WEEK 1 : THE INFANCY NARRATIVE : The Nativity and Childhood

WEEK 1:
THE INFANCY
NARRATIVE: THE
NATIVITY AND
CHILDHOOD
 

WELCOME TO THE SECOND SEMESTER OF THE

SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022
Welcome to your final term of this semester. For this week, you shall be discovering
about The Infancy Narrative: The Nativity and childhood of Jesus. This part of the
chapter talks about Jesus, like any of us, experienced being born and being a child. With
the fundamental knowledge that you have acquired in our lesson last week, I am
expecting that you have developed a deeper understanding of the essence of these topics
and I am also hoping that you are still eager to learn new interesting lessons because for
this week, you shall be given another lesson to study and another learning task to
submit.
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LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
 identify qualities of Joseph and Mary;
 understand the meaning and significance of the birth of Jesus in our midst; and
 decide for the best way of promoting the presence of Jesus in our midst against
the temptation of the secular world.
 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 How do our developmental milestones from infancy to childhood influence the
kind of persons that we are today?
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A. THE INFANCY NARRATIVE: THE NATIVITY AND

CHILDHOOD
The infancy narratives of the Gospels refer to the descriptions of Jesus’ birth and
childhood – the announcement to Mary that she was to God’s mother; the visit to her
cousin Elizabeth; the news that “there was no place for them at the inn;” the shepherds
and the angels and the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem; the visit of the wise men from the
east; the moving of the holy family to Egypt to escape Herod; the return to Nazareth;
and the finding of the child Jesus at the temple among the teachers and doctors of the
law. They are narrated at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew and Luke but are not
mentioned in Mark and John. Let us look closely at the Gospel stories in Matthew 1-2
and Luke 1-2.
 

1. The Annunciation
            Among the Jews of Jesus’ day, marriage was regarded essentially as a covenant,
a binding agreement. It has been noted in the Bible that some of Israel’s patriarchs were
polygamous but by the time of Jesus, a monogamous family was the social standard.
Marriage was essentially a legal arrangement between two individuals, entered upon by
their parents. The major stage was the betrothal when the bridegroom would sign a
written document, the Ketubbah, in which he agreed to give his bride a sum of money in
the event of his death or if he should divorce her. Betrothal made the woman legally the
man’s wife, but the marriage could not be consummated until she moved into her
husband’s house. Unfaithfulness on the part of the woman during the betrothal was
considered adultery and grounds for the Ketubbah to become invalid.
            The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Mary was engaged to Joseph. Engagements
gave the Jewish people practically every right of marriage, especially conjugal rights.
The only difference was that women continued to live under their parents’ care and in
their homes. In the culture of the Jews, a woman essentially belonged to a man, either to
her father, her husband, or her son. Mary was already the wife of Joseph, but she could
not be under his authority until he brought her home. “…but before they lived together,
she was found which child through the Holy Spirit” (Lk. 1:35). Joseph her husband who
was a righteous man was unwilling to expose her to shame so he decided to divorce her
quietly. Such was his intention when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
and said,
            “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For its through the Holy Spirit that his child has been conceived in her. She will bear a
son and you are to name Him Jesus because He will save His people from their sins”
(Mt. 1:18-21)
            The intervention of the angel in the gospel is not to reassure Joseph but to inform
him of his role in the plan of God. Joseph was a descendant of David. When Joseph
adopted Jesus, Jesus became a legitimate descendant of David.
            The Gospel of Luke mentions that in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent
to the town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of
the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail
favored one! The Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28) But she was greatly troubled at what was
said and reflected on 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” (Lk 1:30-33). 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 (Lk.
1:30-37)
            Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me
according to your word.” In saying this, Mary expressed her faith and surrender. From
her will be born the One who will be both the Messiah announced by the prophets and
the Only Son.
Among the Jews of Jesus’ day, marriage was regarded essentially as a covenant, a
binding agreement. It has been noted in the Bible that some of Israel’s patriarchs were
polygamous but by the time of Jesus, a monogamous family was the social standard.
Marriage was essentially a legal arrangement between two individuals, entered upon by
their parents. The major stage was the betrothal when the bridegroom would sign a
written document, the Ketubbah, in which he agreed to give his bride a sum of money in
the event of his death or if he should divorce her. Betrothal made the woman legally the
man’s wife, but the marriage could not be consummated until she moved into her
husband’s house. Unfaithfulness on the part of the woman during the betrothal was
considered adultery and grounds for the Ketubbah to become invalid.
            The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Mary was engaged to Joseph. Engagements
gave the Jewish people practically every right of marriage, especially conjugal rights.
The only difference was that women continued to live under their parents’ care and in
their homes. In the culture of the Jews, a woman essentially belonged to a man, either to
her father, her husband, or her son. Mary was already the wife of Joseph, but she could
not be under his authority until he brought her home. “…but before they lived together,
she was found which child through the Holy Spirit” (Lk. 1:35). Joseph her husband who
was a righteous man was unwilling to expose her to shame so he decided to divorce her
quietly. Such was his intention when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
and said,
            The intervention of the angel in the gospel is not to reassure Joseph but to inform
him of his role in the plan of God. Joseph was a descendant of David. When Joseph
adopted Jesus, Jesus became a legitimate descendant of David.
            The Gospel of Luke mentions that in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent
to the town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of
the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail
favored one! The Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28) But she was greatly troubled at what was
said and reflected on 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” (Lk 1:30-33). 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,
            Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me
according to your word.” In saying this, Mary expressed her faith and surrender. From
her will be born the One who will be both the Messiah announced by the prophets and
the Only Son.
 

2. The Birth of Jesus

During the birth of Jesus, the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus issued a decree
of the whole empire. The first census was taken while Quirinus was governor of Syria.
Everyone had to be registered in his own town, Jesus’ parents were named Mary
(Miriam) and Joseph, who was a carpenter. Joseph and Mary had to leave Nazareth at
the time the child was to be born. Joseph is a descendant of David and of his family.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of Herod.
 

3. The Visit of the Wise Men From the East

            The second chapter of Matthew narrates the famous story of the wise men from
the East (Mt. 2:1) who, following a star, came to pay honor to the infant Jesus. Matthew
characterizes the foreign visitors by the Greek term magi, which is probably best
rendered as “magicians”. Originally of Persian root, by the first century A.D., the magi
had become well known in the ancient world as a highly authoritative group of trained
practitioners in mysterious arts, such as astrology and oneiromancy (the practice of
predicting the future through the interpretation of dreams). They possessed secret and
deep wisdom and so maybe justifiably called “wise men”, the traditional English
translation of magi.
 The visitors are often thought of as kings. There are references in Psalms (Ps
72:10-11) to kings bringing an offering to an Israelite ruler interpreted as Messiah, while
Isaiah speaks of kings coming to the brightness of the Messiah and of camels bearing
gold and frankincense. The eastern strangers have sometimes been portrayed in art
visiting the newborn Jesus in the manger at the same time as the shepherds.
 

4. The Flight to Egypt

Matthew’s gospel account talks about Herod the Great’s order to kill all the
children of Bethlehem aged two or under in an attempt to get rid of the infant born there
whom the wise men have acclaimed as Messiah and King of the Jews. In a dream, an
angel warned Joseph of King Herod’s cruel intentions toward the child (Mt. 2:13). At the
angel’s command, Joseph took his wife and the boy to Egypt where they remained until
after Herod’s death. On Herod’s death, his son Archelaus became “etnarch” (the ruler of
a province or a people) of Judea and ruled (4BCE- 6 CE) with such brutality that the
Romans dethroned him. Joseph and his family headed not for Bethlehem but for
Nazareth in Galilee, outside Archelaus territory.
 

