JESUS AND HIS

MISSION
 The Infancy Narratives : The
Nativity and Childhood
• The Annunciation
• The Birth of Jesus
• The Visit of the Wise
Men from the East
• The Flight to Egypt
• Rites of Childhood
 The Infancy Narratives : The
Nativity and Childhood
• The Annunciation
• Ketubbah
• The gospel of
Matthew tells us that
Mary was engaged to
Joseph
 The Infancy Narratives : The
Nativity and Childhood
The Birth of Jesus
• The Roman Emperor
Augustus issued a
decree for a census of
the whole empire.
 The Infancy Narratives : The
Nativity and Childhood
The Visit of the Wise
Men from the East
Balthazar
Caspar
Melchior
The term “Magi” is also
rendered as “Magicians”
 Some suggestion from the Magi:

1. DETERMINATION:
They were resolute in searching for the infant King, Jesus

2. ADORATION:
They entrusted themselves in adoration to the infant
King

3. DECISION:
They turned to another way, not heeding the voice of a
self-interested king -Herod
Some suggestion from the magi:

Are we ready to encounter Jesus?

Are we ready to offer ourselves to

Jesus?
Are we ready to turn away from the
path of evil, and turn to the path of
Jesus?
 The Infancy Narratives : The
Nativity and Childhood
The Flight to Egypt

Herod the Great’s order to kill all the

children of Bethlehem aged two.
 The Infancy Narratives : The
Nativity and Childhood
Rites of Childhood
Important rites:
-circumcision (8 days after his birth)
- purification (lasted for 40 days)
-presentation
 Mary in the Gospels
• The Immaculate Conception of Mary
• Mary, the Mother of Jesus
• Mary, the Woman of Faith
• Mary, the Perfect Model of Discipleship
 Mary in the Gospels
The Immaculate Conception of Mary
pronounced and defined
that the Blessed Virgin
Mary "in the first instance
of her conception, by a
singular privilege and
grace granted by God, in
view of the merits of Jesus
Christ, the Saviour of the
human race, was
preserved exempt from all
stain of original sin."
 Mary in the Gospels
The Immaculate Conception of Mary
pronounced and defined
by
Pope Pius IX

In the Constitution
Ineffabilis Deus
8 December, 1854
 Mary in the Gospels
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
 Mary in the Gospels
• The Immaculate Conception of Mary
• Mary, the Mother of Jesus
• Mary, the Woman of Faith
• Mary, the Perfect Model of Discipleship
 The Public Ministry of Jesus
• started when Jesus was around 30 years
old, according to the gospel of St. Luke
• Includes Jesus’ WORDS (teachings,
parables, sayings, stories, exhortations)
and DEEDS (healings, miracles, “mighty
works”, among others)
 John the Baptist and His Preaching
• a Nazirite, a person consecrated to God; he
would neither cut his hair nor drink wine, a
model of austerity
• called upon his listeners to mend their sinful
ways in preparation of the coming Messiah
and the coming of the Kingdom of God
 John the Baptist and His Preaching
• performed an act of ritual cleansing called
baptism (Greek baptizein, “to immerse”),
which involved immersion in the waters of
the Jordan river
• warned his listeners of God’s judgment, and
asked them to be just and to share what they
had
Beheading of John the Baptist, Caravaggio, 1608
The Baptism of Jesus

At present, why
are we baptized?

Why was Jesus

baptized?
 Two “events” in Jesus’
Baptism
• The Spirit of God descended like a dove
• A voice from heaven was heard: “this is
my beloved Son with whom I am pleased”
The Spirit of God descended like a
dove
• From the moment of His conception,
Jesus enjoyed the fullness of the Spirit
uniting Him with the Father.
• Now, He receives the Spirit enabling Him
to be the prophet and the servant of the
Father.
• The Spirit gives to Jesus the power of God
in order to proclaim the good news,
through His words and deeds.
“this is my beloved Son with whom I am
pleased”
• the Father affirms that Jesus is His "…
beloved Son, with whom He is well
pleased"
• The phrase “Son of God” designates the
expected Messiah, chosen by God to save
Israel.
• Jesus was Son of God in the sense of
Only Son of God, begotten of God from
the time of His conception
 Why did Jesus had himself
baptized by John?
• Jesus wanted to take the side of the
sinners seeking for forgiveness.

