The Church
Sacrament of Salvation
The Church
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The Story of the
Early Church
Chapter Objectives
The student will be able to understand:
• The mission of the Apostles
• Pentecost
• What the Holy Spirit does for
the Church
• The primacy of St. Peter and
the papacy
• Early persecutions
• St. Paul
• How the Church learned
that the Gospel was also
for Gentiles
• Biographical facts about Sts. Peter,
James the Greater, John, Andrew,
and Philip
• Biographical facts about
Sts. Nathanael, Matthew, Thomas,
James the Lesser, Jude, and Simon
• Biographical facts about Judas
Iscariot and St. Paul
• The universal call to apostolate
• The fullness of the Kingdom
of God
Keys to Chapter 3
• The gift of the Holy Spirit made it possible for the
Church to fulfill her Christ-given mission.
• The papacy is also a gift to the Church.
• Persecutions are difficult to endure, but they make the
Church stronger and more effective.
• The Church, under St. Peter, was led to understand that
Gentile converts need not adopt the Mosaic Law.
• We know the lives of the Apostles from Scripture,
history, and tradition.
• We are all called to evangelize as we await the final
Revelation of the Kingdom of God.
For Discussion:
• What instructions did Christ give to his Apostles
before his Ascension?
• What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church?
• What was the role of St. Peter in the Church?
• How did the Church reach out to all nations?
• How did each of the Apostles fulfill the mission
that Christ had given him?
The Mission of the
Apostles and Pentecost
Lesson Objectives
•The mission of the Apostles
•Pentecost
The Mission of the
Apostles and Pentecost
Basic Questions
What mission did Christ give the Apostles before he
ascended into Heaven?
Just before his Ascension, Christ commanded the
Apostles to fulfill the promise of the kingdom of
David by bringing the Gospel to the whole world,
beginning in Jerusalem.
The Mission of the
Apostles and Pentecost
Basic Questions
What was the significance of Pentecost?
The Apostles’ mission became practically possible by
the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which
made them fearless evangelizers.
Focus Question
How could the period between the Crucifixion
and Pentecost be called a time of confusion
for the Church?
The Apostles were confused by the rejection of
Christ by the crowds, by his Crucifixion, by their
own disloyalty toward him, by the reports of his
Resurrection until they saw him, and then by his
leaving them behind at his Ascension.
Focus Question
How do Christ’s words about the mission to
evangelize also indicate that the Church is to
fulfill God’s promise to David?
The spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem, to Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth indicated
that Christ intended the Church to encompass the
entire world.
Focus Question
What is the significance of Christ appointing
twelve Apostles?
They were to be symbolic rulers of the Twelve Tribes
of Israel.
Focus Question
Why did the Apostles feel they needed to
replace Judas?
They believed that if they were to be the foundation
of the restored kingdom, they would need to restore
their number to twelve.
Focus Question
What did the Apostles do between the
Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Spirit?
They returned to Jerusalem, to the Upper Room
where the Last Supper had taken place, where,
together with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the
rest of Christ’s disciples, the Apostles devoted
themselves to prayer.
Focus Question
Who initiated the action to choose a
replacement for Judas?
St. Peter, the leader of the Church on earth now
that Christ had ascended into Heaven.
Focus Question
Who was chosen as an Apostle to
replace Judas?
St. Matthias.
Focus Question
Who was present for the Descent of the Holy
Spirit in the Upper Room?
The Apostles, Mary, and other disciples.
Focus Question
What similes did St. Luke use to describe the
coming of the Holy Spirit?
There was a sound “like the rush of a mighty
wind” and there appeared “tongues as of fire,
distributed and resting on each one of them.”
Focus Question
How were the Apostles immediately
transformed?
They lost all their fear and began boldly proclaiming
the Gospel, unafraid of the consequences.
Focus Question
How long did Christ remain on earth after
his Resurrection?
Forty days.
Focus Question
What did Christ do during this time?
He appeared to his Apostles “speaking of the
Kingdom of God.”
Focus Question
How did the Apostles understand Christ’s phrase,
“Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to
the end of the earth”?
Christ was drawing a verbal map of the ancient
kingdom of David. Jerusalem was David’s capital city.
Judea was the tribal territory of David that surrounded
Jerusalem. Samaria was the land north where the rest of
the tribes of Israel were located. “The ends of the earth”
represented all the Gentile nations that David had
brought under his control.
Guided Exercise
Identify the criterion St. Peter laid out
for Christ’s successor and then speculate
on why this requirement was essential.
Focus Question
Where does the Jewish feast Pentecost get
its name?
It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover.
Pentecost comes from the Greek word for “fiftieth.”
Focus Question
What was the gift of tongues the
Apostles received?
Men of different nations heard the Galilean
Apostles speaking in their own native language.
Focus Question
What was the basic message that
St. Peter preached?
The long-awaited Messiah had come in the Person
of Christ, who was crucified, who rose from the
dead, and who now sits at the right hand of God
the Father in Heaven.
Focus Question
What did St. Peter say they must do to
be saved?
Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
Focus Question
In what sense was Pentecost the beginning of
the Church?