5. Rites of Childhood
The Gospel of Luke describes the parents of Jesus as pious Jews, meticulous in carrying
out, “everything required by the Law of the Lord” in observance of the birth of a male
child. The important rites concerned were those of circumcision, purification, and
presentation in the Temple. Jesus’ took place eight days after His birth, as prescribed by
Jewish Law, and was accompanied by naming the infant in agreement with the angelic
command.
            Purification is an important rite because childbirth placed a mother in a state of
ritual impurity, which lasted for forty days. The time of purification was completed by a
visit to the temple in Jerusalem for the “presentation” of an animal sacrifice as an act of
thanksgiving.
            Matthew and Luke clearly show that it was through the Holy Spirit that the Virgin
Mary conceived the significance of the birth narratives is not on the manner in which
conception takes place, but primarily the agency of conception. The Holy Spirit’s activity
right from the incarnation could be seen as God’s announcement that the whole mission
and ministry of our Lord are to be intimately interwoven with the ministry of the Holy
Spirit.
            The infancy narratives were intended as proclamations of the birth of the
Messiah, not as mere factual narrations. These stories were not intended to provide
biographical accounts of Jesus’ birth. Their purpose is theological and faith-inspiring.
The infancy stories in the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke complete the main
theme of the gospels: the salvation brought by Jesus Christ. The infancy narratives
indicate important points for our faith. First, Jesus comes from God, not from any
human power, and His presence on earth is entirely the work of God acting through the
power of the Spirit. Second, God’s power and presence are expressed in a special,
unique, and intimate way in Jesus. Third, it is through Jesus that God, and God alone,
accomplishes our salvation.
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 She carries us within 9 months, she’s in 8-12 hours of labor, she lets our life be
life when she withdraws us to the world and she’s the woman who will guide us in
everything we will do. 
 There are various ways how we give our gratitude to our mother. In the Filipino
context, Mothers are said to be the “ilaw ng tahanan”. For you, “How do you call
 your mother?”. Mothers can be associated with the word “my everything”, “my
best friend”, “my strength” and “my foundation”. For you, what is a mother for
you and what is your most endearing experience of her? With all the gifts that life
can give, A mother is one of the greatest blessings. Mothers are the greatest gifts
from God.
 Mother’s nurture and teach their children how to become a responsible and good
person. The book of Proverbs says that “… do not forsake your mother’steaching”
(Prov 6:20). Mothers bestow on their children timeless wisdom. Mothers
who personify faith in God and prayerful life teach their children the value of
God’s word. Moreover, mothers inculcate in their children the value of
confidence. In life of Jesus Christ, there is also a woman who was conceived by
the Holy Spirit and She became the Mother of Jesus, The Gospels present to us
Mary, the mother of Jesus, who demonstrated faith and trust in God.
 In this lesson the role of Mary in God’s plan of salvation is presented. Mary, the
mother of Jesus, sang a song of praise for the great blessing God.
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VALUE STATEMENT:
 
Being born is one of the highlights of celebration in the life of a person, especially in the
family. We cherish and recognize the giftedness of life especially the hardships of our
parents, specifically the sacrifices of our mothers from our conception to birth.
 
WEEK 2 : MARY IN THE GOSPEL

WEEK 2:
MARY IN THE GOSPEL
RISE AND SHINE MISSIONARIES!
Welcome to your final term of this semester. This is another opportunity to explore
more about being a missionary. Before you proceed further in this lesson, let’s have
recap of your endeavor las week. Last week you learned about The Infancy Narrative:
The Birth of Jesus. For this week, you shall be discovering about Mary in the Gospels.
This part of the chapter describes the different characteristics of Mary, Mary was given a
unique grace, free unmerited gift of holiness from God.
I am hoping that as a student, you shall do your part and will give your best in
learning and accomplishing all your tasks. This new normal may not be easy but with
both our efforts, we can still make the teaching and learning process effective.
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LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
 identify the underlying concepts of Mary in the Gospels;
 recognize the different characteristics of Mary; and
 cite concrete ways on how to live the values of Mary as a louisian in the school,
family, and in the community.
 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 In one word/phrase, what is a mother for you?
 How do you call your mother? What is your most endearing experience of her?
 Is there any other person who acted as a mother to you?
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A. MARY IN THE GOSPEL

The name “Mary” is derived from the Hebrew term “Miriam,”
or Aramaic “Mariam” and is translated “Maria” in Greek or Latin. It is
a common name in first-century Israel/Palestine and is the most frequently used
woman’s name in the New Testament.
 

A. The Immaculate Conception of Mary

The angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary at the Annunciation reveals a very important
insight that she was “highly favored by God with His grace as an unmerited gift”. Grace
means God’s loving gift of himself through the Spirit that justifies and sanctifies us.
Mary was given a unique grace, a free and unmerited gift of holiness from God, to
prepare her for her special role to be the mother of God’s Son-made-man, our Redeemer
Jesus Christ. So in celebrating the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Catholic
Church celebrates the first step in God’s Son, becoming man, the Incarnate Son of God,
Jesus Christ our Savior.
  
The Immaculate conception states that from the first moment of conception in
the womb of her mother, Mary was graced and thus preserved from all the stain of
original sin. She was “filled with grace” that is, made holy by God’s presence. This
privilege was given to her given the merits of Christ Jesus the Savior of the human race.
 

B. The Immaculate Conception of Mary

Mary as the Mother of Jesus determines her important role in the work of
salvation. Several texts describe her by this simple title. In her meeting with Elizabeth,
she is recognized as “graced” and “blessed” by God and proclaimed as blessed among all
women. The Gospel recounts that the angel Gabriel greeted Mary: Hail, Favored One!
The Lord is with you.” (Lk. 1:28). Mary was truly favored by God, chosen from the
moment of her conception in her mother’s womb to be the mother of Jesus Christ, our
Savior. This special grace from God prepared her for her vocation.
 
In the Gospel of Matthew, Mary is a young Jewish woman betrothed to Joseph
but she conceived Jesus in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 

C. Mary, the Woman of Faith

At the Annunciation, Mary entrusted herself to God completely with “full
submission of intellect and will”, manifesting “obedience of faith” to Him who spoke
through His messenger. Mary consented to this when she said: Behold, I am the
handmaid of the Lord; May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk. 1:38).
Elizabeth proclaimed Mary blessed for her faith. “Blessed are you who believe”.
Elizabeth’s praise of her confidence in God’s word reinforces this role of Mary as a true
disciple.
 
The most observable and deeply felt experience of the faith of Mary is the prayer
of the hymn Magnificat taken from Luke’s gospel. This is the Blessed Virgin Mary’s
hymn of praise to the Lord. Grateful praise to God sums up her faith and portrays the
God whom she believes. The Magnificat is more than a prayer of praise. It also reminds
us of the essential link between humility and holiness. In this prayer, Mary
acknowledges her humble and unknown beginnings; that although she is among the
poor and the lowly, she has become blessed “because God had done great things for
her”. In the hymn, she offers thanksgiving to God.
 

 D. Mary, the Perfect Model of Discipleship

The life of Mary manifests faith in God. Mary is the Church’s example in offering
worship to god and inspiring Christian believers. Mary as Immaculate Conception lived
a life very relevant to the Christian life. In her whole life, the Blessed Virgin Mary, by her
faith and obedience, trusted God wholeheartedly. She manifested how faith assures
them of what they hope for and do not yet see. At the Annunciation, Mary obeyed,
despite not knowing what she would be called to do. “I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it is done to me according to your word”. Mary’s “Yes” to God is for all Christians an
inspiring example of loving obedience to the will of the Father.
 
