Chapter 6: Called to Be Another Christ

Chapter 6: Called to Be Another Christ
THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION

1. The Universal Call to Holiness
ANTICIPATORY SET Have the students look at the list of questions under, “This Chapter Will Address…” (p. 203) and free write for a few minutes on the one he or she already knows the most about. Share responses.

BASIC QUESTIONS What is the history of salvation described in this lesson? What is the universal call to holiness? KEY IDEAS The history of salvation can be seen as creation in holiness, fall from grace, Christ’s objective redemption, and the subjective application of the redemption to each one of us. God calls each person to holiness of life through one’s personal cooperation with God’s freely offered grace.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What are we judged on at the end of our lives? Whether we obeyed the moral law as best we could. What is the Decalogue? It is the Ten Commandments, a privileged expression of the natural law, revealed directly to the Chosen People by God. What law are Christians called to obey? The Law of Christ. Why are Christians given so much grace? Because they have the highest and most difficult calling.

FOCUS QUESTIONS According to Lumen Gentium, what did Jesus mean when he said, “Be you therefore perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect”? He meant that everyone who follows him must aspire to holiness. What does holiness consist of, according to Lumen Gentium? It consists of loving God and neighbor as Christ loves, that is, completely. What is the connection between Baptism and holiness, according to Lumen Gentium? In the “Baptism of faith” we truly become sons of God and sharers in the divine nature, which makes us holy.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the faithful supposed to do with the gift of faith God gives them? They are to hold on to and complete in their lives this holiness they have received. Who is called to holiness, according to Lumen Gentium? All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status. What three “musts” must the faithful fulfill to reach the perfection of charity? They must (1) use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ, (2) follow in Christ’s footsteps and conform themselves to his image seeking the will of the Father in all things, and (3) devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. In other words, they must cooperate with God with their own efforts to imitate Christ in serving God and neighbor.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What is a saint? A saint is a person who is holy (Latin sanctus) by reason of union with God achieved by putting Christ’s teachings and example into practice in loving God and neighbor. Who are the saints? All those who have responded to God’s call to holiness: those whom the Church has officially recognized as saints as well as those who remain largely unknown. What is the relationship between freedom and sanctity? We must freely say “yes” to God. God will not force us to be holy.

FOCUS QUESTIONS Which aspects of our life can be oriented toward God? Our entire life, including family life, professional work, leisure activities, and friendships. What is objective redemption? It means that Christ has redeemed all men. What is subjective redemption? It means that the redemption that Christ won for every person has actually to be applied to every person. Each person has to “work out his salvation.”

GUIDED EXERCISE Conduct a think/pair/share on the following question: What does it mean to say that the human person is “the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake”?

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students free write for a few minutes on what St. Paul means when he says, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you” (Phil 2:12–13).

FOCUS QUESTIONS What does it mean to be created in the image of God? It means possessing a spiritual soul with the powers of reason and free will. What preternatural gifts did Adam and Eve possess? Physical integrity, that is, immunity from suffering and death, and moral integrity, the rule of right reason over bodily passions. What supernatural gifts did Adam and Eve possess? Original holiness and justice, which enabled them to live in perfect friendship with God.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students complete the following table to reorganize the material in the bulleted list on page 207 by explaining each main idea and providing a practical example. Ways to Respond Explanation Practical Application Imitate Christ Conform self to God’s will Serve God Embrace the Cross Participate in the life of the Church Live mortification Witness Christ

GUIDED EXERCISE Ways to Respond Explanation Practical Application Imitate Christ Conform ourselves to the life and teaching of Christ and let ourselves be formed by the Holy Spirit. Meditate on Christ in the Gospels and consciously try to look at things the way he would. Conform self to God’s will Ask to know God’s will in everything and act according to the lights we receive. Pray about a problem you have and then act according to what you think God wants. Serve God Serve God by serving those in need around us. Help your little brother with a problem he is having with his homework. Embrace the Cross Accept the sufferings that come one’s way and offer them up. Thank God for a slight headache you have and offer it for a good intention. Participate in the life of the Church Active and regular participation in the sacramental life of the Church, especially Mass and Confession. Go to Sunday Mass and use the missalette to help yourself concentrate. Live mortification Practice self-denial and self-sacrifice. Give up dessert on Friday to deny yourself. Witness Christ Live good example to witness the Faith. If someone asks you on Monday what you did yesterday, do not omit mentioning you went to Mass.

CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph summarizing the doctrine of the universal call to holiness.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading Lay Persons Are Called to Holiness through The Moral Life (pp. 208–211) Study Questions Questions 1–11. Workbook

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students write a paragraph based on the graphic organizer that addresses responding to God’s call to holiness, expanding on one of the “Ways to Respond” categories.

2. Beginning to Live Holiness in the World
ANTICIPATORY SET Incorporate the story of Jesus’ meeting with the rich young man into the class’s opening prayer (cf. Mt 19:16–30) and then have the students free write on some aspect of this passage that they have a hard time understanding or accepting. Share responses.

BASIC QUESTIONS What are the kinds and purpose of grace? What is the common priesthood of all the faithful? What is the vocation of the laity? How is Christian morality an imitation of Christ? What is conversion of heart? KEY IDEAS God gives us sanctifying and actual graces so that we can answer his call to holiness. By Baptism, all Christians, including the laity, share in the common priesthood of the faithful, called to offer their lives to God as a spiritual sacrifice. The vocation of the laity is to sanctify ordinary life. Christian morality is an imitation of the attitudes and actions of Christ, the perfect man and model. To be a disciple of Christ, we must undergo a conversion of heart to love as Christ loves.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students complete a focused reading of the selection from Lumen Gentium beginning “The laity, by their very vocation . . .” (p. 208). How is the mission of the laity both ordinary and extraordinary?

FOCUS QUESTIONS How does grace transform the world? Like the effect of yeast on a lump of dough, grace helps us imitate Christ in our actions; this glimpse of Christ moves others toward Christ until they begin to imitate Christ also, which can move other people. What kind of friendship does grace help establish? Grace helps establish friendship based on a sincere desire for the other’s ultimate good. Why are the world, the flesh, and the Devil obstacles to grace? These lure us into thinking we can find the happiness we seek apart from God—or even that the happiness they offer is better than God.

FOCUS QUESTIONS Why does God give us grace? God gives us grace because he wants us to answer his call to holiness, a task impossible without his help. What is grace? Grace is the help God gives us to respond to our vocation of becoming his adopted sons and daughters. What are the two types of grace? Sanctifying and actual.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What is sanctifying grace? Sanctifying grace is a stable disposition of the soul that we receive in Baptism by which we share in the life and love of the Blessed Trinity. What is actual grace? Actual grace refers to all the particular, transient helps God gives us in all the circumstances of our lives which allow us to conform ourselves to his will. What is conscience? It is our reason sitting in judgment on the morality of our actions, approving or disapproving of them.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have students read the paragraph beginning “Grace brings the baptized . . .” (p. 209). Have the students free write for a few minutes on what adjectives they would use, based on their personal experience, to describe a life in imitation of Christ, and why they chose those words.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What three “offices” that Christ exercises do we also share in as Christians? Prophet, priest, and king. What is the ministerial priesthood? Those who are ordained in Holy Orders to serve the faithful as bishop, priest, or deacon. What is the common priesthood of the faithful? It is the sharing in Christ’s priesthood that all the faithful participate in by offering themselves and their lives to God.

FOCUS QUESTIONS To what state in life does God call most people? The laity. What is the laity? Those who are not in Holy Orders or consecrated religious life. What is the essential mission of the laity? The laity are called to engage in everyday secular activities in the midst of the world, evangelizing and sanctifying the world “from within.”

FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the three elements in living a life in imitation of Christ? A calling from God, an affirmative response, and actually taking on Christ’s way of life. Why is Christian morality an imitation of Christ? Morality is based on our actions, which are either good or bad. Christians are called to imitate or “act like” Christ. Why should we imitate Christ? Because he is the “perfect man.” What is the nature of our imitation of Christ? We do not copy the external details of his life but rather adopt the same attitudes as Christ and then act accordingly in thought, word, and deed.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What does conversion of heart mean? It means aligning one’s heart and will with Christ’s so that we love what he loves and hate what he hates. Extension: Basically, Christ loves persons and hates sin. What are some of the hardest aspects of conversion of heart? Loving people despite their faults; loving one’s enemy. How did Rose Hawthorne experience conversion of heart? She was once revolted by sick people yet ended up dedicating her life to caring for the most unfortunate disease-ridden patients.

CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph relating any two of the basic questions of this lesson.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading The Ten Commandments through the sidebar The Precepts of the Church (pp. 212–215) Study Questions Questions 12–16. Practical Exercises 1–2. Workbook Questions 12–15.

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students complete Practical Exercise 2 and free write on what aspect of the faith each finds the most challenging in terms of conversion of heart.

3. The Laws of Morality ANTICIPATORY SET Incorporate the first part of the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Mt 5) into the class’s opening prayer. Have the student free write on the aspect of the passage they personally felt most appealing. Share responses.

3. The Laws of Morality BASIC QUESTIONS
What is the relationship between the natural law, the Decalogue, and the Law of Christ? What are the Beatitudes? What are the Precepts of the Church? KEY IDEAS All men are obliged to obey the natural law. The Ten Commandments are a Revelation of the natural law for the Chosen People. Christians obey the Ten Commandments as perfected by Christ. The Beatitudes are paradoxical statements of the true values that a disciple of Christ should possess. The Precepts of the Church are changeable laws that a Catholic obeys to draw closer to Christ.

3. The Laws of Morality GUIDED EXERCISE The paragraph beginning, “Every human being . . .” (p. 212) presents the basic principle of the natural law, “do good and avoid evil” and three more particular principles. Conduct a class discussion on (1) whether these moral principles are really knowable by reason, and (2) are really universal, and (3) what other principles of the natural law they can come up with.

3. The Laws of Morality GUIDED EXERCISE Excluding the Third Commandment, have the students choose one of the Commandments and free write on how the command is an expression of the natural law.

3. The Laws of Morality FOCUS QUESTIONS
What two bases of dignity do Christians possess? Like all men they are made in the image of God but in addition they share in the life of God. How is Christian morality knowable by reason? Christian morality is grounded in the natural law, which can be known through reason by every person. What is the natural law? It is the objective order established by God that determines the requirements for humans to thrive and reach fulfillment.

How do the Ten Commandments relate to the natural law? They are a particular expression of the natural law, which God revealed so it would be easier for his Chosen People to possess it. Do Christians have to obey the Ten Commandments? Yes. “They are fundamentally immutable, and they oblige always and everywhere.”

What did Jesus mean when he said he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it? He meant that he was going to elevate and perfect the Law of Moses. What is an example of how Christ perfected the Mosaic Law? The Fifth Commandment forbids injuring another by malicious acts, the worst of which is murder. The Law of Christ seeks to give us a heart that does not even harbor angry resentment but instead fosters an active love of neighbor in word and deed, including even one’s enemies.

3. The Laws of Morality GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students work with a partner to examine CCC 1717 and the passage from Pope Benedict XVI to articulate three significant insights about the Beatitudes, explaining briefly what each one means.

What is paradoxical about the Beatitudes? They praise conditions that do not seem particularly desirable, like being poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, and so on. What is the double meaning of “blessed” in the Beatitudes? People who are in the condition described are actually blessed and those who voluntarily assume these conditions will be blessed as well. What is an example from the Beatitudes of how following Christ calls for sacrifice? The pure of heart must reject those attractive impulses that lead one to impurity of heart. Those who are merciful must reject the pleasure that comes from taking revenge or watching others suffer.

3. The Laws of Morality GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students choose one of the precepts of the Church and free write on how it might help one live according to the Ten Commandments and be closer to Christ.

3. The Laws of Morality CLOSURE Write a paragraph that summarizes the relationship between the natural law, the Decalogue, and the Law of Christ.

3. The Laws of Morality HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading
The Theological Virtues and Growth in Holiness through Hope (pp. 216– 219) Study Questions Questions 17–21. Practical Exercises 3–4. Workbook Questions 16–19.

