Chapter 4: Redemption and the Paschal Mystery

Chapter 4: Redemption and the Paschal Mystery THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery ANTICIPATORY SET Incorporate the account of the baptism of Christ into the class’s opening prayer (cf. Mt 3:1–17).

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery BASIC QUESTIONS • What is the Paschal Mystery? • Why was Jesus baptized? • What is the significance of the Wedding at Cana? KEY IDEAS • Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection are called the Paschal Mystery because these events are the reality that the Passover in Egypt prefigured. Jesus is the true Lamb of God prefigured by the Paschal lamb. • Jesus was baptized in order to identify with sinners. • At the Wedding at Cana, Jesus anticipated the sacrifice of Calvary, first prophesied in the Protoevangelium, by performing the sign of turning water into wine.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery FOCUS QUESTIONS What events constitute the Paschal Mystery? The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why is the Paschal Mystery “Paschal”? It is Paschal because the Paschal lamb, whose blood had saved the Israelites, was a type or prefiguration of Jesus Christ, whose Blood would save all people from the slavery of sin.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery FOCUS QUESTIONS Why is the Paschal Mystery a “mystery”? It is a mystery because it deals with realities that go beyond reason’s ability to comprehend fully, for example, how God could die or man could rise from the dead. What is Christ’s Passion? It is his suffering before his death. Why is the Passion of Christ an “icon” of God’s infinite love for every person? God’s love for humanity can be seen or pictured in his self-sacrificial sufferings.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students work with a partner to articulate in their own words three distinct points about the meaning of Jesus’ baptism from CCC 536.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery FOCUS QUESTIONS What title did John the Baptist give to Jesus? The Lamb of God. How does the title Lamb of God relate to the Passover? In the Passover, the sacrificed lamb’s blood saved the firstborn son of every Hebrew family. How is the title Lamb of God used in the Liturgy of the Church? In the Mass, this title refers to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery FOCUS QUESTIONS What reason did Jesus give for undergoing baptism, even though he was without sin? He said it was necessary “to fulfill all righteousness.” This means that the baptism of Jesus was an indication of his acceptance of his mission and an anticipation of his own Death and Resurrection. How is the Blessed Trinity seen at Jesus’ baptism? When Jesus emerges from the water, the Father is heard in the voice, the Son is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is seen in the form of a dove.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the two closely related appearances of Mary in St. John’s Gospel? At the Wedding Feast at Cana and at the foot of the Cross during the Passion. What title that Jesus gives his mother links these two events with the Protoevangelium? In both the Wedding at Cana and on the Cross, Jesus refers to Mary as “woman.” In the Protoevangelium, God speaks of the “woman” whose seed will overcome the serpent. What direction did Mary give the servants that is also the best advice for us? Mary told the servants, referring to her son, to “do whatever he tells you.”

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students read the account of the Wedding at Cana (cf. Jn 2:1–11) and free write for a few minutes on what surprised them the most.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph summarizing how the baptism of Jesus and the Wedding at Cana relate to the Paschal Mystery.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading • Christ’s Temptation by Satan (pp. 119–124) Study Questions • Questions 1-4. • Practical Exercise 1. Workbook • Questions 1–5.

1. The Inauguration of the Paschal Mystery ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students review the baptism of Jesus and the Wedding at Cana. As a class discussion, answer the following question. What is something we can learn from Jesus’ decision not to do what his cousin John wanted and to do what his mother wanted?

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness ANTICIPATORY SET Incorporate Psalm 22 into the class’s opening prayer. After, have them work with a partner to come up with three parallels between this Psalm and the Passion.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness BASIC QUESTIONS • What temptations did Christ experience in the desert? • How does the Devil advance his agenda? • What was Christ’s final temptation? KEY IDEAS • Jesus fasted and prayed in the desert, mirroring the Chosen People’s exile in the wilderness. There Christ experienced three temptations aimed at trying to get him to establish his kingdom without the Cross. • The Devil lies and preys on fear to destroy life. • In the garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross, Jesus was again tempted to abandon suffering. His victory vanquished Satan, the “ruler of this world.”