• He affirms this as the right way: to seek

justice and reform one’s life.
 Why did Jesus had himself
baptized by John?
• By this 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.

• It was His way of publicly showing that He

accepted the mission entrusted to Him
by the Father.
 The Temptations of Jesus
Temptation is a fundamental desire to
engage in short-term urges for
enjoyment, that threatens long-term
goals.

In the context of some religions,

temptation is the inclination to sin.
The Temptations of Jesus
Have you ever
experienced being
tempted?
What was the
temptation?
How did you react?
• turn these stones into bread
“One does not live by bread alone, but by
every word that comes forth from the mouth
of God”

• throw yourself down and God will come to your

rescue
“You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the
test”

• worship Satan in exchange for wealth and power

“The Lord, your God, shall you worship and
Him alone shall you serve”
 Meaning of Jesus’
Temptations
• Just like Israel in the desert, Jesus was
tempted.

• Jesus, the Son of God was no stranger to

the temptations experienced by Israel, and
of humanity in general:
(1) wealth
(2) prestige or fame
(3) power
• But unlike the people of Israel and of
today, Jesus remained faithful to God.

• He showed the chosen people and all of

humankind that it was humanly possible to
be faithful to God.
 The Ministry of Jesus
• three distinct stages: (a) the Galilean ministry;
(b) journey to Jerusalem; and (c) the final events
of His life.

• For about three years after His baptism in the

Jordan by John the Baptizer, Jesus assumed the
life of a travelling preacher and teacher.

• He travelled throughout Galilee, healing and

proclaiming “the good news of the kingdom of
God.”
• Jesus’ ministry attracted followers. The first
group of followers were the apostles, some of
whom were specifically chosen by Jesus to join
Him but the Gospels report that great crowds
seemed to follow Him everywhere.
• the twelve apostles are: Simon, who is called
Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son
of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and
Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax
collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and
Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him (Mt. 10: 1-4).
The Teachings of Jesus
1. The Kingdom of God
2. The Parables of Jesus
3. Table Fellowship
4. The Beatitudes
The Kingdom/Reign of God
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass
against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
 The Kingdom/Reign of God
 The reign of God’s love in the world, a
love that has no limits

 not a place but “God’s active reign”

 a period in which, according to the

prophet Isaiah “the earth shall be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord”(Is. 11:9)
 The Kingdom/Reign of God
 a period in which, according to the
prophet Isaiah “the earth shall be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord”(Is. 11:9)
 a period of peace, justice and harmony
and proper human development
everywhere; all hostility will cease, all
hatred disappear, all pain and suffering
relieved
 a condition or situation wherein the will of
God would be revealed
 The “kingdom” really is Good News, for
the kingdom means nothing less than
salvation.
 God 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.
How can we become part of God’s
kingdom?
 first requirement: the need for repentance
and belief in the good news that the
kingdom had arrived
 Entry into the kingdom must be complete
and unconditional. It involves detachment
from possessions and family ties.
 “You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind, and with all your
strength and you shall love your neighbor
as yourself.”
 The Parables of Jesus
CLASSIFICATION
 The Parables of the Kingdom of
God
 Parable of Forgiveness

 Parable on the Love of One’s

Neighbor
 Parables on Praying

 Parables on Self-Righteousness
and Humility
 Table Fellowship
 Jesus often likened the “Kingdom Of
God” to a banquet.

 Food was a symbol of goodwill, an

offer of food meant an offer of
friendship, a restoration of a broken
relationship.
 Table Fellowship
 Jesus shared food with people from
all walks of life, to assure 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.
 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.
 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
 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the Kingdom of God.
 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
 Blessed are the meek, they shall
possess the land.
 Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for justice, for they
shall be satisfied.
 Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall find mercy.
 Blessed are those who are pure
of heart, for they shall see God.
 Blessed are those who work for
peace, for they shall be called
children of God.
 Blessed are those who are
persecuted for the cause of
justice, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.