CHRISTIAN FAITH EDUCATION

MODULE 1
Topic Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
1. recognize that faith is a basic factor in any relationship, human and divine;
2. describe faith experience in the light of Sacred Scripture and Church teachings; and,
3. express your gratitude to people who made your faith experience meaningful.

Inspired Word:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe
was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was
visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was
commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still
speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not
experience death: He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before
he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is
impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about
things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned
the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith
Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed
and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home
in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and
Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the
city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who
was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him
faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,
came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on
the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:1-12).

Hebrews 11:1-12 talks about faith, but it must be read in the context of the rest of this letter. It
is assumed that the Letter to the Hebrews is directed to Jewish Christians who were in
danger of apostasy not only because of the threat of persecutions from non- Christians
but also from their growing indifference to their calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. The
author proceeds by encouraging his addressees to be steadfast and persevering in their
faith by recalling the striking life of prominent Old Testament figures who trusted in God,
and the example shown by Jesus (Heb 12:1-3) as the obedient Son of God. As a way of
ending his exhortation, the author said, “We are not among those who draw back and
perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life” (Heb 10:39).

The author of Hebrews does not attempt to provide a precise definition of faith. In other
words, faith gives you evidence of what is hoped for, that is - invisible. True, godly faith is
understood as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when you
don't fully understand all the details. This type of faith is exemplified by Abraham, Moses,
and David in the Old Testament among others.

Church Teaching:
“Faith is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and through him, with
the Father, through the Holy Spirit, a decision to commit oneself to Christ, follow him, strive
to know and accept the truths he continues to teach through his Church” (Cf. PCP II 64-
65).

What makes Christian faith unique from other forms of faith is the truth about a
relationship with “someone who relates to us and to whom we can relate in a personal
way” (Knox, 2011, p. 17). Christian faith is focused on the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the
Son of God. Thus, Christian faith consists in knowing, loving, and following Christ in the
Church he founded (PCP II 36). Personally, knowing Christ as your truth and living your life
according to his teachings form the basic structure of Christian living. Christian faith has
the following characteristics according to the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines
(PCP II).

A. Characteristics of Christian Faith

1. Total and Absolute

Only Faith in God calls for a total and absolute adherence. Christ himself provides,
especially in his Passion, Death and Resurrection, the best example of this total and
absolute commitment to God (PCP II 123). This feature of the Christian faith is
patterned after Jesus’ complete trust and surrender to the will of the Father which He
ultimately demonstrated in His death on the cross. Today, you are likewise invited by
Jesus to show the same faith in God when He said “Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mk. 16:24). So radical
is this demand that St. Paul summons you to offer your life as a “living sacrifice, holy
and pleasing to God” (Rom. 12:1) as a testament of your total and absolute faith in
God.

2. Trinitarian
 For us Christians, faith is our adherence to the Triune God revealed through Jesus
Christ our Lord. It is our friendship with Christ and through Christ with the Father, in
their Holy Spirit. Through Christ’s witness to his Father in his teaching, preaching,
miracles, and especially in his Passion, Death and Resurrection, we come to believe
in Christ our Savior, in the Father, and in the Holy Spirit sent into our hearts. Our Faith
as Catholics, then, consists in our personal conviction and belief in God our Father,
revealed by Jesus Christ, His own divine Son-made-man, and their presence to us
through the Holy Spirit, in the Church (PCP II 64;124).

When you pray, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”,
you are actually expressing the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, that God reveals
himself in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This belief in the triune God is a
unique characteristic of the Christian faith. Pope Francis says:

...the mystery of the Trinity also speaks to us of ourselves, of our relationship

with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In fact, through baptism, the Holy
Spirit has placed us in the heart and the very life of God, who is a communion
of love. God is a “family” of three Persons who love each other so much as to
form a single whole. This “divine family” is not closed in on itself but is open. It
communicates itself in creation and in history and has entered the world of
men to call everyone to form part of it. The trinitarian horizon of communion
surrounds all of us and stimulates us to live in love and fraternal sharing, certain
that where there is love, there is God. (2016)

3. Loving, Maturing, and Missionary

Our Christian Faith is truly life-giving and mature only through love, for “the man
without love has known nothing of God, for God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). And to be Christian,
this love must be inseparably love of God and love of neighbor, like Christ’s. It thus
impels us to mission, to evangelize, by bringing others the Good News (1 Cor 9:16).
Such a missionary spirit is the test of authentic Faith because it is unthinkable that a
person should believe in Christ’s Word and Kingdom without bearing witness and
proclaiming it in his turn (PCP II 67- 71). This means we are all called to share in Christ’s
own three-fold mission as priest, prophet and king (PCP II 116-121; 125).

Christian faith is dynamic. Its dynamism is manifested in growing knowledge and

love of Christ and in imitation of his example of selfless service to others. So, as a
Christian, you reveal this nature of your faith by loving God, others, and self. It is the
very depth of
God’s character to love, and as a believer, you must reflect God’s character.
4. Informed and Communication
PCP II insists that Catholic Faith must be “informed,” that is “believing Jesus’ words,
and accepting his teachings, trusting that he has “the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).
It must be “communitarian” since it is the Church that transmits to us Christ’s
revelation through Sacred Scripture and its living Tradition, and alone makes possible
for us an adequate faith-response (PCP II 65).

The dynamic nature of faith requires you to increase your knowledge and love for
Jesus. According to St. Anselm, “faith seeks understanding.” What is meant by this
phrase is for you not to replace faith with understanding but “an active love of God
seeking a deeper knowledge of God”. But having a deeper knowledge of God takes
place within the Christian community, the Church.

5. Inculturated
This Catholic faith in God and in Jesus Christ is never separated from the typical
Filipino faith in family and friends. On the one hand, we live out our faith in God
precisely in our daily relationships with family, friends, fellow workers, etc. On the other
hand, each of these is radically affected by our Catholic Faith in God our Father, in
Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Savior, and in their Holy Spirit dwelling within
us in grace. This is how all will know you for my disciples: your love for one another
(PCP II 72-73)

The practice of your faith is manifested in your daily life and relationships. It takes into
consideration the community where you belong.

B. The Three Essential Dimensions of Faith

For Ian Knox (2011), faith in God is expressed in your life in various ways. These expressions
of faith can help you develop your relationship with Him. They cover every aspect of your
life for they involve “believing, doing, and trusting”.

1. Believing
Believing is an important aspect of faith, though the latter cannot be equated with the
former as it is popularly understood. Faith is expressed in one way in the act of believing.
Because of faith, you believe in God’s revelation that reached its climax in the person
and mission of Jesus. Faith in God is interpreted and articulated more clearly by your
beliefs.

That Christianity makes certain historical, moral, and cognitive claims and proposes
them to people as a way of making meaning in their lives is certain. The activity of
Christian faith therefore requires a firm conviction about the truths proposed as
essential beliefs of the Christian faith (Groome, 1991).

2. Doing
Another significant expression of faith is “doing”. It means that you must work and
cooperate with God’s liberative work. You just have to look at the life of Jesus and see
his teaching about how you should live in accordance with the values of the kingdom
of God. To be active in your faith, therefore, means to actively love one another
manifested in our work to help establish the Kingdom of God as a kingdom of justice,
peace, and love.

According to PCP II,

But besides believing, faith is also doing. As St. James writes: “My brothers, what good
is it to profess faith without practicing it?” (Jas 2:14). Christ himself taught: “None of
those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of God, but only the one who does
the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). Faith, then, is a commitment to follow (obey)
God’s will for us. This we see exemplified in Mary’s “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it
be done to me as you say” (Lk 1:38). PCP II brings out this “doing” dimension of faith
as “witnessing” through “loving service” of our needy neighbors. In our concrete
situation, particularly urgent is the call for: 1) deeds of justice and love; and 2) for
protecting and caring for our endangered earth’s environment (PCP II 78-80).

3. Entrusting/Entrusting
Beyond believing and doing, faith is also entrusting oneself into God’s hands.
Abraham, our father in faith, at God’s command left everything to set out for a foreign
land. Against all human odds Moses trusted Yahweh to free the Hebrews from their
slavery in Egypt. In the New Testament, Jesus worked signs and cures only with those
who trusted in him. He promised the possessed boy’s father: “Everything is possible
to a man who trusts” (Mk 9:23) (PCP II 132).

Faith is derived from the Latin “fidere”, meaning “to trust.” Trust is the basis of all
faith. Trusting is an intrinsic part of believing. You believe God, for you trust that God
will not deceive you; He loves you, is faithful to you, and will look after you. It is your
trusting faith that leads you to pray from the heart, seeking to cement your
relationship with God. Furthermore, you must begin to look at any experience of
human trust as an experience of trusting God. You have to learn to see God as an
integral part of every facet of your life. To trust is an essential aspect of love; loving
and trusting must go together.
It needs to be emphasized, however, that ultimately faith is a grace of God. As such,
it is God himself who enables you to believe in Him and all that He revealed (CCC
184). With His grace, you come into contact with the ever-present God and enter into
a personal relationship with Him. Because of your faith in God, you have the courage
to commit into action the values Jesus has taught. Finally, because of your faith in
Him, you trust God wholeheartedly because He is good. So, you believe and trust in
God, and do His will not because you are capable because of your natural ability but
because of His grace.
MODULE 2: Lesson 1
Topic Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
1. describe your relationship with God as your Father;
2. discuss the stories of how God journeyed with His chosen people-the Israelites; and
3. manifest acts of gratefulness for God’s abiding presence of upholding a peaceful and
a just society (UN-SDG 16) as shown in the Israelite’s experience and how it is continuously
felt by Christians today.
View material

Inspired Word
A. Abraham

1. Be guided by these questions as you read and reflect on the story of Abraham’s Call and
His Covenant with God:
a. What was Abraham asked to give up?
b. Are the promises worthwhile if compared to what he was giving up?
c. What is the significance of God’s covenant with Abraham to God’s chosen
people, and to us, Christians?

