesus in founding the Church and in exercising the mission of the Church.
c. We can see the Primacy of Peter in the Gospel of Mathew. Jesus promised that he would establish the Church on Peter, the rock, and give him the Keys of the Kingdom of God.
d. So we know that Jesus appointed Peter as the first among the twelve apostles. So we should say that the Pope is the first among the Bishops in the Church as he is the successor of Peter.
e. The Pope is at the one and the same time the Bishop of Rome and the head of the Universal Church. He has the authority to lead, sanctify and teach the Universal Church.
f. The first Vatican Council declared the Primacy of the Pope as a fundamental truth. Through the encyclicals and apostolic instructions the Pope exercises his teaching authority over the entire Church.
Essay Questions
1.Explain the faith experience and the Mission of the Apostles.
Answer: Lesson 13, Page 80, Paragraph 1 under the heading of the Faith Experience of the Apostles
And paragraph 2 under the heading of The Mission of the Apostles
Lesson 14- The Church is Universal
1. What is meant by the Universality or Catholicity of the Church?
a. On the day of Pentecost when the Church was formed, there were people who spoke different languages and belonged to different nations like the Parthians and the Medes,… listening to the preaching of the apostles.
b. So, at the very start of the Church, we can say, the Church reflected catholicity or universality.
c. The catholicity of the Church means that the Church is present everywhere in the world and she becomes the way of salvation for all people of the world.
d. ‘Catholicity’ or ‘Universality’ was the term used from the beginning to indicate this particular character of the Church. The English word, ‘Catholic’ was formed from the Greek word ‘Katholikos’.
e. This term means, ‘open to all’ or ‘embracing all’. We apply this term ‘Catholic’ to the Church in the sense that the church ‘embraces all’.
2. The Church includes all peoples and cultures: explain.
a. Keeping the whole of humanity in mind, God called Abraham the Father of nations. Through the call of Abraham, God formed the people of Israel.
b. But the purpose of this call and choice was the salvation of the entire humanity. Jesus was born as the Good News for all peoples and as the Saviour of the entire world.
c. Jesus through his life and words, gave the message of salvation for all. He commissioned the apostles to go to the whole world and proclaim the Good News. Through them the Church, the visible sign of the Kingdom of God, was established and its universality confirmed.
d. The church is to lead the whole world to salvation. She is bound to go into all cultures and receive all cultures and sanctify all cultures, irrespective of religion, race and caste.
e. God wants that all people must know the truth and be saved. So the catholicity of the Church means that it contains all people.
3. What is the teaching of St. John Damascene on the universality of the Church?
St. John Damascene speaks of the universality of the Church: “The Church is universal because she has gathered into one salvific faith and the knowledge of God, peoples who are diverse in tradition, language, culture and race.”
4. When is the Catholicity of the Church expressed?
a. Pope John Paul II says, “In the Church, there is the Oriental Tradition and also the Latin Tradition.
b. The Catholicity of the Church is not reflected in its totality through one tradition alone.
c. All should taste and know the universality of the Church that is preserved and made to grow in the life of the oriental and western Churches, a legacy that is divine and indivisible.
d. Thus we see that the universality of the Church is reflected clearly when we preserve and live the oriental and western traditions of the Church.
5. What is the purpose of the universality council of the Church?
a. The universal Councils of the Church play an all important role in expressing the unity and universality of the Church.
b. 21 Universal Councils have taken place in the Church till now. Over and above we can speak of a council that took place during the time of the apostles themselves, which was held in Jerusalem to discuss the question of exempting the gentile Christians from the Jewish practice of circumcision.
c. God revealed through Peter, the head of the Apostles and Paul, the zealous apostle of Christ, that circumcision was not needed.
d. The councils are held in the Church to interpret the mysteries of faith to the peoples, to bring about renewal in the Church and to find solutions to the various problems faced by the Church.
Essay Questions
1.The church embraces all the people, all cultures, different traditions and nationality. Explain
Answer: lesson14, 2nd paragraph under the heading of The Church embraces all the People of the World , page 86
3rd and 4th Paragraph under the heading of the Church Embraces all Cultures, page 86
5th paragraph under the heading of Different traditions and universality continued to 1st paragraph in page 87
Lesson 15- Mary, the Mother and Model of the Church
1. What part did Mary play in the birth of the Church?
a. After the death of Jesus, Mary gathered together the disciples of Jesus and prayed with them.
b. All these disciples were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain woman and Mary, the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.
c. Mary lived with the meditating on the word of God.
d. Thus Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the head of the Church, also participated in giving birth to the Church, which is the body of Christ.
e. Thus she became the mother not only of Jesus, its head, but also of the Church, his body.
2. Explain, how Mary is the symbol and model of the Church.
a. The Church is the community of believers who are on their pilgrimage to heaven. Mary’s own life was a pilgrimage of faith.
b. She started that pilgrimage when she said to the Angel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord…. It was a journey filled with mixed experiences of misunderstanding, various difficulties, sacrifices, joys and satisfaction.
c. In all these, she believed in God’s love and providence and moved forward. Mary is the one who believed firmly that there is nothing impossible with God.
d. The generations proclaim her name saying “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
e. Mary is the symbol of the Church, the faithful bride of Christ. Mary is the model for the entire Church in faith, charity and total fidelity to the Lord.
f. The life of Mary, who dedicated herself totally go God and carried on her life in fidelity to His Word, is a symbol of the Church who is called to dedicate herself in fidelity to the Word of God.
g. Mary who was taken up in body and soul to heaven is the symbol of the Church to be glorified at the end of time.
3. What is the basic in Gospel for the Marian intercession?
a. Mother Mary sought the help of Jesus when wine ran out at the marriage party in Cana.
b. Through Jesus responded to her saying that His time had not come, Mary told the attendants, “Do what he says.”
c. Through this incident, Mary gives us an insight into her own life which was rich in holiness.
d. She became a happy mother by bearing the Word of God in her heart and pondering over it.
e. Like Mary we can become happy and successful as well, if we do what Jesus wants us to do.
d. Write a short note on the Marian Devotion of the Marthomma Nazranies.
a. The Mar Thomma Christians have always been eager to follow and advance in Marin devotion along with their liturgical practices. Every Wednesday was set apart for Marian devotion.
b. In the Syro_Malabar liturgy ‘Yama Prarthana’ has significant place. And it is in this prayer that Marian devotion is officially reflected.
c. In our Church, the ‘Yama Prarthana’ of Wednesday is enriched with hymns anal prayers in honour of Mary, our mother.
d. All the festivals of Mary have been very faithfully observed and celebrated in all our churches from the very beginning. It is particularly worth remembering that Mar Thomma Christians observed fast and abstinence in preparation for the important Marian Festivals.
e. They observed fifteen day’s abstinence in preparation for the feast of Assumption and eight days abstinence before the feast of Mary’s Nativity.
