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Week 2
THE COMMISSIONING OF THE APOSTLES

What is an apostle?
 Derived from the Greek word “Apostello” meaning “to send forth”
.
 Almost exclusively used in addressing the 12 apostle, who were sent by Jesus into the
world
 Also used for Great saints who were sent by the lord on a particular mission
What is a disciple?
 Obtained from the latin “Discipulus”, meaning a “student” or a “pupil”.
 Used almost exclusively in the new testament
 Usually denotes the several “students” who surrounded Jesus and learned from his
teaching
 Someone who constantly learns what it means to be a Christian

All Apostles were Disciples, but all Disciples were not

Apostles.

THE MEANING BEHIND THE NAMES OF THE 12 APOSTLES

Peter
 From the greek word “Petros” meaning “rock’.Jesus gave him the name Cephas:”Stone”
in Aramaic
John
 Derived from the Hebrew name ”Yochanan” meaning “YAHWEH is Gracious”
Bartholomew
 From “Bartholomaios” which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name “ son of Talmai”
Jude- Thaddeus and Iscariot
 From the Hebrew name “Yehudah” which meant “praised”
James- Greater and Lesser
 From the Hebrew name “Ya’agov” the name comes from the Old testament Patriarch
Jacob
Andrew
 From the Greek name “Andreas” It comes from the word “Andreios”. “manly,masculine”.
Philip
 From the Greek name “philippos” which means “friend of horses”
Matthew
 From “Matthaios” a Greek form of the Hebrew name” Mattityahu” meaning “gift of
Yahweh”
Thomas
 From the Aramaic name “Ta’oma” which ,ean’t “twin”.The reasonfor this nickname is
unclear.
Simon the Zealot
 From the Hebrew name “Shim’on” which meant “he has heard”

Week 3
THE PENTECOST AND HOLY SPIRIT
What is Pentecost?
PENTECOST comes from the Greek word "Pentecoste" meaning 50th day. Pentecost Sunday is
one of the most prominent feast days in the Christian calendar. It is often referred to as the
"BIRTHDAY OF THE CHURCH".
It marks the day when the HOLY SPIRIT descended upon the Apostles, who had been living in
fear for fifty days following the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
On Pentecost, the HOLY SPIRIT came down visibly on the Apostles. He gave them the power to
speak in strange tongues to the crowds that came to Jerusalem for that Feast. He also
transformed them, from selfish and timid men into giants of courage and faith.

What does the word Pentecost means for the Jewish tradition?
  Pentecost means the fifty day harvest festival. It is called Shavuot.

What usually things happened on that day of Pentecost?

 During Pentecost, they discuss the symbols and speak in tongues.
What does this mean?
 universality and mission of the Church to spread the good news to ALL men
what is the meaning and spiritual significance of Pentecost in the life of the church?
 It means the birth of the Church.
Why is it considered as the birth of the church?
 On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit transformed fearful apostles into courageous witnesses to
Christ. In a very short time, thousands have themselves baptized. It was the happy
birthday of the Church.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

 The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, the Third Person of the Blessed
Trinity.
 As “Giver of Life,” the Spirit vivifies the Church, our sacramental and moral life, and our
resurrection to life everlasting.
 “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has
been given us” ( Rom 5:5).
How do we experience the Holy Spirit?
 We experience the Spirit within our minds and hearts, in our loving relationships with
family and friends, and in our social life in the Church and society.
What effects does the holy spirit produce?
 The Holy Spirit makes us receptive to God; he teaches us to pray and helps us to be
there for others.
 St. Augustine calls the Holy Spirit “The quiet guest of our soul”. Often this Guest speaks
very softly within us and with us, for instance, in the voice of our conscience or through
other interior and exterior promptings.

The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit

 1. Wisdom –Help us see the world differently and from God’s point of view
2. Understanding- enables us to know more clearly the mysteries of faith.
3. Counsel (also known as right judgment) - help us to discern what is right and what I
wrong.
4. Fortitude (also known as Courage) - strengthens our will so that we can actually
accomplish what is true, good and beautifully.
5. Knowledge- enables us to discover god’s will in all things
6. Piety-helps us love god, our merciful father, and to obey his percepts out of love for him
7. Fear of the lord (also known as Wonder and Awe) – help us to understand how we must
depend on god for everything. In other words, he is god we are not.