Abraham’s Call and His Covenant with God

The Lord said to Abram: Go forth from your land, your relatives, and from your father’s
house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will find blessing in you.
(Genesis 12:1-3)

Sometime afterward, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not fear, Abram!
I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.
But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, if I die childless and have only a servant
of my household, Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no
offspring, so a servant of my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came
to him: No, that one will not be your heir; your own offspring will be your heir. He took him
outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will
your descendants be. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who attributed it to him as an act of
righteousness.

He then said to him: I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to
 give you this land as a possession. “Lord God,” he asked, “how will I know that I will possess
it?” He answered him: Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a
three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. He brought him all these, split
them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them away. As the sun
was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great, dark dread descended upon
him. Then the Lord said to Abram: Know for certain that your descendants will reside as
aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four
hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation they must serve, and after this they
will go out with great wealth. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace; you will be
buried at a ripe old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the
wickedness of the Amorites is not yet complete.

When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming
torch, which passed between those pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with
Abram, saying: To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great
River, the Euphrates. (Genesis 15:1-18)

The story of the call of Abraham is found in chapters 11 and 12 of the Book of Genesis, and
Abraham is considered the first patriarch of the Jewish people. Before his call, Abram (as
he was originally known) and his wife Sarai (who later became known as Sarah) were old
and childless. Abraham was 75 when he left his home and he became the first to teach the
idea of one God (monotheism). As a result of his response to God, he became ‘Abraham’
which means ‘Father of the people’. In order to gather together scattered humanity God
calls Abram from his country, his kindred and his father’s house, and makes him Abraham,
that is, “father of a multitude of nations.” The people descended from Abraham would be
the trustees of the promise made to the patriarchs, the chosen people, called to prepare
for that day when God will gather all his children into unity of the Church. They would be the
root onto which the gentiles would be grafted, once they came to believe. God promised
Abraham that he would become the father of a great nation. This is known as the
Abrahamic covenant (the promise God made to Abraham). God’s promise to Abraham is
recorded in Genesis 12: 1-3: "I will make you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make
your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and those who
curse you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Following this,
at the age of 75, Abraham and his wife made the journey to Canaan (modern day Palestine,
Syria and Israel). Here, God blessed them with a child. This story serves as one of the
foundations for the entire Bible and provides illustrations for the great doctrines of the
Christian faith. God’s plan of salvation is unfolded in the promise God made to Abraham
concerning his descendant through whom the nations on earth will be blessed.
B. Moses
Be guided by these questions as you read and reflect on the story of Moses’ Call and The
Covenant at Mount Sinai:
a. What motivates God to act on behalf of His people? What is His ultimate
purpose?
b. What does the calling of Moses show you about God’s heart?
c. How can you, as modern Christians, continue to adhere to the teachings of
the Ten Commandments?

Moses’ Call and The Covenant at Mount Sinai

But the Lord said: I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard
their cry against their taskmasters, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore, I
have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them up
from that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the
country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the
Hivites and the Jebusites. Now indeed the outcry of the Israelites has reached me, and I
have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them. Now, go! I am sending you to
Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:7-10)

While Israel was encamped there in front of the mountain, Moses went up to the
mountain of God. Then the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying: This is what
you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites: You have seen how I treated the
Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now, if
you obey me completely and keep my covenant, you will be my treasured possession
among all peoples, though all the earth is mine. You will be to me a kingdom of priests, a
holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites. So, Moses went and summoned the
elders of the people. When he set before them all that the Lord had ordered him to tell
them, all the people answered together, “Everything the Lord has said, we will do.” Then
Moses brought back to the Lord the response of the people.
The Lord said to Moses: I am coming to you now in a dense cloud, so that when
the people hear me speaking with you, they will also remain faithful to you.
When Moses, then, had reported the response of the people to the Lord, the Lord
said to Moses: Go to the people and have them sanctify themselves today and
tomorrow. Have them wash their garments and be ready for the third day; for on the
third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Set limits
for the people all around, saying: Take care not to go up the mountain, or even to touch
its edge. All who touch the mountain must be put to death. No hand shall touch them,
but they must be stoned to death or killed with arrows. Whether human or beast, they
must not be allowed to live. Only when the ram’s horn sounds may they go up on the
mountain. Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and had them
sanctify themselves, and they washed their garments. He said to the people, “Be ready
for the third day. Do not approach a woman.” On the morning of the third day there
were peals of thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very
loud blast of the shofar, so that all the people in the camp trembled. But Moses led the
people out of the camp to meet God, and they stationed themselves at the foot of the
mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the Lord had
come down upon it in fire. The smoke rose from it as though from a kiln, and the whole
mountain trembled violently. The blast of the shofar grew louder and louder, while
Moses was speaking and God was answering him with thunder. When the Lord came
down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the
top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then the Lord told Moses: Go down and warn
the people not to break through to the Lord in order to see him; otherwise many of them
will be struck down. For their part, the priests, who approach the Lord must sanctify
themselves; else the Lord will break out in anger against them. But Moses said to the
Lord, “The people cannot go up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying: Set
limits around the mountain to make it sacred.” So, the Lord said to him: Go down and
come up along with Aaron. But do not let the priests and the people break through to
come up to the Lord; else he will break out against them.” So, Moses went down to the
people and spoke to them. (Exodus 19:1-25)

The call of Moses is found in the book of Exodus and takes place over 1000 years
after the call of Abraham. At the time, the Israelites were living as slaves in Egypt under
the Pharaoh. Moses was called by God to help the Israelites (who were Jewish) escape
from Egypt. This is remembered in the Jewish faith today as the Passover.
God calls Moses at the time when Moses has chosen the paths of a father and a
shepherd of sheep. He lives in the desert where Moses apparently isolated himself from
the misfortunes of his people and day by day wastes the opportunity of helping his
people. The task was tough but Moses, through his trust and faith in God, fulfilled his
mission with God always on his side as evidenced by his constant dialogue with God.
When they reached Mount Sinai, in present day Egypt, God spoke to Moses high on the
mountain slopes. God made a deal (called a covenant) with the Jews that renewed the
one He had made with Abraham. "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I
bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you obey my voice
and keep my covenant you shall be my treasured possession of all the peoples" (Ex:19: 4-
5). As part of this covenant, the Jews received some rules from God in order to live as His
people. These are known as the Ten Commandments. These two key events – the exodus
from Egypt and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai – show how God
was faithful in keeping his promises to take care of those who believe in him, and his
blessing them not just with protection and material well-being, but with his own presence.
Although God used Moses to announce the plagues to the Egyptians and to their king,
and to save the Israelites at the Red Sea, it was God who sent the plagues, who caused
the sea to part, and who drowned the Egyptian army. And the laws he gave Israel were
meant for them to maintain a right relationship with him and to enjoy their lives after they
had been delivered from slavery and as they proceeded to the land which he promised
them.

Church Teaching
God journeys with His people in the lives of Abraham, Moses, and the foundational
event of Exodus (flight from Egypt and the Sinai Covenant). This journey is affirmed in the
Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC) as follows:

The Old Testament presents the inspired story of God forming His own people by
establishing a special relationship with them. This covenant was a call to fuller life and
salvation. God called Abraham out of his homeland and promised him: “I will make of you
a great nation, and I will bless you” (Gn. 12:1-2). Through Abraham, God promised: “all the
nations of the earth shall find blessing...all this because you obeyed my command” (Gn.
22:18). Thus, God showed Himself to be a personal God, eager to endow his people with
land, material possessions and countless descendants (CFC 277).
The call of Moses gives an even sharper picture of God as liberating His people.
Out of the burning bush the Lord said: “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in
Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers. Come now, I will
send you to Pharaoh to lead my people out of Egypt” (Ex 3:7,10). God showed Himself
“Father” to the Israelites by choosing them “to be a people peculiarly His own.” This was
not because they were the largest of all nations, but solely because He “set His heart” on
them and loved them (Dt 7:6-8). For their part, the Israelites were to observe God’s
commandments, the “Ten Words,” to guide them toward fuller freedom as His children (Ex
20:1-17) (CFC 278).

In carefully planning and preparing the salvation of the whole human race the
God of infinite love, by a special dispensation, chose for Himself a people to whom He
would entrust His promises. He entered into a covenant with Abraham (see Gen. 15:18)
and, through Moses, with the people of Israel (see Ex. 24:8). To these people which He
had acquired for Himself, He so manifested Himself through words and deeds as the one
true and living God that Israel came to know by experiencing the ways of God with men
(Dei Verbum 14).
MODULE 2: Lesson 2
Topic Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. examine the different roles of the prophets in guiding the people of God, and how they
embodied God’s presence through their ministry in observing the reduction of inequality
(UN-SDG 10) and promote peace and justice towards the building of strong institutions
(UN-SDG 16);
2. explore the roles of the prophets in God’s plan for His people; and
3. recognize that you are one of the present-day prophets who continue to speak and
work on behalf of truth and justice.

Inspired Word:
Scholars divide the Prophetic Books into the Major Prophets and the Minor
Prophets, probably for no better reason than the size of the books. The writings associated
with the Major Prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, are substantial. The Minor
Prophets, such as Amos, Micah, Joel, and Malachi, are no less important in what they
have to say, but their writings, or the written record of their utterances, are shorter.

Read and reflect on the stories of prophets Jeremiah and Jonah. Bear in mind the
following questions as you read about them:
1. In what manner was the prophet called by God?
2. How did the prophet respond to God’s call?
3. What was the prophet’s central message in his works and preaching?

A. Jeremiah
The prophet Jeremiah lived during a time of great change for God’s people. The
tiny kingdom of Judah was caught in the middle of the struggle between old and new
empires fighting to gain power over the region. Jeremiah began to serve as God’s
prophet in 627 B.C. when he was a young man, possibly less than 20 years old, and
continued until shortly after the Babylonians captured Judah’s capital city, Jerusalem, in
586 B.C. During Jeremiah’s time as prophet, he warned the kings, priests, and people of
Judah of the coming doom.