5. What are the important feasts of Mary?
1. The Feast of the Purification of Mary – February 2nd
2. The Feast of the Annunciation – March 25th
3. The Feast of Mother Carmel – July 16
4. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary – August 15th
5.) The Nativity of Mary – September 8th
6.) The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary – December 8th
7. The Motherhood of Mary – The Sunday after Christmas
8. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Mary – The day after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Essay Questions
1. Mary, the mother and model of the Church. Explain
Answer: Lesson 15, page 89 last paragraph
Page 90,1st and second paragraph
Page 91, 1st and 2nd paragraph under the heading of Mary the symbol and model of the church. Write the contents of the paragraphs
2. What are the different forms of Marian Devotions?
Answer: page 92, 3rd, 4th and 5th paragraph under the heading of the different forms of Marian Devotions.
Page 93, 1st and 2nd paragraphs.
Lesson 1- Church: The people chosen by God
a. How did Abraham respond to God’s call?
a. As a result of the sin of man, the children of God was degraded and scattered.
b. But, God wanted to gather them into one flock and lead them on the path of salvation and raise them to the dignity of the children of God.
c. The call of Abraham came in this context as God wanted to give rise to a new generation through him. Through faith and obedience Abraham responded to God’s call.
d. God’s promises came to Abraham at a time when he had no children. Trusting in the promise of God, Abraham ventured to leave behind his dear native land and go to the place God had shown him.
e. God was greatly pleased with Abraham’s faith and obedience and he blessed him with a son named Isaac, fulfilling His promise.
b. Why did God call Moses?
a. The authorities in Egypt became increasingly jealous and suspicious of the people of Israel as they made steady progress numerically and economically.
b. Gradually the Egyptians began to pressurize and persecute the Israelites. They treated them like slaves and made them work like slaves.
c. God called Moses to liberate the people of Israel from slavery and persecution under the Egyptian authorities
d. And to make them once again God’s own people in accordance with the promises he had made to Abraham and his descendants.
c. What do we mean when we call the people of Israel ‘Kahal’ or ‘Ecclesia’?
a. In the Old Testament, the word ‘Kahal’ (in Hebrew) or ‘Ecclesia’ (in Greek) is used to mean a people called into one flock by God and who were made God’ own people.
b. Literally, the word ‘Kahal’ or ‘Ecclesia’ means the ‘assembly of those who are called together’. This word received a religious significance when it was used in the Bible. The word ‘Ecclesia’ means in three things in the context of Israel’s history.
c. The people of Israel constitute an assembly called by God.
d. They were called together for a special purpose. (To worship the Lord, their God and to keep his covenant was the purpose for which they were called).
e. Through this election, Israel became God’s own people.
1. Write two verse from the Bible that indicates that we, the Christians, are God’s own people.
a. ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after this day, says the Lord: I will put my laws within them, and I will write it upon their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people’ (Jer 31:33).
b. ‘For our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God’. (2Cor 5:21)
5. How did Jesus establish the new covenant?
a. In the fullness of time, Jesus, the Son of God, through his life, death and resurrection realized this covenant.
b. Jesus established a new covenant of love by giving the transformed bread and wine as his own body and blood at the last supper.
c. This covenant was sealed with this sacrificial death on the cross.
d. Thus God forgave the sins of humanity through the death of His own son on the cross. God remembers our sins no more.
Lesson 2- Church: The Community of the Redeemed
1. What does St. Paul say to show that all men are in need of salvation?
a. We were all under the power of sin on account of the sin of our first parents.
b. But God willed to bring salvation to all through his only son, Jesus.
c. St. Paul makes it very clear in the letter to the Romans that sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and righteousness came through another man, Jesus.
d. Again Paul Says: “None is righteous, no, not one”. St Paul highlights the universality of sin to show that the whole mankind was in need of salvation.
2. What is the experience of salvation?
a. God entered into a covenant with the liberated Israelites and made them His own people.
b. He gave them commandments so that they may become a redeemed people who are God’s own.
c. The commandments that God gave them through Mses constituted a way of life that ensured salvation.
d. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all people.
e. The experience of salvation consists in being God’s own people and being united to Him.
3. Why do we say that obedience to the commandments is the condition for salvation?
a. God entered into covenant with the liberated Israelites and made them his own people. He gave them commandments so that they may become a redeemed people who are God’s own.
b. The commandments that God gave them through Moses constituted a way of life that ensured salvation.
c. The Jews through that mere observance of the law would ensure their salvation and that belief made them keep the law in a literal sense. However, they failed in understanding the real meaning of God’s law and living it out.
d. But God in His goodness willed to lead this people on the path of Salvation through an inviolable covenant.
e. The terms of this covenant will be written in their hearts and not on tablets of stone. This covenant was established through Jesus, the son of God.
4. Jesus is the Saviour of the world, Explain.
a. The promise that God gave to humankind that he would send a Saviour, was fulfilled in Jesus. He was born to save us from the slavery of sin.
b. This is depicted in the words of the angel addressed to Joseph, asking him to call his name ‘Jesus’: “She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
c. Announcing the glad tidings of Jesus’ birth the angels told the shepherds that a Saviour had been born for them in the city of David.
d. While Jesus was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, Simeon spoke with a prophetic vision:”… for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all people…”
e. Jesus, through his suffering, death on the cross and glorious resurrection saved humanity from the slavery of sin and fulfilled all the prophecies that had been made about him.
5. How are salvation and the sacraments related?
a. The sacraments are the means to obtain the forgiveness of sins and salvation or eternal given by Jesus.
b. By offering us forgiveness of sins and divine life, the sacraments lead us to the experience of salvation, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
c. The Church can be seen as the custodian of the salvation achieved by Jesus and she is the one who distributes it. It is this salvation that the Church ever proclaims.
d. This salvation becomes available to us through the Word of God and the sacraments administered by the Church. The Church always invites and inspires people to come into the salvation through conversation and baptism.
e. Thus the Church, redeemed by Jesus Christ, offers salvation for all and remains in the world as a sign and instrument of salvation for all people.
Essay Questions
1.Jesus is the Saviour of the world and the only Saviour. Explain.
Answer : Lesson 2, Page18 Last paragraph under the heading of Jesus: The Saviour of the world
&
page 19 1st paragraph under the heading of Jesus: The only Xavier
Lesson 3- Church: The Community of the Believers
1. What do you mean by faith?
a. Faith is man’s response to the call of God, who reveals Himself. The expression of this response is a loving surrender to God.
b. The people who listened to the speech of the Apostle Peter, on the day of Pentecost, were so touched and moved that they asked this apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
c. And Peter said to them: “Repent, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.
d. Accepting this call, they repented and received Baptism. And they were added to the community of believers who accepted, Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
e. Faith is found on the belief that the Word of God will be done even if it is unintelligent for the human mind. In the letter to the Hebrews we read: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
f. What underlines this faith is a deep love-relationship with God. Moved by love we surrender our minds, intelligence and heart to God in an act of faith.
2. How faith is reflected in the lives of Abraham, our father in faith and Mary, the Mother of Jesus?
a. The lives of our forefathers Abraham and Mary, the blessed mother of Jesus, are models of faith.
b. Abraham believed the Promise of God, although his wife was past the age of bearing and knew that, what was impossible with man was possible for God.
c. The same is true with Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, who believed the message of the angel and submitted to the will of God.
d. Faith is found on the belief that the Word of God will be done even if it is unintelligent for the human mind.