Fruits of the spirit

 Charity
 Gentleness
 Kindness
 Peace
 Joy
 Goodness
 Generosity
 Modesty
 Patience
 Chastity
 Self-control
 Faithfulness
How is the spirit active in the Christians?
 The Spirit unites the members of the Church to Christ, their Head, and to one another,
strengthening their Faith, Hope and Charity.

THE SPREAD AND GROWTH OF THE CHURCH

The book of ACTS
After the Pentecost, they devoted themselves to the;
 apostles’ teaching and
 the fellowship,
 to the breaking of bread and
  the prayers.
 many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed
were together and had all things in common.
 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to
all, as any had need.
 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they
received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with
all the people
 And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
How important are those activities in building up the Church?
 The first Christians shared a common culture. They met in their homes to share
memories of Jesus and break bread together. They worked tirelessly to spread the
faith, and their efforts bore great fruit.
 “Through preaching and the celebration of the sacraments, of which the Holy
Eucharist is the center, missionary activity makes Christ, the author of salvation”
present.
Presentation of the church teaching
 The Holy Spirit enables each one to participate actively in continuing Christ’s mission
through one’s good free words and deeds in the world today. (CFC 1344)

THE BOOK OF ACTS

Author of the Book: Luke
 The book of Acts was authored by the same person who wrote the third gospel account.
 Addressed to the same person, Theophilus (Acts 1:1 Luke 1:1-4).
 Acts 1:1 ties the book of Acts with a "former treatise"
 The uniformity of writing style and vocabulary confirm same author
 An interesting evidence of Luke's authorship are the "we" sections in the book.
 The author claims to have been a traveling companion of Paul, using the plural
pronouns, "we," "us" and "our" (Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-21:18) 27:1-28:16).
 The author was with Paul during his first Roman Imprisonment (Acts 28:16).
 Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon during this
imprisonment and included Luke as one of his companions, calling him "the
beloved physician" (Col. 4:14 Philo. 24).
 Luke is the only one who fits into the "we" sections of the book.
How did Paul’s missionary journey contribute to the growth of the Church?
 It was Paul, together with Barnabas and other companions, who brought Christianity to
the Gentiles and established different early Christian communities during his three
missionary journeys.

Member of the early church were first called Christians in Antioch

Who is St. Paul?
 Saul/Paul had a strong Jewish heritage.
 He was a persecutor of the early Church.
 He was visited by Jesus. (post-ascension)
 He became an Apostle. (to the Gentiles)
 He travelled much, starting many churches. He wrote many letters—we have 13.
 His letters are arranged according to length, longest to shortest.Sister letters:
 Romans = Galatians Ephesians = Colossians
 See Phil. 3:5-6; 2 Cor. 11:21-29

SAINTS FUN FACTS

St Paul was converted from Judaism on the road to Damascus. He was the ultimate
missionary, traveling throughout many countries and lands, preaching the Gospel
of Jesus. He established numerous churches during his travels and was even
imprisoned several times.
St. Paul died in the year 67.

THE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS OF PAUL

First missionary journey with Barnabas from Antioch to Cyprus and Asia Minor
o from Antioch to Cyprus (Salamis to Paphos), Perga (John Mark
deserted), Pisidian, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe then back to
Antioch in Syria
o followers were mostly Gentile Christians
o Converts from Judea and those faithful to Jewish law insisted on the
practice of circumcision as necessary for salvation (Acts15:1-3)
 o 1st Council of the Church (Jerusalem) AD 49 – seed for later general or
ecumenical councils in the Church to solve problems confronting the
Church
o Acts15: 11-20 significance: it broke all barriers to the universality of the
Church.

Jew
 Worshipped one true god.
 Followed god’s laws
 Had food restrictions
Gentile
 Worshipped many gods
 Followed man made laws
 Anything goes