Jeremiah’s Call and God’s Promise to Save His People

The word of the Lord came to me: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before
you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. “Ah, Lord God!”
I said, “I do not know how to speak. I am too young!” But the Lord answered me, do not
say, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you,
 you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you – oracle of the
Lord. Then the Lord extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying to me, See, I
place my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, To
uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant. (Jeremiah
1:4-10)

But you, my servant Jacob, do not fear; do not be dismayed, Israel! Listen! I will deliver
you from far-off lands; your offspring, from the land of their exile. Jacob shall again
find rest, secure, with none to frighten him. You, Jacob my servant, must not fear –
oracle of the Lord – for I am with you; I will make an end of all the nations to which I have
driven you, but of you I will not make an end: I will chastise you as you deserve, I cannot
let you go unpunished. (Jeremiah 46:27-28)

The story of Jeremiah’s call to preach is the first of many stories about his life. This is
a job that Jeremiah neither seeks nor welcomes. Citing his young age, he objects. God,
however, will not let Jeremiah’s youth stand in the way of sending a message that the
people of Israel need to hear, even if they do not want to hear it. Jeremiah would not be
alone for God regularly seeks young people for divine work. Jacob, Joseph, Miriam,
Gideon, Joshua, Samuel, David, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, Abednego, Mary, Jairus’
daughter, Timothy, and Jesus at age twelve were all young when they too encountered
the divine. Reluctantly, Jeremiah says yes to God’s call.
As the book unfolds, it is apparent that Jeremiah is called to deliver a message
that is both difficult and unwelcome. The declaration that God knew him before he was
born, even before he was formed in his mother’s womb, does not exempt Jeremiah from
problems inherent in his ministerial call. Neither the command not to be afraid, nor the
promise of God’s presence, is enough to shield Jeremiah from the trouble that awaits
him. Anticipating the difficulty may have been part of the reason why Jeremiah objected
to God’s call.

B. Jonah
The book of Jonah is different from other prophetic books in that it is more of a
narrative than a prophetic message. This story is built around the character of Jonah. The
story begins with a tension in the life of Jonah who refused to obey the command of the
Lord. And it proceeds to resolve the question of what will happen to this disobedient
prophet and what will happen to the people he was supposed to deliver a message to.

Jonah’s Call and Disobedience, and God’s Message to Nineveh

The word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Amittai: Set out for the great city of
Nineveh, and preach against it; for their wickedness has come before me. But Jonah
made ready to flee to Tarshish, away from the Lord. He went down to Joppa, found a
ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down in it to go with them to Tarshish,
away from the Lord.

The Lord, however, hurled a great wind upon the sea, and the storm was so great
that the ship was about to break up. Then the sailors were afraid and each one cried to
his god. To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea. Meanwhile,
Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. The captain
approached him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Get up, call on your god!
Perhaps this god will be mindful of us so that we will not perish.”
Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose
account this evil has come to us.” So, they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. They said
to him, “Tell us why this evil has come to us! What is your business? Where do you come
from? What is your country, and to what people do you belong?” “I am a Hebrew,” he
replied; “I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, “How could you do
such a thing!”—They knew that he was fleeing from the Lord, because he had told them.
They asked, “What shall we do with you, that the sea may calm down for us?” For the
sea was growing more and more stormy. Jonah responded, “Pick me up and hurl me
into
the sea and then the sea will calm down for you. For I know that this great storm has
come upon you because of me.”
Still the men rowed hard to return to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew
more and more stormy. Then they cried to the Lord: “Please, O Lord, do not let us perish
for taking this man’s life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, Lord,
have accomplished what you desired.” Then they picked up Jonah and hurled him into
the sea, and the sea stopped raging. Seized with great fear of the Lord, the men offered
sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. (Jonah 1:1-16)

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: Set out for the great city of
Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you. So, Jonah set out for Nineveh,
in accord with the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an awesomely great city; it took
three days to walk through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and when he
had gone only a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be
overthrown,” the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of
them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside
his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had this proclaimed
throughout Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles, no man or beast, no cattle
or sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man, and
beast alike must be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; they all must turn
from their evil way and from the violence of their hands. Who knows? God may again
repent and turn from his blazing wrath, so that we will not perish.” When God saw by their
actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil he had threatened
to do to them; he did not carry it out. (Jonah 3:1-10)

Jonah refuses to obey the call from the Lord; perhaps because he does not feel
responsible for the salvation of the hated Ninevites. Jonah delights in thinking about the
punishment that God is going to inflict on the pagans of Nineveh.
Jonah represents those believers who, although they know God, have a petty and
resentful attitude and who lie about the good done by men without religion because
they are afraid that people might make comparison unfavorable to Christians.
The passages presented here are stories of the call, struggles and successes of the
prophets while doing the mission entrusted to them. The stories will remind us that when
God calls and sends His prophet or anybody to their mission, He accompanies and works
with them in his enduring presence until the task or mission is done.
The prophets were men called by God to speak His word to the people,
interpreting their present situation in the sight of God and telling them what He would do
with them. Most of all the prophets called the people back to the covenant. For despite
God’s constant fidelity, Israel’s history is a series of infidelities. After the first stage of God’s
saving acts in liberating His people from their slavery in Egypt, a second stage concerns
their deliverance proclaimed by the prophets, both before and after the exile, if only they
would turn back to the Lord. The prophetic message proclaimed by the prophets is of
conversion, hope and fidelity to the Lord.

Church Teaching:
We often confuse “prophet” with a fortune teller (manghuhula) who predicts what
the future holds. The Old Testament prophets were not like that. They were men called
by God to speak His word to the people, interpreting their present situation in the sight of
God and telling them what He would do with them. Most of all, the prophets called the
people back to the Covenant. For despite God’s constant fidelity, Israel’s history is a series
of infidelities. After the first stage of God’s saving acts in liberating His people from their
slavery in Egypt, a second stage concerns their deliverance proclaimed by the prophets,
both before and after the Exile, if only they would turn back to the Lord (CFC 428).

This prophetic hope is, first of all, grounded on the memory of God’s great saving
acts in the past. “Look to the rock from which you were hewn, to the pit from which
you were quarried. Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth”
(Is 51:1-2). Thus grounded, hope works against the rootlessness with which modern
 secularism plagues us all. Second, prophetic hope looks essentially also to the
future and to posterity. It thus helps us to overcome our excessive individualism. “My
salvation shall remain forever, and my justice shall never be dismayed” (Is 51:6).
Third, in freeing us from the guilt of sin, the prophets’ promise of God’s forgiveness
brings comfort. “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly
to Jerusalem . . . her guilt is expiated” (Is 40: 1-2) (CFC 437). Fourth, the prophetic
hope sketches a new life that drives out resignation and despair. “They that hope in
the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; They will run
and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint” (Is 40:31) (CFC 438).Lastly, the
prophetic hope bursts out of all narrow pragmatic and utilitarian views
by offering a vision of the future that only God can create. “Lo, I am about to create
new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or
come to mind (CFC 439).

Thus, when God Himself spoke to Israel through the mouth of the prophets, Israel
daily gained a deeper and clearer understanding of His ways and made them more
widely known among the nations (see Ps. 21:29; 95:1-3; Is. 2:1-5; Jer. 3:17). The plan of
salvation foretold by the sacred authors, recounted and explained by them, is found as
the true word of God in the books of the Old Testament: these books, therefore, written
under divine inspiration, remain permanently valuable. "For all that was written for our
instruction, so that by steadfastness and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might
have hope" (Rom. 15:4) (Dei Verbum 14). The following are suggested criteria to validate
who might be regarded as a prophet these days from Ian Knox:

1. The prophet never claims to speak on his or her own behalf, but always on behalf of God
(it is God’s message, not the prophet’s).
2. The prophet’s message will, in the long term, make for unity in the church (“that they all
may be one”), promote the reign of God, even though in the short term the prophetic
word may bring discord and pain. Jesus said that he had come to bring fire on earth and
that his message would set brother against brother.
3. The example of a prophet’s life must be part of the message. They must live by the
words they speak.
4. True prophecy is never for show, for display, or for personal gain.
5. Prophecy must be clear enough to be understood by the majority of
people, not so esoteric as to be available only to a few.
MODULE 2: Lesson 3
Topic Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
1. describe God’s presence and intervention in human life and affairs according to the
Sacred Writings;
2. expound the themes of the Sacred Writings by using certain church documents as
guide; and
3. inspire others to remain steadfast and hopeful in their faith by drawing guidance from
the Sacred Writings in fostering gender equality (UN-SDG 5) and promoting sustained
inclusive economic activities (UN-SDG 8).

Inspired Word:
In the Sacred Writings, Israel reflects on human life in the light of its faith. The book
of Psalms, for example, is a collective of hymns and prayers expressing the central
themes of Israelite faith. The Wisdom literature (Wisdom, Sirach, Qoheleth, Proverb) offers
us religious insights into human behaviour. The book of Job wrestles with a deep human
question – the problem of suffering.

Read and reflect on Job’s story and the other life lessons that can be gleaned
from the book of Ecclesiastes. Be guided by the questions found after each book.

A. Job
Job tells the story of one man’s troubles. But his situation prompts a series of
conversations written in the form of poetry. These conversations between Job and his
friends and the Lord focus on difficult life questions. Reading this book will challenge you
to bare your heart before God. It is easy to offer God your praises and thanks. But Job will
challenge you to offer to God even the many questions and the deepest emotions in
your heart. For God alone can satisfy your cries and give you comfort and rest.

Be guided by these questions as you read and reflect on the stories of Job:
1. What kind of a man is Job?
2. What does Job’s story teach you about life, most especially about faith in
God?