Like Mary, the Christians are on a journey of faith to a new life. Mary is their firm
support and inspiration. Mary offers them the first hope and a God-given promise that
brings them to what they are created for, sharing in the life of her Risen Son. Mary is the
perfect example of sharing in the life of the Risen Christ, and the strongest help in
drawing themselves towards Christ, making their lives an act of worship of God and
commitment of loving service to their neighbor. Mary’s commitment to showing loving
service to her neighbor is manifested in her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. After Mary
gives her consent to becoming the Mother of God, she goes “with haste” to help
Elizabeth. Mary, in her haste to help her cousin, is focused on serving others.
 
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 She carries us within 9 months, she’s in 8-12 hours of labor, she lets our life be
life when she withdraws us to the world and she’s the woman who will guide us in
everything we will do. 
 There are various ways how we give our gratitude to our mother. In the Filipino
context, Mothers are said to be the “ilaw ng tahanan”. For you, “How do you call
your mother?”. Mothers can be associated with the word “my everything”, “my
best friend”, “my strength” and “my foundation”. For you, what is a mother for
you and what is your most endearing experience of her? With all the gifts that life
can give, A mother is one of the greatest blessings. Mothers are the greatest gifts
from God.
 Mother’s nurture and teach their children how to become a responsible and good
person. The book of Proverbs says that “… do not forsake your mother’steaching”
(Prov 6:20). Mothers bestow on their children timeless wisdom. Mothers
who personify faith in God and prayerful life teach their children the value of
God’s word. Moreover, mothers inculcate in their children the value of
confidence. In life of Jesus Christ, there is also a woman who was conceived by
the Holy Spirit and She became the Mother of Jesus, The Gospels present to us
Mary, the mother of Jesus, who demonstrated faith and trust in God.
 In this lesson the role of Mary in God’s plan of salvation is presented. Mary, the
mother of Jesus, sang a song of praise for the great blessing God.
______________________________________________________________________
WEEK 3: THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS

WEEK 3:
THE PUBLIC MINISTRY
OF JESUS
 RISE AND SHINE, MISSIONARIES! 
A blessed day, great FAITHers! Last week, you just learned about our lesson which is
Mary in the Gospels which includes the origin of the name “Mary”, and the events and
common titles of Mary. With the fundamental knowledge that you have acquired in that
particular lesson, I am expecting that you have developed a deeper understanding about
the essence of these topics which you can apply later on in your life. I am also hoping
that you are still eager to learn new interesting lessons because for this week, you shall
be given another lesson to study and another learning task to submit.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
 demonstrate understanding of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus;
 demonstrate understanding The Temptations of Jesus
 demonstrate understanding The Ministry of Jesus

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 How can we show empathy to other people on a day-to-day basis?
 What is the essence of Jesus’ public ministry in our Christian life?
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VERSE OF THE WEEK

 
Luke 9:1-6
And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the
demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God
and to perform healing. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither
a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece.
Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do
not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a
testimony against them.” Departing, they began going throughout the villages,
preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
 
SAINT OF THE WEEK
  
 
Saint Jude, the Apostle
St. Martin de Porres was born into great disadvantage yet, with his great
perseverance, and even greater faith became a beloved wonder-worker of
Peru. He was known as the saint of social justice because he worked for
the equal rights of all classes of people.
 
St. Martin de Porres is best known for his charitable work.  His piety
allowed him access to the Dominican order of his country, and his acts of
compassion for the sick became part of the justification for his
canonization as the first black saint of the Americas.
 
 

Our country is beset with a number of issues today. The justice system has been affected
by corruption and inefficiency. The rich and influential people use their personal
connections to escape punishment. We see on the television reports of extra judicial
killings. Violation of human rights, violence against women and children, child labor,
prostitution and mendicancy are reported.
The state and the Church cannot remain blind and unresponsive to these issues. There is
a need to show solidarity in helping address these issues such as establishing advocacy
and social awareness, instituting youth formation, creating livelihood education and
skills training, launching intensive catechesis and values campaign among others.
During the time of Jesus, social injustices and oppressive conditions had been
happening. The Gospels tell us how Jesus stood up on the side of the poor and the needy
and proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom of God.

  The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

Luke 4:16-20
 
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went
into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet
Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to
the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for
the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of
everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
In His ministry, Jesus encountered many social injustices committed against the poor
and the needy. He crossed many social barriers mingling with the tax collector, the
adulterer, and the prostitute. He warned critics to remember their own imperfections
before condemning others and invited those who were wholly without sin to cast the
first stone of condemnation. The great commandment is not to judge one’s neighbour,
for judgment is God’s alone, but to love one’s neighbour.
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The Public Ministry of Jesus

According to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 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. The benevolence and mercy that inspire God’s actions
and provide the key for understanding them become so much closer to man that they
take on the traits of the man Jesus, the Word made flesh. Jesus therefore, places
Himself on the frontline of fulfilment not only because He fulfils what was promised and
what was awaited by Israel, but also in the deeper sense that in Him the decisive event
of the history of God with mankind is fulfilled.
For Jesus, recognizing the Father’s love means modelling His actions on God’s
graciousness and mercy; it is this that generate new life. It means becoming by His very
existence the example and pattern of this for His disciples. Jesus’ followers are called to
live like Him and, after His Passover of death and resurrection, to live also in Him and
by Him.
Prior to the public ministry of Jesus, a man named John the Baptist, prepare the way of
the Lord and the messiah. He was the son of Zechariah, a member of the priestly family.
Zechariah’s son would be called Nazirite, a person consecrated to God. As a Nazirite, his
life would be a model of austerity. He was known as John the Baptist. He called upon his
listeners to mend their sinful ways in preparation of the coming Messiah and the coming
of the Kingdom of God. He performed an act for ritual cleansing called “baptism” (Greek
baptizein, “to immerse”), which involved immersion in the waters of the Jordan River.
This “baptism of repentance” was accompanied by the confession of sins. Some of his
followers though he was the “messiah”. John, however, was bold in proclaiming that his
mission was to prepare the way.
 
1. The Preparation of Jesus’ Mission
a. The Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marked the beginning of His public ministry. The
Gospels made it clear that the baptism of Jesus was very different from the
baptisms performed by John. In the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit of God
descended on Jesus “like a dove” when emerged from the baptismal waters of
the Jordan River. Jesus’ baptism marked His formal designation as the
messiah announced by John, and it was during this occasion that Jesus
Himself realized the nature of His mission.
 
By receiving John’s baptism, Jesus affirmed this as the right way: to seek
justice and reform one’s life. By the show of solidarity with sinners, Jesus
summed up what His incarnation meant. God, in human nature took sin upon
Himself that He may liberate us. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus said that His
baptism was for the purpose of “fulfilling all righteousness”. In Jewish
language, “righteousness” meant obedience to the Torah. The baptism of
Jesus was His way of publicly showing that He accepted the mission entrusted
to Him by the Father.
 
b. The Temptation of Jesus
Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit, began His ministry by undergoing a very
hard test.: forty days of isolation and fasting. In this situation, Jesus was
about to let go of His life in Nazareth in surrender to the Father’s will.
 
The Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way, yet He did not sin. His
triumph over temptation was because of His total submission to His Father’s
will manifested by His fidelity to the Torah.
 
