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St. JudeRite of Christian Initiation

for Adults

SIGN IN AT THE WELCOME TABLE AND ENJOY THE FOOD

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This evening’s meal is provided by:

The Ushers

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PrayerSeminarian: Jeremy Maness

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SundayScripture Reading

Reading 1 2 KGS 5:14-17

Reading 2 2 TM 2:8-13

Gospel LK 17:11-19

Gospel Reflection

Seminarian: Isaiah Minke

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Last MeetingOctober 1

A Walk Through The Mass

By: Fr. Andrew Semler

References:

“This Is Our Faith“: Ch 14: pp 193-196

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Tonight’s MeetingOctober 8

Nicene Creed I

God the FatherGod the Son

By: Victoria MauserSteve Mauser

References:

“This Is Our Faith“: Ch 2,3,4,6Catechism of the Catholic Church: Part One, pp. 13-178.

Reference:This is Our Faith: Ch. 2, 3, 4Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): Part One, pp 13-178

By: Victoria Mauser

The Nicene CreedThere are four main professions I believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried,and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the deadand the life of the world to come. Amen.

GOD the FATHER

GOD the SON

GOD the HOLY SPIRIT

GOD in HIS CHURCH

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• During Roman rule, Christianity was illegal - Christian persecutions (33 – 313 AD)

• During this time, transmittal of Christian beliefs was underground – mostly verbal

• St. Helena, a Christian, was Empress of the Roman Empire and was the mother of Constantine the Great

• Constantine converted to Christianity and became emperor – he “legalized” Christianity (around 313 AD)

• Some competing messages werebeing spread among the underground

• Constantine was instrumental in getting the Church to call a council to unify its teachings

• Council of Nicea convened in 325 AD to iron out differences in teachings

• Convened in 325 AD• Approx 300 Bishops from all over the world• Purposes:

– To codify and enumerate core beliefs– Unify teachings

• Beliefs associated with the mystery of the Trinity• Beliefs about the Incarnation – Arius was teaching that while

God-the-Son was divine, he was not co-essential with God-the-Father because he was born as a human being (i.e. less than God-the-Father)

– Establish a common methodology for calculating the date of Easter

• Approved by 298 of the 300 Bishops present• Tweaked over the years

– Wording – not core beliefs– Trying to develop exact wording regarding the mystery of the

Holy Trinity– Incidental local language tweaking

• CAUTION: Translation from Greek to present-day English may be inexact– In Greek written language one word may translate to many

words– English language also evolves– Translation becomes a moving target

• Teachings of 300 years were confirmed • The doctrine of the Holy Trinity was clarified

(…if you can clarify a “Mystery”) • Affirmed Jesus is both God and Man• Established a method for calculating the date of Easter

(1st Sunday after the 1st full moon on or after vernal equinox)

• Documented the faith in the Nicene Creed to which most Christian Churches subscribe

The Nicene CreedThere are four main professions I believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried,and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the deadand the life of the world to come. Amen.

GOD the FATHER

GOD the SON

GOD the HOLY SPIRIT

GOD in HIS CHURCH

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• This is a personal profession of faith

• Not “We believe” – “I believe”Note: Changed “We” to “I” Nov. 27, 2007 to remain true to original Latin

• Not “I understand” – “I believe”

• “Believe” – a statement of faith - may grow to understanding– But if we wait until we understand before we believe…

– We may never get it

• There are not multiple Gods

– Sun, Sea, Sky, Fire, etc.

• God is one God, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Mt 22:32)

– His covenant of land, vast numbers of descendents, and blessings was constant and made with each of these forefathers throughout the Old Testament – one and the same God made and repeated the same covenant

• Instills the feeling of love a father has for his child

• Caring, providing, teaching, consoling, and forgiving

• We have been adopted by God: “Abba” => my Father

• God can do anything

• Creator of all that is and shall be

• Note the Creed clearly states that there is a “Heaven”

• Nothing came into, or comes into, creation without God’s willing it

• Big Bang or not(curious note: Big Bang theorized by Monsignor George Lemaître - 1927)

“Pillars of Creation”Hubble Space Telescope

• “Earth” implies universe and everything in it

• That pretty much covers it

– includes everything as being created by God

• Today as an adult, God is not who I imagined as a child or as a young adult

• His being is limitless – while my imagination is limited

• It is only in trusting and accepting His fatherly love as a little child that I have grown to appreciate His love for me as an adult

“..unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

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Table Discussion

What struck you or touched you in this presentation?

Did anything puzzle you?

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Break

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Catholic Fun FactSeminarian: Christian Corona

Reference:This is Our Faith: Ch. 2, 3, 4Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): Part One, pp 13-178

By: Steve Mauser

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried,and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the deadand the life of the world to come. Amen.

