Catechismofcatholicdoctrine

OUR FIRST PARENTS

*33. Who were the first parents of all mankind?
The first parents of all mankind were Adam and Eve.

34. How did God make our first parents?
God made their bodies, and gave them souls.

35. What is a soul?
A soul is a spirit which is united to the body; it has no form or shape, and cannot die or perish.

36. Which is the more noble, the soul or the body?
The soul is made to the image and likeness of God, and is infinitely more precious than the body. So we must not lose our soul even if we could thus gain all earthly happiness.

37. What special gifts did God give to our first parents?
a) God gave them sanctifying grace which made them children of God;
b) He placed them in the garden of paradise where they were free of all concupiscence and sorrow;
c) They were to enjoy long life;
d) In the end without dying they were to ascend body and soul into heaven.

38. Did God only gave these gifts to our first parents only?
God did not only gave these gifts to our first parents, but intended that they should transmit them to their descendants.

39. Why then have we not got these gifts?
Because our first parents disobeyed God, yielded to the temptions of the devil, ate the forbidden fruit and committed mortal sin.

*40. What is original sin?
Orginal sin is the sin of disobedience commited by our first parents, and inherited by us, their descendants.

41. What are effects of original sin?
Because of original sin:
a) Our first parents were driven out of Paradise;
b) They were deprived of all their supernatural gifts;
c) We also now come into the world without God's santify grace;
d) Concupiscence, suffering, death and all other miseries have become our part.

42. Have all men inherited original sin?
All men have inherited original sin, with the exception of the blessed Virgin.

43. Seeing mankind afflicted by original sin, did God not show His mercy?
God showed great mercy, for He immediately promised that He would later redeem mankind, and thus He restored to man the hope of gaining Heaven.

THE INCARNATION

*44. How did God come to redeem mankind?
God the son, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, became incarnate and was made man.

45. What does "become incarnate" mean?
It means that God the son, the second person of Blessed Trinity, took to Himself a human nature and united it in His own person to His Divine nature.

*46. What is the name of the God-made-man?
The name of the God-made-man is Jesus, which means "saviour", and He is also called Christ, which is explained as "Most Exalted in Dignity".

47. Is Jesus God?
Jesus is God.

48. Is Jesus man?
Jesus is truly man.

49. Why is Jesus man?
Jesus is man because He has a body and a soul.

50. Why is Jesus God?
Jesus has the Divine nature and substance, and therefore is truly God.

51. Is Jesus our Lord?
Jesus is our Lord.

52. Why is Jesus our Lord?
Jesus is our Lord because He is God, our Creator, our merciful Redeemer, and our future Judge.

If you would learn of the Father, listen to word. If you would be wise, ask him who is Wisdom. When it is too dark for you to see, seek Christ, for he is the Light. Are you sick? Have recourse to him who is both doctor and health. . . .
Are you afraid of this or that? Remember that on all occasions he will stand by your side like an angel. If you find it hard to meet face to face the high majesty of the Only-begotten, don't lose hope. Remember he was made man to make it easy for us to approach him. . . .
Take courage if you are persecuted. Remember that he went like a lamb to the slaughter. And he is priest who will offer you as a victim to the Father. . . . If you do not know the way of salvation, look for Christ, for he is the road for souls. If it is truth that you want, listen to him because he is the Truth. Have no fear whatever of death, for Christ is the Life of believers. Do the pleasures of the world seduce you? Turn all the more to the Cross of Christ to find solace in the sweetness of the vine that clustered there.
Are you a lost sinner? Then you must hunger for Justice and thirst for the Redeemer, for that is what Christ is. Because he is bread, he takes away all hunger. . . . If anger is tormenting you . . . , appeal to Christ, who is peace. Then you will be reconciled to the Father and will love everyone as you would like to be loved yourself

THE MOTHER OF GOD, MARY EVER VIRGIN

53. How did God become man?
God became man by chosing the Virgin Mary to be His Mother.

How was it possible for a virgin to give birth to Jesus?
Through the infinite power of God the Holy Ghost, Jesus was conceived in the most pure womb of His Blessed Mother without harm to Her virginity.

The knot of Eve's disobedience was united by Mary's obedience; what the virgin Eve bound through her unbelief, the virgin Mary loosened by her faith.
-IRENAEUS
Virgin, faithful pure, God's chosen Mother, Fill me with a measure of your faith; that way will wisdom come to me And all His atenttendant treasures.
-Louis De Montfort

THE LIFE OF JESUS

55. Where was Jesus born?
Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea. He was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea. He was born in great poverty, because from the beginning of His life on earth He wished to do penance for our sins and to teach us to detached from things of this world.