Jesus’ victory over the devil in the temptation account was only the start of a
series of authoritative victories over the demons He met in the course of His
public ministry. The temptation accounts intend to show us that in His
human nature, the Son of God was no stranger to the temptations experienced
by Israel, and of humanity in general. But unlike the people of Israel, Jesus
remained faithful to God.
 
2. The Ministry of Jesus
Jesus’ public ministry can be classified into three distinct stages: the Galilean ministry;
the journey to Jerusalem; and the final events of His life. Jesus began His “public” life at
about the age of thirty. About three years after His baptism in the Jordan by John the
Baptizer, Jesus assumed the life of travelling preacher and teacher. Jesus travelled
throughout Galilee, healing and proclaiming “the Good News of the Kingdom of God”.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus began His ministry in Judea and the adjacent Transjordan
region of Perea and moved regularly between there and Galilee. But the greater part of
His ministry took place in Jerusalem. Jesus visited the city on the occasion of the
Passover and other important Jewish festtivals and on most occasions, He visited the
Temple.
Jesus’ teachings attracted followers. The first group of followers was the apostles, some
of whom were specifically chosen by Jesus to join Him but the Gospels report that great
crown seemed to follow Him everywhere. The word “disciple” literally means a “pupil”
and translates the Greek mathetes, a “pupil” or “learner” of the doctrine of a specific
teacher or movement. In the Gospels, the primary meaning of “disciple” is one who
follows Jesus – literally accompanies Him on His mission – and has made a radical
break with a precious lifestyle in order to do so. Jesus instilled in His disciples devotion
to one task above all: to proclaim the coming kingdom of God.
The ministry of Jesus encompasses His teachings and deeds. He was mighty in deed, for
He did things that no one had ever done before. His miraculous cure of the sick
attracted great crowds of people. He was mighty in word for He taught with great
sincerity and persuasion, “for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their
Scribes” (Matthew 7:29).
 
a. Teachings
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus preached in the synagogues which
aretheJewish house of prayer. Here, people gathered each Sabbath for the
chanting of the Psalms and the reading of the Torah. The one in charge
preached and invited others to join. This is where Jesus revealed himself.
 
1) The Kingdom of God
Jesus brings God's kingdom to human beings in His own unique way.
Jesus has announced the good news of the kingdom which is the
central theme of His proclamation.
 
The reign of God means the reign of God's love in the world. Through
the parables, Jesus has enlightened our minds by asking us to imitate
and practice the universal love of God.
 
 What exactly did Jesus mean by the "the kingdom"? The Hebrew origin
of the term Malkuth YHWH (translated into Greek as "Basilieia tou
Theou") speaks not of a place but of "God's active reign". Central to
Jewish faith was the belief that in due time, God, the supreme ruler,
would overcome all forces of evil which fill the world and thus bring
about the total triumph of good.
 
The "reign of God" is a period in which, according to the prophet Isaiah
"the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord" (Is. 11:9). As
the forces of evil and sin will be overcome, everyone will observe God's
will according to His commands, and thus a period of peace, justice
and harmony and proper human development will be established
everywhere.
 
For Jesus, the "kingdom of God" was not a place, but a condition or
situation wherein the will of God would be revealed. This is the reason
why the kingdom is always equated with the "Good News." The
"kingdom" really is Good News, for the kingdom means nothing less
than salvation. The God-king that Jesus spoke on behalf of was
aGodwho brings salvation to His people by taking care of their concrete
needs so that they could live a meaningful and beautiful life on earth.
With the coming of Jesus, God has indeed visited the earth and His
presence on earth has become the principle of the earth's renewal. The
Kingdom of God has come in Jesus.
 
In order to effectively communicate to His listeners what the kingdom
truly means, Jesus made use of parables. In the Septuagint, the Greek
word "parabole" translates the Hebrew word "mashal", a word that can
denote a proverb, an allusion, a riddle or a prophetic oracle. Mashal
derives from a root meaning "to he like" and is often found in
conjunction with a comparative phrase such as "it is like" and "it may
be likened to" in the Hebrew Scriptures. A parable may be defined as
any figure of speech containing an arresting and illuminating image,
allegory and analogy. However, the Hebrew word for parable, "mashal"
also means "riddle", something to puzzle the mind. Indeed, Jesus
intended that His stories would strike the mind of His audience and
puzzle them.
 
2) The Parable of Jesus
Every parable of Jesus is a challenge to the audience to discover the
truth behind the story and to act according to the message. Parables
invite us to make comparisons between a story drawn from familiar
everyday life and some other less evident, perhaps hidden, reality. They
are meant to make us examine our own life in the light of the story and
in light of our Christian duty, and to question our assumptions, our
attitudes, our way of acting.
 
Here are some of His parables:

The Parable of the Lost Son (Lk.15:11-32)

 
In the parable of the lost son, the father's joy is so great that he says:
"because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he
was lost, and has been found.' Then they began to celebrate" (Lk.
15:24). Jesus' message tells us: "The kingdom of God is at hand-
repent". But what does the word repent really mean according to these
parables? The lost son finally, was not merely "lost and found". He had
actually been "dead and was alive again". If we look at these parables,
what is the kingdom of God? It is God's joy at finding again the beings
He created who have been lost. It is the joy of being found and the
return home from exile and estrangement. It is the coming to life again
 and joining in God's joy. We are experiencing God's kingdom when
something like this happens to us because we sense the great,
inexhaustible love from which all life proceeds.
 
The Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:1-23)
 

The original lesson of the parable indicates that just as the sower in his
work meets with many obstacles, yet produces a harvest which far
compensates any loss of seed, so does Jesus, in His work of ushering in
the Kingdom of God, meet with many obstacles, yet will ultimately
achieve a success which will far outweigh any failure.
 
The lesson of the parable with its application indicates that just as
different soils produce different results, according to their degree of
fertility, and their location, so do those who hear the Word of God
produce different results, according to their personal dispositions.
 
Every parable of Jesus was a challenge to the audience to discover the
truth behind the story and to act according to the message. Parables
invite us to make comparisons between a story drawn from familiar
everyday life and some other less evident, perhaps hidden, reality. They
are meant to make us examine our own life in the light of the story and
in light of our Christian duty, and to question our assumptions, our
attitudes, our way of acting.
 
 
3) Table Fellowship
In His parables, Jesus often likened the "Kingdom Of God" to a
banquet. Food was a symbol of goodwill. In Jewish culture, an offer
of food meant an offer of friendship. When relationships were broken,
it was likewise an offer of food that signified the desire to restore
the broken relationship. Whenever Jesus sat at the table to share
Dinner with Jesus (a depiction) food with people from all walks of life,
He assured them that the "kingdom of God" offered them is not a
vindictive judgment for their sins, but reconciliation and a covenant of
friendship. God, in His graciousness, invites all to His banquet, the
righteous and the sinners alike. It is not merit that qualifies a person to
sit at the table, but the benevolence of the host. This is why it is said
that the "Kingdom" is a gift. It imposes no ethical demand. While it is
true that Jesus called for conversion in order to enjoy the "kingdom
experience", for Jesus, conversion itself is a gift from God. And gifts
from God are given not on account of the recipient's performance, but
simply out of God's goodness, and the recipient only has to accept these
gifts with open heart, this "kingdom-banquet" with a childlike
positionari This is the reason why the privileged guests in the sinners,
the poor, the simple, and the outcasts, for they are the ones that
welcomed the gift of the "Kingdom" with a childlike heart.
 