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS Why did Jesus fast and pray for forty days? In Sacred Scripture, the number forty indicates a period of trial and preparation. Jesus fasted and prayed forty days to prepare for his public ministry. When during his time in the desert was Christ tempted by Satan? At the end of the forty days when Jesus was weakest. What did Satan try to get Christ to do in the first temptation? To turn stones into bread.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness GUIDED EXERCISE Devils cannot read our minds. They only know about us by observing our behavior and making inferences based on that. Have the students work with a partner to identify some of the events in Jesus’ life which might have made Satan suspicious that Jesus was the prophesied “seed” of the woman.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the significance of this first temptation? Satan was suggesting Jesus should end his fast and give in to his desire for pleasure and comfort. How did Jesus react to this first temptation? He rejected it saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). What does Jesus’ reply mean? It is not the flesh that satisfies the human person, but obedience to the will of God. Also, since Jesus is the “Word of God” and the “bread from Heaven,” he is saying that he alone can truly satisfy human beings.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS What did Satan try to get Jesus to do in the second temptation? To throw himself off the top of the Temple in Jerusalem. What is the significance of the second temptation? If Jesus gave in and threw himself off, he would be rescued by angels. Everyone in the Temple would see that he is the Messiah and would follow him. Jesus would have instant success. What was the Devil implying about suffering in this temptation? He was implying that the Son of God should be immune from suffering and that suffering was meaningless, hence suffering for sin would also be futile.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS What did Satan offer Jesus in the third temptation? All the kingdoms of the world. What did Jesus supposedly have to do to gain the whole world? Worship Satan. What did Jesus say to Satan in response to the third temptation? “Begone, Satan! for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” In addition to the fact that it would have required idolatry, why was Jesus not interested in worldly glory? His kingdom was not of this world.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS How does Jesus in the desert accomplish what Israel in the desert could not? Jesus was faithful to the will of God during his forty days in the desert whereas Israel was unfaithful during her forty years in the desert. How does Jesus in the desert accomplish what Adam in paradise could not? Jesus promptly rejected Satan’s temptations, whereas Adam surrendered to Satan’s temptation to eat of the forbidden fruit and rebel against God’s authority.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS What was behind all three of the Devil’s temptations in the desert? The idea that Jesus might establish his kingdom without the Cross. How did St. Peter tempt Jesus to establish the kingdom of God without suffering? When Jesus told his disciples that his suffering and Death were imminent, Peter said, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Jesus severely rebuked Peter, saying he was being just like Satan.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS What human logic was at work in Peter when he was rebuked by Christ? The human logic that suffering and death are to be avoided at all costs. What did Jesus understand about his mission, contrary to Satan’s insinuations? Jesus understood that in order to redeem the world, he would have to suffer and die on the Cross. How do we follow Christ’s redeeming actions? By denying ourselves and taking up our “daily cross.”

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness GUIDED EXERCISE Remind the students that Jesus said, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). One thing Jesus is saying is that difficult things come to us every day. Have the students free write to identify a few everyday crosses that they have had to experience in the last few days, experiences that they could accept and offer up to God.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS How does fear cause Peter to sin? Peter proudly boasted that he would never be unfaithful to Christ, but when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied him three times, just as Jesus had foretold. How does fear result in Pilate’s sinning? Pilate was convinced that Jesus was innocent but because he was afraid of the crowd and of the Jewish authorities’ threat that they would denounce him as “no friend to Caesar,” he ordered Jesus’ scourging and crucifixion. What is the meaning of Christ’s seeming lament, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” seems, at first glance, to indicate that Jesus felt abandoned by his Father in his greatest hour of need. However, Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, which foretells a suffering Messiah who will establish a glorious kingdom.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS In what two ways does the Devil seem to tempt man? Through distortion of the truth and fear. What is the consequence of surrendering to the Devil’s temptations? The destruction of innocent life. How do Satan’s lies result in the destruction of life in the case of Judas? Judas first succumbs to the lie that some good could come from betraying Jesus to his enemies and the result is the unjust killing of Jesus Christ. Judas then gives in to the lie that he could never be forgiven and so kills himself. How do we protect ourselves from the evil one? By being united with Christ.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the temptation that Christ experienced both in the garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross? It was the temptation to reject the Cross. In the garden, Jesus asked if the Father would “remove this cup” of suffering. On the Cross, he was taunted with, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the Cross.” How is Jesus’ prayer to his Father in the garden a perfect one for us to imitate when we are faced with difficulties? Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will but yours be done.” It is natural that we should seek to avoid suffering but the perfect attitude is not to do what we want but to do God’s will.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph explaining the struggle between Christ and the prince of darkness.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading • Christ Manifests His Divinity through The Last Supper(pp. 124–130) Study Questions • Questions 5-13. • Practical Exercise 2. Workbook • Questions 6-10.

