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TOPIC 1The Mystery of the Holy Trinity and the Mystery of the IncarnationCatechists Discussion Points:Preliminary Remarks to the students….I recommend that you encourage them to really make an effort to be engaged in the discussion – to think and reflect and wonder and question – in order to grow in their knowledge and love of God.Remind them that they can also help themselves in this manner of participation when they go to write their reflection paper for each topic (Please remind them that they are required to submit it via email one week after the class meets. They email it to “Confirmation Class” at Faith Formation Office.) Finally, try to help them understand the PROCESS of this format of learning about the faith– it is different than a typical religious education class. Normally, they would be learning the ‘facts’ or ‘parts’ or ‘pieces’ of the puzzle, for example, What are the Ten Commandments, What are the Sacraments, What are the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit, What is the Bible, What are the Gospels, etc – these things they have already learned over their years here at CTK. Now, we are putting it all together in a way that challenges them to look at the faith “In a New Way”.The KEY WORD – RELATIONSHIP. God is calling each one of you to a “Living Faith” – to know Him personally, not just to know about Him, but to know His infinite Love for YOU and His Invitation to share Eternal Life with Him – a Life that begins at Baptism in this Life and for His FAITHFUL PEOPLE - never ends. The old saying is that if we walk with Him in this life, we will walk with Him in the next. It most certainly involves choice, since to walk with Him means obeying Him – also called “The Obedience of Faith.” God invites, He does NOT force us to love Him.It is an INVITATION that each one of us must CHOOSE to freely accept or reject. Of course, there are consequences to our decision. If we choose to ACCEPT His LOVE and in turn, LOVE Him back, then our journey to Him begins with a commitment to grow in our KNOWLEDGE and LOVE of Him. And so, let’s take a few minutes now – as we will each week we meet – to try to “UNCOVER the MYSTERY”.Discussion Questions for the topic Holy Trinity and Incarnation….Questions will focus in particular on the Readings assigned for the topic and written about in their reflection papers based on the Readings each week. They were NOT required to write a paper for this topic but will be required to write one on the next topic (BVM). See also the STUDY GUIDE STATEMENTS ON THE TOPIC which are attached below and these will also comprise to a large extent the material they will need to know for the year end test.Some Possible questions to get the conversation rolling (you are not limited to these):God tells us about Himself (Divine Revelation) in the Bible (Sacred Scripture) and also through what is called Sacred Tradition. He reveals Himself in a way we can understand and as we choose to continue to study and reflect on what He has told us about Himself, we gradually grow in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT. God ALWAYS EXISTED. And He reveals a most important truth about Himself – He is a HOLY TRINITY.Catechism- “The mystery of one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The revealed truth of the Holy Trinity is at the very root of the Church’s living faith as expressed in the Creed…”We can only know that God is a Trinity because He has told us. He told us because He loves us and wants us to know Him – it is a great gift that He has shared this Truth with us and invites us to actually and truly share in his Divine Life. QUESTIONSWhy did God create the Universe – what was His motive? (Answer – LOVE, to share His joy, to invite us to live with Him, In Him, For Him) What response does God expect from us – what do we need to do to be with Him and to go to Heaven someday? (Answer – to Love Him in Return – and He has told us exactly how to accomplish this: If you love Me, keep my commandments, live the Gospel message/teachings)How do I get to know God? (Answer – Attend Mass, Read the Bible, Pray, Reflect on how to live according to His Will, etc)How is the Holy Trinity Revealed in the Bible? (Answer – in a ‘Hidden way in the old testament and in a more clear way in the New Testament, that is, when God becomes Man – the Incarnation, the Birth of Jeus)Examples? (Answer – there are many examples, but to name just a few – the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan – the Father’s voice is Heard, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus ‘like a dove’ and Jesus (true God and True Man ascends from the water; the Transfiguration, Jesus’ own words explicitly stating for instance “The Father and I are One and We will send the Holy Spirit”) OR When Jesus tells the Apostles. “Go, baptize all nations in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”Images of the Trinity to help understand Three IN One? (Answer – a three leaf clover – three “hearts” but One stem. It’s one thing yet three distinct hearts.What is the “INCARNATION”? (Answer – When the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, took upon His Divine Person our Human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and became man. Jesus is True God and True Man (NOT part God and part man) and this is a great Mystery – all because of Gods love for mankind! So, Jesus is a DIVINE PERSON with TWO “Natures” He has a Divine Nature because He is God and He has a Human nature because He is man.Why did Jesus become Man? (Answer – to Redeem man – in other words to pay the debt we owe for the sins we have committed in order to be healed of the sins and so be made holy so that we can go to heaven. Otherwise, we would be shut out of Heaven). See how much God loves us?Does Jesus still have His Body? (Answer – YES! From the moment HE became Man for our sake and for the rest of eternity, Jesus is TRUE GOD and TRUE MAN. But now, He has a Glorified Body. All those who go to Heaven will one day likewise have Glorified Bodies.)How do I get to go to Heaven? (Answer – When we are baptized. We become members of the Body of Christ. We are “incorporated” into His Mystical Body, also called The Church. At baptism, Jesus takes away the stain of Original Sin, which we inherit from our first parents, Adam and Eve. At the same time, God builds a “spiritual temple” in us and marks our souls indelibly as belonging to Him. Finally, we choose. If we choose to love God and keep His commandments, we will go to Heaven.) ................
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