RCIA 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, and Angels 1: God, the - PDF document

9/2/2019 RCIA 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, and Angels 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Does God Exist? • Does God exist? • Is God indifferent? • Is God sleeping or dead? 2 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Does God Exist? • We yearn for happiness and everlasting life • We see an orderly and powerful creation • We desire truth, beauty, and love 3 1

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Does God Exist? • Certain knowledge through the created world – Order – Beauty – Majesty – Natural glory 4 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Does God Exist? • Knowledge thru human reason & conscience – We try to make sense of everything – We seek meaning for our lives and our world – Conscience reminds us continually of God’s presence 5 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God Introduction • Who is God? – Learning about Him is to develop a relationship with Him! 6 2

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God God is One • “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your might.” (Deut 6:4-5) 7 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God God is Eternal • Transcendent (timeless) • Changeless • Yahweh : God simply “is” 8 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God God is Almighty • Lord over all things • Infinite power • Yet we are created with freedom to choose good or evil • Faith required 9 3

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God God is Holy and Good • “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty” (Rev 4:8) • God permits evil, and brings good from it, but is not the source or cause of evil 10 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God God is Truth “[S]o shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Is 55:11) Russian icon of the Prophet Isaiah, 18th century (iconostasis of Transfiguration Church, Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia). 11 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God God is Love • We have been created out of love • He desires what is best for us • Happiness secured thru His Son • We are free to refuse His love 12 4

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Attributes of God Faith in God • Means… – He must be first and be served because He is almighty – we must walk in the light of truth – we must trust in His providence because of His mercy and love 13 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Blessed Trinity The Revelation of the Trinity • Old Testament hints • New Testament proclaims – Conception – Baptism – Transfiguration The Baptism of Christ by Navarrete el Mudo (1526-1579) 14 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Blessed Trinity Relationship of the Three Persons to One Another • All Persons eternally give themselves to each other – a communion of love • The Son is eternally begotten, not made • The Spirit is the love between Father & Son 15 5

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Blessed Trinity The “Works” of Each Person of the Blessed Trinity • Father: Creator • Son: Revealer, Exemplar, Redeemer • Holy Spirit: Empowerer, Guide, Sanctifier 16 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels The Blessed Trinity The Trinity as Mystery • “The central mystery of Christian faith and life” (CCC 234) • A reality we cannot fully comprehend • Reason alone could never conceive this 17 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Father Introduction • Intimations in the Old Testament • Full revelation in the New Testament 18 6

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Father God and the Christian Family • The fruitful family profoundly reflects the Trinity – Our first experience of father & mother and a reflection of God 19 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Father The Father of Jesus • All-perfect, all-powerful, all-loving • Deeply desires our happiness and peace • He longs for us to know Him and to rest in Him The Return of the Prodigal Son (1662–1669) 20 by Rembrandt (Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg) 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Creator • Genesis 1:1-3 – God created out of nothing – God holds everything in existence – God creates to show forth and communicate His glory – God creates out of goodness and love 21 7

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Creator • What we reflect and what we owe – Laws and creatures reflect God’s goodness and beauty – We owe God everything and are bound to obey Him and give Him an account of our lives 22 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Creator • Our own participation in creation – We participate in God’s creative work through • sex • arts • sciences • communications • transportation • medicine • stewardship 23 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels God the Creator • Good from evil – God did not create evil and does not will it, but can bring good from it (see Rom 8:28 ) St. Michael vanquishes Satan by Guido Reni (altarpiece 24 in Santa Maria della Concezione Church in Rome) 8

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Beauty • True beauty… – is a creation of God – is a reflection of God’s glory and grandeur – emanates from God – is shown in the universe’s order and harmony – delights eye and mind, lifts soul to contemplation, recognition, love 25 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Beauty • God’s beauty reflected in us – Destined for immortality, joy, & friendship w/God – Sharing truth, beauty, goodness – Created in His image – Intellect – Free will – Capacity to create Mosaic from the Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily 26 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Angels • The nature of angels – Intelligent and free beings – Glory surpasses humans until we achieve heaven – No physical body – pure spirit – Part of creation since the beginning – Not bound by space and time 27 9

9/2/2019 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Angels • The mission of angels – Messengers of God – Announced Jesus and ministered to Him – Mission continues in the life and work of the Church – Guardians of humans Song of the Angels (1881) by William-Adolphe Bouguereau 28 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels Angels • The fate of the angels – Choice to serve/not serve God made at creation – Created good but some embraced evil • Cannot change this decision • Seek to deceive us & convince us to disobey God Adam and Eve by Lucas Cranach l'Ancien (1472-1553) 29 1: God, the Trinity, Creation, & Angels 30 10