2. Defeating the Prince of Darkness ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students free write for a few minutes on parallels between Peter’s and Judas’s betrayal of Christ.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper ANTICIPATORY SET Incorporate the Transfiguration into the class’s opening prayer (e.g., Mt 16:27–28; 17:1–9). Conduct a think/pair/share on the relationship between Matthew 16:28 and the subsequent Transfiguration.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper BASIC QUESTIONS • What is the significance of the Transfiguration? • What is the New Commandment and how does it relate to the Decalogue? • What is the Eucharist and its significance? KEY IDEAS • The Transfiguration provides the Apostles Peter, James, and John with a glimpse of Jesus’ divine glory, which Christ generally obscured through his humanity. • Christ gave his followers a New Commandment, to love one another with a sacrificial love, a commandment that sums up and perfects the Old Testament Decalogue. • The Eucharist, first celebrated at the Last Supper, re-presents the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary in an unbloody manner under the appearance of bread and wine. Received in Holy Communion, the Eucharist gives the Christian the graces to live the Law of Love and attract others to Christ.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students work with a partner to list the elements of the Transfiguration that reveal Christ’s divinity.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS Generally speaking, what was the visible “status” of Christ’s divinity during his earthly life? Both during his hidden years and in his public life, Christ’s divinity was generally veiled by his humanity. How did Jesus share in our human experience, even in his public life? He became tired and hungry; he wept; and, at times, he was righteously angry. In what ways could Jesus’ divinity be glimpsed during his public life? Jesus was very attractive and approachable because of his goodness. He spoke on the kingdom of God with absolute authority. And he performed miracles. What was the ultimate sign of Christ’s divinity? The Cross and Resurrection.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS How do the Apostles react to Jesus’ insistence that his Crucifixion and Death are indispensable for the salvation of the world? They could not understand him, and Peter “scorned” Jesus’ message. What is the Transfiguration? It is Christ’s manifestation of his divinity to Peter, James, and John on Mt. Tabor. What does Peter’s earlier confession of faith imply? Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16), implies that the Apostles were starting to realize the divinity of Christ.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS How is the Transfiguration like God’s Revelation to Moses? Both took place on mountains, Mt. Tabor and Mt. Sinai respectively. What is significant about the appearance of Moses and Elijah? For the Chosen People, Moses represents the Law and Elijah the prophets. What did Jesus and Moses and Elijah speak about? Christ’s imminent Death, the very thing that the Apostles could not accept.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS How was the Blessed Trinity revealed at the Transfiguration? The presence of God the Father was represented by the voice, the Son was present in his humanity, and the Holy Spirit was signified by the cloud. Why is the Transfiguration a sign of hope to all the faithful? The Transfiguration gives us a glimpse of what awaits us if we are faithful. By uniting our sufferings to Christ’s, we can gradually transform our lives into his. Christ will change our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS What does it mean to say that the Holy Eucharist is our Lord’s legacy? Christ instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper and left it behind as a “legacy” or gift to his Church. What is the nature of the union that the Paschal Mystery creates? It creates an intimate union of the soul with Christ in which the Lord actually dwells in the soul. What is the relationship between the Eucharist, Christian maturity, and effective evangelization? The Eucharist gives the Christian the graces to fully replicate the charity and wisdom of Christ which in turn makes people attracted to the Gospel.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the New Commandment? Christ’s followers are to love one another in the same way that Christ has loved them. What is the example Christ gives his disciples of the New Commandment in action? Christ washes the feet of the Apostles and then explains, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Extension: In the world of Jesus’ time, washing of feet was only done by servants or slaves. How is the washing of the feet related to the Crucifixion? They are both examples of humble loving service with the Crucifixion as the greatest instance possible.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper GUIDED EXERCISE Have the students perform a paragraph shrink on CCC 1323

