Chapter One

Called to Holiness

Holiness
Lev 20:26
Be holy for I am holy

Be Perfect
Christian holiness is the only area where perfection is
the goal and result

Being holy means living a Christ-like life of charity

and perfection

Sanctification:
A word for holiness
Word from which the term saint evolved

Be Perfect
Being perfect means seeking a closer, more intimate
union with Christ.

Grace:
How Christian perfection is accomplished
Through sacraments and service to others
Anything that God asks of us he makes possible by his grace

All Christians are called to holiness, called to be saints

Beatific Vision
in Christian theology is the ultimate direct
self communication of God to the
individual person, he reaches, as a
member of redeemed humanity in the
communion of saints, perfect salvation in
its entirety,
i.e. heaven.

Created in Gods Image

Man and woman have been created in perfect equality,
yet in their particular beings as male and female

Man and woman are created in the image of God

They were created together and for each other
God is neither male nor female- God is pure Spirit

Created in Gods Image

Adam and Eve
Created in state of original holiness and justice
Lost these gifts through original sin
Went against status as creatures, trying to take on the role of creator
Original Sin
Abuse of the freedom God gave created persons
Adam and Eve chose to follow their own will rather than Gods will
Effects of their actions are shared among humanity ever since

Created in Gods Image

Original sin deprives us from the original holiness that
God intended for us
Human nature after Original Sin
Wounded
Ignorant
Prone to suffering
Subject to death
Inclined to sin

Created in Gods Image

In Baptism, Original Sin is erased and we are turned
back towards God

Other effects of Original Sin remain

Today, Gods grace is offered to us in all aspects of our

life. We just have to be aware of it.

Unity of Body and Soul

Human beings are created with a body and soul

The soul is the innermost part of man

The soul makes us spiritual people in the image of God

The body is intended to be a temple of the Holy Spirit

Sexuality
Sexuality means appreciating our identity as either male
or female and living our lives as such
Sexuality is deeply connected with our bodies and
emotions
Capacity to make love and procreate
Forming friendships and bonds with other people

Chastity
Chastity
Virtue by which a person integrates his or her sexuality into
his or her whole self, body, and spirit, according to the
vocation or state in life

Comes under the virtue of temperance

A cardinal virtue

Chastity helps us control sexual desires and use

them appropriately

In Union with Christ

Only in union with Jesus can the disciple attain holiness

Disciple means follower

Our goal is to follow and learn from Jesus
Achieved through:
Prayer
Participation in the
Sacraments
Practicing Christian Virtues

Mystery of Gods Love

Mystery:
Infinite incomprehensibility of God

God is not just unknown, he is unknowable

Not only is our future unknown, but our lives are

filled with many surprises
Will you be the parent
of a large family?
Will you make a difference
in many lives?

Will you be successful

in your career?
Will you travel the world?

God Reveals His Mystery

Gods Mystery has been revealed through history
Adam and Eve

Noah

Abraham

God fully revealed himself by sending his son, Jesus

Gods Revelation is entrusted to the Church through:
Apostolic Tradition
Sacred Scripture

God Reveals His Mystery

Apostolic Tradition:
Living transmission of the Word of God
Sharing of the message of Christ through preaching, witness,
institutions, and worship

Sacred Scriptures
Made up of scriptures in the Magisterium

The Holy Trinity

There is only one God but in three persons
1) The Almighty Father
2) His only Son
3) The Holy Spirit

Some of the Churchs dogmas about the Trinity

The Trinity is One
The three persons are distinct from one another
The divine persons are related to one another

What It Means to Believe

Faith is stating that we believe in something
The virtue of faith enables us to believe in God and is a
gift of the Holy Spirit
A faithful person is thankful to God
A faithful person knows the unity of the human
community and dignity of every individual
A faithful person makes good use of created things
A faithful person comes to know Gods greatness
and majesty
A faithful person trusts in God

The People of God

We share Gods life by our participation in the Church
The Church is a gathering of all people of Christ
Some of the Churchs dogmas about the Trinity
The Trinity is One
The three persons are distinct from one another
The divine persons are related to one another

The People of God

The Church is a sign of Christs loyalty to us, his
people

Church as an efficacious symbol

A symbol that points to reality- our salvation
A symbol that also causes our salvation
We come to know God through the Church

The People of God

Catholics share in Christs life through the Sacraments

Sacraments renew the mystery of Gods love

Paschal Mystery:
Made present in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist

Vocabulary
Sanctification

Magisterium

Grace

Dogmas

Original Sin

Faith

Chastity

Church

Discipleship

Catechesis

Mystery

Paschal Mystery