What signs and symbols do you know? Why are they important?
CREEDS
APOSTLES CREED NICENE CREED There are two creeds used as statements of faith in Catholic Masses. The Apostles' Creed is the earliest one, whilst the Nicene Creed was written in the 4th century AD at a time when there was much debate about the nature of Jesus:
Arians thought Jesus was Son of God but not eternal or divine
Docetists thought Jesus's body was only an allusion and he wasn't fully human
Adoptionists thought Jesus was fully human but had been adopted by God
Both Creeds are structured around the key belief in the Trinity. What do the Creeds say about the nature of Jesus?
EXAMPLES OF JESUS' HUMANITY
Jesus' Suffering - Mark Jesus' Suffering- Matthew Jesus' Suffering - Luke Jesus' Suffering - John As well as the Bible, there are several non-Christian sources that provide evidence that a Jewish man called Jesus lived in Palestine in the 1st century AD. The Roman historian Tacitus, Jewish historian Josephus and Roman lawyer Pliny the Younger all refer to a man called Jesus the Christ who inspired both Jewish and Gentile followers who worshipped him above the Emperor. These sources reveal that Jesus was born and died by crucifixion. Jesus' birth is recounted in Luke and Matthew's Gospels with two different infancy narratives. Matthew's begins with a long geneaology list of Jesus' descendants going back to King David and includes accounts of the Magi from the East who brought three symbolic gifts - Gold (Kingship), Myrrh (Burial Oil) and Frankincense (Incense used in prayer). Luke, writing for a Gentile audience (non-Jewish) includes the angels pronouncement to the shepherds who were of a lower class, socially. Throughout the Gospels there are accounts of Jesus being part of a family, having friends, celebrating important occasions, eating, sleeping, praying, empathising with others and grieving for those who suffer. In the accounts of Jesus' arrest and crufixion we hear about the incredible physical pain he suffered. When Christians speak of the Passion of Christ, the Latin base word translates as "suffering" or "to endure". Jesus would have been tortured with some kind of whip/rod or chains, however there are some variations within the Gospels as to how often and when Jesus was scourged. Jewish law stipulated that criminals could only be whipped 39 times as 40 times was deemed to lead to the death of the person, however Roman law did not have such restrictions, and it was Roman soldiers who tortured Jesus. Some scholars believe the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate may have hoped the first whipping would quell the rebellious crowd and that crucifixion could be avoided, this initial torture could have been quite severe. The second whipping, as described in Mark and Matthew's Gospel, has the soldiers mocking Jesus whilst they beat him - the crown of thorns and purple robe are symbolic of the accusation that he is King of the Jews. This title was written in three languages (Greek, Hebrew and Latin) and inscribed on the Cross as a means of humiliating the Jews as well as Jesus' followers. Crucifixion was a common punishment for criminals in the Roman Empire, whereby people died from asphyxiation, often after several days. Bodies were usually left, naked on the cross as a warning to others however because it was close to the weekly Shabbat/Sabbath commemorations, Jesus' body was taken down and buried. Why do you think Jesus didn't run away or try to plead his innocence to Pontius Pilate?