3. Name the five attributes of faith.
a. It is man’s response to God who reveals Himself.
b. It is the total acceptance of all that God has revealed.
c. It is man’s total obedience and self-surrender.
d. It is the awareness that it is God who enables us to believe and strengthens us in our faith.
e. It is the awareness that faith is both man’s response to God and a free gift of God.
4. The proclamation of the Gospel leads to faith. Explain.
a. The proclamation of the Gospel is the door through which we came into faith.
b. St. Paul asks, how are they to call on in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
c. So we know how essential it is to preach in order to lead people to faith. The Proclamation of the Good News is the mission entrusted to the Church by the risen Saviour.
d. He told his disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved…”
e. Having received this mission from Jesus, the disciples went to different parts of the world proclaiming his Word. Their preaching and witnessing led many to faith in Jesus.
5. Explain the community dimension of Christian faith.
a. Christian faith has 2 realms: individual and social. Fundamentally, it is s participation in the fellowship of the Church.
b. Faith is our response to God’s revelation. This kind of response always leads to fellowship.
c. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they ate their food with glad and generous hearts.”
d. It is through baptism that one enters into the fellowship of the Church. The other sacraments enhance our growth in the Church.
e. Thus the Church is the community of people who respond to God’s call in faith and live together in prayer and fellowship and sharing, being nourished by the Word of God and the sacraments.
Essay Questions
1. A. What do you mean by faith?
B. How faith is reflected in the lives of Abraham, our father in faith and Mary, the Mother of Jesus?
Answer: Answers of Question 1 and 2
Lesson 4- Church: The Community led by the Spirit
1. How do we know that the early Church was led by the Holy Spirit?
a. The active presence of the Holy Spirit in the early Church can be clearly seen in the activities of the apostles. We can see the Spirit directly leading the apostles, talking to them and helping them to take proper decisions.
b. It is the Spirit who gives them clear instructions as to where they should go and what they should do.
c. The Spirit dwells with them, strengthens them and makes them enthusiastic and cheerful.
d. “Now in the Church at Antioch… while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
e. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cypress.”
2. How does the Holy Spirit build up the Church?
3. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed on the faithful?
a. The gift of the Holy Spirit varies from person to person. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
b. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit
c. to another faith by the same Spirit to another gifts of healing by the same spirit, to another the working of miracles,
d. To another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between Spirits, to another the gifts of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
e. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills
4. How do we become the temples of the Holy Spirit?
a. The Second Vatican Council (The Church 4) teaches us that the Holy Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful as in a temple.
b. This teaching is based on the words of St. Paul in the first Corinthians: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy and that temple you are”.
c. We are God’s temples, because, God’s Spirit dwells in us. We read the scriptures how to risen Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit by breathing on them.
5. What should we do that we may be led by the Spirit?
a. To be led by the Spirit, we should live according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We receive such promptings through the commandments of God, the laws the Church and the directions of our superiors
b. Our attitude to the Holy Spirit should be one of submission and obedience. The Bible tell us that we should not grieve the Holy Spirit.
c. St. Paul, in the letter to the Romans, again speaks to us about the Holy Spirit: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship.
d. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit thatwe are children of God….”
6. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
a. St. Paul names the fruits of the Holy Spirit distributed among the believers.
b. They are love, happiness, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control, endurance, chastity and moderation.
c. All these are given by the Holy Spirit in order to build up the Church and make it grow.
Essay Questions
1.) How did the Holy Spirit work in the early Christian community?
Answer: Lesson 4, 3rd, 4th and 5th paragraph from page 29 and 1st paragraph from page 32 under the heading of the work of the Holy spirit in the Early Christian Community
2.) What are the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit bestowed on the faithful?
3.) Answer: lesson 4, page30, 2nd, 3rd and 4th paragraph under the heading of The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Lesson 5- Church: The body of Christ
1. How did St. Paul get the insight that the Church is the body of Christ?
a. The Church is the body of Christ. This was a great insight of St. Paul. Jesus made it clear to him that when he persecuted the Christians he was persecuting Christ himself.
b. Paul shares with us the same insight in his letter to the Romans: “For, as in our body we have many members and all the members do not have the same function,
c. So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another.”
d. Paul teaches us that Christ is the head of the body that is the Church. We are members of this body, the Church of which Christ is the Head.
2. How does Jesus continue his constant presence in the Church?
a. Jesus told his disciples that he would not leave them orphans; that he would be with them to the end of the age.
b. Jesus ensures his constant presence in the Church through the Word of God, the sacraments and fellowship in the Church.
c. He led us through this world and nourishes us, day after day through the Holy Eucharist.
d. We become one with him by participating in his body and blood in the Eucharist.
e. At the same time we become united with one another by partaking of the one bread and the one cup. Thus the fellowship in the Church is reinforced.
3. How does the Holy Eucharist unite us to Jesus and to one another?
a. Jesus told his disciples that he would not leave them orphans; that he would be with them to the end of the age.
b. Jesus ensures his constant presence in the Church through the Word of God, the sacraments and fellowship in the Church.
c. He led us through this world and nourishes us, day after day through the Holy Eucharist.
d. We become one with him by participating in his body and blood in the Eucharist.
e. At the same time we become united with one another by partaking of the one bread and the one cup. Thus the fellowship in the Church is reinforced
4. How should we use the gifts given to us as members of the Church?
a. As children of the holy mother, the Church, our duty is to acknowledge their gifts and serve the Church according to the will of Jesus.
b. We should use the gifts for the glory of God and the growth of the Church
c. Do good to others and share with others what you have, is the core of Biblical teaching, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
2. We cannot see Jesus apart from the Church nor can we see the Church apart from Jesus. Explain.
a. Just as we love Jesus, we should love His body, the Church. We cannot love Jesus apart from the Church nor can we love the Church apart from Jesus.
b. We can love the Church only if we see in it Jesus himself. Jesus Christ lives in the Church and through the Church He leads us, teaches us and sanctifies us.
c. Let us be aware of the fact that we are all members of the body of Christ
d. And have special love and concern for the poor, the afflicted, the sick, the orphans, the widows, the aged and the children.
Essay Questions
1.) How did the Church become the Body of Christ?
Answer: Lesson 5, page 35, paragraph 2nd & 3rd under the heading of Church: The Body of Christ
2.) What are the functions of the various ministers in the church?
Answer: Lesson 5, last paragraph from page 35,
1st , 2nd & 3rd paragraph from page 36 under the heading of various ministers in the Church
Lesson 6- Church: The Priestly People
1. What were the functions of the priesthood in the Old Testament?
a. This is the beginning of Israel’s history of Priesthood. A priest in the Old Testament was set apart to offer worship to the Lord and as such, he was blameless and holy.
b. His primary function was to offer sacrifices, gifts and incense to the Lord in the name of the people.
c. He was to pray for the people and be a mediator between God and his people.
d. A priest was to be a witness of God’s holiness before his people.
e. It was also his duty, as in Leviticus, to teach the people of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.
