1. The Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Christology Notes March 6, 2017
Document#: TX004690

2. Notes - write it down Background - don’t write it down

3. The Heart of Scripture - The Gospels - Notes
The four Gospels proclaim that God came to earth to fulfill his promises.
The Gospels are the primary source for all that Christ revealed in his life and teachings.
Notes: Explain to the students that God had promised to form a covenant with all people, and to overcome the slavery of sin and the darkness of death.
This slide corresponds to content in the chapter 12 introduction in the student book.
© Andrii Ospishchev / Shutterstock.com

4. The Central Place of the Gospels - Notes
The word Gospel literally means “good news.”
The four Gospels differ from one another.
Together they announce the Good News in harmony and without error.
Notes: Refer to the Faith in Action sidebar in article 57 in the student book, and discuss with students modern methods of evangelization, including social media, which recent popes have used.
This slide corresponds to content in article 57, “The Central Place of the Gospels,” in the student book.
© Maran Garai / Shutterstock.com

5. An Invitation to Faith - Notes
The overall intent of the Gospel writers is to foster faith.
They invite us to participate in the sacramental life of the Church.
They challenge us to follow Jesus and to apply his teachings.
Notes: Remind the students that the Gospel writers recorded Jesus’ words and works to help later generations have faith in him. Ask the students these questions: Do you think the Gospel writers succeeded in this goal? Why or why not?
This slide corresponds to content in article 57, “The Central Place of the Gospels,” in the student book.
© Gordana Sermek/Dollar Photo Club

6. Three Stages in Gospel Formation - Notes
The Life and Teachings of Jesus
Oral Tradition
The Written Gospels
Notes: The next three slides expand on each of these stages of Gospel formation. Remind the students that this pattern is similar to the one they learned about the formation of Old Testament texts.
This slide corresponds to content in article 58, “Three Stages in Gospel Formation,” in the student book.
© Vitaliy Krasovskiy / Shutterstock.com

7. The Life of Jesus - Notes
Our ancestors in faith heard Jesus teach, and they witnessed his miracles.
In Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, they saw the Divine Word of Life.
Notes: Ask the students this question: Which event in the Gospels would you most like to have witnessed in person?
This slide corresponds to content in article 58, “Three Stages in Gospel Formation,” in the student book.
© jorisvo / Shutterstock.com

8. Oral Tradition - Notes
Aided by the Holy Spirit, the Apostles and others shared the Good News.
This message is known as the kerygma.
Notes: Remind the students that after his Resurrection, Jesus charged his disciples with the mission to share the Gospel (see Matthew 28:16–20, The Great Commission).
This slide corresponds to content in article 58, “Three Stages in Gospel Formation,” in the student book.
© PaoloGaetano / iStockphoto.com

9. The Written Gospels - Notes
The Holy Spirit guided the Gospel writers.
The writings synthesized what the original witnesses had shared.
The goal was to preserve and hand on the Good News for future generations.
Notes: Explore with students why the Good News was committed to writing (a growing fear that the message of salvation could be distorted or interpreted incorrectly, many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life were elderly) (see article 58 in the student book).
This slide corresponds to content in article 58, “Three Stages in Gospel Formation,” in the student book.
© Renata Sedmakova / Shutterstock.com

10. Why Four Gospels? - Notes
© Joe Fallico / Shutterstock.com
The early Christian communities were unified by their belief in Christ.
But they were separated by different concerns and challenges.
Each Evangelist proclaimed the Gospel in a unique way to the community to which he belonged.
© Joe Fallico / Shutterstock.com
Notes: Direct the students to read the Primary Sources sidebar in article 59 in the student book. Lead a discussion of how content on the same topic may differ in articles, textbooks, and blogs while still offering valuable information and insight.
This slide corresponds to content in article 59, “Why Four Gospels?” in the student book.
© Joe Fallico / Shutterstock.com
© Joe Fallico / Shutterstock.com

11. Different Portraits of Faith
Notes - The Gospels are a unique literary form, or genre.
Notes - They are based in the actual teachings of Christ and the historical events of his life.
Notes - Each Gospel writer emphasized the religious truth his community needed.
Notes: Lead a discussion with the students about how the Gospel might be preached differently in a prison versus a wealthy suburban church; in a community where people have believed for generations versus a place with many new converts.
This slide corresponds to content in article 59, “Why Four Gospels?” in the student book.
© Alfred Wekelo / Shutterstock.com

12. The Synoptic Gospels - Notes
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are similar in style and share much of the same content.
They present slightly different images of Jesus that were meaningful to the members of their intended communities.
Notes: Direct the students to compare the first few verses of the three synoptic Gospels. Ask these questions: How are they similar? How are they different?
This slide corresponds to content in article 59, “Why Four Gospels?” in the student book.
© Zvonimir Atletic / Shutterstock.com

13. The Gospel of John - Notes
The Gospel of John was written much later than the synoptic Gospels.
It uses symbolic language to express that Jesus is the Son of God and Incarnate Word.

