HOLY – Second Mark of the Church

Chapter 5Part – 4 –The Church

Mr. Perrotti

PRAYER

• We are all called by God to be Holy, live our lives in the example Jesus has set for us. After the events of last week, we have seen great evil in the world. During these times we need to call on our faith in God to help us continue to live in his grace as Holy men and women. Do this by praying for Him bless all of the families involved and for those we lost, welcome them into his kingdom!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xQFYWXPrxs.com

Holy

• As defined in our book – Holy Means: “Anyone devoted to the service of God: "saints and holy men".

• We define service of God as “Doing His Will without sin”

• Having a Vocation means that you have a special calling to God to become a member of the religious or ordained.

Holy

• One of the things implied in the description "holy" as applied to the Church is that the Church from the beginning has been able with sacramental means to help make holy the sinners who are found as a part of her.

• The Church has been given the Sacraments along with the Word precisely in order to be able to help make sinners holy.

God is Holy

• Holy means the pure, loving nature or grace of God, separate from evil. Aggressively seeking to universalize, or make widespread itself: and that it is to characterize human beings who have entered into personal relationships with God.

• The holiness of God is directly related to His righteousness, God alone is to be worshipped. He alone is separate from evil, but He tells us to be holy like Him. “We were born in his image”

Holy Bible

• Part of our Deposit of Faith• Part of our Canon of the Church• Our Sacred Scriptures given to us by Christ and

his disciples.• The Holy Bible is the foundation for all we

believe in and trust in God.• That’s what makes it Holy, “coming from God”

What is holiness?

• Holiness means uniqueness. – In the Old Testament holiness meant that Israel

was associated with God. This set them apart from the other nations, for His "presence resides with and is invested in Israel.“

– Today, this is matched with the residence of the Holy Spirit in the person of those who believe, and is seen in Paul's description of the believer's body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.

What is holiness?

• Holiness means belonging to God.– Holiness is a two-way street. We are, as Israel was,

dependent on God, and in New Testament times this was expressed to mean that God was our patron in a Father and child relationship. God created us because he was lonely and wanted to share his love.

What is Holiness

• Holiness means living with God– Holiness means living for God and living in obedience to

him.

Holiness means being a lightFinally, because Catholics are invested with God's presence, thus we are called to be Holy and a "light to the nations“– This is referred to in the New Testament as the “missionary

work” God wants us to do in our everyday lives. Be positive role models, examples for others.

Holy

• As discussed last semester, the Church of the apostles was holy!

• When we say that, we mean among other things that it had the all-holy God himself as author.

• The Church was founded for no other reason than to continue Christ's redemptive and sanctifying work with them in the world!

• God is Holy, we are sinners

Grace

• Grace means the blessings that come from above.• Grace in this context is something that is God-given,

made possible only by God through the Holy Spirit.• It is God's gift of salvation granted to sinners for

their salvation• Common Catholic teaching is that grace is

unmerited mercy (favor) that God gave to humanity by sending his son to die on a cross, thus delivering eternal salvation

Types of Grace

• The greatest Gift of all is our God’s Self-Gift to us, which is called Uncreated Grace, sending his son to redeem us from sin!

• In a sense, every gift of God is a "grace“• Created Grace –

– Natural Grace’s – Food, Shelter – our physical life!– Sanctifying Grace - which the Sacrament of Baptism places

on the human soul. – It sanctifies the soul thus enabling her to commune with

God– This grace is permanent unless forfeited by mortal sin.

Types of Grace

• Created Grace – -Actual grace is a temporary supernatural aid from God- It enlightens the human mind and strengthens the will-God enabling us to carry out a specific good work according to the Divine Will

The Basic Work of the Church

• To bring salvation to His people through his Word and Sacrament.

• Providing the Sacraments so that we His Church may carry out His mission described in his teachings.

• The church is the body of Christ • The church is guided by the word of God• Christ is the Head of the Church• The work of the Church is done by its members.

What is a Sacrament?

• A sacrament is a visible sign instituted by Jesus Christ in order to give use grace and to make us holy.

• A sacrament is a spiritual covenant between God and man

• In every sacrament three things are necessary: – the outward sign (Water, oil, laying of hands)– the inward grace (absolution, receiving Christ through

the Eucharist)– Divine institution

Seven Sacraments

• Baptism• Reconciliation• Holy Eucharist• Confirmation• Marriage• Holy Orders• Sacrament of the Sick

God’s Visible signs of Grace

• The Seven Sacraments• Baptism - a sacrament of admission to

the Christian Church– Baptism is also called christening but for others

the word "christening" is reserved for the baptism of infants.

– God grants us Sanctifying Grace as he welcomes us into his Church.

CONFIRMATION

• The Gift of the Holy Spirit• As Catholics we confirm our Baptism and

become “soldiers of Christ”• We enter the Church as Adults• We take new names as a symbol of our change

and acceptance of our Baptism.• First Confirmation was on Pentecost Sunday

“The Eucharist”

• Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ!– “Take and eat this is my body…..take and drink this is my

blood”– Given to us by Jesus at the Last Supper.– The name given to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar– The Church honors the Eucharist as one of her most

exalted mysteries –transubstantiation!– That in the Eucharist the Body and Blood of

Jesus are present for the nourishment of our souls, by reason of the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ

Reconciliation

• “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.”– The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also

known as Penance, or Penance and Reconciliation) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others.

– God forgives our sins and returns our soul to a state of Grace!

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VquoupNiypI.com

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

• “Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord”

• Is administered both to the dying and to those who are gravely ill or are about to undergo a serious operation, for the recovery of their health and for spiritual strength.

• The anointing of the sick conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace and fortitude

• These graces flow from the atoning death of Jesus Christ, for "this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases’“

• References made in the Gospel of Mark Ch. 6:13

Holy Orders

• “Do this in memory of me” – Christ at the Last Supper. Called apostles servants of God!

• The Sacrament of Holy Orders is the continuation of Christ's priesthood, which He bestowed upon His Apostles; thus, – the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the

Sacrament of Holy Orders as "the sacrament of apostolic ministry."

• The Apostles were the first Bishops of the Church.

Marriage

• Catholic marriage, also called matrimony.– it is ordinarily celebrated in a Nuptial Mass.– "The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a

woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.

– Council of Trent – confirmed marriage as sacrament of Jesus based on Scripture and the actions of Christ Ministry.

Sacraments in General

• Signs of formal Grace• Help us keep our relationship with God• Give us spiritual food and direction so we can

be saved.• Were given to us by Jesus while he was on

earth.• Administered first by the Apostles, then by

those ordained.

To Conclude

• God call us all each day to join him in his Holiness.• We were created in his image, Holy and full of grace.• How can we continue to grow in his Holiness:– Honor Him as our only God and have no other gods but

him!– Love your neighbor as yourself; God created him Holy, too!– We can see Holiness in the Face of Jesus!!!!– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsDfN2_Xck.com