Chapter 11 The Church is Catholic

Faith Words:

evangelists- (bearer of good news) the four inspired human authors of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

missionary mandate- the responsibility given by Jesus to the Church to bring his saving message to everyone

catholic- a mark of the church. The church is catholic because her mission is to the whole world

missionaries- The Role of Evangelists

acts of the apostles- to tell how the apostles carried out jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations

• evangelists were inspired by the holy spirit to write about jesus

• they recorded what they had learned from the apostles and other eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry

• this means they are not just writers, they are important witnesses to the events of Jesus’ life

Different Perspectives

Each evangelist wrote for different audiences and emphasized different aspects of Jesus’ life:

• Matthew focuses on Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and spoke to the Journal: If you had the opportunity to sit next to Jesus during lunch. Just you and him, what kind of conversation would you have with him? spoke to the Jews

• Mark presents a fast-paced account of jesus’ actions and miracles, speaking to a Roman audience

• Luke emphasizes Jesus’s compassion and includes many parables, speaking to the Gentiles and the marginalized

• John offers a more theological perspective, highlighting the divinity of Jesus and his relationship with God the Father

Missionary Mandate

• the responsibility given by Jesus to the Church to bring the saving message to everyone

Call to Action

• the missionary mandate is not just a suggestion, its a call to action for all Christians. It encourages them to spread the Good news about Jesus and to help others learn about God’s love. This is important because it helps people find hope, joy, and purpose in their lives

Sharing Good News

• just like exciting news with friends, the missionary mandate is about sharing the best news ever, that god loves everyone and wants a relationship with them

The Role of a Missionary

• Sharing the Good News:

  • missionaries tell people about Jesus and his teachings. they help others understand god’s love and how to live according to his teachings

  • missionaries often help establish churches and communities where people can come together to worship and support each other

  • many missionaries engage in service projects, such as providing food, education, and healthcare to those in need

  • missionaries learn about the cultures they work in and share their own culture creating a two-way exchange of ideas and traditions

  • missionaries demonstrate what it means to live out one’s faith through actions, not just words

Believers Spread the Good News

• when we talk about our faith, we should speak simply and directly from our hearts

  • when we speak from our hearts, others tend to respect it despite their opinions

Evangelists

• Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (the four evangelists) were the four authors of the gospels

• they were i by god to record the word and were bearers of the good news

• before the time of the evangelists, a woman brought an entire town to meet Jesus, even though people did not like her much, they followed her

• she became known as the woman at the well

• jesus told her he was the messiah who could give her life-giving water; she believed what jesus told her and she told others about him. and they came to believe too

An Urgent Mandate

• after jesus’ resurrection, he told his apostles to make disciples of all nations

• salvation can only come through faith in christ and his church, so the church must spread the gospel everywhere; this is her missionary mandate

• christ did not send only the leaders to spread the gospel, he sent the whole church, which is us

• there is no other way for us to truly be disciples of Jesus

• he expects us to spread his good news

Meant for Everyone

• the word catholic means “universal”

• when something universal, it is for everyone, its total and complete

• the church proclaims all the truths of the faith

• in the church we have the total message and everything we need for salvation and nothing is left out

• the church is for everyone, she is sent out to all people everywhere in every time

• when jesus was ascending to his father, he told his apostles “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”

Universal Doesn’t Mean Identical

• the church does not have to look and act the same in every place she is established

• the church takes on different cultures, customs and appearances in each part of the world where she puts down roots

• the rich variety of liturgical traditions and cultural expressions of the faith are part of the church’s great glory

Everything Needed

• The Catholic Church has everything needed to be reconciled with God and to be made one with him.

• The fathers of the Vatican council listed all that is necessary for salvation:

  • correct and complete instruction in the faith

  • the full sacramental life of all Seven Sacraments

  • ordained ministry that follows in direct succession from the apostles

A Missionary Church

• the church goes out to those seeking the truth, offering them salvation through faith in Christ

• the church has been missionary from the very beginning and continues to be so today

• the church acts like a water on a seed- a whole tree doesn’t grow instantaneously. it gradually leads people to christ in these stages

  • proclamation of the gospel to nonbelievers

  • establishment of christian communities

  • foundation of local churches

• missionaries enter into “respectful dialogue” with those who do not yet accept the gospel

• they respect other traditions and cultures and try to incorporate symbols and traditions of cultures into the way they teach about the gospel

• catholic missionaries have been among the greatest world explorers

• missionaries have found isolated tribes, explored unmapped lands, and gained new knowledge about cultures, languages, and even plant and animal life from distant places

• missionaries have helped many of those in need

• catholic missionaries are lay people, deacons, priests, bishops, or religious brothers and sisters

• they work in every country in the world and are often in danger

• there have been missionaries martyred in every land and time, including now

Everyone Is Called

• all catholics called to be part of the church’s missionary work

• one of the patron saint of missionaries, st therese of lisieux, who never left her convent

• her prayers for the missions contributed so much that she has been recognized as a missionary herself

Our Catholic Life

• the church’s missionary mandate continues Jesus’ mission of spreading the good news by what we say and do

• its our responsibility to study, know and live our faith so that we can share it with others

People of Faith

• Saint Agnes was born to a christian family

• a high ranking official asked her to marry his son but she didn’t want to marry a non-christian, causing her to be sentenced to death

• a miracle had happened, when she was taken to the stakes, the wood wouldn’t catch fire, so she was then beheaded

• she is the patron saint of girls and engaged couples

• her feast day is january 21

Possible Essay Questions

• how does being universal help the church

  • The word catholic means universal. The Church being universal helps the church because of the many cultures and traditions. The church doesn’t have to look and act the same in every place she is located. The Church takes on many different cultures, customs, and appearances in each part of the world where she puts roots. It shows that everyone is welcome.

• how do missionaries teach the gospel by their actions

  • Missionaries are located in every country around the entire world. They teach by their actions by entering into “respectful dialogue” with those who do not yet accept the gospel. They have helped many of those in need and are often in danger. They treat people with christian love and care for their human needs. They protect people from war and medical needs.

• before any of the gospels were written, how did people learn about Jesus? Use the example of the woman at the well

  • Before any of the gospels were written, people learned about jesus by word of mouth and witnesses. An example of this was the woman at the well. She told the entire village to follow her and meet Jesus, even though she had a bad reputation. Once she came to believe, others came to believe too.