UNIT II BEING RESPONSIBLE AND FAITHFUL BAPTIZED

MEMBERS OF GOD’S FAMILY

LESSON 1 BEING BORN IN VIRTUE AND HOLINESS: THE GRACES OF BAPTISM
1.1 MEANING OF BAPTISM
1.2 MEANING OF SANCTIFYING GRACE
1.3 SHARING IN THE DIVINE LIFE
LESSON 2 STRENGTHENING AND EMPOWERING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
2.1 THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: OPEN MINDEDNESS, POSITIVE ATTITUDE
2.2 THE RITES AND SYMBOLS OF CONFIRMATION
2.3 PATIENCE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS
LESSON 3 NOURISHING CHRISTIAN LIFE THROUGH THE EUCHARIST
3.1 BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE EUCHARIST
The Sacraments, these are signs and symbols instituted by Christ to give us
grace. Signs and symbols are very important in human life. They play a
necessary role in the way man communicates his feelings and thoughts. They
suggest ideas that words cannot express. A sign or a symbol can be an object,
action or an event.
In the Church, there are many signs and symbols. They are used to reveal God’s love for us.
These symbols make the invisible God present in our midst. They show the compassionate
love of God to people by allowing man to feel God’s presence through these symbols.

Jesus is the Primordial Sacrament/ ‘original’ Sacrament because He

was the first to reveal God to us. The Catechism for Filipino
Catholics1526 tells us that, “Jesus is the source, primary agent and
goal of the sacraments. The graces that we receive from the
Sacraments come from Jesus Christ. It is from Him that all
sacraments are rooted. It is Jesus Christ Himself who baptizes,
confirms, reconciles, heals, offer Himself in sacrifice, binds in
faithful love and consecrates us in service. It is Jesus through the
priest, who celebrates and administers the Sacrament.
It is important to take note that a sign or a symbol can only have meaning if man is aware of its
significance. Guidelines to help us understand better the importance of signs and symbols.
1. A symbol calls for faith. ( e.g ring)
2. It brings about an active encounter between you and God, or between you or another person. (kneeling
and praying before a tabernacle are actions that bring about a deeper relationship with God. Shaking
another’s hand is a sign of friendship.
3. A symbol contains and brings about what it signifies. (God remains faithful to us through His creation.
God is present in the world. The warmth of the Sun should be for us a way of feeling and believing in
God’s love for us. The air we breath is a great sign that God makes us feel alive and allows us to enjoy
the wonderful world that He created. It is important that we develop awareness of God’s love in
everything we encounter.
 3.2 Structure of the Mass
3.3 Eucharist as Thanksgiving
3.4 Calmness in Dealing with what is read, watched and heard
Lesson 4 Renewing Relationship with God and Neighbor: Sacrament of Reconciliation
4.1 Names and Purpose of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
4.2 Description of Sin
4.3 Fortitude in Handling Information
Lesson 5 Caring for the Sick and the Dying
5.1 Christian Attitude for the Dying
Lesson 6 Patterning Christian Family to the Paschal Mystery
6.1 Marriage as Covenant of Love
6.2 Love, Truthfulness and Honesty in the Family

Lesson 7 Responding to Priestly Vocation: Holy orders

7.1 Priests as Sacramental Representation of Jesus and the Church

Fami
LESSON 1 BEING BORN IN VIRTUE AND HOLINESS: THE GRACES OF BAPTISM

Objectives:
• Explain the graces received in baptism.
• Identify the rites of baptism and the different signs and symbols used in baptism.
• Demonstrate ways of making right decisions/choices as children of God and as sharers in
His divine life.
• Pray to God for guidance in identifying, evaluating and making the right choices in life to
fulfill the vows made for you by your parents when you were baptize.
Reading Resources:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Acts 9: 1-22 Acts 22: 6-16
CCC 1213, 1216, 1278
Overview of the lesson
The lesson emphasizes that a new life is being offered to us by God. But in His goodness and love, He did
not force us. He invites us and make the decision instead.
Another focus is the transformation that a person undergoes during baptism and the role of the Holy Spirit
in bringing about the transformation upon the baptized.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
What comes to your mind seeing the life cycle of the butterfly?
There are about 24,000 species of butterflies.
The butterfly and moth develop through a process called metamorphosis. This
is a Greek word that means transformation or change in shape. In every
metamorphosis is a painful process. Do you think the caterpillar enjoys being
inside the chrysalis doing nothing? Can’t even eat and see the beautiful and
delicious leaves it enjoys.
LEARNING GOD’S MESSAGE
• Before St. Paul became a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, he was a merciless persecutor of Christians
. Find out how Saul, the persecutor of Christians became St. Paul, the devoted preacher of the Good
News, not only to the Christian-believers but also to the Gentiles (people who do not believe in the Je
wish beliefs and practices)

• Conversion of St Paul - Bing video

1. What happened to Saul on his way to Damascus?

2. What did the voice tell him? Whose voice was it?
3. What did Ananias tell Saul?
4. In what way could we say that Saul’s baptism was the beginning of a new life for him?
5. What do you think was Saul’s response to Ananias instruction?
POINTS FOR REFLECTION/THE CHURCH TEACHINGS

Baptism came from the Greek word baptizein which means “to plunge or immerse”. The “plunge” into the
water symbolizes the burial into Christ’s death, and from this death the catechumen will rise up by resurrection
with Christ as a ‘creature’ (CCC 1214). A catechumen is an adult who wishes to become a Christian and is in
the process of learning the Christian belief. Once the catechumen is ready to follow the teachings and deeds of
Jesus Christ, he will take the “plunge’ and be cleansed. This is called baptism.
During the time of the apostles, those who wanted to become Christians were instructed on the faith and were
then baptized. But in our present times adult baptisms are few. Christians were baptized while they were
infants. The parents and godparents are the ones accepting the Christian teachings for their child. Hence, the
parents and godparents have the responsibility to teach the Christian faith to the child.
 CFC TEACHES THAT TRUE BAPTISM MEANS:
1. New life in Christ- the baptized share in Christ’s dying and rising with Him, the forgiveness of original
sin and all personal sins through the cleansing power and the grace of the Holy Spirit.

2. Incorporation into Christ’s Body- we become part of Christ’s Body, the Church-the Christian
family. We become the Father’s adopted sons and daughters through Christ in the Holy Spirit.

3. A life of Christian discipleship- we share the mission of Christ. Discipleship means we are ready to

follow the examples of Christ and share His love to everyone we meet.
4. A sharing in the Trinitarian Divine Life- Baptism may be a one-time event but it must be a life process. The
commitment uttered by our parents and godparents should be continued through our words and actions. Our faith in
the Blessed Trinity must be proclaimed everyday It should be a lifelong sharing in the Trinitarian Divine life.