2. Why did God liberate Israel from their slavery?
a. God called Israel out from slavery in order to make them a people who would offer him worship and priestly service.
b. For this purpose, he anointed Aaron and his sons and priests. God told Moses while making covenant at Sinai:
c. “Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possessions among all peoples;
d. For all the earth is mine and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
3. How does the Church, saved by the blood of Christ, become a priestly people and a worshiping community?
a. By becoming member of the Church through baptism, we share in the royal priesthood of Christ. St. Peter says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…”.
b. Those who are chosen specially for the service of the Church, participates in the ministerial priesthood.
c. Those who are not called to the ministerial priesthood in the Church perform only the functions of royal priesthood.
d. They should perform this function in association with their respective parish Church, the parish priest and the community of believers.
e. The document on the Church instructs us how Christians should exercise their priestly functions.
4. The Sacrifice of the Holy Qurbana is the highest form of worship. Explain.
a. The Holy Qurbana is the highest form of worship the Church can offer to God.
b. It is offered by Jesus Christ, the head, in association with the Church, his body, to the Eternal Father.
c. At the same time, it is also a worship offered by the Church, the body of Christ, in union with Jesus Christ.
d. Through the Holy Qurbana we participate in the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the eternal priest.
5.As a priestly people of God in the New Testament, how are we to exercise our ministry of common priesthood?
a. By becoming members of the Church through baptism, we share in the royal priesthood of Christ. St. Peter says, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…
b. Those who are chosen specially for the service of the Church, participates in the ministerial priesthood.
c. Those who are not called to the ministerial priesthood in the Church perform only the functions of royal priesthood. They should perform this function in association with their respective parish Church, the parish priest and the community of believers.
d. The document on the Church instructs us how Christians should exercise their priestly function.
e. For all their works, prayers and apostolic endeavors, their ordinary married and family life, their daily occupations, their physical and mental, relaxation, if carried out in the Spirit and even the hardships of life, if patiently borne-all these become “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (199).
f. Together with the offering of the Lord’s body, they are most fittingly offered in the celebration of the Eucharist. Thus, as those everywhere who adore in holy activity, the laity consecrate the world itself to God. (The Church, No.34).
Essay Questions
1.What do you mean by the Priesthood of the Old Testament and the Priesthood of Jesus Christ?
Answer:Lesson 6, 3rd and 4th paragraph from page 40 under the heading of The Priesthood of the Old Testament and the Priesthood of Jesus.
Page 41, 1st paragraph under the heading of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ
2. What is the difference between the royal priesthood and the ministerial priesthood?
Answer: Lesson 6, 2nd and 3rd paragraph from page 41 under the heading of We are a Priestly People. 3rd paragraph from page 42 under the heading of The ministerial priesthood
Lesson 7- Church: The Community of people who share
1. Christian sharing is rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus. Explain.
a. Jesus came for those who suffer hunger and thirst, those who are afflicted by various diseases and those who are over burdened by their sins.
b. He gave himself totally for them. He gave them his flesh and blood and his entire life. The disciples of Jesus should be marked by this quality of sharing.
c. John, the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus told the people that those who had two coats should share with those who had none and do the same with food.
d. The message of sharing shows clearly in Jesus’ teaching. He asked his disciples to give freely what they had received as gifts. To the one who would take away your coat, give your cloak as well. While giving alms, the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing.
e. The same message of sharing is brought home in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus multiplied bread in order to share it with those who were hungry.
f. The Church, called to follow the example and teaching of Jesus, is bound to be a sharing community.
2. What is the life-style of the early Church?
a. The early Church lived in its fullness the compassion of Jesus and His readiness to share. We read in the Acts of the Apostles, the community of believers was of one heart and one soul.
b. Nobody claimed anything as his own. Everything was held in common and there was no one in want among them.
c. For, they sold everything they had and brought the proceeds and laid it at the feet of the apostle and distribution was made according to each one’s need.
d. We read in the Acts, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”.
e. As they continue to grow in their generosity and good will to share, there was no one who suffered poverty or want among them.
3. What are the teachings of the early Church on sharing?
a. We should grow in our generosity and readiness to share with others in imitation of Jesus who though he was rich, became poor for our sake.
b. St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians teaches us on alms giving and charity. God loves those who give cheerfully.
c. Alms giving is an acceptable sacrifice to God. Apostle James tells us that we should show our faith in action by helping those who are I need.
d. “If a brother and sister is without clothes and in lack of daily food and one of you says to them, “go in peace, be warmed and filled”, without giving him the things he needs for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no work, is dead”
e. The disciples urged the early Christians community to share with others through their teachings and examples with a generous heart.
4. It is the hope of resurrection that urges on to share: illustrate.
a. It was the hope of resurrection that motivated the early Christians to share what they had, with the needy one.
b. Another motive force that prompted them to share was the teaching of Jesus about the final Judgement at the end of time and how he would address the just and say that when they did it to the least of his brethren, they did it to him.
c. Those who put all their trust in material things can never share. Only those who put their trust in God and believe in resurrection and eternal life can share what they have with others.
d. The awareness that everything in the world is perishable and nothing material can be carried away when one dies, prompts people to share what they have with others.
e. They are urged to engage themselves in charitable deeds and sharing of material resources so that they may reap its fruits in eternal life.
5. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church. Explain.
a. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church which is the body of Christ. When one member of the body suffers pain, it affects the entire body and steps will be taken to relieve that pain.
b. In the same way, in the body of Christ, the Church, we should engage ourselves in charitable deeds to relieve the sufferings of others.
c. The majority of the world population who are poor, find their hope in the Charity, and sharing of the Church.
d. The institutions managed by the Catholic Church use their resources for the common good and not for the individual benefit of those who run these institutions.
e. We can see this spirit reflected in the educational institutions, hospitals, orphanages, counselling centres, hospitals for the mentally retarded, boys’ homes, homes for the aged, centres for the care of cancer patients and aids patients and rehabilitation centres for those who are released from prisons.
f. The Church is proud of Fr. Damien who lived and died for lepers, St. Vincent de Paul who dedicated his total life for the care of the poor and the abandoned and Mother Teresa who became a model of Charity and love for the entire world.
g. The Church should be always at the beck and call of the poor, the abandoned and the persecuted.
h. The members of the Church should actively participate in works of charity and become witnesses of a sharing Church in the world.
Essay Questions
1. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church. Explain.
a. Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church which is the body of Christ. When one member of the body suffers pain, it affects the entire body and steps will be taken to relieve that pain.
b. In the same way, in the body of Christ, the Church, we should engage ourselves in charitable deeds to relieve the sufferings of others.
c. The majority of the world population who are poor, find their hope in the Charity, and sharing of the Church.
d. The institutions managed by the Catholic Church use their resources for the common good and not for the individual benefit of those who run these institutions.
e. We can see this spirit reflected in the educational institutions, hospitals, orphanages, counselling centres, hospitals for the mentally retarded, boys’ homes, homes for the aged, centres for the care of cancer patients and aids patients and rehabilitation centres for those who are released from prisons.
f. The Church is proud of Fr. Damien who lived and died for lepers, St. Vincent de Paul who dedicated his total life for the care of the poor and the abandoned and Mother Teresa who became a model of Charity and love for the entire world.
g. The Church should be always at the beck and call of the poor, the abandoned and the persecuted.
h. The members of the Church should actively participate in works of charity and become witnesses of a sharing Church in the world.