The Last Supper was a table fellowship par excellence. As Jesus
broke the bread and shared the cup with His disciples, He did not just
illustrate His passion and death. He also gave a portrait of His life, for
throughout His ministry, He had always been "bread for others",
selflessly serving the needy.
 
4) The Beatitudes
The Beatitudes (Latin: beatitude "blessedness"; Gk: makarios-"a sense
of inner contentment unaffected by outward circumstances) introduce
Jesus' great sermon. The constitution or the basic law of the kingdom
 of God in this world is the Sermon on the Mount. The constitution
reaches its climax in the Beatitudes which call the poor "blessed"
because "the kingdom of God is theirs". The Gospel is preached to the
poor, to the people who in the world are nothing and have nothing. The
collective term "the poor" embraces the hungry, the unemployed, the
The Sermon on the Mount, enslaved, the people who have lost Henry
Coller, 1948 heart and lost hope, and the suffering. It means the
oppressed people as a whole. The poor are called blessed, not because
their poverty would be a good thing, but because, if and when the
kingdom takes shape, they will be the first beneficiaries of the changes
that would take place.
 
God's kingdom is experienced in the present in companionship with
Jesus. Where the sick are healed and the lost are found, where people
who are despised are accepted and the poor discover their own dignity,
where people who have become rigid come alive again and the old,
tired of life become young, and fruitful once more - there the kingdom
of God begins.
 
The following are the eight beatitudes according to Matthew 5:1-12:

 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. The poor, the
hungry, the weeping and the persecuted are called "blessed" or "happy" by Jesus,
not because of their condition of misery but because they will not remain in that
condition for God in His graciousness will liberate them. The poor in spirit are
those who stand before God in humble gratitude making no claims knowing they
owe everything to God's goodness.

 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Those who mourn are
moved with compassion for the grief and suffering of others.

 Blessed are the meek, they shall possess the land. The meek are those who devote
their lives to the service of the kingdom without seeking their own ends. They
courageously fight for the rights of others, but are never self-assertive at slights to
themselves.

 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. Those
who hunger and thirst are those who long and work for the triumph of goodness.

 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. The merciful are those who
strive to be righteous, yet not censorious or critical of those who fail, realizing
their own weaknesses.

 Blessed are those who are pure of heart, for they shall see God. The pure of heart
are those who are single minded and uncompromising in their loyalty to God and
to the things of God.

 Blesses are those who work for peace, for they shall be called children of God. The
peacemakers are those who take the spirit of reconciliation with them wherever
they go.

 Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. Those who are persecuted for righteousness are those whose
presence becomes a rebuke to the evil ways of others or a threat to the selfish
interests.
 

b. Healing
 Jesus not only taught about the kingdom of God, but He also worked
actively to bring it about in His own time and in the circumstances in
which He lived. He did these especially by His works of mercy and healing.
 
1) Reaching out to sinners and outcasts
There is suffering in life; it is an intrinsic part of human condition.
When we really love someone, we grieve with him as well as
laugh with him; we show compassion. Compassion literally means "to
suffer with." We show our concern for our brothers and sisters by being
prepared to suffer with them, knowing that this will make their own
suffering easier to bear. That Jesus was a deeply compassionate person
shines through the Gospel story; in fact, He has been called "the
compassion of God." His compassion reaches out to any situation
where He perceives human suffering or even discomfort. The great
miracle of the multiplication of the loaves is introduced in the Gospel
in the following way: "I have compassion for the crowd, because they
have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send
them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way-and some
of them have come from a great distance" (Mk. 8:2-3).
 
Jesus' concern is not only restricted to material discomfort; He felt
deeply also for people's spiritual need. This is clearly illustrated in the
passage, "when He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them,
because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without shepherd"
(Mt. 9:36). Jesus spent Himself in caring for others, in giving Himself.
 
 
2) Cure of diseases
In Jesus' day, like in most ancient beliefs, illnesses and disease were
blamed on evil spirits or demons and for this reason it is hard to make
distinctions between healing and exorcisms in the gospels. A belief in
the ubiquitous presence and malevolent activity of evil spirits also
called devils or unclean spirits - was virtually universal in the ancient
world. Many natural and human calamities (including illness and
injury) were attributed to demonic possession. In the synoptic Gospels,
evil spirits are associated primarily with a specific type of affliction that
is accompanied by violent physical symptoms. The limited medical
knowledge at the time of Jesus allowed little understanding of severe
mental illness: "demonic possession" was the standard diagnosis. Over
a long period there had developed a class of exorcists, to whom people
turned in order to expel evil spirits and restore a sufferer's peace of
mind. The techniques they used were essentially magical. Exorcists
depended their success on the correct performance of elaborate rituals
involving incantations and spells and the use of various substances
believed to possess supernatural properties.
 
Most accounts of Jesus' cures involve some sort of bodily contact,
touching or laying on of hands. Similarly, the Gospels record that
people were cured by touching Jesus or even just His clothing, as with
the woman with hemorrhage. When Jesus healed, power came out
from Him (Lk. 6:19); this is how He Himself knew when someone in a
large crowd had touched Him (Lk. 8:46). At such moments, Jesus
appears as a holy man similar to Israelite prophets, possessing a
mysterious quasi-physical force that can be directed to the benefit of
others. For Jesus, an equally important means of healing is His
authoritative word. Sometimes a simple utterance is enough: "Stretch
"Be made clean" (Mk. 1:14); “Stretch out your hand” (Mk. 3:5).
 
a) The Miracle Narratives
The Gospels attest to a strong and authentic tradition about the
miraculous powers of Jesus. The Gospel miracle stories
are woven into the whole scheme of Jesus' teaching on the reign
of God; miracles are signs of God's love and power which is the
firm basis for our faith.
 
But the word "miracle" itself is misleading. The word is derived
from the Latin mirare, meaning to gaze at, to stare fixedly at, to
wonder at. The inference is that a miracle is something
spectacular and sensational. In original Greek however, the
word used by the synoptic Gospels is dynameis, meaning "works
of power." The gospels are speaking of God's power, which is
greater than the power of the evil. God's power is ever active in
the world but it takes faith to see it. Miracles are for believers.
Miracles confirm and strengthen the faith of those who already
believe. Miracles are almost always associated with faith. Jesus
often demands faith before He will work a miracle (Mk. 9:23-
24). After a miracle, He proclaims that He did it because of the
person's faith (Lk. 8:48), and we are told that He did not work
many miracles in His hometown of Nazareth "because of their
unbelief"(Mt. 13:58). Miracles are signs of God's love, a love to
which we respond by faith.
 
The following are different kinds of miracles that are found in
the Gospels:
 
The healing miracles are narratives about people whose ailments
were cured by Jesus. These narratives show how God, in His
mercy, restored to "wholeness" those that showed faith in His
power to heal.
 
Cure of a Leper
(Mt. 8:1-4)
 
Jesus left Capernaum to announce the good news to the most
isolated and ignored families of the whole country. There He
found the lepers. At that time leprosy was considered a
contagious disease. Because of this, lepers had to live at the
outskirts of the towns, far from the rest of the population. There
was also the belief that leprosy was an affliction from God and
the Jewish religion declared the lepers unclean. By Jesus' act,
the flesh of the lepers became clean. As a result of this, from that
time on, they would be like others and people would no longer
avoid them. The Good News would not remain as mere words
but it effected a change. From then on, they would no longer be
marginalized people.
 
Exorcisms are narratives that tell of Jesus' expulsion of demons.
These stories show that the power of God is greater than all evil
that can inflict humanity.
 