Job’s Piety, Response, and God’s Blessings

In the land of Uz there was a blameless and upright man named Job, who feared
God and avoided evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; and he had
seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred
she-donkeys, and a very large household, so that he was greater than anyone in the
East. His sons used to take turns giving feasts, sending invitations to their three sisters to
eat and drink with them. And when each feast had run its course, Job would send for
them and sanctify them, rising early and offering sacrifices for every one of them. For
Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job
did this habitually. (Job 1:1-5)

Then Job answered the Lord and said: I know that you can do all things, and that
no purpose of yours can be hindered. “Who is this who obscures counsel with
ignorance?” I have spoken but did not understand; things too marvelous for me, which I
did not know. By hearsay I had heard of you, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore, I
disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes. And after the Lord had spoken
these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger blazes against you
and your two friends! You have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has my servant
Job. So now take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and sacrifice a
burnt offering for yourselves, and let my servant Job pray for you. To him I will show
favor, and not punish your folly, for you have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has
my servant Job.” Then Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the
Naamathite, went and did as the Lord had commanded them. The Lord showed favor to
Job. The Lord also restored the prosperity of Job, after he had prayed for his friends;
the Lord even gave to Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brothers and
sisters came to him, and all his former acquaintances, and they dined with him in his
house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evil the Lord had brought upon him,
and each one gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. Thus, the Lord blessed the
later days of Job more than his earlier ones. Now he had fourteen thousand sheep, six
thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-donkeys. He also had
seven sons and three daughters: the first daughter he called Jemimah, the second
Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no other women were as beautiful
as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their
brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his children, his
grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren. Then Job died, old and full of years.
(Job 42:1-3; 5-17)

Job lives in a foreign pagan land in ancient times. His position is enviable: he is a
leader of the nomads, somewhat like Abraham and he lacks nothing.
In the last paragraph (42:7), we can find the conclusion of the popular story of
the holy man Job. Since he preserved his trust, it was rewarded by the just God.
Job deals with the causes of human suffering and the role may play in this
suffering. Job is described in the story as “a truly good person, who respects God and
refuses to do evil”. He trusted God and was blessed with many children, good health, and
much wealth. But when Job loses everything and suffers terribly, the book seems to focus
directly on the question of why a good and faithful like Job has to suffer. Job invites us to
struggle with age-old questions and in the end discover that the mysterious power and
ways of God are sometimes beyond human understanding, but God’s presence with us in
times of suffering can give us the strength to go on and face the future.

B. Ecclesiastes
The book’s title comes from the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew word
Qoheleth, which means “one who assembles.” The author is not known, but many
scholars suggest he may have been a teacher, preacher, or philosopher. The author
shares his thoughts on the meaning of life and uses sayings, proverbs, and poems to
illustrate his point.

Be guided by these questions as you read and reflect on the story found in the
Book of Ecclesiastes:
1. What are the main themes of the book of Ecclesiastes?
2. What life lessons can you learn from this book?

No One Can Determine the Right Time to Act

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the
heavens. A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the
plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time
to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter
stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from
embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love,
and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit do workers have
from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to mortals to be busy about.
God has made everything appropriate to its time, but has put the timeless into their
hearts so they cannot find out, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. I
recognized that there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do well during life.
Moreover, that all can eat and drink and enjoy the good of all their toil – this is a gift of
God. I recognized that whatever God does will endure forever; there is no adding to it,
or taking from it. Thus has God done that he may be revered. What now is has already
been; what is to be, already is: God retrieves what has gone by. And still under the sun in
the judgment place I saw wickedness, and wickedness also in the seat of justice. I said
in my heart, both the just and the wicked God will judge, since a time is set for every
affair and for every work. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-17)

The book of Ecclesiastes is a search for the meaning in life. The writer sees from the
point of view that life is full of contradictions and mysteries. Hard work is a gift from God
but work is painful and senseless, because after people die, they won’t have anything to
show for their hard work and others will get to enjoy their wealth. There is time for
everything, everything on earth is temporary, just put your trust in God or His providence.
God is journeying with us throughout. (Ec. 3 :1-15)
Ecclesiastes looks at all the aspects of the human condition, one after the other,
beginning from the surest: death. Death destroys all illusions of man who tries to forget
the lack of meaning in his life.

The chosen biblical passages about Job and Ecclesiastes describe how God
remains present in the experiences of His people. In the midst of all these encounters, the
people of God who remain faithful to Him are assured of God’s presence and company
in their endeavor.

Church Teaching:
The third part of the Old Testament, called the “Writings,” presents the discernment
needed for ordinary day-to-day living. The Wisdom literature presents how the faithful
can discern the presence of God in their daily lives. “How are things interconnected?”
the wise man asks. Can God, through His Covenant Torah and His prophetic Word, bring
salvation to ordinary daily life? (CFC 441)

In the Wisdom Literature, Job responds by looking not only back to the confident
experience of God’s saving presence in the past. He also looks forward to the divine
inscrutability: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (Jb 1:21). There is much
to learn from the counsels of the wise. “Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord
and turn away from evil” (Prv 3:7). On work and leisure: “He who tills his own land has
food in plenty, but he who follows idle pursuits is a fool” (Prv 12:11). On relating to
people: “A mild answer calms wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prv 15:1). (CFC
442) Some advice “liberates” by exposing evils that enslave. “There are six things the
Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and
hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run
swiftly to evil, the false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among
brothers” (Prv 6:16-19). Others provide something like today’s “value clarification.” “It
is better to harken to the wise person’s rebuke than to harken to the song of fools”
(Eccl 7:5). (CFC 443)
Job’s question, then, is answered by the vital interaction of life experience and
Lord-experience. Both come together in: “Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and
avoiding evil is understanding” (Jb 28:28). The best human knowledge of salvation is
discerning obedience to the Lord. (CFC 444)

As God journeyed with the people of God promising salvation through his
continued presence, he also journeys with you in your day-to-day undertakings. You take
assurance of His accompaniment in the wisdom of the wise. Your journey with God
becomes enjoyable, easier despite adversaries like Job if you need to recognize that all
blessings and goodness comes from God and that difficulties can be overcome if you
entrust ourselves to God. To be guided to live a life of blessing, you need to pray like the
Psalmist does, trust in God’s timing and listen to the wisdom of the wise. These can be
done by developing a habit of prayer and constant participation in the Eucharist.

SYNTHESIS: Discussion on the Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim

The Five Books of Moses retell the story of how the family of Abraham and Sarah
became the people of Israel and how they came back from exile in Egypt, under the
leadership of Moses, to the border of the land of Israel, on the way stopping at Mount
Sinai for the revelation of what is known as the Ten Commandments. The Torah includes
both the narrative of the formation of the people of Israel and the laws defining the
covenant that bind the people to God. Nevi’im (Prophets) presents Israel’s history as a
nation on its land. The Israelites conquered and settled; they were beset by local enemies
and eventually by imperial powers. Political and prophetic leaders vie for hearts; the
supporters of God‘s covenant did battles against the paganism of neighboring groups
and among the Israelites themselves.
A kingdom, a capital, and a Temple were built and eventually destroyed. At the
end of Nevi’im, prophets who experienced the exile taught a renewed monotheism to a
chastened Israel. Ketuvim, means simply “Writings”, which hardly does justice to the
variety of religious expression found there. There is poetry — of Temple ritual, private
prayer, wisdom, national tragedy, even love. There is philosophical exploration–of the
wisest path in life, of God’s goodness and justice. There are historical retellings and short
stories.
MODULE 3: Lesson 1

Topic Learning Outcome:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. identify the qualities or attributes of your mother or anyone who has been a mother to
you;
2. draw insights from Mary’s act of total acceptance of the angel’s message to be the
“Mother of Jesus” that can help you appreciate and accept different tasks given to you;
and
3. recognize the significant roles of women in the formation of the youth and in nation
building (UN-SDG 5).

Inspired Word:
The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the
virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with
you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting
this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found
favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall
name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord
God will give him the throne of David, his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob
forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can
this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The
holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth,
your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her
who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am
the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the
angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38)

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary’s “Behold...may it be done” (1:38) is grounded in her

intimate and humble relationship with her God. In the end, it is in her “Behold” moment
wherein she turned and rested her future in Greater Mystery that ultimately carries the
day. Luke’s story of Mary includes a woman’s spiritual life of prayer and relationship with
God. Moreover, it portrays her wisdom to discern deep waters, her need for practical
encouragement, and her courage to enter into the ways that God might act in her life,
maybe wanting more concrete answers, but still willing to risk that the Spirit will lead and
not abandon her. The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the
announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the
parent who is troubled by the vision and then told by the angel not to fear. After the
announcement is made the parent objects and a sign is given to confirm the
announcement. The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his
identity as Son of David and Son of God.
Mary’s questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to
lead to the angel’s declaration about the Spirit’s role in the conception of this child.
According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the Holy Spirit,
the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: He is Son of
God.

The sign given to Mary in confirmation of the angel’s announcement to her is the
pregnancy of her aged relative Elizabeth. If a woman past the childbearing age could
become pregnant, why, the angel implies, should there be doubt about Mary’s
pregnancy, for nothing will be impossible for God.

Points for Reflection:

1. If you think about Mary's human experience of meeting and talking with the
angel Gabriel – what can you imagine that experience is about?
2. What are the key attitudes towards faith does Mary exemplify in this story?

Church Teaching:
For Mary, the announcement is almost overwhelming but her faith and purity
animated her to God’s truth. She accepted the angel’s message and all its implications
for her own life – a radical, unforeseen change in her plans. Mary’s total YES (FIAT) to Go’s
plan of salvation makes the incarnation possible. Mary remained faithful to her mission
unto the cross-making Jesus available to us. If we love Jesus, then we also love his
mother
and follow her lead bringing us to Jesus.
Luke’s story of Mary encourages you to notice and wonder both with your minds
and hearts how God is with you, to be curious and to ask pointed questions, even of
God’s great messengers. Luke’s story also calls you to notice and ponder how God is
forever stirring up wild possibilities, and how God invites you into the ongoing story of
wonder, inclusive of happiness and sorrows, but, according to Luke, into a life where
God’s joy ultimately reigns.
The “Annunciation” refers to “The visit of the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin
Mary to inform her that she was to be the Mother of the Savior. After giving her consent
to God’s word, Mary became the Mother of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 484, 494, Glossary, p. 866)
The Annunciation of the Lord is a Solemnity, which is a Feast of the highest rank in
the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that: “In the liturgical
year the various aspects of the Paschal Mystery unfold. This is also the case with the cycle
of the feasts surrounding the mystery of the Incarnation (Annunciation, Christmas,
Epiphany). They commemorate the beginning of our salvation and communicate to us
the first fruits of the Paschal Mystery” (CCC, 1171). The Annunciation to Mary inaugurates
"the fullness of time", the time of the fulfillment of God's promises and preparations. Mary
was invited to conceive him in whom the "whole fullness of deity" would dwell "bodily".
The divine response to her question, "How can this be, since I know not man?", was given
by the power of the Spirit: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you." (CCC, 484)
The mission of the Holy Spirit is always conjoined and ordered to that of the Son.
The Holy Spirit, "the Lord, the giver of Life", is sent to sanctify the womb of the Virgin Mary
and divinely fecundate it, causing her to conceive the eternal Son of the Father in a
humanity drawn from her own. (CCC, 485)

The Father's only Son, conceived as man in the womb of the

Virgin Mary, is "Christ", that is to say, anointed by the Holy Spirit, from
the beginning of his human existence, though the manifestation of
this fact takes place only progressively: to the shepherds, to the
magi, to John the Baptist, to the disciples. Thus, the whole life of
Jesus Christ will make manifest "how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power."(CCC, 486)

What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on

what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary
illumines in turn its faith in Christ.

