The Promise is Fulfilled

1. The Promise is Fulfilled

2. The Announcement of Jesus’ Incarnation

3. The Annunciation • Read Luke 1.26-38 • Questions • In the sixth month of what? (see 1.24) • Who is Elizabeth? Why is she important? • Who is Gabriel? When was he mentioned before? • Where is Nazareth? • Who is Joseph? What is his relationship with Mary? • NOTE: Mary was raised in the temple after her elderly parents died. When she was of age (around 12 or 13), she was betrothed to Joseph (who was around 40-50 years old).

4. The Annunciation • Questions • What does “Hail” mean? • What does “full of grace” mean? • It means that Mary was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to someone who would be the mother of the Savior. Mary was wholly borne by God’s grace, which made it possible for her to make her free assent of faith. • It is a title; another name for Mary. • “Full of grace” expresses the fully developed doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

5. The Annunciation • Questions • Why was Mary troubled? • What does the angel say to calm Mary? • NOTE: “favor with God” means “grace of God.” So the angel says that God was giving His grace to Mary. Who is the grace of God? (see Titus 2.11) • Why is it important that the angel said “you will conceive in your womb?” • How do the angels words compare to Isaiah 7.14?

6. The Annunciation • Questions • What four promises does the angel make? • Son • David • Jacob (Israel) • Kingdom • How will Mary become pregnant? • What does “barren” mean? • How many women before Mary were unable to have children, and then gave birth miraculously? • Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Manoah’s wife, Hannah, Anne, Elizabeth, Mary

7. The Annunciation • Questions • What is Mary’s answer to the angel? • LATIN: Fiat mihi • What does it mean? • What is the result? • Which words indicate that Mary is the Mother of God? • How can Mary be the Mother of God? • Where does Mary go next?

8. Mary & Zechariah • Critical Thinking • When the angel came to Zechariah, he asked, “How shall I know this?” Now Mary asks, “How shall this be?” What is the difference? • KEY: “Know” requires proof. “Be” asks how it will happen. • Mary is curious how God will work His miracle. Zechariah wants proof before he will believe God. • The miracle with Mary is threefold • Virgin before • Virgin after • Too young (just as the others were too old)

9. Mary & Eve • Critical Thinking • What are the similarities and differences between the First Temptation and the Annunciation? • Angel • Woman • Alone (apparently) • Promise (son of God, like God) • Answer • Result (life, death; sin, obedience)

10. Mary & Eve • Review • Eve mourned: [Mary] exulted. Eve carried tears in her womb; Mary, joy. Eve brought forth a sinner: Mary the sinless One. The mother of our race brought punishment to the world: the Mother of our Lord brought salvation to the world. • Eve was the source of sin: Mary of merit. Eve by bringing death was our undoing: Mary by bringing life was our profit. Eve wounded us: Mary healed us. Obedience is given in exchange for disobedience, faith atones for infidelity. (St Augustine)

11. Joseph & Gabriel • Read Matthew 1.18-25 • Questions • Who is Joseph? • What does “betrothed” mean? • Why is Joseph a “righteous man”? • Which words indicate that Mary was already pregnant? • Whose child was Jesus? • NOTE: “conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” • Why did Joseph consider divorcing (sending away) Mary?

12. Joseph & Gabriel • Questions • Why is Joseph called “son of David” by the angel? • Of what is the angel reminding Joseph? • Why is Joseph told to name the baby “Jesus”? • What does the name “Jesus” mean? • The name, Jesus, means, “God saves.” It expresses Jesus’ identity and mission as the Son of God who would save the people from their sins. • What is another name for Jesus? What does it mean? • How did Joseph show that he was a “righteous man”? • What does it mean that Joseph “did not know” Mary?

13. Joseph & Mary; Joseph & Jesus • Critical Thinking • What was Joseph’s role in Jesus’ life? • Critical Thinking • What was Joseph’s role to Mary?

14. Key Questions • Why is Mary said to be “full of grace”? • How did God prepare the Blessed Virgin Mary for her mission as the Mother of God? • How can Mary be “Mother of God”? Does God have a mother? • How did Mary respond to grace? • Who is St. Joseph? • How does Joseph respond to the angel?