Both Jew and gentile

 God created all
 God loves all
Second missionary journey with Silas (Timothy)
 revisited churches in Asia Minor
 vision in Troas (Acts16:9-10)
 Philippi in Macedonia: 1st European community that Paul founded
 Thessalonica, Berola, preached to pagan
 philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:31-32)
 8 months in Corinth, sailed to Ephesus, Jerusalem, Antioch
Third Missionary Journey
 Antioch to Northern Galatia and Phrygia to
 Ephesus (30 mos.)
 Macedonia, Thessalonica, Corinth visits
  Wrote his letters to Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, etc.
 Looking toward Rome and the West (Spain)
Paul’s Captive Journey to Rome
 58 A.D. Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and goes to Caesarea.
 59 A.D. Paul is in Caesarea.
 60 A.D. In the Winter Paul is shipwrecked at Malta.
 61 A.D. Paul arrives in Rome in the Spring.
 62 A.D. In Rome, in the Spring Paul writes the books of Philemon, Colossians
and Ephesians He may have written the book of Hebrews this year.
 In the Autumn Paul writes the book of Philippians.
 63 A.D. Paul is acquitted in the Spring and goes to Macedonia and Asia
Minor.
 64 to 68 A.D.
 In A.D. 64 it is possible Paul went to Spain (See Romans 15:28). The Great
Fire of Rome occurs, followed by persecution of Roman Christians.
 In A.D. 65 Paul may have continued in Spain. Gessius Florus made Procurator
of Judea. Death of Seneca.
 In A.D. 66 Paul may have traveled from Spain to Asia Minor (See 1 Timothy
1:3). In the Summer of A.D. 67 Paul writes 1 Timothy from Macedonia. He
writes Titus from Ephesus in the Autumn. In the winter he is in the city of
Nicopolis.
 During the Spring of A.D. 68 Paul is in a Roman prison. He writes his last
epistle, 2 Timothy. The Apostle Paul is executed in the Summer (May or
June). Nero dies in the middle of June

What are the contributions of Paul on the spread and growth of the
Church?

 He freed Christianity from its Jewish practices and traditions.

 He brought the Christian faith to the Gentiles.
 The letters he wrote to the communities he formed have become some of
the oldest written sources of the New Testament and Christian faith in the
early Church.
  During his three missionary journeys, Paul was able to established Christian
communities. On three separate missionary journeys—each several years in
length—Paul preached the news of Jesus in many coastal cities and trade
route towns, proclaiming God’s grace in forgiving sin through Christ. God
used Paul’s ministry to bring the gospel to the Gentiles and establish the
church. Paul’s letters to the churches, recorded in the New Testament, still
support church life and doctrine

 Missionary work does not happen overnight; it requires patience, for it

gradually leads people to Christ in stages.

 Salvation is a gift and never a result of human effort”, the Church must
always be attentive, discerning, and imploring to the Holy Spirit to discover
new and effective ways to proclaim and give witness to Jesus, and must
constantly invoke the Holy Spirit

What is a missionary?
 Missionary work does not happen overnight; it requires patience, for it
gradually leads people to Christ in stages.
  Missionaries, therefore, enter into “respectful dialogue” with those who do
not yet accept the Gospel. They respect other traditions and cultures and try
to incorporate symbols and traditions of different cultures in the way they
teach the Gospel.
What is the missionary role of the Church?
All of us are invited to share in the Church’s mission in bringing Christ and
proclaiming the good news to the world. Just like our first missionary brothers
& sisters who have responded to this call, we, too, are called to take an active
part in the missionary activities in the Church especially in our own parish
community sharing our own charism and God given talents.
Who are some of the well-known missionaries in the world?

THE FIVE MAJOR MISSIONARIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. St. Francis of Assisi (October 4th)

 Founder of Franciscans (OFM / Order of Friar Minors)
 Patron saint of Italy, also for animals and the environment (ecology)
 Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone was a mystic Italian Catholic Friar.
Franciscans
 Motto: Pax Et Bonum (Peace and the Good)
 Type: Mendicant Religious Order
 Charism / Focus: Love for poverty
 Rule of life: live in love, humility, and joy
 Habit: Grey/Black (Conventual Franciscans) Brown (Capuchins)
 Characteristics: living the Gospel, following Jesus Christ, poverty,
fraternity
 Notable Saints: St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bonaventure, St. Clare of
Assisi, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, St. Maximilian Kolbe
 Schools:
 Our Lady of Angels Seminary
  San Jose Parochial School
 St. Francis School
 Our Lady of Lourdes
 Lourdes School of Mandaluyong
 Lourdes School of Quezon City

2. St. Dominic of Caleruega (August 8th)

 Founder of the Dominicans
 Castilian Catholic Priest
 Patron Saint of the Dominican Republic and astronomers.
Dominicans
 Motto: Laudare, benedicere, praedicare (to praise, to bless, to preach)
 Type: Mendicant Religious Order
 Charism / Focus: to live what you preach, to preach what you live.
 Habit: A white capuce with a hood, a cincture and a rosary that hangs
from it, a scapular and black capuce, with a hood on top of everything,
 Characteristics: prayer, study, preaching, community
 Notable Saints: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherino of Siena, St. Albert
the Great
 Schools:
 University of Santo Tomas (Oldest school in Manila)
 UST Angelicum
 Colegio De San Letran