Many Filipino Catholics probably learn more about Faith from

their devotion to the Virgin Mary than any other way. This is perfectly
grounded in Scripture which portrays Mary as the exemplar of faith.
Through her “Yes” at the Annunciation, Mary “becomes the model of faith”. Luke stresses
the contrast between Mary’s faith and the disbelief of Zachary by Elizabeth’s greeting.
“Blest is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled”. John Paul II writes
that “in the expression ‘Blest are you who believed’ we can rightly find a kind of ‘key’ which
unlocks for us the innermost reality of Mary, whom the angel hailed as ‘full of grace’”.
(CFC, 155)

Mary perfectly exemplified the common definitions of faith as “full submission of

intellect and will” and the “obedience of faith” (Rom 16:26; 1:5; cf. DV 5). But she did it
personally, with all her human and feminine “I”, and this response of faith included both
perfect cooperation with the “grace of God that precedes and assists,” and perfect
openness to the action of the Holy Spirit, who constantly brings faith to completion by his
gifts. Luke carries this theme of Mary’s faith into his second inspired book where he
describes her presence among “those who believed” in the apostolic community after the
Resurrection. (CFC, 156).

Mary is truly an effective inspiration to us because she constantly exercised faith in

all the realities of ordinary, daily living, even in family crises. Luke’s account of the “finding
in the Temple” offers a perfect example (cf. Lk 2:41-52). There is the first stage of
astonishment at seeing Jesus in the temple, in the midst of the teachers. Astonishment is
often the beginning of faith, the sign and condition to break beyond our “mind-set” and
learn something new. Mary and Joseph learned something from Jesus that day. (CFC,
157)

Second, there is distress and worry, real anguish and suffering. As with the prophets,
God’s Word brings good and bad fortune. Mary was already “taking up the Cross” of the
disciple of Christ. Third, there is often a lack of understanding. Both Mary and Joseph, and
later “the Twelve,” could not understand what Jesus meant. Faith is not “clear insight” but
“seeing indistinctly, as in a mirror”. Finally, there is the fourth stage of search wherein Mary
did not drop the incident from her mind, but rather “kept all these things in her heart.”
Faith is a continual search for meaning, for making sense of what is happening by
uncovering what links them together. Like the “scribe who is learned in the reign of God”
Mary acted like “the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new
and the old”. (CFC, 158)

The name Mary is almost synonymous with full of grace. One who is full of grace is
very humble, recognizing one’s own limitations and incapacities and then simply waiting
for the assurance from the Holy Spirit. One who is full of grace magnifies the Lord.

This is how significant Mary is as portrayed in the story of the Annunciation.

According to his Eminence, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, in one of his homilies, the
Annunciation was the beginning of the Incarnation: a silent and mysterious event that
changed the world because at that moment, “in the fullness of time and fullness of love,
heaven and earth would unite in the Womb, in that Son-truly God but also truly
human...for God so loved the world He sent us his only Son.”
Indeed, Mary, the Mother of God, is an essential part of the Catholic Church. “She
is hailed as pre-eminent and as a wholly unique member of the church, and as its
exemplar and outstanding model in faith and charity.” (CCC, 967) Since Mary is the
mother of Jesus, she is also the mother of the church (CCC, 963.) We have already seen
that the church is Jesus carrying on his mission on earth to teach, to heal and to give
glory to God. We are the church, we live with the life of Christ, we carry on his mission to
the world. Therefore, Mary is our mother also, and that fact alone should serve as a source
of great devotion to her. (Knox, Ian 1999)

Despite the seeming impossibility of the Angel’s message, Mary demonstrated her
faith and trust in God by her acceptance of God’s invitation. The following questions may
serve as a guide and a challenge to you as you ponder on your commitment in
answering God’s call.
1. Do you say “yes” to God in the small, everyday situations of your life? When the yes
is hard, do you ask God for the grace to respond to his call?
2. You are challenged to help “make flesh” the Word of God. How do you respond to
that invitation? In what ways do you help birth Jesus into the world?
3. What are the instances you have difficulty saying “yes” to God? How can Mary
help you in those moments?
MODULE 3: Lesson 2

Topic Learning Outcome:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. point out various elements needed when you prepare to welcome someone important
in your life;
2. draw insights from John the Baptist’s act of humility in identifying himself as
“forerunner of Jesus” to people; and
3. identify concrete and specific ways on how you could be a John the Baptist to other
people by ensuring their well-being (UN-SDG 3).

Inspired Word:
Read the following scriptural text on John the Baptist. After which, watch the
attached video guided by the following questions:
1. How and on what basis did John identify himself?
2. What is the significant role of John the Baptist in the life of Jesus?

John the Baptist’s Testimony to Jesus

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed and did not deny, but
confessed, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he
said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him,
“Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say
about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight
the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, and said to him,
“Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John
answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not
know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
These things took place in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me
comes
a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him,
but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John testified
saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained
upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me,
‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One
who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son
of God.” (John 1:19-34)

John the Baptist’s ministry was marked by humility, repentance and selflessness as
clearly stated in John 3:30, “He must increase, I must decrease”. John 1:19-34 presents
John the Baptist as having a clear sense of who he is and who he is not, of his role in
manifesting God’s work on earth, of God’s presence and revelation when he sees it,
and of his life’s work as a testimony to that revelation. He baptizes not to cleanse people
from sin but to witness God’s presence in the world.
The John the Baptist you find in John’s Gospel shows how what you do reveals to
others what you believe.
Have you reflected on your individual identities enough to have a sense of the
talents you have, and those you do not have, to carry on the work of God in your own
particular contexts? Are you aware of the sort of God you reveal to the world by your
words and actions? Do your acts witness a God who takes away that which alienates
people from God and each other, and does so not by militant violence but by sacrifice?
Do you reveal a God who remains present in the world?

Church Teaching:
Read and reflect on what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and
Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC) teaches about John the Baptist.

St. John the Baptist is the Lord’s immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare
his way. “Prophet of the Most High”, John surpasses all the prophets, of whom he is
the last. He inaugurates the Gospel, already from his mother’s womb welcomes the
coming of Christ, and rejoices in being “the friend of the bridegroom”, whom he
points out as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. Going before
Jesus “in the spirit and power of Elijah”, John bears witness to Christ in his
preaching, by his Baptism of conversion, and through his martyrdom. (CCC 523)
After agreeing to baptize Jesus along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at
Jesus and pointed him out as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world”. By doing so, he reveals that Jesus is at the same time the suffering Servant
who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the
multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel’s redemption at the first
Passover. Christ’s whole life expresses his mission: “to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many.” (CCC 608)
John the Baptist is “more than a prophet.” In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his
speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by
Elijah. He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the “voice” of
 the Consoler who is coming. As the Spirit of truth will also do, John “came to bear
witness to the light.” In John’s sight, the Spirit thus brings to completion the careful
search of the prophets and fulfills the longing of the angels. “He on whom you see
the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have
seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God... Behold, the Lamb of God.”
(CCC 719) John the Baptist was the second person through whom the Holy Spirit
prepared for the coming of the Savior. “Filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s
womb,” John was sent before the Messiah “in the spirit and power of Elijah, . . . to
prepare for the Lord a people well-disposed” (Lk 1:15,17). John was a “voice in the
desert crying out: Make straight the way of the Lord”; a “witness to testify to the light
so that through him all might believe” (Jn 1:23,7). John himself confessed: “I saw the
Spirit descend like a dove from the sky and it came to rest on him. . . the Lamb of
God . . . who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:31-34;29). (CFC 1293)

From the foregoing, you are called to be witnesses of Christ and bearers of the
true light to your family, school, friends and to the community through your commitment
to the truth and the promotion of justice. Most especially, like John the Baptist, you have
to manifest your willingness to prepare for the coming of the Messiah and work, on his
behalf, towards the world’s experience of well-being.
MODULE 3: Lesson 3

Topic Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. identify Jesus in the events of your everyday encounters;
2. draw insights from Jesus’ Public Ministry especially from the healing and forgiveness
He offers; and,
3. show appreciation to the message of Jesus by advocating gender equality (UN-SDG
5), peace and justice (UN-SDG 16), and others’ well-being (UN-SDG 3).

Inspired Word:
Read and reflect on the Biblical texts about the events in the life of Jesus.

Be guided by the following questions:

1.What do the healing miracles of Jesus tell about his character?
2.What is the significance of Jesus' healing, teaching and table fellowship in his
proclamation of the Kingdom of God?
3.What is the relevance of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection in his public ministry?