Lesson 8- Church: The Prophetic people
1. Who is a prophet? What are his functions?
a. A prophet is the one who communicates God’s message to the people. He speaks for God. He also bears witness to God’s Word in his own life.
b. He may have to face rejection, persecution or even death as he is called to raise his finger against all kinds of wrong doings and abuses.
c. However, as one lead by the Spirit of God, he stands firm and bears witness to the truth to the best of his ability.
d. The prophets of the Old Testament have shown great courage to walk into the royal palaces and point out the injustice and misdeeds of the rulers.
2. What do you understand when we speak of the prophetic function of the members of the Church?
a. The members of the Church who receive the Holy Spirit through Baptism and Anointing became a prophetic people.
b. The prophetic people are those who are anointed by the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit.
c. Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.
d. To become witnesses of Jesus Christ is the mission of those who receive the Spirit and become prophets in the Church.
3. A prophets is called to be the light of the world and salt of the earth: illustrate.
a. Jesus said to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth. “ He again said to them. “You are the light of the world.”
b. He also warned us not to let salt lose its saltness and not to let the light go out. Salt preserves edible things: it also gives taste.
c. In fulfilling their prophetic function the members of the Church should work for the elimination of evil in the society and to add taste to life which they experience deep within them.
d. Wherever they are, the members of the Church are called to bear witness to Christ through proclaiming the Word of God and by the example of their lives.
e. As a prophetic people, Christians are called to shed the light of Christ on those who live in the darkness of immorality, deceitfulness and fraud.
4. Write a short note on: A Christian is one has to bear witness to truth.
a. Jesus said that he came to the world to bear witness to the truth. Jesus proved this though his words and actions.
b. Our prophetic function in the world is to bear witness to truth like Jesus.
c. The Church should really become the conscience of the world by fighting against untruth and injustice and by witnessing to truth, justice and love. This is the prophetic function of the church.
d. John the Baptist was beheaded because he raised his voice against untruth. St. Thomas More, who bore courageous witness to truth became a martyr.
5. How do the lay people fulfil their prophetic mission?
a. Like the priest and the religious, the lay people have a prophetic function. Everyone who becomes a member of the Church through baptism is called to be a prophet.
b. The lay persons are called to fulfil their prophetic function in the Church by strengthening themselves through the reception of the sacraments, by leading a life of faith and by proclaiming the gospel through their words and lives.
c. Family life has a central place in the prophetic function of the laity. The husband and wife are to be witnesses of faith and love of Jesus between them, before their children and in the society in which they live.
d. All Christians are bound to participate in the prophetic function of the Church. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, let us fulfil our prophetic function in today’s world.
Essay Questions
1. A. What do you understand when we speak of the prophetic function of the members of the Church?
B. How do the lay people fulfil their prophetic mission?
Answer A: Answer of Question no. 2
Answer B: Answer of Question No.5
Lesson 9- The Missionary Church
1. The Church is missionary by her very nature. Explain.
a. After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to his disciples and said “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you”
b. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”.
c. Jesus entrusted the Church with the mission to bear witness to him. Therefore the Church, by her very nature, is missionary.
2. How does the Church perform her missionary function?
a. The Church’s mission is to proclaim Christ and make him known as the only Saviour of the world and lead all peoples to this path of Salvation.
b. It is the duty of every Christian to proclaim Jesus Christ to others who do not know him yet.
c. Likewise the members of the Church are bound to deepen their own faith and confirm others in their faith by their words and deeds.
d. The Church performs this God given mission in three ways (1) The Church proclaims Christ to those people who have not heard of him.
e. (2) She instructs those who are already in the Church through faith and baptism, so that they may deepen their knowledge in the mystery of faith.
f. (3) She re-evangelizes those Christians who have become weak in their practise of faith.
3. Every Christian is a missionary. Illustrate.
a. One is called to participate in the mission of proclaiming Christ by virtue of his baptism. To bear witness to Christ by leading a life in accordance with the gospel values is the fundamental mission of every Christian.
b. This mission is carried out differently by the members of the Church depending on the state of life each one has chosen.
c. Those who are in the priesthood and those who are in religious life are set apart exclusively for sharing the mission of the Church.
d. They have accepted a call and are set apart to go to any part of the world to proclaim the gospel. They laity are also called to participate in the mission of the Church.
e. They bear witness to Jesus Christ by their words and actions, particularly when they live out their lives in the midst of people who are non-Christians.
4. Write notes on: The missionary endeavours of the Syro-Malabar Church.
a. The Christians who receive faith from St. Thomas, imbibed his missionary zeal and faith. Many missionaries, both men and women, from the Syro-Malabar Church are engaged in octane missionary work in different parts of India.
b. To this day a considerable member of Indian missionaries belong to Syro-Malabar Church. This church has succeeded in maintaining and increasing the Christian faith among the non-Christians.
c. In recognition of the missionary spirit and zeal of the Syro-Malabar Church and its members, Pope John 23rd entrusted the care of Chanda Mission to the Syro-Malabar Church.
d. Later a number of dioceses in the north, such as Satna, Sagar, Ujjain, Bignor, Rajkot, Jagadapur, Ghorakpur were entrusted to the Syro-Malabar Church by the Holy See.
e. Diocese of Kalyan was established in 1988 to look after the spiritual needs of the members of the Syro-Malabar Church who have settled in Mumbai for job and track and commerce.
f. The diocese of Thakkala in the South was established in 1996 and in the North, the diocese of Balthangadi in 1999 comprising the mission territories of Kerala.
g. The diocese of Chanda was divided and the diocese of Adilabad was formed. The diocese of Chicago in USA is a part of the Syro-Malabar Church.
5. How can we participate in the mission of the Church as its members?
a. One is called to participate in the mission of proclaiming Christ by virtue of his baptism. To bear witness to Christ by leading a life in accordance with the gospel values is the fundamental mission of every Christian.
b. This mission is carried out differently by the members of the Church depending on the state of life each one has chosen.
c. Those who are in the priesthood and those who are in religious life are set apart exclusively for sharing the mission of the Church.
d. They have accepted a call and are set apart to go to any part of the world to proclaim the gospel. They laity are also called to participate in the mission of the Church.
e. They bear witness to Jesus Christ by their words and actions, particularly when they live out their lives in the midst of people who are non-Christians.
Essay Questions
1.Write notes on: The missionary endeavours of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Answer: answer of Question 4
Lesson 10- The Pilgrim Church
1. What is the hope that gives meaning to Christian life?
a. Christian life is a pilgrimage; it is a journey from the slavery of sin leading to the heavenly Canaan, a land of promise.
b. A pilgrimage is a journey towards a holy place on a place of religious significance. It is usually a journey undertaken with many difficulties.
c. But, by the end of the pilgrimage when we reach the holy place, it will be a wonderful experience of joy and delight.
d. In the same way our pilgrimage to heaven involves many difficulties and trials but at the end, when we reach heaven we enjoy eternally the bliss of Paradise.
e. Heaven is the real and perfect experience of salvation towards which the entire humanity moves with eager longing. This salvation is made possible through Jesus and in Jesus.
f. Jesus revealed to us that there are many rooms in His Father’s house and that he would take us there.
g. Hence, Christians are a people who move forward with eager longing for heaven and the bliss of Paradise. It is this hope of eternal life, which gives meaning to Christian Life.