15. Key Questions • Why is Mary traditionally called the spouse of the Holy Spirit? • What does the Virgin Birth mean? • What is the theological meaning of Jesus’ divine sonship?

16. Key Questions • What is the relationship between Mary’s “yes” and Eve’s “no”? • What is the Incarnation? • In what sense does salvation depend on Mary? • How do Mary’s and Joseph’s cooperation indicate man’s role in God’s salvation?

17. The Genealogies & Visitation

18. Two Genealogies • What is a genealogy? • Why is it important? • Read Matthew 1.1-17 • What is the key focus (see 1.1)? • What three things does it say about Jesus? • Who are the women? Are they important? • Are there embarrassing persons? • How does it end? • What does it imply about the relationship of Jesus to Joseph?

19. Two Genealogies • Read Luke 3.23-38 • What is the key focus (see 3.38)? • What is the key thing it says about Jesus? • What does it mean that Jesus it the “New Adam”? • How is this genealogy different from the one in Matthew? • Pattern • Compare Joseph’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather • What does it explicitly state about the relationship of Jesus to Joseph?

20. Two Genealogies • Luke’s and Matthew’s genealogies teach us that Jesus Christ is • Jewish Messiah (the son of Abraham) • Royal (in the line of the Davidic kings) • Human (a son of Adam) • Savior (salvation is for all men) • The two genealogies teach us that Jesus is not embarrassed about his family history

21. Visitation of BVM • Read Luke 1.39-45 • What happens when Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting? • What two things does Elizabeth call Mary? • What do these words mean? • Why does John the Baptist leap?

22. Ark of the Covenant • What is the Ark of the Covenant? • What three things does it contain? • What does the Ark of the Covenant signify? • How do the contents of the Ark and its signification indicate that it is a type of the Virgin Mary?

23. Ark of the Covenant

24. Ark of the Covenant • After David captures Jerusalem, and repels another attack by the Philistines, he and his army transfer the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem for its permanent home. As David enters the city, he dances for joy in front of the procession of the Ark. • How is this story a type of the Visitation? • Jerusalem • Question • House blessing • How is John the Baptist, in the Visitation, an antitype of David?

25. Jesus’ Hidden Life

26. The Nativity • What does the word “nativity” mean? • Read Luke 2.1-14 • Questions • Why is Luke specific about the rulers? • Why did Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem? • How far along was Mary’s pregnancy? • Were Mary and Joseph married? • Who were the first persons to be told about Jesus’ birth? • What does this suggest?

27. The Nativity • Why was there no room in the inn? • Crowded, yes. • Mary’s condition • HINT:The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

28. The Nativity • What is a stable? What is a manger? • Bethlehem = “House of Bread” • Manger = “bread box” • Jesus = ? • What four titles do the angels reveal when they speak to the Shepherds? • “For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” • Why do the angels say “to you”?

29. Magi • Read Matthew 2.1-12 • What are magi? • Where did they come from? • How did they hear about Jesus? • What does their visit signify? • What do their three gifts signify? • “Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they see: heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body. As they look, they believe and do not question, as their symbolic gifts bear witness: incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die.” (St Peter Chrysologus)

30. Jesus’ Poverty • St Paul says, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” • How does Jesus’ nativity exemplify this statement? • How does Jesus’ crucifixion exemplify this statement? • How do the shepherds exemplify St Paul’s statement?

31. Jesus’ Poverty • What does Jesus’ birth teach you about your material possessions? • Is what you think is so important, what matters so much to you—are these really all that important? • Is the goal to be rich? To die with the most stuff? To experience all that life offers? • All this life offers really is a hand full of sand. • How can material things be a spiritual problem? • What does Jesus’ birth teach about your attitude toward others?

32. Presentation & Purification • Two events take place in the Temple when Jesus is 40 days old • Jesus is redeemed in the temple • What does “redeem” mean? • How is Jesus redeemed? • Why does Jesus do this? • Mary is purified • Why was a woman purified? • Why was Mary exempt from this? • Spiritually • Biologically

33. Presentation & Purification • Why do Jesus and Mary follow the Mosaic Law? • Mosaic Law = laws in the Pentateuch required in addition to the Decalogue • Why did Simeon & Anna recognize Mary? • What did these saints recognized about Jesus?