On Jesus Preaching about the Kingdom of God

The Parable of the Mustard Seed. He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom
of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the
smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a
large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’” (Mathew 13: 31-32)

The Cure of a Demoniac

Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the
sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In
the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out
in a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come
to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said,
“Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and
came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one
another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the
unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the
surrounding region. (Luke 4: 31-37)
Other Healings

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He
laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from
many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them
to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah. (Luke 4: 40-41)

On Jesus’ Table Fellowship

He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there
named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking
to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short
in stature. So, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who
was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to
him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came
down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble,
saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and
said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I
have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to
him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of
Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19: 1-
10)

The Sentence of Death

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the
crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time, they had a notorious prisoner
called [Jesus] Barabbas. So, when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one
do you want me to release to you, [Jesus] Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?” For he
knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on
the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I
suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the elders
persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to
them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered,
“Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?” They
all said, “Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only
shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding
at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in
the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look at it
yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our
children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he
handed him over to be crucified. (Mathew 27: 15-26)

The Death of Jesus

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema
sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of
the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them
ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to
drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out
again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was
torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth
from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to
many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared
greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly,
this was the Son of God!” There were many women there, looking on from a distance,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary
Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of
Zebedee. (Mt. 27: 45-56)

The Resurrection of Jesus

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone,
and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow.
The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel
said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the
crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place
where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead,
and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce
this to his disciples. (Mt. 28: 1-8)

a. The Ministry of Jesus

Jesus’ ministry covers his baptism, from the previous lesson, which marks the start
of His ministry, His teaching, healing and table fellowship and also, not to be seen
separately, His passion, death and resurrection. Jesus’ whole mission and message is
centered on His relationship with His Father and of drawing all into His Father’s Kingdom.

1. Teaching
Jesus’ teachings, which often
utilized parables and aphorisms, were
aimed at changing people’s paradigm
of God: from being an authoritative and
legalistic God to a compassionate and
loving one. “His teaching started from
what was already familiar to the people.
He built further on that knowledge and
led them to a deeper insight. He invited
them to make their own decision. He
taught with a new authority and his
teaching made a deep impression on the
people.” (Colla 2002, 39)

a. The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of heaven was inaugurated on earth by Christ. It is central to
Jesus’ ministry, everything that he did was directed to its fulfilment. This kingdom
shone out before men in the word, in the works, and in the presence of Christ. Thus,
when people meet Jesus, they could feel that God was very near. Meeting Jesus
was, and still is, meeting God Himself. (Colla 2002, 85)
Jesus’ invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the forms of parables, a
characteristic feature of his teaching. Through his parables he invites people to
the feast of the kingdom, but he also asks for a radical choice: to gain the
kingdom, one must give everything. Words are not enough; deeds are required.
The parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the
world? What use has he made of the talents he has received? Jesus and the
presence of the kingdom in this world are secretly at the heart of the parables.
One must enter the kingdom, that is, become a disciple of Christ, in order to “know
the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” For those who stay, “outside,” everything
remains enigmatic.

b. The Primacy of Love

Exegetes, on Jesus’ ministry, emphasized that Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of
the Father’s plan of love. In Jesus Christ, the decisive event of the history of God
with mankind is fulfilled. Thus, Ian Knox, in his book Encountering Jesus in the
Gospels, talks about the impetus behind Jesus’ ministry:
The love that inspires Jesus’ ministry among men is the love that He has
experienced in His intimate union with the Father. The New Testament allows us to
enter deeply into the experience, that Jesus himself lives and communicates, the
love of God his Father – “Abba” – and, therefore, it permits us to enter into the very
heart of divine life. Jesus announces the liberating mercy of God to those whom He
meets on His way, beginning with the poor, the marginalized, the sinners. He invites
all to follow Him because He is the first to obey God’s plan of love, and he does so in
a most singular way, as God’s envoy in the world.

Jesus’ self-awareness of being the Son is an expression of this primordial

experience. For Jesus, recognizing the Father’s love means modelling his actions
on God’s gratuitousness and mercy. (Knox 2011)

c. Parables
A parable can be defined as a short, simple story, usually about a familiar
event, from which a moral or religious lesson may be drawn (Colla 2002, 37). A
third of Jesus’ teachings recorded in the gospels are ‘in parables’. We possess so
many stories and figurative statements of Jesus clearly because it is related to the
fact that he was a speaker, not a writer. Jesus did not write down his teachings
after due reflection. He spoke left and right on various occasions and to a more
or less accidental public. His parables are situational (Hendrickx 1987, 1).
The parables are taken from ordinary life.
Jesus challenged his audience by frequently making use of parables. They had
to decide the right course of action in a situation in which they were not personally
involved. But then, they were made to realize that the situation described in the
parable was also their own situation. It is a very expedient tool to bring home a
message, especially because it is simple. It creates a situation in which a certain
action must be taken. The listener is invited to place himself in that situation. He can
identify with the character of the story, without getting involved. He can live
throughout its action. (Colla 2002, 37)

2. Healing
Stories of Jesus’ healing miracles are abundant in the Gospel Readings. One
fact becomes very clear: God was at work in and through Jesus. Jesus’ unshakable
faith in God was the power at work in his miracles. Jesus believed in God’s goodness.
He believed that the power of goodness is greater than the power of evil. He believed
that God wants to liberate humankind from the bonds of evil. He believed that God
is love and compassion.
a. Outreach to Sinners and Social Outcasts
His healing, which included reaching out to the sinners and social outcasts,
was a statement that all evils that contribute to human suffering in all its form can
only be overcome through acting out of justice and compassion.
Jesus was moved with compassion for all who were in need. Compassion
made Him reach out to all. It was more than an emotion or feeling. It was the
driving force of His life. It made Him respond unrestrainedly to all suffering. Indeed, moved
by compassion, Jesus set out to liberate the people from every kind of
suffering and anguish. Through his compassion the Kingdom of God became
visible. (Colla 2002, 70)

b. Cure of Diseases
The people were amazed at the works of Jesus, they said, where did this
man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? (Mt 13:54) Let Jesus answer for
himself:
i. The Power of Faith
Many times, when Jesus performed a miracle of healing, he himself
ascribed it to the power of faith, as in the case of the paralytic at Capernaum.
There are many more instances where the healing is attributed to faith, among
others are: The Story of the Centurion’s Servant (Mt 8: 5-13) where Jesus said, “I
assure you, I have never found this much faith in Israel.” The boy was cured
because of his father’s faith. The Story of Two Blind Men (Mt 9: 27-31). Jesus said
to the two blind men, “Because of your faith it shall be done to you.” They
recovered their sight because of their faith.
ii. No Miracles without Faith
Without faith no miracle could be performed. If faith was evidently the
power by which miracles happened, the absence of faith made it impossible
to perform any miracle. These are traced from Gospel passages such as: Mt
13: 54-58 (Jesus at Nazareth). People in Jesus’ hometown were amazed that a
carpenter’s son could preach and perform miracles as he did. They simply
found him too much. Thus, “And He did not work many miracles there because
of their lack of faith.” Lk 9: 37-43 (The Story of the Possessed Boy). A father had
asked Jesus’ disciples to cure his son who was possessed by an evil spirit. But
they had failed. “What unbelieving and perverse lot you are, Jesus exclaimed.”
iii. For the Greater Glory of God
Jesus did not perform miracles to make a name or to claim authority for
himself. On the contrary, whenever a miracle happened, he attributed it to the
faith of the people. Often the miracle stories conclude with Jesus’ instruction
not to talk about it.
Miracles have been defined as unusual acts of God on behalf of man.
That was exactly how people understood them. Miracles became an occasion
for them to praise God. The following testify to this: “At the sight, a feeling of
awe came over the crowd, and they praised God for giving such authority to
men” (Mt 9:8). “They glorified the God of Israel” (Mt 15:31). “Fear seized them
all and they began to praise God” (Lk 7:16). “And all who saw it marveled at
the greatness of God” (Lk 9:43). “One of them came back praising God in a
loud voice” (Lk 17:15).

3. Table Fellowship
Many Gospel stories speak of Jesus’ compassionate association with people.
They relate how he sat at a table with a variety of people from all levels of society. He
sat at a table with tax collectors and sinners, with the outcast and with those with
whom no one wanted to share his or her table. There can be no doubt about Jesus’
sharing the table with all. The four Gospels agree on this point and testify to it as a
regular practice in Jesus’ life.
Table community was of great importance among the Jews. To share one’s
table meant to share one’s life. Jesus was of the opinion that no one should be
excluded from one’s table. In other words, no one should be excluded from one’s
social community and Jesus did not exclude anyone. This practice caused scandal
in the eyes of the upper and middle class, but was a source of great joy for the people
of the lower class. The Pharisees said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
(Lk 15:2) Jesus was aware that the people spoke ill of this unconventional practice of
joining all classes of people at table. He spoke of it when he said, “You say: here is a
glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. (Lk 7:34)

B. On Jesus’ Passion and Death

Crucifixion was the most humiliating and painful of all punishment in the Roman
Empire. As Ian Knox said:
The punishment of crucifixion was carried out by the centurions. The execution was
done outside the city walls of Jerusalem, at a place called Golgotha. “Jesus uttered
a loud cry, and breathed his last” (Mk 15: 37). These words give us a relatively bare
statement of Jesus’ death. It was the death of a criminal’s execution at the hands of
an occupying army. However, this painful and disgraceful death manifested Jesus’
own identity as Son of God and effected salvation for others.

The passion of Jesus is both a historical event rooted in the past and a living
dynamic memory that gives meaning to the present. The gospels portray Jesus’ death as
the culmination of his mission, the final act of selfless love and service that sealed a life
totally committed to others. Jesus’ death was a prophetic witness in the cause of God’s
justice. Despite opposition and hostility directed at him and his mission, Jesus remained
faithful until the end and ultimately was vindicated by God’s love, a love stronger than
death. But for Christian faith, the passion of Jesus is not simply a heroic and poignant
death confined to past history. The passion of Jesus lives on in the faith and experience
of the Christian community. Through the mysterious communion of God with humanity,
Jesus’ sufferings continue in the suffering of every child of God, down to the present
moment. The passion of Jesus is indeed a historical event that ultimately gave meaning
and force to the entire mission of Jesus and it is a living memory, a powerful grace that
gives meaning and hope to all human suffering. The gospels accounts of the passion
embrace both dimensions, rooting their narratives in the historical traditions about Jesus’
last days but inviting the reader to find in the passion of Jesus the ultimate meaning of
human existence and Christian commitment.
By recalling the distinctive portrayal of the suffering Jesus in each of the Gospels,
we are invited to enter deeply into the mystery of the passion and to bring one’s own
experience into vital contact with this core of the Christian message.