 
The Gerasene Demoniac
(Mk. 5:1-20)
 
Jesus overcame the raging lake and, disembarking on the pagan
shore of the lake, He is confronted with a man who
was possessed. The text says three times that the possessed lived
among the tombs, and mentions also three times the chains with
which people tried in vain to bind him. For a Jew to repeat
something three times is to use the superlative: it is to say that
the possessed has partnership with death and with impurity. But
no one was able to master him. The possessed even slashed
 himself with stones till blood flowed. This adversary however
bowed low recognizing the superiority of Jesus, Son of God, the
Most High, who forced him to reveal his name. The name legion
is a symbol which means that the man is possessed by a
regiment of demons. Jesus freed the possessed man. The
demons were sent to their own kingdom. Pigs are in fact in
Jewish tradition, impure animals and the sea into which they
cast themselves is the symbol of the empire of evil.
 
Resuscitations are narratives of people that Jesus brought back
to life. These narratives prefigure Christ's own resurrection, and
manifest this power over death.
 
 
Jesus Raises Lazarus
(Jn. 11:1-45)
 
Lazarus personifies the person wounded by sin who is in the
process of dying unless Christ calls him back to life. Lazarus
came back to life. This miracle foretells the true resurrection
that does not just prolong life but transforms our entire being.
The resurrection is spiritual. It begins when faith moves a
person to give up wrong ways of living and become open to
receiving God's life. The Jews believed in the resurrection of the
dead on the last day. They thought a divine force would come to
shake the universe and open the tombs so that the dead could
come out. In reality, the resurrection of the dead comes about
through the Son of God, who has in Himself all the power
needed to raise people to life and to transform creation. One
who lives in submission has already passed from death to life
and because of this will never die. The miracle of Lazarus
recalled to life is an image of the glorious resurrection of Jesus,
the Lord.
 
Nature Miracles are narratives that show Jesus' power to
suspend the laws of nature, thus showing Jesus' lordship over
the universe.
 
 
Jesus feeds 5,000
(Jn. 6:1-15)
 
The abundance of accounts may be due to the fact that the
multiplication of bread is one of the miracles of Jesus which best
shows His absolute power over the laws of nature. The Jews of
Jesus' time were a poor people, too numerous for a fertile but
limited territory. The Roman occupants claimed a good portion
of the resources, and politicians like Herod imposed heavy taxes.
Many people had no security in employment and Jesus along
with His followers shared that situation. In that desolate area,
Jesus felt responsible for all His brothers and sisters and He
acted according to faith. Every day, in those times and until
now, many people must have shared their last resources with
someone poorer, confident that God would pay them back.
Jesus, in turn, would do no less. The miracle Jesus performed at
that moment confirms the faith of many humble believers.
 
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Jesus brought the Kingdom of God - the reign of God's love - to the people during His
time through His public ministry. Jesus brought the kingdom of God through His
teachings of God's mercy, compassion, and love of enemies. He also worked actively to
bring the kingdom of God especially by His works of mercy and healing. As Christians
and believers, we are enjoined to participate in the mission of Jesus of bringing God's
love and mercy to our fellowmen and women.
1.
1. Jesus preached the primacy of love. We follow Jesus by becoming
instruments of love through conducting gift-giving activities to the poor,
the sick, and the aged.
2. Jesus healed the sick and showed compassion to the outcasts during His
time. We follow Jesus by visiting the sick and assisting them in their
needs.
3. In all important events of Jesus’ life, he prayed. We follow Jesus by
cultivating a prayerful life and participating actively in liturgical
celebrations such as the Holy Eucharist.
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

The infancy narratives are not meant to give biographical accounts of the birth of Jesus.
Rather, they present to us that God’s power and presence are expressed in a special way
in the person, life, and ministry of Jesus.

o Jesus baptism by John the Baptist is Jesus’ way of showing His solidarity
with sinners. By receiving John’s baptism of repentance, Jesus showed
that to seek justice and reform one’s life is the right way. By this solidarity
with sinners, Jesus showed that He took sin upon Himself so that He may
liberate humankind. Through His baptism, Jesus manifested that He
accepted the mission entrusted to Him by the Father.
o At the beginning of and throughout His ministry, Jesus experienced
temptations. These temptations were focused on His being the Son of God.
They tell us that Jesus, the Son of God, in His human nature was tempted
but remained faithful to God. Jesus’ attitude in the midst of these
temptations is a model for all Christians to follow.
o The ministry of Jesus encompasses His teachings and deeds. He was
powerful indeed, for He cured the sick, exorcised the evil, brought the
dead to life, and showed His power over the loss of nature. He was
powerful in word, for He taught with great authority and persuasion as
manifested in His teaching about the reign of God. For Jesus, the reign of
God is condition or situation wherein the will of God- for His people to
have a happy and bountiful life- would be revealed.
WEEK 4: THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

WEEK 4:
THE TRIUMPHAL
ENTRY
 RISE AND SHINE, MISSIONARIES! 
A blessed day, great FAITHers! Last week, you just learned about our lesson about the
public ministry of Jesus. With the fundamental knowledge that you have acquired in
that particular lesson, I am expecting that you have developed a deeper understanding
about the essence of these topics which you can apply later on in your life. I am also
hoping that you are still eager to learn new interesting lessons because for this week, you
shall be given another lesson to study and synchronous  quiz shall be given to you.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
o demonstrates understanding of the historical and theological meaning of the
Triumphal Entry of Jesus in Jerusalem;
o demonstrates understanding The Ministry of Jesus and
o relate the values from the common Filipino characteristics with the values seen in
the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
o When was the last time you welcome Jesus in your life?
o How did you accommodate Him?
 

VERSE OF THE WEEK

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’,
Will enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of My Father who is in
heaven will enters.”
Matthew 7:21
 

SAINT OF THE WEEK

St. Mark the

Evangelist
Mark was an Evangelist—one of the
four men who wrote the Gospels
found in the New Testament. Mark’s
Gospel was written first, and it is the
shortest description of Jesus’ life,
Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.
Mark’s writings helped both
Matthew and Luke to write their
Gospels. Mark traveled with St. Paul
 and Barnabas to spread the Good
News about Jesus.

It is inherent for us Filipinos to celebrate significant event in the family,

community or the nation as a whole. Significant people are recognized for
their great honor and respect to people who occupy high positions in
politics, in government institutions, in the church, in educational
institutions, or even in the entertainment or showbiz personalities. Jesus
Himself became public figure during his public ministry. However, quite
different to some or many today, he never intended to become dramatically
popular or sensational just to call attention, gain fame or power. In fact,
people started to talk about Him because of His Unique way of healing and
teaching especially His thought- provoking and challenging wisdom
People did not only admire Him but many literally followed His mission,
From the small town in Nazareth to the political and religious center in
Jerusalem.
 

 The Entry to Jerusalem 

Matthew 21:1-11
When they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the
mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into a village
opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered and colt with
her. Untie them and bring them here to me and if anyone should say
anything to you, reply ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send
them at once” This happened so that what had been spoken through the
prophet might fulfilled. “Say to daughter Zion, ‘Behold, your king comes to
you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the float of a beast of
burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They
brought the ash and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat
upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while
others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The
crowds preceding him and those following kept on crying out and saying
“Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole
city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is
Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
  
Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem is a sign of the coming of the kingdom. As Jesus
predicted, this will be accomplished by passion, death and resurrection. Jesus refused to
be hailed as the king because He wanted to bring the good news of salvation of the
kingdom not through power of violent means but “by the humility that bears witness to
the truth”. His arrival tells us of a king who came as a lowly servant on a donkey, not
on a horse, not in regal best clothes, but on the clothes of the poor and humble. Jesus
Christ comes not to everyone by power as earthly king but by love, grace, mercy and
His own sacrifice for people. He is not an empire of soldiers but of meekness and
servanthood. He defeats not nations but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace
with God. If Jesus made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and
love. As His follower, we demonstrate those same qualities, and the world realizes the
true king living and reigning in triumph is in us. The triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is
celebrated in Church on Palm Sunday. “It is the celebration of that entry on Palm
Sunday that the Church’s Liturgy solemnly opens Holy Week.”

