MR 5.B Notes

M-God created man to partake in his Divine Life

-Man rejected it

-God sought out man to reconcile him and resotre him to what he was created for

-The Son brought redemption by his Paschal Mystery and preached of the Kingdom of God

-He institued a New Covenant, with a New Covenant in a New Passover and New Paschal Lamb

-The New Chosen People, New Priesthood in this New Covenant he established and called the Church, with Peter as the Rock

-He formed the Apostles and taught them about the Kingdom of God, preparing them for the reception of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifying grace God created us to participate in

-It is in the Church, established by Christ, that the Holy Spirit and sanctifying grace is received for our transformation and salvation

-God's plan for man

     -Share in his divine life

          -Inaugurated by creation/salvation history

          -reached fullness with Christ and his Church

          -will be fulfilled at end time

              -when all who cooperated with grace are gathered together in the universal Church

              

How does God make it possible for man to participate in divine life?

-Man has a share in divine life through

     A. the Incarnation

     B. graces of the redemption

     ~Ex: Apostles receive the grace of H.S. after "I believe"

          ~I believe is a necessary requirement, but it is not the source of grace or means by which we  receive it

     ~mediated through the Church Christ founded

          A. Ex: Baptism. Nicodemus. Go baptize, Acts 2, 1 Peter

          B. Whos is given the commission by Christ? Apostles

What is the Church?

-Church is the New Assembly of God's people, redeemed by Christ, and is the instrument of this redemption.

New Assembly of God's Chosen People

-Ekklesia (Greek) - Those called out

-Qahal - Chosen people

-Successors of the Chosen People of the Old Covnenant

-the People of God

The Kingdom of God

-Christ is the King and he brings about the Kingdom of Heaven

-BOLD CLAIM - The Kingdom of Heaven on earth subsists in the Catholic Church

-What is the Kingdom of God?

     -Christ

     -Christ acting in the hearts of men

     -Mankind in Communion with the Blessed Trinity

-In the Catholic Church is found Christ, full and entire, and the means in which one can come into communion with the Blessed Trinity: receive the Spirit, transform into Christ, and thus become adopted son of the Father

New Kingdom versus Old

-When he leaves, is the Kingdom simply people who live in a nice way, following the teachings of Jesus?

-What sets it apart from the Old Kingdom? Grace