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At the heart of our Catholic life is our encounter with Jesus Christ. This is only made possible through our life in the Spirit. This same Spirit brings us into communion in the Catholic Church. This section offers a taste of some of the aspects of our faith that are significant to us.
(from Isaiah 11:2-3)
(Gal 5:22-23)
The beatitudes present in Matthew (5:3-10) are:
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people 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, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Note that the Gospel of Luke (6:20-23) offers a different version.
We believe in one God, I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. (see Mark 12:28-34)
Jesus, when asked what was the greatest commandment in Jewish law, affirmed:
Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21
A religious devotion in which the consecrated host is displayed for the worship of the faithful. The host is usually in a monstrance placed upon the altar...The devotion arose from the desire of the faithful to focus their eyes and attention upon the host as a means of fostering interior communion with the Lord and of contemplating the mystery of Christ's presence. Source: Harper Collins, Catholic Encyclopedia of Catholicism Benediction (Blessing) has been a popular tradition since the Middle Ages when people no longer received communion frequently. A large consecrated host is placed in the monstrance so that the faithful may adore the Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. After a period of adoration, the monstrance is incensed, while hymns are sung... then the people are blessed by the priest or deacon with the Blessed Sacrament. The public prayer of the Church for praising God and sanctifying the day... It consists of an Office of Readings, Morning and Evening Prayer, Prayer during the Day and Night Prayer. The Liturgy of the Hours is based on the early Christian community and its practice of continuing to pray the psalms and meet regularly throughout the day to sanctify the whole day to God. The practical faith of Christians regarding saints is a living out of the church's understanding of itself as a communion of saints. This belief, found already in the Apostles' Creed by the late 5th Century, goes back much further in popular practice. It describes the church as a community or fellowship of all the faithful, living and dead, called together by God and transformed in Christ and the Spirit. The community is most effectively expressed and celebrated whenever people gather for the Eucharist. Source: Catholic Customs and Traditions, Greg Dues Tags:
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