2. How does the Christian life become a foretaste of life in heaven?
a. Christian Life means our union with Jesus Christ.it is a state in which we are in Christ He is in us. A complete and final realization of this union with Christ is heaven.
b. We will see God face to face in heaven and we will live in union with Him eternally enjoying beatific vision.
c. As Paul the apostle says, we see Him now as if in a mirror faintly, but then we shall see Him face to face; now we know Him in part, but then we shall understand him fully.
d. Life in heaven is something spiritual, having nothing to do with flesh and blood or other material realities. There will be no desires of the flesh in heaven, as life in heaven is spiritual.
e. While here on earth, in real Christian life, we can have a fore taste heaven, provided we live according to the promptings of the Spirit.
f. Peace and happiness are the fruits of the Spirit which the presence of the Holy Spirit ensures in our lives.
g. Enjoying peace and happiness here on earth through presence of the Holy Spirit, is an experience of heavenly life – only in small measures here, but there in full.
3. How can we help our departed faithful?
a. The faithful who are on earth and assist the souls in purgatory, through their prayers, particularly the Eucharist, alms giving and sacrifices.
b. The Holy Scripture gives us some indication about purgatory. In the Book of Maccabees we read that nothing unholy will enter the presence of God.
c. It also exhorts us to pray for the dead.
d. Mar Aprem, the Syrian Church Father says, “My brothers, observe my memory thirty days after my death, for the dead are helped through the sacrifices offered by the living.
4. Explain, individual judgement and final judgement.
a. The Church is clear in her teaching about life after death. It contains her views in individual judgment and final judgment.
b. The separation of the soul from the body is death. The body gets decayed in the soil but the soul, at the very moment of death, appears before God, to be judged individually, according to each one’s life and conduct. We call this individual judgment.
c. The final judgement is the one in which the just and the unjust are going to be separated finally and eternally.
d. St. Matthew gives us a complete and a vivid description of the final judgement. “Before Him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats..
e. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, come, blessed of my father, inherits the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
f. Then He will say to those at His left hand, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and His angels.
Essay Questions
1.Explain, individual judgement and final judgement.
Answer: Lesson 10, 4th and 5th paragraph from page 63 under the heading of , individual judgement and final judgement.
1st paragraph, 2nd paragraph under the heading of The Final Judgement is the Act by which God Glorifies the Just and Punishes the Unjust from page 64
3rd and 4th paragraph under the heading of The Final Judgement and Glorification
Please write the contents of all these paragraphs
2. Explain Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.
Answer:page 65, 1st para under the heading of Hell
2nd and 3rd paragraph under the heading of Purgatory
4th paragraph from page 65 and 1st paragraph from page 66 under the heading of Heaven.
Lesson 11- The Church is one
1. The Catholic Church is the fellowship of the individual Churches. Explain.
a. In the Church, the members live out their Christian life in individual Churches under one common authority of the Pope.
b. The Catholic Church is the fellowship or communion of these individual Churches. There exists a wonderful unity among these Churches.
c. Diversity does not affect the unity of the Church, rather it enhances it and reinforces it.
d. There are 22 individual Churches in the Catholic Church which are different in liturgy, theology, spirituality and discipline.
e. Each of these Churches has sprung up in its own particular historical context and is rooted in a particular culture. Each of them has its own life-style. They, have all equal status in the Catholic Church.
2. What are the factors that constitute the basic of the Church’s fellowship and unity? – Essay Question
a. Unity in Faith- Fundamentally, it is faith that makes the Church a fellowship. Our faith is in Triune God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as revealed by Jesus. It is the faith in the salvation, made real by the Son of God, who was sent by the Father, for the redemption of the world and completed by the Holy Spirit. Thus all the believers are united in one Spirit through one Lord, one faith and one baptism.
b. Unity in Sacraments – Having been made into one body with Jesus through baptism, we are nourished by the Holy Eucharist and other sacraments. St. Paul says that the cup of blessing that we share is a participation in the blood of Christ. The Church is the fellowship of those who participate in the one and the same life by participating on the same spiritual drink and the same spiritual food. Thus the members of the Church are united through one baptism and one bread for all.
c. Unity in Apostleship- Jesus formed the Church through the apostles whom he chose, anointed in the Spirit and sent to preach and baptise. He wanted the church to be led, sanctified and instructed by the apostles and those who took their place after them, the Bishops. Fellowship with the apostle and the Bishops is essential for maintaining the fellowship of the believers in the Church. This is called unity in apostleship. The believers who are united like this have one faith, one sacrament and one apostolic leadership. In this way all the believers are made into one body in the Holy Spirit.
3. Which are the main liturgical traditions in the Catholic Church?
The individual Churches follow six liturgical traditions which are ancient. Of these, Byzantine, Antiochian, Alexandrian, Chaldean and Armenian are of Oriental liturgical traditions and Roan (Latin) traditions is Western.
4. To which liturgical tradition does the Syro-Malabar Church belong to?
a. The Mar Thoma Christians of India received the light of faith from Thomas, the apostle and became Christians in the very first century itself.
b. The Syro-Malabar Church has been following the Mar Thoma Tradition in an unbroken manner right from the start.
c. The Syro-Malabar Church follows the Oriental Syrian Liturgical Tradition with certain adaptions to Indian culture. Both the Syro-Malabar Church and Chaldean Church follow the Oriental-Syrian liturgical tradition.
d. Though those Churches sprang up and grew outside the Roman Empire, thy have always maintained unity and fellowship with the See of Peter.
e. The Syro-Malabar Church, having its own individuality and tradition, is united in fellowship with the Catholic Church through Faith, Sacraments and Jurisdiction.
5. On what basis are the individual Church form?
a. There are 22 individual Churches in the Catholic Church which are different in liturgy, theology, spirituality and discipline.
b. Each of these Churches has sprung up in its own particular historical context and is rooted in a particular culture.
c. Each of them has its own life-style. They, have all equal status in the Catholic Church.
Lesson 12- The Church is Holy
1. How did God reveal his holiness to the prophet Isaiah; explain.
a. Once prophet Isaiah was praying in the temple and he had a vision. He saw the Lord seated on a throne.
b. The hem of his robe filled the entire temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had 6 wings; with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew.
c. And one called to another and said: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His Glory.”
d. And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. This vision of Isaiah is one that reveals God’s holiness.
2. Why do you say that the Church is holy?
a. The Church is at once holy and yet to be sanctified. She is constantly being sanctified though repentance and conversion.
b. The Church is a community called by the highest God, who is Holy and dedicated to His service. The holy one, God, is dwelling in the Church.
c. The Church is being led by the Holy Spirit. The Church is also enriched by the presence of so many holy people in it. All these factors account for the holiness of the Church.
d. However we should not forget that members of the Church are also sinners and weak mortals. In the letter to the Hebrews we read: “…. Strive for peace with all men and for the holiness without which no one will see the lord.
e. This word of God refers to the importance and need for keeping holiness in our lives.
3. What are the means of sanctification in the Church?
a. Sanctification through the Word of God,
b. Sanctification through the Sacraments,
c. Sanctification through the Sacramentals,
d. Sanctification through Prayer, Fasting and Abstinence,
e. Sanctification through our Vocation.