Pentecost marks the beginning of the Church’s
public ministry in the world.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share
using the following question:
Why was Pentecost an auspicious date
for the beginning of the Church?
The Service of the
Holy Spirit and the
Primacy of St. Peter
Lesson Objectives
•What the Holy Spirit does for the Church
•The primacy of St. Peter and the papacy
The Service of the Holy Spirit
and the Primacy of St. Peter
Basic Questions
What does the Holy Spirit do for the Church?
The Holy Spirit works within the Church in many
ways, for example, in assisting the Pope and bishops
in governing, sanctifying, and proclaiming the Gospel,
in the writing and interpretation of Sacred Scripture,
in the sacraments, and in the gifts, fruits, and special
charisms of the Holy Spirit.
The Service of the Holy Spirit
and the Primacy of St. Peter
Basic Questions
What is the primacy of St. Peter and the papacy?
Similar to the prime minister of the Davidic kingdom,
St. Peter and his successors, the Popes, possess primacy
of authority in the Church as vicars of Christ.
Focus Question
What is the primacy of Peter?
It is the authority Christ gave to St. Peter and his
successors, the Popes.
Focus Question
How does the office of St. Peter relate to the
office of the prime minister in the Kingdom of
David?
In the Old Testament kingdom of David, the king
appointed a prime minister from among his twelve
chief servants. Similarly, in the New Testament
kingdom, Christ the king appointed one of the Twelve
to have primacy over the others. In both cases, the
prime minister is identified by the sign of his office—
the keys of the kingdom.
Focus Question
What does the term Vicar of Christ signify?
It means that St. Peter and his successors possess the
authority of the king—Christ—himself.
Focus Question
What is the extent of St. Peter’s authority over
the Church?
It is full, supreme, and universal.
Focus Question
Has the role of the papacy been exactly the
same throughout the centuries?
No. It has evolved as the political and social
circumstances surrounding the Church have changed.
Focus Question
What has remained constant in the role of
the papacy?
The papacy is the Church’s highest moral and
doctrinal authority. When disagreement and conflict
arise in the Church, it is the Pope who has the
authority to resolve and clarify matters of faith and
morals and maintain the unity of the faith.
Guided Exercise
Summarize CCC 553 (p. 81), and then
come up with two examples of St. Peter
exercising his ministry during this time.
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to organize the various ways in
which the Holy Spirit continues to work within the Church.
Way
Through the Pope and the bishops
In Sacred Scripture
In the Sacraments
In the gifts of the Holy Spirit
In the fruits of the Holy Spirit
Through special graces
Explanation
Early Persecutions
and St. Paul, Apostle
to the Gentiles
Lesson Objectives
•Early persecutions
•St. Paul
Early Persecutions and St. Paul,
Apostle to the Gentiles
Basic Questions
What difficulties did the early Church face?
The early Church faced persecution and martyrdom,
difficulties she could bear because of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. These problems actually strengthened
the nascent Church.
Early Persecutions and St. Paul,
Apostle to the Gentiles
Basic Questions
Who was St. Paul?
Saul was a superbly educated Jewish Roman citizen
who zealously persecuted the Church in Jerusalem
until his conversion by the Risen Christ, after which
he became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a focused reading of the paragraph
beginning, “A man named Stephen…” (p. 83),
using the following question:
What are some parallels between
the deaths of Christ and Stephen?
Guided Exercise
Write and answer three focus questions
about St. Polycarp, going beyond
simple factual ones.
Focus Question
Why are the martyrs held in such high esteem
in the Church?
Martyrs are the ultimate witnesses to the truth
of the Faith, “bearing witness even unto death.”
They have imitated Christ to the point of dying
out of love for him.
Focus Question
What is an example of Christ’s predicting the
future suffering of the Church?
He told the Apostles the world would hate them and
persecute them because of him.
Focus Question
How could early Christians face suffering
and death?
They were confident that the same Holy Spirit who
empowered the Apostles at Pentecost would also
strengthen them in the face of persecution and death.
Focus Question
What did the Jewish authorities assume would
be the result of Christ’s death?
They assumed it would scatter Christ’s followers and
silence his message.
Focus Question
How did the Church respond to the
first persecution?
The Apostles refused to stop preaching and the
Church’s numbers grew, with the Apostles being
held in higher and higher esteem.
Focus Question
In Christian terms, what is a martyr?
Someone put to death because of his faith in
Jesus Christ.
Focus Question
Who was the first Christian martyr?
St. Stephen.
Focus Question
What did St. Stephen’s death mark?
The beginning of a tremendous persecution of the
Church in Jerusalem.
Focus Question
How many of the Apostles would eventually
suffer martyrdom?
All of the Apostles except St. John.
Focus Question
What was the effect of the persecutions of the
Church of the first centuries?
They had the exact opposite of their intended effect.
The martyrs became the Church’s greatest testimony
to Jesus Christ. Through the witness of the martyrs,
Christianity soon spread throughout the entire
Roman world.
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to articulate St. Paul’s unique
qualifications to become the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Qualification
Classical Education
Training in Philosophy and Logic
Thorough Knowledge
of the Old Testament
Roman Citizenship
Benefits to Evangelization
Focus Question
How did St. Paul’s life become transformed?