EXAMPLES OF JESUS' DIVINITY
JESUS' RESURRECTION Jesus' Resurrection - St Paul's letters Jesus' Resurrection & Ascension - Mark Jesus' Resurrection - Matthew Jesus' Resurrection & Ascension - Luke Jesus' Ascension - Acts of the Aposles Jesus' Resurrection - John Without a belief in Jesus' resurrection and ascension into Heaven, Jesus is just another good guy in history. St Paul's letters, written several decades before the Gospels, emphasise this point. St Paul travelled around the Roman Empire, teaching about Jesus and writing many letters to early Christian communities in the decades following Jesus' death. Paul, a Jewish Roman citizen, didn't meet Jesus in person and initially persecuted Jews who believed in Jesus' resurrection. Around 34-37 AD, after an experience where Paul heard Jesus ask why he was persecuting him (ie his followers), Paul converted and became one of the most significant missionaries to spread the Good News of Jesus; Paul's letters were chosen to be included in the New Testament of the Bible. In the example above he writes to the people of Corinth where some were questioning whether resurrection of Jesus' body really happened. Paul writes that Jesus "appeared to" Cephas (the disciple Simon Peter) but the Greek word that has been translated is not intended as Jesus was seen with the eyes, rather certain people became aware of his living presence Writing several decades after Paul's letters, the Gospel writers convey a sense of this mystery:
In Mark's account the women who first see the empty tomb are filled with "terror and amazement" and don't say anything because they are afraid - the longer ending of this Gospel, edited at a later date, suggests that when the women told the disciples, the men didn't believe them
In Matthew's account, the author includes the theory that Jewish leaders had paid off the guards to say that Jesus' body had been stolen during the night time and in John's Gospel, Mary Magdelene assumes that someone had taken Jesus' body away
In Luke's account of the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, it wasn't until Jesus shared a meal with them that they "recognised him" - not with their eyes, as he vanished from their sight, but with a faith-filled perception
When Jesus appears to other disciples in Luke's Gospel, they think they have seen a ghost until, again, Jesus shares a meal with them and explains a new way of understanding the Jewish Scriptures with Jesus as the fulfilment of the promises of old
In John's Gospel, the disciple Thomas does not believe the disciples until he can feel the wounds of crucifixion - Thomas' experience is connected to John's audience and Christians today who are blessed for believing even though they haven't seen
Luke's Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles (believed to be written by the same author as Luke's Gospel) describe Jesus' Ascension into Heaven where a cloud is symbolically used to describe how the disciples view of Jesus is gone. The disciples have been commissioned to keep Jesus' love alive by living a new life based on peace, mercy and justice.
Easter in the northern hemisphere occurs in Spring, a time of new life - in what ways did Jesus' resurrection bring about change?
JESUS' TRANSFIGURATION The Transfiguration - Matthew The Transfiguration - Mark The Transfiguration - Luke The account of Jesus' Transfiguration, considered in light of Jesus' Resurrection, is depicted as a pivotal moment for the three disciples who are described in the Gospels as having witnessed it. Occuring before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, the disciples are given a glimpse of Jesus for who he really is - God in the form of man (God incarnate). They see him in full glory which is juxtaposed with the suffering they are about to witness on the cross. Writing 40-60 years after the time of Jesus, the Gospel writers are portraying Jesus as being the fulfilment of God's promises to the Jewish people in the Hebrew Scriptures: Moses, who was also transformed after receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt Sinai represents the Law, with its 613 mitzvah/rules; Elijah, who, also on a mountain, felt God's presence in the silence, represents the Prophets who spoke about loving kindness and justice. The account of the Transfiguration occurs during the 6-8 day long Jewish New Year's Feast of Tabernacles/Tents which occurs six days after the Day of Atonement; Peter's suggestion to build tents is indicative of this timing but it also alludes to the Feast of Tabernacles being a celebration of Creation, the Law that was given to Moses and God's presence in the Temple - ie. Jesus brings new life, a fulfilment of the Law and he himself is the Temple which "houses" the presence of God. Like in the accounts of the Exodus and Jesus' Ascension, the cloud which overshadows the disciples in Luke's account of the Transfiguration represents the presence of God - why is this symbolism effective in expressing a sense of the mystery of God?
SACRAMENTAL LIFE
Sacraments can be defined as visible signs that help us experience the invisible belief in God's grace. The Catholic Church recognises seven Sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick). These seven Sacraments are believed to have been initiated by Jesus.
JEWISH SACRAMENTAL RITUALS Priests and kings, and sometimes prophets were blessed with chrism oil in ancient Judiasm to convey the belief that the Spirit of God had anointed them for their mission; with the perfume being poured over the head of kings so that the scent radiated from them like the glory of God across the land. The words "Messiah"/"Christ" mean "anointed one" and Jesus is believed by Christians to be the perfect Messiah as the Son of God, compared to others who had been anointed who had human flaws. Ritualistic cleansing with water is a common practise within Judaism with several accounts in the TaNaK (Jewish Sciptures/Old Testament) describing water as healing and purifying. There are many circumstances whereby ancient and some modern day Jewish people are required to perform ritual washing for example in a mikveh after certain activities such as childbirth. Water is often seen as a symbol of cleansing but it can also be destructive like during floods - why is this symbolic image appropriate when expressing beliefs about God?