 
THE PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus was presented as the Messiah
powerful in word and in deed, who went
around preaching, healing and helping
people. He proclaimed the goodness of
kingdom of God. He brought the kingdom of
God to those who physical suffering from
various illness and disease through his works
and mercy and healings. He also brought the
Kingdom of God to the sinners and outcast
through His message of love, forgiveness and
compassion.
The suffering, death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ are important aspects of our
Christian faith. Indeed, the events that led to
His death and resurrection should be
properly understood within their historical
perspective. It is important that these events
are correctly understood and properly
interpreted because they influence the living
and witnessing of Christian life in the midst
of sorrows and happiness.
What is the Passover in the Bible?
Passover in the Bible originates from the book of
Exodus when God instructed Moses and Aaron and
the Israelite people in Egypt to mark their houses
with the blood of a lamb so that the Lord would "pass
over" their house and spare their firstborn son. The
biblical text is found in Exodus 12:
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of
Egypt, "This month shall be for you the beginning of
months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.
Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth
day of this month every man shall take a lamb
according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a
household. And if the household is too small for a
lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take
according to the number of persons; according to
what each can eat you shall make your count for the
lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a
year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the
goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day
of this month, when the whole assembly of the
congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at
twilight. 
"Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on
the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in
which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night,
roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter
herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or
boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and
its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain
until the morning; anything that remains until the
morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat
it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet,
and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in
haste. It is the LORD's Passover. For I will pass
through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike
all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and
beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute
judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign
for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see
the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will
befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of
Egypt. "This day shall be for you a Memorial Day,
and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD;
throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you
shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat
unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove
leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is
leavened, from the first day until the seventh day,
that person shall be cut off from Israel.
 
The celebration of Passover is the first celebration of
Jews community out of the Three major celebration
they have. This feast is to commemorate the
deliverance of ancient Israel from bondage Egypt.
 THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
The triumphal entry is that of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on what
we know as Palm Sunday, the Sunday before the crucifixion (John
12:1, 12). The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in
the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-
17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19). Putting the four accounts
together, it becomes clear that the triumphal entry was a significant
event, not only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians throughout
history. We celebrate Palm Sunday to remember that momentous
occasion.

Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem is a sign of the coming of the kingdom. As

Jesus predicted, this will be accomplished by passion, death and
resurrection. Jesus refused to be hailed as the king because He wanted to
bring the good news of salvation of the kingdom not through power of
violent means but “by the humility that bears witness to the truth”. His
arrival tells us of a king who came as a lowly servant on a donkey, not on
a horse, not in regal best clothes, but on the clothes of the poor and
humble. Jesus Christ comes not to everyone by power as earthly king but
by love, grace, mercy and His own sacrifice for people. He is not an
empire of soldiers but of meekness and servanthood. He defeats not
nations but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace with God. If
Jesus made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace
and love. As His follower, we demonstrate those same qualities, and the
world realizes the true king living and reigning in triumph is in us. The
triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is celebrated in Church on Palm Sunday.
“It is the celebration of that entry on Palm Sunday that the Church’s
Liturgy solemnly opens Holy Week.”

Jesus regarded His saving work as different from what most Jews
expected of the Messiah it was to be achieved through His death and
resurrection, a truth that Jesus drives home in the three predictions of
 passion. He told the disciples that Jewish religious authorities reject Him
and He would be handed over to them. A crucified Messiah was a
contradiction to all Jews and to announce Jesus as the Messiah would
have aroused false expectations. So Jesus urged that this Truth must be
kept secret among His disciples, to be revealed only when He had been
vindicated by actually rising from the dead. Until then, not even the
discipline would be able to understand the true meaning of Jesus’
mission.
 

The Passion and Death Of Jesus

The Passion, (Latin, passio, “suffering”) death and resurrection of Jesus
are central narrative accounts in the Gospel. These final-Days narratives
of the earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth occupy around one-fifth of each
Gospel, from Last Supper to His burial, and eventually His
resurrection. These events became the main points of faith of the early
Christian Communities in their understanding of Jesus and His
message.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

The Synoptic Gospel- Matthew, Mark and Luke – show that the
Jewish authorities, such as chief priest, elders, and Scribes, were plotting to
kill Jesus at least two days before Passover.
 
Jesus is Anointed by a Woman
Two days before the Passover, in the house of Simon and the leper in
Bethany, an Anonymous woman anoints Jesus’ head with expensive
ointment. Despite the complaints of some people about wasting the
ointment that could be better off sold and raising money to be given to the
poor, Jesus praises the woman by saying that the anointing is preparation
for His Burial (Mk.14:3-9)
 
The Last Supper
The Gospel recount that Jeus and His twelve closest disciples had one
final meal together before his arrest. The Last Supper was the seder, the
special meal that is traditionally eaten by the Jews in celebration of the
Passover or Unleavened Bread.
 
The Betrayal of Judas
After singing the final part of the Jewish Hym sung at the end of the
Passover Celebration Jesus and His disciples set out for the Garden of
Gethsemane, an olive grove at the foot of Mount of Olives (Mk.14:26
____________________________________________________________
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______________

GENERALIZATION
Jesus brought the Kingdom of God and His reign of Gods love. The narrative of
Jesus life is a manifestation that God’s words are true to happen and will
experience by humanity. The salvation is true to everyone. The triumphal entry
of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem symbolize that we recognized and proclaimed Him
as our King and savior. The people are welcoming Him with love and hope, that
is a manifestation of hospitality of the Jews just like us Filipinos. We are known
to be hospitable people. Our hospitality is greatly expressed and manifested on
how we prepare for the coming of visitors at home, in the community or in the
nation as a whole. Whether the visir is expected or not, you would find the
Filipino always ready to accommodate the visitor. Like Jesus entered Jerusalem
successfully, as a Christian who believes that Jesus reigns in love and peace in
our midst, we let Jesus enter successfully in our life in various ways:
 
 Sharing our resources to those who are materially in need by donating things
and foods to the non-government agencies or parish organization who reach out
to the poor and needy.
 Participating actively in community/ church activities and celebrations like
Healing Mass for the sick, aged, and disabled and the prisoners.
 Supporting the needs/ projects of the church by generously giving cash
donations.
 Joining our family on Sunday masses and receiving Holy Communion.
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
 
WEEK 5: THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS

WEEK 5:
The Passion and Death of
Jesus
 RISE AND SHINE, MISSIONARIES! 
Welcome to the fifth week of our Learning Journey. Last week, you just learned about
the The Triumphal Entry. For this week, you shall be discovering about The Crucifixion
and Death of Jesus. This part of the chapter describes the different important events of
Jesus. Relevant to this topic is an elaboration on the role of Jesus as the culmination of
Gods revelation. In Jesus, God is making Himself known to human beings.
This is another opportunity to explore more about being a true disciple of Jesus. Be
ready to unravel your Christian faith through understanding the Oral Tradition. Let’s
continue to respond to the mission entrusted to us by Jesus as we venture to another
learning experience which you are to explore and enrich your knowledge.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
 Deepen their understanding of the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus;
 demonstrates understanding of His carrying of the Cross and the crucifixion;
 demonstrates understanding the entombment of Jesus and the burial of Jesus;
 describe what happened in the crucifixion and death of Jesus; and
 demonstrates understanding the profound effects of Christ’s death.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 What does the crucifixion of Jesus teach us?
 What does it mean to suffer with Jesus?
______________________________________________________________________