C. On Jesus’ Resurrection

It is important for us to understand the distinct character of the Resurrection of

Jesus given the many confusions being attached to it. As Ian Knox emphasized:
Christ’s Resurrection was not a return to earthly life, as was the case with the raising
from the dead that He had performed before Easter: Jairus’ daughter the young man of
Naim, Lazarus. In his risen body, He passes from the state of death to another life beyond
time and space. At Jesus’ resurrection, His body is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
He shares the divine life in his glorious state, so that St. Paul can say that Christ is “the
man
of heaven” (1 Cor 15: 30-50) (CCC 646).
Besides being the fundamental argument for our Christian belief, the Resurrection
is important for the following reasons:
• It shows the justice of God who exalted Christ to a life of glory, as Christ had
humbled Himself unto death (Philippians 2:8-9).
• The Resurrection completed the mystery of our salvation and redemption; by His
death Christ freed us from sin, and by His Resurrection He restored to us the most
important privileges lost by sin (Romans 4:25).
• By His Resurrection we acknowledge Christ as the immortal God, the efficient and
exemplary cause of our own resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:21; Philippians 3:20-21),
and as the model and the support of our new life of grace (Romans 6:4-6 and 9-
11).

Church Teaching:
Faith in Jesus, and all that he taught and did, is the center point of the Christian
life, the energizing core that gives meaning and purpose to life. As you reflect on how to
become genuine disciples of Christ, bearing in mind what you learned from the lessons
above, kindly ponder on the texts under the Church Teaching guided by the following
questions:
1. It is said that Jesus came to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
What does this mean? How does Jesus challenge you?
2. “Christianity's goal is not to escape from this world. It loves this world and seeks to
change it for the better.” ― Marcus J. Borg, 2011
What does this saying imply about your being Christians? What are you asked to
do?
3. Jesus was the most honest, integral and straightforward of persons. He understood
what his duty was and, in obedience to his conscience, was prepared to carry it
out, even if it meant death. What the passion and death of Jesus say to us is that,
if we dedicate ourselves to establishing the reign of God on earth, we can expect
to face powerlessness, misunderstanding and even death. (Knox, 1999) What are
you willing to dedicate to take part in making present the reign of God here on
earth?
1. The resurrection represents the triumph of the forces of good, and therefore, the
resurrection is the center of our hope that God, in his goodness and love, will not
abandon us to a pointless death and the power of the “evil one.” (Knox, 1999) As
Christians, how do you also become a source of hope in these trying times?

A. On Jesus’ Teaching, Healing, and Table Fellowship

It is without doubt that the Kingdom of God is central to Jesus’ ministry. This public
ministry includes Jesus’ acts of healing and preaching about the Kingdom of God and
the celebration of it through many instances of table fellowship with his disciples, friends,
and with the outcasts. Jesus’ teaching and healing ministry is a manifestation of the
experience of the Kingdom of God. Everything that he did was directed to its fulfillment.
His teachings, which often utilized parables and aphorisms, were aimed at
changing people’s paradigm of God: from being an authoritative and legalistic God to
a compassionate and loving one. His healing, which included reaching out to the sinners
and social outcasts, was a statement that all evils that contribute to human suffering in
all its form can only be overcome through acting out of justice and compassion. On the
other hand, his table-fellowships symbolize Christ’s whole mission and message of
drawing all into His Father’s Kingdom.
Let us read and reflect on what the Catechism for Filipino Catholics teaches about
Jesus’ teaching and healing ministries in relation to the Kingdom of God.
The teaching and preaching of Jesus centered on the “Kingdom of God,” a
dynamic symbol of God’s active presence among His people. For Christ, this
Kingdom, was grounded in the Old Testament hope for Yahweh’s presence (cf. Ps
 91:1, 96:10; 97:1; 99:1 etc). This hope was eschatological, that is, something already
present but not yet fully (cf. Mk 1:14f; Mt 4:17). Without ever defining precisely what
the Kingdom of God is, Jesus uses it to embrace all the blessings of salvation, a
salvation of God’s active presence within people’s daily life, liberating them from the
enslaving power of evil, for loving service of their fellowmen. For Filipino Christians
today, PCP II sketches the essentials of the Kingdom as a “gift of God,” made present
in Jesus, as a “Task” and as a “Promise” (cf. PCP II 39-43) (CFC 481).

Christ’s typical method of communicating his word about the Kingdom was by
telling stories, parables. In them he focused on the common life of his listeners, and
drew them into recognizing God’s presence therein. Jesus taught the people that
God was their Father, not in competition with them. That He was not calling them
out of their own humanity, but rather making their own creative human efforts
possible by His divine presence (CFC 482).

Besides his healing, Christ’s ministry was noted for his celebration of the Kingdom in
table-fellowship. He not only forgave sinners and associated with tax collectors and
outcasts (cf. Mk 2:15-17); he even scandalized his pious contemporaries by dining
with them. Such table-fellowship symbolized Christ’s whole mission and message of
drawing all into his Father’s Kingdom. “I have come to call sinners, not the self-
righteous” (Mk 2:17). It prefigures the eternal banquet in the Kingdom of God in
which “many will come from the east and the west and will find a place, while the
natural heirs will be driven out into the dark” (Mt 8:11-12) (CFC 488).

The importance of this table-fellowship in Jesus’ ministry is confirmed by two things.

The first is the special importance among the early disciples of the “breaking of
bread” (Lk 24:35; Acts 2:46). This must have come from Jesus’ own mannerism. The
second is the Lord’s prayer which Christ taught his disciples. It summarizes the
ministry of Christ in terms of “Abba” (Father), the Kingdom, bread, forgiveness and
the final test. All of these refer in one way or another to table-fellowship and more.
Not just voluntary “coming together” but the koinonia, the transforming communion
we have in the Eucharistic celebration as members of Christ’s Body (CFC 489).

B. On Jesus’ Passion and Death

It is quite clear from the gospels that Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection were
of greater importance to the gospel writers than his infancy and childhood. But even
though the passion narratives are more historically detailed than many other parts of the
gospel, they are still very much theological reflections which try to understand the
working of God in human experience.
Jesus understood that he had a mission from his Father to preach the good news
of God’s reign and to work for the establishment of that reign. He understood that his
mission was to do the will of God and he pursued that goal with a single-minded fidelity
which led him to his death. He was not the first or the last person to suffer for his integrity
and principles. (Knox, 1999)

C. On Jesus’ Resurrection
Scholars warn us that the account of the resurrection is couched in a faith–
language that defies scientific analysis, just like the Crossing of the Sea of Reeds. It should
not be read literally so as not to fall into the error of “over-belief” – fundamentalist
interpretation. We should not concern ourselves with “how” it really took place.
Resurrection is rising to a new and different life, a life of which we have little or no
experience. The apostles understood Jesus to be alive, but transformed into a new mode
of existence, an existence that transcends and is different from the former mode but is
continuous with it. Jesus had conquered death (CCC 645-646). It transformed the lives of
the apostles, from being fearful to becoming brave and bold.
As a result of memory, reflection and prayer, they came to see that Jesus is unique,
someone in whom the power and presence of God had been expressed. They
reinterpreted the incidents in the life of Jesus in the light of the resurrection event.
“But the truth is: Christ IS risen, and his resurrection has revolutionized both the very
notion and image of God, and the ultimate meaning and goal of our very own lives.”
(CFC 2008, 150) Indeed, Christ’s acts of healing and forgiveness became more
meaningful and relevant into the lives of the people because of his resurrection. Let us
look into the salvific importance of Jesus’ resurrection from the teachings of the
Catechism for Filipino Catholics 621-627.

We can sketch the meaning and salvific importance of Christ’s Resurrection in five
points (cf. CCC 651-55). First, his Resurrection confirmed everything Christ had done
and taught. It fulfilled both Jesus’ triple prediction of his Passion, Death and
Resurrection in the Synoptics (cf. Mk 8:31; 9:30; 10:32), and his triple prediction of
being “lifted up” in John’s Gospel (cf. Jn 3:14; 8:28; 12:32). Christ’s exaltation
vindicated all he claimed to be, as he himself asserted in his trial before the high
priest (cf. Mk 14:61f) (CFC 621).

Second, through his Resurrection, Christ fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies
promising a Savior for all the world (cf. Ps 110; Dn 7:13). The history of God’s Self-
revelation,
begun with Abraham and continuing through Moses, the Exodus, and the whole Old
Testament, reached its climax in Christ’s Resurrection, something unprecedented,
totally
new (CFC 622).
Third, the Resurrection confirmed Jesus’ divinity. St. Paul preached that Jesus was
“designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his
resurrection from
the dead” (Rom 1:4; cf. Phil 2:7-8). Upon seeing the Risen Jesus, Thomas cried out,
“My Lord
and my God!” (Jn 20:28) (CFC 623).
Fourth, Christ’s death freed us from sin, and his Resurrection brought us a share in
the new life of adopted sons/daughters of the Father in the Holy Spirit. “If then we
have
died with Christ [freed from sin], we believe that we shall also live with him” (Rom
6:8) (CFC
624).
Finally, the Risen Christ is the principle and source of our future resurrection. This
means Jesus rose not only to a “glorious” higher state of life himself, but also to
become
the source of this new life for all. “He will change our lowly body to conform with his
glorified
body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to
himself” (Phil
3:21). “In Christ all will come to life again” (1 Cor 15:22; cf. CCC 651-55) (CFC 625).