3. St. Ignatius of Loyola (July 31st)

 Founder of Jesuits (Society of Jesus)
 Spanish Catholic Priest and Theologian
 Patron saint of soldiers
Jesuits
 Motto: Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (For the greater glory of God
 Type: Religious Order
 Habit: They do not wear a special habit or uniform
  Characteristics: The characteristics of the Ignatian spirituality are
based on the Spiritual Exercises: Finding God in everything, Loving
Jesus Christ, The importance of service, Spiritual discernment,
Education
 Notable Saints: St. Francis Xavier, St. Aloysius Gonzaga
 Schools:
 Ateneo De Manila University
 The Sacred Heart School
 Xavier School in San Juan
 Metro Manila

4. St. Benedict of Nursia (July 11th)

 Founder of Benedictines (OSB / Order of St. Benedict)
 Patron Saint of Europe
Benedictines
Motto: Ora et Labora (Pray and Work)
Type: Monastic Religious Order
Habit: Black habit. Some congregations use white habit.
Characteristics: "Ora et labora" Prayer and daily manual work,
importance of the Scripture and the Divine Office, Community life
and fraternal love, Obedience as a discernment of God's will.
 Notable Saints: St. Scholastica, St. Gregory the Great
 Schools:
 San Beda College

5. St. Augustine of Hippo (August 28th)

 Was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of
Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa
Augustinians
 Founder: Pope Innocent IV, in an effort to unite several communities of
hermits in Italy. The pope gave them the Rule of St. Augustine.
 Motto: Anima una et cor unum in Deum (One heart and one soul in God)
  Type: Mendicant Religious Order
 Characteristics: Living the Gospel in liturgy, Communion of life, The search
for God and interiority, Apostolic activities according to the needs of the
Church, Study and the cultivation of knowledge.
 Notable Saints: St. Rita of Cascia

Pope Francis:
"Missionary activity is still the greatest challenge for the Church."
What is our mission as members of the Church?
 Our mission is to proclaim Christ and build the Kingdom of God. All Christians
have the mission to share Christ on the home field with family, friends, co-
workers, and the community.

PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHURCH

 Matthew- suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, where he was killed by a sword
wound.
 John- faced martyrdom when he was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil
during a wave of persecution in Rome.
 Peter- was crucified upside down on a cross.
 James, son of Alphaeus- was thrown over a hundred feet down from the
southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
 James, the great son of Zebedee- was ultimately beheaded in Jerusalem.
 Bartholomew- was martyred for his preaching in Armenia when he was
flayed to death by a whip.
 Andrew- was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece.
 Thomas- was stabbed with a spear in India.
 Matthias- the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned
and then beheaded.
 Mark- died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the
streets until he was dead.
  Luke- was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the
lost.
 Paul- was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome.

Who persecuted the early Christians?

 Early Christians were persecuted for their faith by the Sanhedrin (local
elites--including members of the high-priestly family, scribes (religious
experts), and lay elders) who rejected the Messiah; and by the Roman
Empire, which controlled much of the land through which Christianity
spread.
What kind of persecution did early Christians experience in the hands of the
Romans?
 Throughout the centuries, the members of the Church have suffered
many kinds of persecution: arrest, imprisonment, torture, execution,
massacre, forced suppression, etc.
Why were the early Christians being persecuted by the Jews and by the Romans?
The Basis for Christian Persecution:
 Christians were believed to engage in some form of cannibalism in their
Eucharistic rites which were celebrated in secret.
 Public spectacles of bloody games like gladiatorial contests were condemned
by Christians as inhuman.
 Natural disasters were attributed to the refusal of the Christians to
participate in worship of the Roman gods.
 The Christians showed disloyalty to the Roman state by not paying the
temple tax.
 The Christians do not pay homage to the Roman emperors.