14. Four Images of Jesus - Notes
Teacher and Prophet -Gospel of Matthew
The Suffering Servant of God - Gospel of Mark
Compassionate Healer - Gospel of Luke
Incarnate Word of God - Gospel of John
Notes: Ask the students about artworks that depict Jesus in different ways. Request examples of favorite visual images of Jesus.
This slide corresponds to content in article 59, “Why Four Gospels?” in the student book.
© clu / iStockphoto.com

15. The Same Truth - Notes
The Gospels form the heart of Scripture, because they are necessary for us to comprehend God’s saving love.
They point to the one absolute truth—Jesus is the Son of God and the Lord of all creation.
© piotrwzk / Shutterstock.com
Notes: Point out to the students that the Holy Spirit guided the Gospel writers to foster and enliven the faith of human beings who come from different backgrounds and have varying needs.
This slide corresponds to content in article 59, “Why Four Gospels?” in the student book.

16. The 4 Gospel Writers
Background - The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels, because they include many of the same stories, often in the same sequence.
Tradition holds that the authors were two of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus: John, and Matthew; as well as two "apostolic men": Mark and Luke.

17. Notes
Matthew was a former tax collector who was called by Jesus to be one of the Twelve Apostles.
Mark was a follower of Saint Peter.
Luke was a doctor who wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Luke was a friend of Saint Paul.
John was an Apostle of Jesus and possibly the youngest of his Twelve Apostles.
They are called evangelists, a word meaning "people who proclaim good news," because their books tell the Good News or Gospel of Jesus.

18. Symbols of the 4 Gospels - Notes
Matthew=the winged man: Matthew’s account focuses on Jesus’ human nature and his Jewish ancestry.
Mark=the winged lion: Mark’s Gospel begins with John the Baptist,“the voice of one crying out in the desert” (Mark 1:3)—like the roar of a lion.
Luke=the winged ox: Luke’s Gospel opens with a scene in the Temple, where animals are sacrificed, and his Gospel looks at how Jesus sacrifices his life for the salvation of all.
John=the winged eagle: John’s Gospel brings the soaring message of salvation that helps people share in the presence of God so that they will rise to heaven in and with Jesus.

19. Images -
Visual of the images of symbols of 4 Gospel writers

20. The Synoptic Gospels

22. What is Lent?
Lent is a season of the Christian Year where Christians focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in order to grow closer to God.

23. When is Lent?
It's the forty days before Easter. Lent excludes Sundays because every Sunday is like a little Easter. Basically, it's about one-tenth of a year (like a tithe of time). Mardi Gras is the day before Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday. This year it's from March 1 (Ash Wednesday) to April 16 (Easter), 2017.

24. Mardi Gras? What does that have to do with JESUS??
Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday." It refers to the day before Lent starts. Since Lent always starts on a Wednesday, the day before is always a Tuesday. And it's called "Fat" or "Great" because it's associated with great food and parties.

25. In earlier times, people used Lent as a time of fasting and repentance
In earlier times, people used Lent as a time of fasting and repentance. Since they didn't want to be tempted by sweets, meat and other distractions in the house, they cleaned out their cabinets. They used up all the sugar and yeast in sweet breads before the Lent season started, and fixed meals with all the meat available. It was a great feast. Through the years Mardi Gras has evolved into a pretty wild party with little to do with preparing for the Lenten season of repentance and simplicity. But Christians still know its origin, and hang onto the true Spirit of the season.

26. So the real beginning of Lent is Ash Wednesday?
Yes. Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras, usually begins with a service where we recognize our mortality, repent of our sins, and return to our loving God. We recognize life as a precious gift from God, and re-turn our lives towards Jesus Christ. We may make resolutions and commit to change our lives over the next forty days so that we might be more like Christ. In an Ash Wednesday service, usually a minister or priest marks the sign of the cross on a person's forehead with ashes.

27. Why Ashes?
In Jewish and Christian history, ashes are a sign of mortality and repentance. Mortality, because when we die, our bodies eventually decompose and we become dust/dirt/ash. Repentance, because long ago, when people felt remorse for something they did, they would put ashes on their head and wear "sackcloth" or scratchy clothing to remind them that sin is pretty uncomfortable and leads to a sort of death of the spirit. This was their way of confessing their sins and asking for forgiveness.

28. Where do the ashes come from?
On what we now call Palm Sunday, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem while people waved palms and cheered him on. Less than a week later, Jesus was killed. The palms that were waved in joy became ashes of sorrow. We get ashes for Ash Wednesday by saving the palms from Palm Sunday, burning them, and mixing them with a little oil.

29. What do Christians do with ashes?
At an Ash Wednesday service, folks are invited to come forward to receive the ashes. The minister will make a small cross on your forehead by smudging the ashes. While the ashes remind us of our mortality and sin, the cross reminds us of Jesus' resurrection and life after death, and forgiveness. It's a powerful, non-verbal way that we can experience God's forgiveness and renewal as we return to Jesus.