GOD the FATHER

GOD the HOLY SPIRIT

GOD in HIS CHURCH

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• How does “Lord” mean “God”?– Jews said “Adonai” instead of “YHWH”– Hebrew “Adonai” translates to Greek “Kyrios”– Greek “Kyrios” translates to “Lord,” therefore “YHWH” or “God”

• The Gospels refer to Jesus as “Lord”– Mark foretells John the Baptist by referring to Isaiah 40:3 –

“[John will be] A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths’” (Mark 1:3)

– “Why do you call me Lord, Lord? But do not do what I command?” (Luke 6:46)

• In Hebrew, “Jesus” means “God saves” or “God is salvation”• Angel Gabriel told Mary the baby’s name was to be “Jesus”

Mt 1:21)• The name of Jesus is the only name by which we are saved

(Acts 4:12)• “The very name of Jesus signifies that God is present in the

person of his Son, made man for the universal and definitive redemption from sins.” (CCC 432)

• “Christ” is Greek for the Hebrew title “Messiah”– Angels proclaimed: “For today in the city of David a savior has

been born for you who is Messiah and Lord” (Lk 2:11)– Peter to Jesus: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living

God” (Matt 16:16)

• Jewish “Messiah” is the anointed one of YHWH (God)• Jesus accepted the title “Messiah”

– During High Priest questioning “Are you the Messiah…? …I am”(Mark 14:61-62)

• Begotten– “brought into existence by, or as if by, a parent”

(Merriam-Webster)

– Made of the same characteristics – humans beget humans

• God the Father claims Jesus as Son:– And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my

beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17)

– “…then from the cloud came a voice: ‘This is my beloved Son, Listen to him.’” (Mark 9:7)

• Jesus existed with God the Father from before time“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be…..” (John 1:3)

• Jesus (“The Word”) is the personification of God’s word

• Again, stressing Jesus is God, from/to all eternity!

• Jesus possesses the same characteristics as God the Father

• Taking human form did not affect his God-presence in any way

• “Begotten, not made”

– God did not create Jesus, Jesus is God and has therefore existed for all time

• “Consubstantial” => of the same substance.

• “For in Him [Jesus] were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. “ (Col 1:15-17)

• Angel appeared to Joseph and said … “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matt 1:21

• “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.” (Gal 4:4-5)

• We make a profound bow with our bodies• Honoring the most fundamental mystery of Christianity:

– The Incarnation, the most sacred moment in all of human history– That in Jesus Christ, God actually became man, born of a woman by

the power of the Holy Spirit

• “Incarnate” => to become human, but not change in essence –God is still God – Both God and Human co-exist in Jesus

• “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” Matt 1:20

• “Passion, death, and resurrection” => Paschal Mystery• Why mention Pontius Pilot?

– Identifies Jesus with a historical known time/person– Shares the blame among Jewish leaders and Romans

• Jesus was humanly alive after his resurrection from the dead

• He “ascended” as a live human being“When he [Jesus] had said this, as they were looking on he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

• His taking his place at the “right hand of the Father” signifies the inauguration of the Messiah's Kingdom

• He reigns his kingdom through his Church

• “When He comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace” (CCC 682)

• “Christ is Lord of eternal life. Full right to pass definitive judgment on the works and hearts of men…He acquired this right by his cross..” (CCC 679)

• Angel Gabriel – “…and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33)

• Son of God• Son of Man• Prince of Peace• Alpha and Omega• Bread of Life• Lamb of God• Way, Truth and Life• Good Shepherd• Sacred Heart• Light of the World• New Adam

….. Plus 100+ more names/titles given in the Bible

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Table Discussion

What struck you or touched you in this presentation?

Did anything puzzle you?

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Tonight’s Presentations

Questions and Answers

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Announcements

• Saturday Make-up sessions are at 10 am – Please use the North Entrance to the Pastoral Center

(park in the Northeast Lot for closest access)

• Presentations are posted at: https://stjudeparish.com/rcia-presentations

• Sign-in at the desk EVERY week.

• Return Adult Inquirer Information Forms ASAP.

• Sign up for an interview with Della. List your available times.

• Pick-up handouts for the upcoming RCIA topic at the side table.

• All inquirers and sponsors - see Katalina Le to have photos taken.

• Name tags are available!

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Next MeetingOctober 15

Nicene Creed II

God the Holy SpiritGod in His Church

By: Dale Brooks Ken Melvin

References:

This Is Our Faith: Ch 5, 7, 8

Catechism of the Catholic Church: Part One

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Q&AFr. Abraham ThomasFr. Joel Bako