1. Our Relationship with God
Chapter 7
Our Relationship with God

2. Vocabulary

3. fidelity – faithful presence; faithfulness to a person or cause
fidelity – faithful presence; faithfulness to a person or cause. Also known as loyalty, commitment, trustworthiness, devotion, allegiance, or keeping one’s word
Decalogue – “ten words”; the Ten Commandments

4. Notes

5. Introduction
Fidelity = most important rule of loving & lasting relationships (the glue of relationships)
Fidelity helps relationships survive good and bad times
All relationships require effort from both sides
If both people are not faithful to the rules of relationship, the love between them can be lost

6. Love and Promises Love has responsibilities
When we love someone, we keep our promises to them
We show our love through everyday actions & make sacrifices for the relationship
Forgiveness = another important relationship rule
Our relationship with God is also full of love & promises

7. Love and Promises (ctd.)
God always willing to forgive
During Mass, we publicly admit that we have not been faithful & praise God for his mercy
God = loving parent; we can always rely on his unconditional love
Even though God will always forgive, we still have a responsibility to keep our promises

8. God Always Cares for Us
After Israelites escaped from Egypt, they continued their journey of faith
They didn’t always understand their relationship with God
They praised God for his miracles, but complained when their food started to run out
“Better to be a slave in Egypt than to die of hunger in this desert!”

9. God Always Cares for Us (ctd.)
Food ran out  God sent manna (fine, flaky bread) & quails for them to eat
Water ran out  God told Moses to strike a rock, water flowed out
Israelites expected Moses to solve all their problems

10. Rules from God
God wanted Israelites to be holy, understand their relationships with God & each other
At Mount Sinai, God called Moses up the mountain to receive the law of the covenant  10 Commandments
Commandments 1-3 = our relationship with God
Commandments 4-10 = our relationships with each other

11. Rules from God (ctd.)
God sent commandments to restore Israelites’ relationships with each other & with him
Following 10 Commandments helps improve & preserve our relationship with God & others

12. 10 Commandments
I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods before me.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.
Honor your father and mother.
You shall not kill
You shall not commit adultery.

13. 10 Commandments (ctd.) 7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

14. Our Promised Land
God gave 10 Commandments to free ancestors from slavery of sin
By following them, we grow in our relationship with God
Can be found in Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy
Called to respect holiness of Lord & see holiness in themselves (Israelites)
Israelites continued to break these rules

15. Our Promised Land (ctd.)
We too break rules of relationship
Depend on God’s forgiveness to fix what we have broken
Israelites’ covenant with God led them to promised land after 40 years in desert
New covenant through Jesus promises us place in God’s kingdom
Walking by faith will get us to kingdom

16. Our Promised Land (ctd.)
Jesus’ teachings began with 10 Commandments
Jesus helps us understand full meaning of Decalogue
Jesus added to Decalogue
New commandment at Last Supper: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another”

17. Our Promised Land (ctd.)
Words of Decalogue are short; Jesus explained in more detail

18. Trust in God God always faithful to us
Sometimes we have trouble trusting, especially when times are tough
Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila can help us trust more

19. St. Teresa of Avila
Founded religious community of Discalced (barefoot) Carmelites  lives of prayer, silence, fasting
St. Teresa did not always feel close to God but still trusted him
Many writings about spiritual life; called doctor of the Church (great teacher of faith)

20. Prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila
Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing terrify you
All will pass
God does not change
Patience achieves everything
He who has God lacks nothing
God alone is sufficient