30. So what is LENT?
At Jesus' baptism the sky split open, the Spirit of God, which looked like a dove, descended and landed on Jesus, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, My Beloved, with whom I am pleased." Afterward, Jesus was sent into the wilderness by the Spirit where he fasted and prayed for 40 days. During his time there he was tempted by Satan and found clarity and strength to resist temptation. Afterwards, he was ready to begin his ministry.

31. Maybe Jesus needed some time with God to sort through the major changes happening in his life. Maybe he needed to get away from family, friends and the familiar routine in order to see God and himself more clearly. Perhaps he wanted some intentional time with God as he searched for direction and answers like you. Like Jesus, we may need to take some serious time to pray and listen for God.

32. Why Observe Lent? How do I start?
Are you searching for something more? Tired of running in circles, but not really living life with direction, purpose or passion? It's pretty easy to get caught up in the drama of classes, relationships, family, and sports. Our lives are filled with distractions that take us away from living a life with Christ. We try to fill the emptiness inside us with mindless TV, meaningless chatter, caffeine, alcohol, and too many activities or other irrelevant stuff. We run away from life and from God.

33. Lent is a great time to repent -- to return to God and refocus our lives to be more in line with Jesus. It’s a 40 day retreat in working to change your lifestyle and letting God change your heart.

34. FASTING:
Some people have been known to go without food for days. But that's not the only way to fast. You can fast by cutting out some of the things in your life that distract you from God. Some Christians use the whole 40 days to fast from candy, tv, soft drinks, junk food, or meat as a way to purify their bodies and lives. You might skip one meal a day and use that time to pray instead. Or you can give up some activity like worry or Netflix to spend time outside enjoying God’s creation. What do you need to let go of or “fast” from in order to focus on God? What clutters your life? How can you simplify your life in terms of what you eat, wear, or do?

35. SERVICE:
Christians are invited to take something on for Christ during Lent. You can collect food for the needy, volunteer once a week to tutor children, volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, or homeless shelter. You can commit to helping a different stranger, fellow student, or friend every day of Lent. Serving others is one way we serve God.

36. PRAYER:
Christians also use Lent as a time of intentional prayer. You can pray while you walk, create music or art as a prayer to God, or spend a time of quiet listening to God each day. All can be ways of becoming more in tune with God. Christians from many different traditions celebrate Lent. How will you use this Lent to grow closer to God?

37. Ash Wednesday - this Weds. March 1st.
The rules for fasting and abstinence in the United States are: Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat, and items made with meat, on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent.

38. Write this underneath today’s warm-up: Lent 2017
Prayer -
Fasting -
Almsgiving -

39. Ideas for Prayer:
-Start praying for others. Each day of Lent, pray for another person.
-Create a daily Appointment with God. Spend 10 minutes a day in silence and prayer. Read a daily Gospel passage.
-Pray for others you see as you walk to and from classes or drive to and from school.
-Go to Confession.
-Go to Sunday Mass, go to Daily Mass.
-Pray the Rosary.
-Pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays at your Church.
-Pray for your enemies every day.

40. Ideas for Fasting:
Give up soft drinks, fast food, junk food, candy, desserts, or coffee. Give the money you save to help folks in a different part of the world who are in crisis.
Try an electronic fast. Give up TV, Facebook, texting, tweeting, and all things electronic for one day every week, or every day of Lent. Use the time to read the Bible & pray.

41. Ideas for Almsgiving:
-Forgive someone who doesn't deserve it (maybe even yourself.)
-Volunteer one hour or more each week with a local shelter, tutoring program, nursing home, hospital.
-Join Damien’s recycling club - they meet every Tuesday and Friday after school in the recycling area.
-Cultivate a life of gratitude. Write someone a thank you letter each week and be aware of how many people have helped you along the way.

42. Lent 2017 Preparation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qDG51cl9gY
Fr. Mike Schmitz

43. Lectio Divina March 2, 2017 Lectio - Matthew 6: 1-8, 16-18 Meditatio -
Oratio -
Contemplatio -

44. Daily Mass Homework for March
Period 1 - Monday March 6th
Friday March 17th

45. Daily Mass Homework for March
Period 3 - Weds. March 8th
Monday March 20th

46. Daily Mass Homework for March
Period 5 -
Thursday March 9th
Thursday March 16th

47. Daily Mass Homework for March
Period 6 - Thurs. March 23
Thurs. March 30

48. Daily Mass Homework for March
Per. 7 - Weds. March 22
Monday March 27

49. Rice and Beans Lunches on Fridays of Lent
You have the option of eating a bowl of rice and beans during lunch on the Fridays of Lent. Mr. Geiger will be in the lunch area serving this lunch with other teachers.
You may use the money you save from not buying food to give to Catholic Relief Services Operation Ricebowl.

50. Lent 2017 Preparation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qDG51cl9gY
Fr. Mike Schmitz

51. If we’re giving up something -
We have to fill the space with something
USCCB - Daily Bible Readings

52. Fight the New Drug

53. Lifeteen -

54. Chastity Project