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the origin of the grace needed to live the Law of Love? The Paschal Mystery. How was the Last Supper an anticipation of Christ’s Passion? In both, Jesus offered his complete self to the Father. Why is the Eucharist God’s greatest gift to his Church and mankind? The Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in both his divinity and humanity under the appearances of bread and wine. Since Jesus is God, and God is the greatest being there could ever be, and God gives his very self in the Eucharist, then the Eucharist is the greatest gift possible.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the relationship between the New and Old Covenants and the Eucharist? The New Covenant Law of Love contains the entire Decalogue of the Old Covenant. The Eucharist gives us the grace to live the Law of Love. Therefore, the Eucharist makes it possible to fulfill the Old Testament. What is the point of the allegory of the vine and the branches that Jesus used at the Last Supper? Just as the branches must remain united to the vine in order to bear grapes, so must Christ’s followers remain united to Christ in order to evangelize the world.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper GUIDED EXERCISE Conduct a focused reading on the paragraph beginning, “At the Last Supper . . .” (p. 130) using the following question: Even though the Mass has been celebrated millions of times—and this will continue until the end of time—in what sense is there really only one Mass?

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper CLOSURE Have the students write a paragraph summarizing the relationship among the New Commandment, the Old Testament Decalogue, the Eucharist, and the Paschal Mystery.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Reading • The Agony in the Garden through The Kenosis(pp. 131–143) Study Questions • Questions 14–21. Workbook • Questions 11–12.

3. Transfiguration and Last Supper ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Have the students free write on the following prompt: Imagine you were one of the three who was with Christ on Mt. Tabor. What questions would you ask Moses or Elijah and how do you think they would answer? Share responses.

4. Christ’s Passion and Death ANTICIPATORY SET Explain that the book of the prophet Isaiah contains four poems about the suffering servant. Incorporate the longest and most dramatic of these (cf. Is 52:13—53:12) into the class’s opening prayer, giving each student one verse to read.

4. Christ’s Passion and Death BASIC QUESTIONS • Who is the Suffering Servant? • What is the Agony in the Garden? • What is the Passion of Christ? • How did Christ die? • What is the Kenosis? KEY IDEAS • Jesus is the Suffering Servant foreseen by the prophet Isaiah, the Messiah who had to suffer and die for our salvation. • In the Agony in the Garden, Jesus suffered great mental and emotional anguish to the point of sweating blood, but submitted to his Father’s will to give up his life. • The Passion was Christ’s unjust condemnation by the Sanhedrin and Pilate and the full range of verbal and physical abuses he suffered as a consequence. • Christ completed his redemptive suffering by dying the horrible death of crucifixion while forgiving his enemies. • Jesus entire life was a kenosis, or self-emptying of his divinity, for which he earned our salvation and his exaltation as Lord.

4. Christ’s Passion and Death FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the Agony in the Garden? It is the first stage of Christ’s Passion, when he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray for strength to meet his coming sufferings. Why did knowing the human heart especially add to Christ’s sufferings? He knew that many would refuse his gift of forgiveness and salvation.

4. Christ’s Passion and Death GUIDED EXERCISE Through a class discussion, have the students identify, explain, and relate the following two statements: “Be it done to me according to thy word.” “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

Chapter 4: Redemption and the Paschal Mystery