BAPTISM Jesus' Baptism - Mark Jesus' Baptism - Matthew Jesus' Baptism - Luke "Baptism" means "to be overwhelmed" and "repentance" calls for a complete "change of heart and mind". The word "sin" is a translation of the Greek "hamartia", meaning "missing the mark". There are many connections to Jewish Scriptures in the accounts of Jesus' Baptism with Jesus being portrayed as the New Adam:
The quote from the prophet Isaiah which was set in the 6th century BC when Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon and allowed all the previously captured Jews to return to the Chosen Land
Allusions to the clothing and diet of the great prophet Elijah when referring to John the Baptist
Mirroring of the first account of Creation in Genesis 1 where the "Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" followed by Jesus being sent out into the wilderness like Adam and Eve
References to the heavens being torn apart use the same term as the parting of the Red Sea and the splitting of the rock that poured forth water during the 40 years of the Exodus
Numbers are very symbolic in Judaism and like the 40 days and nights of rain on Noah's Ark (also referred to in the symbol of the dove), the 40 years wandering in the desert during the Exodus, Jesus spends 40 days in the wilderness
The words heard from Heaven are reminiscient of Isaiah's Servant Song that declare the intimate relationship between the Father (Abba) in Heaven and the servant, in this case, Jesus.
Why is it significant that Jesus was baptised in water with others who often miss the mark, even though Christians believe that Jesus was without sin?
CONFIRMATION Pentecost - Acts of the Apostles Pentecost, from the Greek word meaning "50th", marked the Jewish celebration Festival of Shavuot (Weeks)/ a harvest festival held 50 days after Passover, one of three pilgrimage festivals in the Jewish calendar. Shavuot celebrates the harvest of wine as well as grain, which is why some people hearing the disciples thought they may have been drunk. The ability to speak so that Jews of many nations could understand is intended as a reversal of the confusion and division attributed to the sacred mythical account of the Tower of Babel in the first book of the bible, Genesis. The reference to Symbols of fire and wind are reminiscient of when Moses received the Torah/Law on Mt Sinai and shared it with the Ancient Israelites. Pentecost is celebrated as the birthday of the Church as the Spirit of God blessed the disciples with gifts of Courage and Wisdom which inspired them to share the Good News of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire. Fire is often considered a symbol of destruction, but it can also generate growth - why is this symbolic image appopriate when expressing beliefs about the Holy Spirit?
EUCHARIST Last Supper - St Paul's Letters Last Supper - Mark Last Supper - Matthew Last Supper - Luke Last Supper - John The Sacrament of Eucharist is the most significant ritual in the Catholic Church whereby those who consume the body and blood of Christ are inviting God into their very being. The word Eucharist means "thanksgiving" and those who participate are in communion with a loving, self-less God are called to use their free will to make choices based on love of God and love of neighbour. St Paul's letter to the Corinthians is one of the earliest accounts of the ritual of remembering Jesus' words at the Last Supper when he declared a New Covenant based on the belief in his death and resurrection. The same words are said by the priest in Catholic Masses when the bread and wine are consecrated during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Catholics believe that the substance of the bread and wine changes to the body and blood of Christ, whilst the form remains bread and wine. Not all Christian denominations believe in this transubstantiation. The symbols of bread and wine are indicative of the ancient Jewish diet but they are also significant because both bread and wine require human activity to be baked and fermented - why is this symbolic image appropriate when expressing beliefs about the relationship between God and humans?
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
Why is it important to take time out of your busy life to reflect on who you are and your relationship with others?
What do you think is more effective at communicating feelings - words, images or sounds?
How do you convey love without using words?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), to what extent do you think actions speak louder than words?
PRAYER REFLECTIONS
Thank God for our senses and all the ways that we can share our love with other people
Ask God to make you more aware of God's loving presence in your life and to help you actively look for opportunities to share this love
Give thanks for those who guide you on your journey of self-awareness
COMPLEMENTARY SCRIPTURE
Announcement to Mary - Luke 1:26-38 Announcement to Joseph - Matthew 1:18-25 Jesus predicts his suffering and death - Mark 8:27-33; Mark 9:30-32; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 9:22, 43-45; Luke 18:31-33; Matthew 16:21-23; Matthew 17:22-23; Matthew 20:17-28