VERSE OF THE WEEK:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that
the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full
effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 

SAINT OF THE WEEK

 
St. Stephen
       Stoning is a traditional punishment, but among Christian
martyrs, St. Stephen, who died in  36 AD in Jerusalem, was the
first to suffer that fate. He was one of the first seven deacons
chosen by the early Christian community and became an
evangelist. His success in converting Jews drew the ire of the
Sanhedrin (the supreme rabbinic court). His punishment for
speaking against “this holy place and the law” was to be stoned to
death. As is common to many icons of Catholic martyrdom, St.
Stephen is often depicted in paintings as holding the method of
his death: a basket of stones.
 
The cross is uplifting. For us Christian it is the symbol of salvation. At Baptism, we are
marked with the sign of the cross; we sign ourselves with it when we pray. The cross is a
symbol not only of Christ’s saving power but also of our true selves for it is the example
for all time of Jesus great “paradox” recorded in all four Gospels: “Whoever would
preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel
will save it.
______________________________________________________________________
The Death of Jesus 
Luke 23:44-47 
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[a]
When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a
righteous man.”.
______________________________________________________________________

Christ’s death is the unique and definitive sacrifice. Christ’s death is both the paschal
sacrifice that accomplishes the definitive redemption of humankind, and the sacrifice of
the new covenant, which restores humankind to communion with God. This sacrifice of
Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices because it is a gift from
God the Father Himself, for Father handed His son over to sinners in order to reconcile
us it Himself. Jesus consummates His sacrifice on the cross. It is “love to the end”
______________________________________________________________________
1. Beating and Scourging
Prior to the crucifixion, like any condemned prisoner,
Jesus was beaten, scourged, mocked, and humiliated.
In most cases, prisoners can die from this
maltreatment, so Jewish law limits floggings to thirty-
nine lashes. Since Jesus was condemned for claiming
to be the “King of Jews”, the soldiers mocked Him with
the symbols of royal power and authority, including a
scarlet (or purple) cloak, a crown (of thorns), and a
reed (instead of a scepter)
The Gospel record that Jesus was mocked by Roman
soldier prior to His execution. They also claim that
Jesus had been already treated roughly during His appearance before the high priest,
apparently by the temple police. Jesus’ abuse at the hands of the Roman soldiers
centered on His alleged claim to kingship, the charge on which He was evidently finally
condemned.
 
2. Carrying of the Cross

Jesus, as any condemned person, was forced to carry

His own cross beam to Golgotha (Place of the Skull),
the place of crucifixion. Simon of Cyrene was
compelled to help carry Jesus’ cross when Jesus
stumbled several times. Jesus spoke with women along
the way to the cross. Jesus carrying His cross on the
road to Golgotha is re-enacted through the Via Crucis
or Via Dolorosa. It is also known as the Stations of the
Cross.
 
 
 
3. The Crucifixion

In the Roman Empire, crucifixion was regarded as the most

humiliating and painful of all penalties. It was confined to
slaves and foreigners. No roman citizen could be crucified.
Death penalty was a capital punishment imposed in Roman
Palestine to persons who are condemned of high crimes.
  Jesus’ crucifixion involved intense physical suffering after
He was beaten and scourged with whips. His feet and arms were nailed to the wooden
beam. From the Gospel narrative, it might be possible to
deduce the medical causes of Jesus’ death: hypovolemic shock,
and exhaustion asphyxia, coupled with dehydration, stress-
induced arrythmias, and congestive heart failure.
 
The evangelists, however were more interested in the
importance of Jesus’ death than His physical suffering or in
the medical causes of His death. For Mark, Jesus’ death on the
cross was the result of all the misunderstandings and opposition that His teachings and
actions attracted. It was the fulfillment of His mission as God’s son and servant who
gave His life “as a ransom” for many. For Matthew, Jesus death was according to the
scriptures- part of God’s plan for a transformed people of God. According to Luke, even
in death Jesus showed His faithfulness to His own teachings, concern for the marginal
and trust in God, and thus provided a good example. John presents Jesus’ death not as a
defeat but rather as a victory- part of the lifting up or exaltation constituted by Jesus
death, resurrection, and ascension.
 
4. The Seven Last Words of Christ.
a. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).
b. “You will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
c. “Woman, behold your son!” (John 19:26-27).
d. “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken
Me?” (Matthew 27:46).
e. “I thirst!” (John 19:28).
f. “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
g. “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit’” (Luke 23:46).
 
5. The Entombment of Jesus

In Jesus’ time, sometimes, a body was left hanging on the

cross until it was devoured by vultures. Sometimes, a
prominent person might secure the right to bury.
In Jewish law, a hanged man had to be buried
before nightfall.
 
 
 
6. The Burial of Jesus
There are different accounts on the burial of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark
mentions a certain Joseph from Judean town of Arimathea. He is called a
“respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God.
Matthew mentions a rich man and also a disciple of Jesus Luke’s Gospel reveals a
member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their
purpose and deed and Johns’ Gospel also mentions “a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for
fear of the Jews. Nicodemus is mentioned likewise. Joseph of Arimathea secured
consent from Pontius Pilate to recover the body of Jesus. After Pilate was certain that
Jesus was dead, based on the statement of a centurion and the piercing of His side.
The Gospel record that Jesus’ body was wrapped in a linen cloth. It was placed in a rock-
hewn tomb which was closed with a large stone against the entrance. They also wrapped
the body with a large stone against the entrance. They also wrapped the body with a
large mixture of spices based on Jewish burial custom. In the synoptic Gospels, the
women prepared spices after going home, and intended to embalm the body properly
after Sabbath.
The Catechism for the Filipino Catholics explains the following as the profound effects
of Christ’s death.
1. Universal- First Jesus died not for our sins alone, but for those of the whole
world. Christ’s cross on Calvary stands as a symbol of his universal redeeming
love. The horizontal bar stretches Christ’s arms to embrace the whole world of
human suffering, while the vertical beam points toward His heavenly Father,
beyond the bounds of time and space.
2. Eschatological- Second, this saving love of Christ is eschatological. Jesus did not
die simply to raise our standard of living or make life easier. He died that those
who follow Him will receive eternal life in the age to come.
3. Empowering- this dimension is already present in us in grace, empowering us to
that all our actions have saving power.

Jesus exemplified the greatest love for humankind by dying us. He asks us to go
out and reach out to those who need our love amidst difficulties. The CICM
fathers are practicing this great love by doing missions beyond borders like in
Guatemala, Mongolia, Africa, among others. As posited by the CICM founder,
“we go where we are most needed”. It is beautiful mission entrusted to every
CICM school. We live out this mission by:
1.
0. Practicing the works of mercy by being selfless in order to share the
hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the sick and those in prison; mending
broken relationship with other;
1. Being involved in Advocacy Programs that promote life like, Profile,
depression, and anxiety Alliance
2. Encouraging others to fulfill their Christian duties by doing kind deeds;
giving cheerful smile and comforting words especially to those who are
sick.
3. Being attentive in your classes and trying to participate actively in class
activities.