3. The Laws of Morality ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students work with a partner to complete Practical Exercise 4, examining how one of the Beatitudes relates to the Decalogue yet goes beyond it, pointing a way to Christian perfection.

4. The Theological Virtues of Faith and Hope
ANTICIPATORY SET In the opening prayer, introduce your students to an Act of Faith like the following, discuss its content, then pray it with them. O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy catholic Church teaches, because in revealing them you can neither deceive nor be deceived.

BASIC QUESTIONS What is faith? What are the sins against faith? What is hope? What are the sins against hope? KEY IDEAS Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief. The sins against faith are voluntary doubt, schism, heresy, apostasy, and atheism. Hope is the theological virtue by which we look forward to the happiness of eternal life with God, trusting that God will give us the graces necessary to achieve it. The sins against hope are despair and presumption.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What is a virtue? A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do the good. What is the goal of a virtuous life, according to CCC 1803? To become like God. What is the difference between a natural and a supernatural virtue? A natural virtue can be acquired by human effort. A supernatural virtue is given to us by God to make it possible to accomplish supernatural acts. What are faith, hope, and love? Faith elevates the natural intellect so man can assent to the truths supernaturally revealed by God. Hope and charity elevate the natural will: to give man confidence he will reach his supernatural end (hope) and to make man able to love God above all things and his neighbor as himself (love).

FOCUS QUESTIONS What is faith, according to CCC 1814? It is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief. When do we get the virtue of faith? At Baptism. How does faith relate to reason? Faith helps us accept truths based on the authority of God. These truths go beyond but do not contradict reason. Reason also helps us understand the content of faith once it has been accepted.

FOCUS QUESTIONS How can immoral behavior affect faith? We may “manufacture” problems with doctrines because they get in the way of the behavior we want to pursue. Why must Catholics be prudent in exposing themselves indiscriminately to the media? Media that attacks the Faith can overwhelm a Catholic who is not properly formed. Often it is best to simply avoid such exposure. How do we prepare ourselves to spread the Faith? By knowing and living it.

GUIDED EXERCISE Conduct a think/pair/share on the following question: Of the five sins against faith, which do you consider objectively the most serious and why?

FOCUS QUESTIONS What do we hope for in the virtue of hope? We have confidence (1) that God will give us the graces we need to save our souls and (2) that we will actually reach Heaven. Why does God give us hope? Simply out of his supreme goodness. How can we nurture hope? Through prayer, both for ourselves and others.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the sins against hope? Despair and presumption. What is despair? It is the loss of trust in God because of doubt in his fidelity or his interest in each of us.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What is presumption? Presumption is the expectation of salvation without personal effort or without God’s help. How is despair an unreasonable lack of hope and presumption an unreasonable excess of hope? Despair assumes that one’s sins are too grave to be saved from. Presumption assumes one’s sins are too unimportant to be damned for.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students complete the following table on their knowledge of the sins against faith. Name of Sin Definition Voluntary doubt Schism Heresy Apostasy Atheism

GUIDED EXERCISE Name of Sin Definition Voluntary doubt Intentionally calling into question the truth of some aspect of Divine Revelation. Schism Refusal to submit to the authority of the Pope or the bishops in communion with him. Heresy Denial by a baptized person of one or more tenets of the Catholic Faith. Apostasy A total repudiation of the Catholic Faith. Atheism Denial of the existence of God.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students work with a partner to analyze CCC 1817–1818 and identify the positive qualities hope fosters and the negative qualities hope diminishes. Hope fosters Hope diminishes . . .

CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph on the meaning of the theological virtues of faith and hope.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading Charity through Conclusion (pp. 220–225) Study Questions Questions 22–29. Practical Exercise 5. Workbook Questions 20–25.

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT It is not unlikely that your students will know of a young person who has committed suicide or at least will have thought of the question in connection with the sin of despair. Conduct a class discussion on suicide. Below are some questions to consider asking: Is the act of suicide a serious matter, capable of being a mortal sin? Yes. It is a serious violation of the Fifth Commandment. Did Judas go to hell for his suicide? Because we do not know Judas’s interior dispositions when he carried out his final act, we do not know if he committed a mortal sin.