4. How do the vocations become the means of holiness?
a. Perfection of love is attained and holiness is achieved, by fulfilling faithfully the duties pertaining to each one’s state of life. Any state of life in the Church is a divine vocation.
b. Whatever is the state of life, when one moves forward on the path of perfection of love according to his / her state of life and inspire others to grow in holiness, the holiness illuminates.
c. In a way the works entrusted to one’s care can also be seen as a divine call. Through this we get an opportunity to participate in the creative, redeeming and sanctifying works of God.
d. They become means of holiness for us when we lovingly co-operate and creatively respond to the call of God and the works entrusted to us.
e. Thus we become holy when we are nourished by the Word of God, the sacraments, the sacramental, prayer, fasting and abstinence and live according to our divine call.
5. How do abstinence, prayer and fasting help us to grow in holiness?
a. Prayer fasting and abstinence are also means for sanctification. In prayer we meet God; we come to know His will for us. T
b. hrough prayer we can confess our weaknesses and limitations before the Almighty God and gain strength and confidence.
c. Anyone who prays sincerely is greatly strengthened against falling into sin or in case of failure, he gets back to the path of holiness quickly through repentance.
d. Through fasting and abstinence we make amends for our own as well as for others sins.
e. Fasting gives us the strength to keep away from the situations of sin.
Essay Questions
1. The Church is holy , and yet to be sanctified. What are the means of sanctification in the church?
Answer: Church is holy and she is constantly being sanctified thruogh repentance and conversion
The church is acommunity called by the most high God, who is Holy and dedicated to his service.
The Holy one, God is dwelling in the church. The Church is being led by the Holy Spirit.
The church is also enriched by the presence of so many holy people in it.All these factors account for the holiness of the church.
Sanctification through Jesus
In Old testament, the blood of lamb that was sacrificed in expiation of sins could sanctify the temple, the altar and the people.
In the New Testament, Jesus, the Lamb of God, purifies us thruogh his blood.
It was his sacrifice on the cross that liberated us from the power of the evil one, sanctified us from sin and made us God’s children.
Sanctification through Word of God
It has the power to sanctify us. Jesus told his disciples that they were made clean by the Word which He spoke to them.
Jesus healed many simply by telling them to be healed. This shows the power of His Word to cleanse us and sanctify us.
When we receive the Word of God and carry it out in our lives, we become purified and clean.
The Word of God has the duty to equip everyone who hears it to carry out good works.
The members of the Church can walk on the path of holiness by reflecting on the Word of God and living it out during the course of the day.
Sanctification through Sacraments
They sanctify the Church for they are the streams of divine life established by Jesus.
God sanctifies every phase of human life through various sacraments, from birth till death.
The Holy Eucharist plays an important part in sanctifying a believer. The altar is the symbol of Holiness in a Church.
The participation of the faithful in the Holy Mass is indicative of the unworthiness of the people on the one hand and on the other, their participation in the holiness of the Triune God.
Sanctification through Sacramentals
The Sacramentals help us to grow in holiness. They prepare us to receive God’s love and kindness and assist us in our growth in holiness.
The sacramentals are rituals that sanctify the members of the church, in their varying states of life, situations, places and things they use.
Sanctification through Prayer, fasting and abstinence
In prayer we meet God and we come to know His will for us.
We acknowledge and confess our weaknesses and limitations before God and gain strength and confidence.
Through fasting and abstinence we make amends for our own as well for others sins.
Fasting gives us the strength to keep away from the situations of sin.
Sanctification through Vocation
By fulfilling faithfully the duties relating to our state of life, perfection of love and holiness is achieved.
The church regards all state of life as a divine vocation.
By being holy in our chosen state of life, we partake in the creative, redeeming and sanctifying works of God.
By being part of God’s work we are cooperating and responding to the call of God and thus fulfilling our purpose as God’s creation.
Lesson 13- The Church is Apostolic
1. How does the faith experience of the apostles become the foundation of the Church?
a. The faith experience of the apostles is the basis of the Church. When Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
b. Jesus was pleased with this answer and he said: “Blessed are you, Bar-Jona!... For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church…”
c. Representing all the apostles Peter made this proclamation of faith in the divinity of Jesus.
d. Remember St. Thomas, the Father of our faith, also proclaimed his faith in the Lord Jesus saying “MY Lord and my God.” (John 20:29).the apostles believed in Jesus and the Lord and God and proclaimed this faith with boldness to others.
e. And those who listened to the proclamation accepted this faith. Thus the faith-experience of the apostles became the basis of the Church, the community of believers.
2. What are the functions of the Bishops, the successors of the apostles?
a. God chose prophets, the Priests and the Kings , entrusting them with certain missions. The prophets spoke to the people in the name of God and corrected when they went wrong
b. The priests offered sacrifice to God for the sanctification of the people, the Kings gave leadership and defended Israel against the enemies
c. This triple mission was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus became a prophet, priest and King at the one and the same time. Jesus, by anointing the apostles with the Holy Spirit, handed over this triple mission to them.
d. The apostles fulfilled their salvific mission, entrusted to them, through teaching the people, the prophetic mission through sanctifying, the priestly mission and through shepherding, the kingly mission.
e. The Bishops, who derived their authority from the apostles, share in the same mission
3. Write a short note on the apostolicity of the Syro-Malabar Church.
a. Our fore-fathers had the privilege of receiving the faith directly from St. Thomas, the Apostle.
b. We, the members of the Syro-Malabar Church inherit this faith tradition.
c. Referencees like ‘Mar Thomma Nazranikal’ ‘Mar Thomma Christians are indicatives of our apostolic tradition and heritage.
d. It was St. Thomas who confessed Jesus as Lord and God and expressed his readiness to go and die with him.
e. The faith experience that we have received through the apostle St. Thomas is the apostolic foundation of the Syro-Malabar Church.
4. When does the council of Bishops express itself in the Church?
a. Jesus as St. Peter and the other eleven apostles had apostolic fellowship, the Bishops who are the successors of the apostles and the Pope who is taking the place of St. Peter, have an apostolic mission and fellowship which is exercised in the leadership of the Church.
b. The Pope is the Head of the council of Bishops. When the Bishops of the Church exercise their apostolic authority in union with the pope, we see the collegiality of Bishops.
c. The ecumenical councils also reflect the collegiality of Bishops.
d. The Catholic Church is the Church that has received its faith from the apostles and is led by the Bishops, the successors of the apostles.
5. What do you mean by the Primacy of the Pope?
a. Jesus himself gave the first place to Simon Peter among all the apostles chosen by him. Peter was a witness to all the important events in Jesus’ life.
b. Peter who enjoyed the privilege of special consideration and love of Jesus and who was also scolded by him on certain occasions, was given first place by Jesus in founding the Church and in exercising the mission of the Church.
c. We can see the Primacy of Peter in the Gospel of Mathew. Jesus promised that he would establish the Church on Peter, the rock, and give him the Keys of the Kingdom of God.
d. So we know that Jesus appointed Peter as the first among the twelve apostles. So we should say that the Pope is the first among the Bishops in the Church as he is the successor of Peter.
e. The Pope is at the one and the same time the Bishop of Rome and the head of the Universal Church. He has the authority to lead, sanctify and teach the Universal Church.
f. The first Vatican Council declared the Primacy of the Pope as a fundamental truth. Through the encyclicals and apostolic instructions the Pope exercises his teaching authority over the entire Church.