This importance of the Resurrection is often missed. Two practical problems

indicate this. Many Filipino Catholics today seem to feel uneasy if asked to explain
the
meaning and implications of Christ’s Resurrection. This may indicate that many
merely
accept the fact that Christ has risen from the dead. But they have no idea of what
this
means nor do they know how to “live out” its implication in their lives. No one has
helped
them see how Jesus’ Resurrection can be the basic principle and animating force
for a
truly Christian way of life. We are saved only if we not only “confess with our lips that
Jesus
is Lord” but also “believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead” (Rom
10:9) (CFC
626).
The importance of the Resurrection also calls for the clarification of some common
misleading conceptions. Some Christians treat the Resurrection simply as a factual
“proof”
of the Gospel message, with no particular meaning in itself. But in the New
Testament,
Jesus’ Resurrection is not only a proof of the Gospel message – it is also the
message! (CFC
627).
MODULE 4: Lesson 1

Topic Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. see and understand the role of the Holy Spirit in the formation and life of the early
Christian communities.
2. draw relevant insights from the Scripture and Church Teachings about the Spirit’s role in
the Church and Christian life; and
3. express appreciation for the practical examples of the Spirit’s activity in your local
church and community today by furthering equality (UN-SDG 5), justice, and peace (UN-
SDG 16).

Inspired Word:
The Pentecost experience of the
Apostles serves as a key moment for the early
Christian community because in that event,
the community of disciples received the
spiritual gifts, which are essential to the mission
of the Church. The apostles provide you with
ideas on how to be docile to the prodding of
the Holy Spirit. It opens to new possibilities
about how the church today may live and do
her own vocation and mission.

To gain further understanding about the

“outpouring of the Holy Spirit and what the disciples did in response to it”, kindly read and
reflect on the story of the coming down of the Holy Spirit. Be guided by the following
questions:

1. How was the Holy Spirit manifested to the community?

2. What was the observable immediate effect of receiving the Holy Spirit?

The Coming of the Spirit

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And
suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the
entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which
parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in
Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded,
and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking
Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? We are
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as
well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet
we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” They were all
astounded and bewildered, and said to one another, “What does this mean?” But others
said, scoffing, “They have had too much new wine.” (Acts 2: 1-13)

Since the death of Jesus, His followers went “underground” in fear. Persecutions
against Christians were prevalent and efforts to continue the mission was held back with
much anxiety. The Pentecost experience, also known as the descent of the Holy Spirit,
has given the followers of Jesus renewed strength and inspiration to continue Jesus’
mission. The Pentecost experience transformed the apostles “from simple followers of
Jesus into spiritual leaders of the new Christian community” (Valone 1993, p. 801). The text
says, "they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance to them" (Acts
2:4). This ability to speak in another language (termed as “Glossolalia”) opened the
Apostle’s minds to the will of God now poured through the Holy Spirit (Williams 2011). This
means that the courage of the early followers of Jesus to speak of the good news came
from knowing that the Holy Spirit is with them guiding and telling them what to say and
do. The Holy Spirit gives life and empowers the Church (CBCP 1997 [CFC # 1265]). In the
midst of harassment, persecution and threats, the early disciples braved the dangerous
conditions and continued their mission to the point that many paid the ultimate price
with their lives. This is shown in the mission and deaths of Jesus’ apostles that you were
asked to watch earlier. In the mission of the church today, you also expect that some will
believe, others will doubt, and still others will mock us. But we continue on. This was the
life and work of the Church to bring the Good news to the world in accordance with
Jesus' command.
That same day also, the baptism of fire announced by John the Baptist was
realized. The sending of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost led to the establishment of the
Church. The Spirit comes to give life to the Church. It also comes to confirm or affirm the
believers. The baptism of fire that the apostles received on the day of the Pentecost is
normally conferred to us through the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The Sacrament of Confirmation prepares you spiritually to a life of service in your
respective communities. It is therefore important to discern where and how the spirit
works in you personally, between you and others and your community as a whole (CFC
# 1272). While it is not easy to discern the presence of the spirit, you can look at how the
spirit is moving you in terms of how you are led not to yourselves but to God (CFC # 1276)
instead of working on your own fame. When you become professionals after college,
your spiritual life serves as a wellspring of strength and support to keep you dedicated in
your endeavors. Through the spiritual gifts you receive in Confirmation, you receive
support and guidance in your decisions and actions before others. The spiritual gifts allow
you to discern properly when making decisions, be firm in those decisions when you are
facing challenges and live as sincere witness of God’s love.

Church Teaching:
The sixteen (16) documents of Vatican II were produced as our guide in our life of
faith. Many documents of the Church emphasize the central role of the Holy Spirit in the
life of the Church. The Spirit guides the Church, unifies her, builds her up and dwells in her.
In various ways, the Spirit is manifested in the life of the Church through different charisms
and gifts empowering each one. It is the Holy Spirit who brings to perfection the work of
Jesus he began in the Church. The Spirit provides guidance and constantly sanctifies
Christians. Among others, the following documents affirm these insights:
The fourth paragraph of Lumen Gentium posits that the Spirit guides the Church in
the way of all truth (cf. Jn. 16, 13). He unifies the Church in communion and in works of
ministry. The Spirit both equips and directs with hierarchical and charismatic gifts and
adorns with His fruits (cf. Eph. 1, 11-12; 1 Cor. 12, 4 Gal. 5, 22). The Spirit dwells in the Church
and in the hearts of the faithful, as in a temple (cf. Cor. 3, 16; 6, 19).
And paragraph 12 (Lumen Gentium) also states that “the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to everyone for profit” (Cf. 1 Thess 5, 12, 19-21). These charisms, whether they
be the more outstanding or the simpler and widely diffused, are to be received with
thanksgiving and consolation for they are perfectly suited to and useful for the needs of
the Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2003) furthermore posits: “Grace is the first
and foremost gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the
gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate with his work, enabling us to collaborate in the
salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the church.”
The church in the Philippines came out with two (2) documents namely the
Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC) and the acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary
Council of the Philippines and continue to be revisited in our time to ensure the changes.
Catechism for Filipino Catholics, paragraph 1315, says that the Holy spirit inspires
us to live a truly Christian life. Not only does He strengthen us in our struggle against the
power of evil, but also frees us by His interior transforming presence. When we are
troubled, in doubt, or in danger or giving in to temptation, we learn to pray, “May your
good spirit guide me on level
ground”.
The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, paragraph 214, says that it is the
Holy Spirit who continues and brings the work of Christ to perfection. It is the Holy Spirit
who impels each individual to proclaim the Gospel, and it is He who, in the depths of
conscience causes the word of salvation to be accepted and understood. He will ensure
continuity and identity of understanding in the midst of changing conditions and
circumstances. Through the Holy Spirit, the Gospel penetrates the heart of the world.
The Holy Spirit continues to journey with the early church in her mission, giving her
strength when faced with challenges, inspiration when she begins to lose hope, and
sanctifying her constantly so she remains steadfast and faithful to the mission entrusted
to her. And with the Holy Spirit, the Church continues to grow.
The Holy Spirit is also instrumental in the conversion of the heart as portrayed in the
life of Saul who was later renamed Paul after his conversion (see Acts 9:1-9, NABRE). In
the process of conversion, just like the different relationships we have in our time, we go
through different stages. Sometimes, we even go through denial or defiance because
we are unable to accept that what we do is wrong. But there is often an occurrence, an
experience or a kind of an encounter that serves as a turning point for us to work towards
transforming our wicked ways. So, we acknowledge, and we take time to pray and
reflect and allow the Holy Spirit to intervene in our lives. Just like what Ananias told Saul
before he regained his sight, “Brother Saul, The Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the
road as you were coming here- has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with
the Holy Spirit.” In our Christian mission, therefore, let us not ignore the presence of the
Holy Spirit in our lives. That no matter how difficult life and the mission gets, God, the Holy
Spirit continues to journey with us.
The mission to continue with the mission of Jesus is never easy. We are often
confronted with challenges regardless of the time. Jesus and the early apostles were
faced with the actual dangers of death and persecution. And this continued on
throughout the more than 2000 years of the Church’s mission. In your time, you may not
encounter the same kind of threats as that of the early church but you are confronted
with modern challenges.
Go back to the points for reflection posted to you while you watched the video
“Paano Namatay ang mga Apostol ni Hesu-Kristo”. The questions were: What challenges
do we encounter in our Christian missions today? Inspired and knowing that the Holy Spirit
journeys with us, how do we properly deal with these challenges?
In the last 20 years, the Philippines has witnessed the rise of Pentecostal
movements within Christianity (Wiegele, 2005; 2006). The birth of various charismatic
renewal communities (Alva 2016) in the grassroots and even in cities within the
Pentecostal movement is attributed to the rising desire to cultivate a deeper relationship
with God. The Philippine church notes that the charismatic movement has encouraged
lukewarm Christians to a renewed desire for God (CFC # 1270). The word “charismatic”
implies being spirit-filled. Even among professionals and high-profile personalities some
charismatic groups sprouted. The establishment of these communities is inspired either
by
the desire to find God in the midst of life’s challenges to reform one’s life. Many seek
God’s consolation and assurance in the midst of suffering and uncertainty, in the midst
of poverty. Charismatic community life is primarily motivated by the outpouring of God’s
love and bestowal of the spiritual gifts on the day of Pentecost (Albrecht, 1992).
Membership in these communities take place through a form of spiritual baptism in the
Holy Spirit. This ritual of spiritual baptism is not sacramental in nature. It is carried out after
a Christian life Program seminar which is conducted during the weekend (usually on 12-
13 Saturdays) (Couples for Christ 2021). Through this spiritual ritual, the member is initiated
into the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit manifested in various gifts which include:
wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. These
gifts are essential for the proper conduct of life since these are useful for decision making,
discernment and service.
It can be said that the reception of the spiritual gifts by the community members
today reflects the original experience of the apostles when they received the gifts of the
Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The day of Pentecost recalls the time when the early church was
empowered to be witnesses of Christ. When they received the gifts, they were able to
perform activities which they were not used to doing before such as speaking in various
languages and performing healing upon the sick members. More than performing these
personal functions, the infusion of the spiritual gifts also empowered individuals to build
communities since every spiritual gift is given to support one another and promote
solidarity in charity. From the experiences of the early church, the Pentecost experience
served to strengthen communal life and service. The early Christian community lived in
fellowship with one another and shared things with those in need (See Acts 2:42-47).