Faith Formation: Last GIFT Session

GIFT Session 3.1 - All Saints October 23, 2005
	What we learned about the Saints and the Beatitudes
Scripture Matthew 5:1-5 Sermon on the mount Prayer The Creed—We believe in the Communion of Saints Beatitude prayers—written by OLF parishioners Catholic Teaching Communion of Saints: The Church Triumphant, The Church Militant and the Church Suffering Communion of Saints represented by The Body of Christ. We are the Body of Christ to each other Canonization procedure: Servant of God, Venerable, Blessed (Beatified), and Saint Miracles Saintly phenomena: Incorruptibility, Liquefaction, Odor of Sanctity, Levitation, Bilocation, Stigmata, Patron Saints, Saintly intercession Relics: First Class, Second Class, Third Class Beatitudes: An understandable explanation of each Beatitude and how it relates to today’s world Action Challenge to live out the Beatitudes in some way in your life – small group faith sharing Hymns/Songs Lead me, Lord—with accompanying sign language Oh When the Saints Go Marching In Celebration of the Saints on October 29, 30 during both Masses  Saints Holy Cards given out to every parishioner Entrance: Litany of Saints Prayer of the Faithful: Beatitude prayers written by OLF Parishioners Communion Song: Blest Are They  BEATITUDES~as cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1716 The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.  1718 The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it: We all want to live happily; in the whole human race there is no one who does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated. How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you. God alone satisfies. 1719 The Beatitudes reveal the goal of human existence, the ultimate end of human acts: God calls us to his own beatitude. This vocation is addressed to each individual personally, but also to the Church as a whole, the new people made up of those who have accepted the promise and live from it in faith. 1725 The Beatitudes take up and fulfill God's promises from Abraham on by ordering them to the Kingdom of heaven. They respond to the desire for happiness that God has placed in the human heart. 1984 The Law of the Gospel fulfills and surpasses the Old Law and brings it to perfection: its promises, through the Beatitudes of the Kingdom of heaven; its commandments, by reforming the heart, the root of human acts.  Also note: CCC: 459, 581, 932, 1717, 1726, 1728, 1820, 1967, 2015, 2063, 2444, 2546, 2660, 2821 COMMUNION OF SAINTS~ as cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church  946 After confessing "the holy catholic Church," the Apostles' Creed adds "the communion of saints." In a certain sense this article is a further explanation of the preceding: "What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints?" The communion of saints is the Church.  957 Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself": We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples! 960 The Church is a "communion of saints": this expression refers first to the "holy things" (sancta), above all the Eucharist, by which "the unity of believers, who form one body in Christ, is both represented and brought about" (LG 3). 961 The term "communion of saints" refers also to the communion of "holy persons" (sancti) in Christ who "died for all," so that what each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all. Also note: CCC: 948, 962, 1055, 1331, 1475, 2684  Beatitude Prayers:  written by parishioners of Our Lady of Fatima, at GIFT Session for All Saints.