Essay Questions
1.Explain the faith experience and the Mission of the Apostles.
Answer: Lesson 13, Page 80, Paragraph 1 under the heading of the Faith Experience of the Apostles
And paragraph 2 under the heading of The Mission of the Apostles
Lesson 14- The Church is Universal
1. What is meant by the Universality or Catholicity of the Church?
a. On the day of Pentecost when the Church was formed, there were people who spoke different languages and belonged to different nations like the Parthians and the Medes,… listening to the preaching of the apostles.
b. So, at the very start of the Church, we can say, the Church reflected catholicity or universality.
c. The catholicity of the Church means that the Church is present everywhere in the world and she becomes the way of salvation for all people of the world.
d. ‘Catholicity’ or ‘Universality’ was the term used from the beginning to indicate this particular character of the Church. The English word, ‘Catholic’ was formed from the Greek word ‘Katholikos’.
e. This term means, ‘open to all’ or ‘embracing all’. We apply this term ‘Catholic’ to the Church in the sense that the church ‘embraces all’.
2. The Church includes all peoples and cultures: explain.
a. Keeping the whole of humanity in mind, God called Abraham the Father of nations. Through the call of Abraham, God formed the people of Israel.
b. But the purpose of this call and choice was the salvation of the entire humanity. Jesus was born as the Good News for all peoples and as the Saviour of the entire world.
c. Jesus through his life and words, gave the message of salvation for all. He commissioned the apostles to go to the whole world and proclaim the Good News. Through them the Church, the visible sign of the Kingdom of God, was established and its universality confirmed.
d. The church is to lead the whole world to salvation. She is bound to go into all cultures and receive all cultures and sanctify all cultures, irrespective of religion, race and caste.
e. God wants that all people must know the truth and be saved. So the catholicity of the Church means that it contains all people.
3. What is the teaching of St. John Damascene on the universality of the Church?
St. John Damascene speaks of the universality of the Church: “The Church is universal because she has gathered into one salvific faith and the knowledge of God, peoples who are diverse in tradition, language, culture and race.”
4. When is the Catholicity of the Church expressed?
a. Pope John Paul II says, “In the Church, there is the Oriental Tradition and also the Latin Tradition.
b. The Catholicity of the Church is not reflected in its totality through one tradition alone.
c. All should taste and know the universality of the Church that is preserved and made to grow in the life of the oriental and western Churches, a legacy that is divine and indivisible.
d. Thus we see that the universality of the Church is reflected clearly when we preserve and live the oriental and western traditions of the Church.
5. What is the purpose of the universality council of the Church?
a. The universal Councils of the Church play an all important role in expressing the unity and universality of the Church.
b. 21 Universal Councils have taken place in the Church till now. Over and above we can speak of a council that took place during the time of the apostles themselves, which was held in Jerusalem to discuss the question of exempting the gentile Christians from the Jewish practice of circumcision.
c. God revealed through Peter, the head of the Apostles and Paul, the zealous apostle of Christ, that circumcision was not needed.
d. The councils are held in the Church to interpret the mysteries of faith to the peoples, to bring about renewal in the Church and to find solutions to the various problems faced by the Church.
Essay Questions
1.The church embraces all the people, all cultures, different traditions and nationality. Explain
Answer: lesson14, 2nd paragraph under the heading of The Church embraces all the People of the World , page 86
3rd and 4th Paragraph under the heading of the Church Embraces all Cultures, page 86
5th paragraph under the heading of Different traditions and universality continued to 1st paragraph in page 87
Lesson 15- Mary, the Mother and Model of the Church
1. What part did Mary play in the birth of the Church?
a. After the death of Jesus, Mary gathered together the disciples of Jesus and prayed with them.
b. All these disciples were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain woman and Mary, the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.
c. Mary lived with the meditating on the word of God.
d. Thus Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the head of the Church, also participated in giving birth to the Church, which is the body of Christ.
e. Thus she became the mother not only of Jesus, its head, but also of the Church, his body.
2. Explain, how Mary is the symbol and model of the Church.
a. The Church is the community of believers who are on their pilgrimage to heaven. Mary’s own life was a pilgrimage of faith.
b. She started that pilgrimage when she said to the Angel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord…. It was a journey filled with mixed experiences of misunderstanding, various difficulties, sacrifices, joys and satisfaction.
c. In all these, she believed in God’s love and providence and moved forward. Mary is the one who believed firmly that there is nothing impossible with God.
d. The generations proclaim her name saying “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
e. Mary is the symbol of the Church, the faithful bride of Christ. Mary is the model for the entire Church in faith, charity and total fidelity to the Lord.
f. The life of Mary, who dedicated herself totally go God and carried on her life in fidelity to His Word, is a symbol of the Church who is called to dedicate herself in fidelity to the Word of God.
g. Mary who was taken up in body and soul to heaven is the symbol of the Church to be glorified at the end of time.
3. What is the basic in Gospel for the Marian intercession?
a. Mother Mary sought the help of Jesus when wine ran out at the marriage party in Cana.
b. Through Jesus responded to her saying that His time had not come, Mary told the attendants, “Do what he says.”
c. Through this incident, Mary gives us an insight into her own life which was rich in holiness.
d. She became a happy mother by bearing the Word of God in her heart and pondering over it.
e. Like Mary we can become happy and successful as well, if we do what Jesus wants us to do.
d. Write a short note on the Marian Devotion of the Marthomma Nazranies.
a. The Mar Thomma Christians have always been eager to follow and advance in Marin devotion along with their liturgical practices. Every Wednesday was set apart for Marian devotion.
b. In the Syro_Malabar liturgy ‘Yama Prarthana’ has significant place. And it is in this prayer that Marian devotion is officially reflected.
c. In our Church, the ‘Yama Prarthana’ of Wednesday is enriched with hymns anal prayers in honour of Mary, our mother.
d. All the festivals of Mary have been very faithfully observed and celebrated in all our churches from the very beginning. It is particularly worth remembering that Mar Thomma Christians observed fast and abstinence in preparation for the important Marian Festivals.
e. They observed fifteen day’s abstinence in preparation for the feast of Assumption and eight days abstinence before the feast of Mary’s Nativity.
5. What are the important feasts of Mary?
1. The Feast of the Purification of Mary – February 2nd
2. The Feast of the Annunciation – March 25th
3. The Feast of Mother Carmel – July 16
4. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary – August 15th
5.) The Nativity of Mary – September 8th
6.) The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary – December 8th
7. The Motherhood of Mary – The Sunday after Christmas
8. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Mary – The day after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Essay Questions
1. Mary, the mother and model of the Church. Explain
Answer: Lesson 15, page 89 last paragraph
Page 90,1st and second paragraph
Page 91, 1st and 2nd paragraph under the heading of Mary the symbol and model of the church. Write the contents of the paragraphs
2. What are the different forms of Marian Devotions?
Answer: page 92, 3rd, 4th and 5th paragraph under the heading of the different forms of Marian Devotions.
Page 93, 1st and 2nd paragraphs.