34. Boy Jesus in the Temple • The basic story (Lk 2.42-51) • Why was the Holy Family in Jerusalem? • How did Jesus “get lost”? • Why was Jesus really lost? What does He say? • How long did Mary & Joseph look for Jesus? • Any symbolism here? • Where was Jesus when they found Him? • Any symbolism here? • What happens after they leave Jerusalem?

35. Summary: Jesus’ Hidden Life • What virtue seems to be overriding in Jesus’ hidden life? • What does obedience involve inside a person? • Why did Jesus live obedience during his hidden years?

36. Learning from Jesus • Why must we follow the Ten Commandments? • Think: Rich Young Man’s Question • What are the “evangelical counsels”? • Chastity • Poverty • Obedience • In addition to the Ten Commandments, Jesus advises (but does not require) these counsels. • Purpose: To aid one in staying on the right path, and in having the mind of Christ • Basis of monasticism

37. Learning from Jesus • How can you adapt these counsels to your daily life? • Chastity = self-control • Poverty = detachment from material possessions. • Obedience requires humility.

38. God Incarnate to Reconcile Us

39. The Word Became Flesh • Listen to John 1.1-14 • Focus questions: Is the Word God? • What did the Word do in the beginning? • What does the Word have to do with us? • Who is the Word? • How does Jesus differ from the other two persons in the Blessed Trinity? • Why was Jesus entrusted with the redemption of the world? • Think: Creation

40. Expiate, Reconcile, Restore • Key Terms • Expiation = to pay what is owed as a penalty for wrong doing • Reconcile = to put in a right relationship • God became man to reconcile people with God by making expiation for sins. • Why is Original Sin (or any mortal sin) serious?

41. Expiate, Reconcile, Restore • Is man reconciled to God, or is God reconciled to man? • Think: who created the rift; who brought sin and death? And who did nothing wrong? • Man is reconciled to God • Why is it impossible for humans to reconcile themselves to God? • Why can we not simply offer atonement? • Define atonement:

42. Redemption Reveals Love • By His death, Jesus reveals God’s love. • In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. (1 Jn 4.9-10) • 6 While we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man—though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. 8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Rom 5.6-8)

43. Redemption Reveals Love • What is a second reason God became man? • To show how much he loves us. • How does creation itself show God’s love? • God had no reason to create anything except to share his goodness and happiness. Since he did create, it shows he loves his creation.

44. Redemption Reveals Love • How does God’s plan of redemption show his love? • Since in his plan he would share in the human experience and suffer for our sins, he shows radical love for us. • What is the greatest love of which man is capable? • To lay down his life for his friends

45. Redemption Reveals Love • Jesus’ death shows the love of God. • It manifests the infinite depth of God’s love. • Jesus’ death shows us that God’s love is the sacrifice of His Son. • Jesus’ death shows us that all love is sacrifice.

46. God Incarnate to Model Holiness

47. Model of Holiness • What is a third reason why God became man (Incarnate)? • To give us a model of holiness • An example to imitate • Think: What does Jesus do when He is confronted by the Pharisees? Or during His Passion? • Does Jesus fight back? • Does Jesus defend Himself? • Who is supposed to defend Jesus? • What does this teach us about how we should act?

48. Model of Holiness • St Paul says: “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.” • How do we develop the “mind of Christ”? • What does it mean to meditate? • Meditation is prayer which engages • Thought • Imagination • Emotion • Desire • To meditate is to think, imagine, feel and want the will of God as shown in the life of Jesus

49. Model of Holiness • Where is the “mind of Christ” most simply spelled out? • Beatitudes • Read Matthew 5.1-11 • Meditate • Think • Imagine • Emotion • Desire

50. Divine Life • What is the fourth reason why God became Incarnate (Word made flesh)? • God wants to give us some of his own divine life. • Can we have all of God’s divine life? • Where do we get some of God’s divine life? • God gives us His divine life by giving us grace. • Grace sanctifies. • Sanctifying grace is the free and unmerited favor of God given through the Sacraments. This grace heals human nature wounded by sin by giving man a share in the divine life infused into the soul by the Holy Spirit.