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT (continued) Do people in general commit a mortal sin in suicide? We do not know. While the act itself is grave, we do not know anyone’s interior disposition, including whether they repented at the last moment. If a person does commit suicide freely and knowingly, what most likely is that sin? The mortal sin of despair. What about mentally ill persons who commit suicide? We can have hope for a mentally ill person who takes his own life because it is possible his ability to reason was greatly impaired or his will was overwhelmed with compulsions he couldn’t control.

5. The Theological Virtue of Charity and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
ANTICIPATORY SET In the opening prayer, introduce your students to an Act of Love like the following, discuss its content, then pray it with them. O my God, I love You above all things with my whole heart and soul, because you are all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of You. I forgive all who have injured me and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.

BASIC QUESTIONS What is charity? What are the sins against charity? What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit? What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? KEY IDEAS Charity is the theological virtue by which a person loves God above all things and his neighbor as himself. The sins against charity include indifference, ingratitude, lukewarmness, acedia, and hatred of God. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are seven supernatural habits given in Baptism: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are any supernatural acts that are performed easily with peace and joy flowing from the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students read the sidebar on St. Francis de Sales (p. 221) and work with a partner to come up with one example each of how St. Francis lived the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What is charity? It is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. Why should we love God? We should love God because he loves us and because he is our Creator, Father, and Savior. Why should we love our neighbor? Because our neighbor is also a child of God in whom God dwells and whom God loves. What is the essence of charity toward our neighbor? It is the desire to seek what is best for him and a sincere resolution to render him only goodness.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students read the first two columns of the following table and then complete the remaining columns explaining briefly why these sins are wrong and providing a “symptom” of that sin. Name of Sin Definition of Sin Why it is Wrong Symptom of the Sin Indifference A lack of commitment in the exercise of our Catholic Faith. Ingratitude A failure to recognize and acknowledge God’s blessings. Spiritual sloth Sadness or dejection of the will regarding the divine good one possesses. Lukewarmness Lackluster, lazy, or perfunctory fulfillment of the Catholic Faith. Hatred of God Willful anger at God out of distaste for his laws, resentment over the consequences of personal sin, or because of some severe or tragic suffering.

GUIDED EXERCISE Name of Sin Definition of Sin Why it is Wrong Symptom of the Sin Indifference A lack of commitment in the exercise of our Catholic Faith. Jesus Christ and our Faith should be the first priority in our lives. Skipping Mass or not praying because it is deemed not important. Ingratitude A failure to recognize and acknowledge God’s blessings. It shows a disordered sense of entitlement to God’s blessings. Failure to say thank you to God for the good we possess. Spiritual sloth Sadness or dejection of the will regarding the divine good one possesses. It shows a lack of esteem for the spiritual goods we possess. An aversion or repugnance in the will to serve God. Fleeing from God by taking up worldliness. Lukewarmness Lackluster, lazy, or perfunctory fulfillment of the Catholic Faith. The person does not have his heart in following God. Habitually showing up late for Mass or deliberately praying in a distracted manner. Hatred of God Willful anger at God out of distaste for his laws, resentment over the consequences of personal sin, or because of some severe or tragic suffering. It comes from pride: God is not obeying “my” will and this makes me angry. Cursing God for forbidding sins and inflicting punishment.

GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students work with a partner to write a one sentence definition of each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit? The gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural habits that are infused into the soul together with sanctifying grace at Baptism. Sacred Scripture lists seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Of these, four act on the intellect (wisdom, understanding, counsel, and knowledge), while three act on the will (fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord). What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? They are any supernatural acts, performed with peace and joy, that flow from the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Examples are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph which summarizes the theological virtue of charity and the sins against it.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions Questions Practical Exercise 6. Workbook Questions

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students free write for a few minutes on something in this lesson which they had a hard time understanding. Share some responses and ask students for their feedback on clarifying what others did not understand.

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Chapter 6: Called to Be Another Christ

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