THE COURSE OF PERSECUTION

At least since the fifth century, it has been customary to count ten major
persecutions in the early church, a number that nicely parallels the ten plagues of
Egypt. These ten persecutions are:

1. PERSECUTION UNDER NERO -The first great persecution by Nero (54-60A.D.)

was limited to the city devoid of any lawful foundation at all. -The Christians
were persecuted and turned into living torches in the garden of Nero
Traditional martyrdoms of Peter and Paul
2. PERSECUTION UNDER DOMITIAN (R. 81-96) -It’s common to encounter
claims that the Roman emperor Domitian was a major persecutor of
Christians and that he demanded divine worship, insisting on being called
“Lord and God.”
3. PERSECUTION UNDER TRAJAN (112-117). Christianity is outlawed but
Christians are not sought out.
4. PERSECUTION UNDER MARCUS AURELIUS (161-180 A.D.) -The Christians
faced another tyrant emperor. He decreed the legalization of persecution.
Among those persecuted were Justin the Philosopher. Martyrdom of
Polycarp of Smyrna and the Martyrs of Lyon.
5. PERSECUTION UNDER SEPTIMUS SEVERUS (193-211 A.D.) - ordered the cruel
persecution of the Christians. Tertullian wrote that Christians were fed to
lions wherever there was a disaster or famine. Martyrdom of Perpetua.
6. PERSECUTION UNDER DECIUS-This was the last course of the persecution of
Christians. Decius, who became the emperor of Rome from 249-251 A.D.,
saw Christianity as a terrible poison. He ordered that all the Christians must
make a public act of homage to the Roman gods.Christians are actively
sought out by requiring public sacrifice. Could buy certificates (libelli) instead
of sacrificing. Martyrdoms of bishops of Rome, Jerusalem and Antioch.
7. Persecution under Valerian (257-59). Martyrdoms of Cyprian of Carthage
and Sixtus II of Rome. Under Valerian, who took the throne in 253, all
Christian clergy were required to sacrifice to the gods. In a 257 edict, the
punishment was exile; in 258, the punishment was death. Christian senators,
knights and ladies were also required to sacrifice under pain of heavy fines,
 reduction of rank and, later, death. Finally, all Christians were forbidden to
visit their cemeteries.
8. Persecution under Maximinus the Thracian (235-38)-Maximin (Galerius
Valerius Maximinus), d. 313, Roman emperor (308–13); kinsman of Galerius.
He is called Maximin Daia. He was made caesar in 305 and in 308 proclaimed
himself augustus in opposition to Emperor Licinius. After the death of
Galerius (310), Maximin exercised considerable power. He persecuted the
Christians and tried to revive paganism. He later allied himself with
Maxentius against Licinius and Constantine (Constantine I); Maxentius was
crushed by Constantine, and Maximin was defeated by Licinius. A lastminute
effort to win the Christians by an edict of toleration did not help him. He died
a fugitive
9. Persecution under Aurelian (r. 270–275). Severus, unlike Aurelius, had no
personal feelings against Christians. A. The church’s renewed sense of
mission to the unsaved created tension. B. Strong anti-Christian sentiment
led to persecution in several cities scattered around the empire between
202-210. C. We have a detailed account of the martyrdom of a new convert
named Perpetua, who nursed her baby while in prison awaiting trial and
execution.
10. Severe PERSECUTION UNDER DIOCLETIAN AND GALERIUS (303-324) In
303 A.D.- Emperor Diocletian decreed that all Christian Churches be
destroyed and the Bibles be burned. All meetings of the Christians were
banned and the immediate arrest and execution of all priests and deacons
were ordered. Stricken by serious illness, Galerius in 313 A.D. issued an Edict
of Tolerance granting Christianity the right to exist. But a reversal of the Edict
occurred when Galerius died and Maximus Daia once again demanded
Christian blood
The Church During and After the Period of Persecutions
 The veneration of the saints developed. Christians celebrated the feast of the
martyrs by celebrating the Eucharist as the catacombs where the martyrs
were buried
EDICT OF MILAN
  A document that stopped the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire
issued by Constantine in 313 A.D.
What enables the early Christians to overcome the persecutions?
 The perseverance and endurance of the persecuted Christians throughout
the ages inspire us to imitate them, especially in times of difficulty and in
challenging moments in our daily lives.
REMEMBER!
 In spite of the tremendous kind of persecution under the hands of Roman
emperors that the early Christian Church experienced, empowered by the
Spirit and faith in Jesus Christ, they were strengthened to grapple with the
difficulties and daily challenges of life. The courage and endurance of the
persecuted Christians throughout the ages inspire us to imitate them,
especially in times of difficulties and in challenging moments in our lives.