REED 03 Midterms

Gifts
A gift is memorable not because of the gift itself, but because of the connection of the giver and the
receiver. We tend to think that the greatest gift we can give are intangible things.

Gifts are both given and received, usually exchanged during occasions and lets the people involved
experience wonderful emotions.

Jesus Giving the Holy Spirit Jn 14: 15-17 Jn 15: 26-27

Pentecost
 Pentecost; fiftieth day
 7th Sunday after Easter
 The Official Birth of the Church Acts 2: 1-15
o Rush of violent wind
o Tongues of fire
 Morning of the Pentecost Acts 2: 7-9, Acts 2: 13, Acts 2: 15, Acts 2:41

Grace of the Pentecost

Before After

In hiding Out in the open

Afraid Courageous

Alone Community

Divided United

Helpless Empowered

Individualistic Shared everything

Symbols of the Holy Spirit

1. Dove
a. Genesis: Noah sends out a dove to check if the waters have subsided
b. Baptism of Jesus Mt 3: 16
c. Represents beauty, gentleness, peace and it comes from the heaven
2. Fire
a. The Burning Bush
b. Pentecost (tongues of fire)
c. Represents burning desire, unquenched flame
d. 1 Thes 5: 19 "do not quench the spirit"
3. Strong Rush of Wind
 a. Pentecost Acts 2: 4
b. Creation of Man: God gave Adam the breath of life
c. Jn 3: 8
d. Represents energy that causes movement, strength
4. Water
a. Jn 7: 37-39
b. Baptism of water from the Jordan River
c. Represents cleansing, purity, life
5. Cloud of Light
a. Ex 40: 38; Ez 1: 4
b. Baptism of Jesus
c. Transfiguration and Ascension
d. Represents something hidden and mysterious

The Holy Spirit

St. Augustine: Our faith is faith that needs understanding
Difficulties in recognizing the Holy Spirit:
1. The Holy Spirit has no definite shape/form
2. Human beings have limited understanding
3. We are so self-centered and seek for extraordinary events
How to receive the Holy Spirit:
1. Ask for the Holy Spirit Lk 11: 13
2. Repent from your sins Acts 2: 38, Ez 33: 11
3. Get baptized Acts 2: 38, Acts 10: 44-48, Jn 20: 21-22, Mt 3: 16
4. Be willing to obey God Acts 5: 32, Ep 4: 30, Gal 5: 16, 1 Sam 16: 14, 2 Sam 7: 14-15
How to know if you have the Holy Spirit
 The Holy Spirit helps us to gain control of our lives, not lose control
 Lk 4: 1, Gal 5: 22-26
Overcoming the difficulties
1. Through sacred scriptures
2. Through sacred tradition
3. Prayer
Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
1. Creation Gen 2: 7
2. Prophets Heb 1: 1
3. Kings and Leaders Sam 16: 13
Roles of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' life
1. Conception
2. Anointing
3. Guidance
4. Gift to His disciples
Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church
1. Built the church through Pentecost
 2. Reminds the church of her mission
3. Bestows gift to the believers
4. Leads us to communion with the Triune God

The Discernment Process

How to discern the Spirit
 Meaning: determining which action reflects who you are and is consistent with God's invitation to
love
 Importance: helps us to maintain the basic structure of the Christian moral life by responding to
God's call
 Theological Foundations: faith, Jesus, God's will and the human person
The discernment process
1. Prayer
2. Gathering of information
3. Seeking confirmation
Limits
 Prayer quality
 Clarity of perception
 Accuracy of information
Where to look for the spirit
 Within ourselves (conscience)
 Interpersonal experiences
 Work and social life in our family, in the community and the church
What is the spirit doing?
 Makes us adopted children of God Rom 8: 15
 Inspires us
 Unites us with Christ and with one another in the Church
 Leads us to eternal life

Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
 Make us obedient in following the Holy Spirit
 Disposition - something in us that make us act in a certain way
 Purpose is to make us listen more closely
 Is permanent, but can be weakened by sin
1. Wisdom: helps us to decide what is true and good
2. Understanding: comprehension of the Church's teachings, tolerance and sympathy to others
3. Counsel: guidance to follow God's teachings
4. Knowledge: awareness of who we truly are
5. Fortitude: strength to withstand temptation to sin, makes us constantly courageous
6. Piety: feeling of peace and fulfillment in service
7. Fear of the Lord: wonder and awe
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
 Love: unselfish devotion and care for God and our neighbor
 Joy: recognizing that true happiness does not come from material things, but in Christ
 Peace: free from worries since we are experiencing God in our hearts
 Patience: treating others with thoughtfulness and tolerance
 Kindness: treating others how we want to be treated
 Goodness: doing what we know what is right
 Generosity: sharing our gifts with others
 Gentleness: acting calmly
 Faithfulness: live out our commitment to our religion
 Modesty: being pure in our words, thought and dress
 Self-control: working to overcome temptation
 Chastity: using the gift of sexuality wisely

The Catholic in Prayer and Worship

What is Prayer?
 Conversation with God
 Living relationship with God
What prompts a person to pray?
 Recognize our need for God
How to pray?
a. Vocal prayer
b. Meditation
c. Offering
d. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray
The model of Christian Prayer is Jesus
 Boundless trust to God
 Communication with God in a familiar and intimate manner (Lk 10:21)
 Praying daily (Lk 5:16, Lk 8:12-15)
 Pray for others (Mt 26:39)
Elements of Christian prayer
1. Christ
2. Trinitarian
3. Comes from the heart
Levels of prayer
1. Personal prayer
2. Communal liturgical
Worship
 Inner attitude of reverence in a outward expression in signs, words, actions, songs and dances
enacted in a public ritual
What is Liturgy?
 Was first associated with rubrics, what the priest does around the altar
  Official public worship of the church

Signs and Symbols

Signs vs Symbols
 Signs point to another reality while symbols represent another reality
 Signs are precise reality; physical objects, event, or human actions which points toward another
reality
Kinds of signs
1. Natural sign - they come from nature of the things themselves such as smoke, fire, etc. there is
always a close relationship between the sign and the thing signified. Wherever there is smoke,
there is fire.
2. Sociocultural/free signs - signs whose meaning are different based on culture. They don't have a
universal value
3. Personal sign - signs based on our personal interest. Speaks about the how a person expresses
his/her inner self or the personality to others.
Twofold functions of signs
1. Reveals a hidden reality
2. Puts us into contact with that reality
Symbols are specific materials, things that represent a general, invisible thing. The word symbol is based
on a Greek word sumbaleon meaning ' to throw together or compare.
Example: fire as anger, heart as love
Liturgical symbols - objects that make a reality present
 Bread: body of Christ
 Wine: blood of Christ
A symbol is closer to the thing signified, and in less subjective than signs. Thus, we can say that all
symbols are signs, but not all signs are symbols".
Rituals are symbols that include actions and words. A short definition of a ritual is a 'symbolic action'.
Rituals can be as simple as a handshake, a wave, or the sign of the cross.

Sacraments are efficacious signs, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church to give grace. The
Sacraments are signs of Jesus our God and Savior and within the sacraments are symbols and rituals that
expresses our identity as Christians.

Rituals in the Seven Sacraments

Baptism Pouring of water
Confirmation Anointing with oil
Confession/reconciliation Absolution
Eucharist Consecrating bread & wine
Marriage Vows
Holy order Laying of hands
Anointing of the sick Anointing with oil
Sacramentals and Popular Devotions
Sacramentals: objects, actions, practices and places as signs and symbols of Christ's grace-filled presence
and prolongs the effect of the sacraments instituted by the church
Examples: sprinkling of holy water during the mass (baptism), benediction of the blessed
sacrament (eucharist), blessing of establishments (confirmation)

Popular Religiosity - over emphasis on the outward symbols and expressions of faith. This focuses more
on the symbols and expressions rather than the meaning behind them.
Examples: flagellation (kneeling, bowing, wiping of images, joining processions, objects: candles,
ashes, healing oils)

Marian Devotion and Piety

Theotokus- the mother of God.
- We do not worship Mary, but we venerate her for her role in the salvific act of Christ.
The Immaculate Conception of Mary: Mary did not die, assumed to heaven
Rom 5:12, Rom 6:23, 1 Cor 15
December 8 - feast of the Immaculate Conception
January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
March 25 - Feast of the Annunciation
August 15 - Feast of the Assumption