He went from being a fierce persecutor of
Christianity to one of its staunchest supporters.
Focus Question
Where did St. Paul meet Christ?
On the road to Damascus.
Focus Question
What question did Christ ask St. Paul?
“Why do you persecute me?”
Focus Question
What was St. Paul’s specific mission after
his conversion?
To bring the Gospel to Gentiles.
Focus Question
Why was St. Paul spared crucifixion?
Because St. Paul was a Roman citizen, he was
spared the humiliation of the cross.
Focus Question
Where was St. Paul born?
Tarsus, a seaport in what is now Turkey.
Focus Question
Why did St. Paul have two names?
Like many Jews who lived in the Roman
Empire, he had a Roman name (Paul) and
a Jewish name (Saul).
Focus Question
What does it mean to say that in Tarsus and
Jerusalem St. Paul received an ideal education?
In Tarsus, Paul received an excellent classical
education and in Jerusalem, under Gamaliel,
Paul received the best Jewish education possible
at that time.
Focus Question
What job did the Jewish authorities in
Jerusalem grant Saul?
To lay waste the Church by imprisoning
her members.
The Gospel for
All People
Lesson Objectives
•How the Church learned that the Gospel was also
for Gentiles
The Gospel for All People
Basic Questions
How did the Church come to understand that
Christianity was for Gentiles, as well as for the Jews?
Although the Apostles knew from the beginning that
their mission was the spread the Gospel to all nations,
they learned from experience and the guidance of the
Holy Spirit that Gentile converts to Christianity did not
have to become Jews first.
Focus Question
Who were the first converts to Christianity?
Jews living in or traveling to Jerusalem.
Focus Question
What was the question the Apostles had to
answer as they attracted Gentile converts?
Did the people of the whole world have to become
Jews and follow the Mosaic Law before they could
become Christians?
Focus Question
Was there a clear answer in the
Apostles’ minds?
No. They were initially divided.
Focus Question
In the early Church, what was always the
best way to convince people that Christ was
the Savior?
To show them how Christ fulfilled the Scriptures.
Focus Question
Why is it unlikely that St. Philip set aside
doctrinal questions and simply baptized the
Ethiopian eunuch?
St. Stephen had been led by an angel and guided by
the Holy Spirit so he must have concluded that
baptizing the eunuch was the will of God.
Focus Question
Why was it symbolically appropriate that
the Ethiopian was the first Gentile convert
to Christianity?
To the Romans, Ethiopia represented the farthest
point of the known world, in other words—“the
end of the earth.”
Focus Question
What two major changes in their lives did
non-Jews have to undergo if they wanted
to convert to Judaism?
They had to be circumcised and follow the Jewish
dietary laws.
Focus Question
How did St. Peter decide that it was not
necessary to follow the Jewish dietary laws
to convert to Christianity?
He had a divine vision in which he was told
to kill and eat animals the Jewish Law
labeled as “unclean.”
Focus Question
How did Jews look at associating with
non-Jews?
It was unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to
visit Gentiles.
Focus Question
How did St. Peter overcome this prohibition?
In his vision about the net, Peter was told to go
meet Cornelius, a Gentile. St. Peter said, “God
has shown me that I should not call any man
common or unclean.”
Guided Exercise
Look up Deuteronomy 23:1
and reread Isaiah 56:4-5 (p. 88).
Explain how it could be said
that the Church fulfilled one of God’s
promises in regard to eunuchs.
Focus Question
What was the Council of Jerusalem?
It was the first Council of the Church and a
prototype for the later Ecumenical Councils.
Focus Question
What did the Council decide?
That Gentile converts did not have to follow the
Mosaic Law.
Focus Question
Why was the Council of Jerusalem a first for
the papacy?
Here we find the first instance of a Pope officially
defining a teaching of the Church.
Guided Exercise
Extract the various meanings of twelve from
the section “The Meaning of Twelve” (p. 90).
The Apostles:
Peter, James the Greater,
John, Andrew, and Philip
Lesson Objectives
•Biographical facts about Sts. Peter,
James the Greater, John, Andrew, and Philip
The Apostles: Peter, James the Greater,
John, Andrew, and Philip
Basic Questions
What do we know about Sts. Peter, James the
Greater, John, Andrew, and Philip?
St. Peter was the rock upon whom Christ founded his
Church and the first Pope. St. James the Greater was St.
John’s brother. St. John was the Apostle whom Jesus
loved. Sts. Peter, James, and John formed Christ’s inner
circle. St. Andrew, St. Peter’s brother, and St. Philip were
both originally followers of St. John the Baptist.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share
using the following question:
To what extent could you say that Christ was family
friend-oriented when it came to choosing his Apostles?
Focus Question
What will the next section of this text do?
It will follow the lives of the Apostles from Christ’s
calling to their deaths.
Focus Question
What is the basis of these brief biographies?
They are based on available evidence from Scripture,
history, and tradition.
Focus Question
After Christ called St. Peter to be his follower,
what was the defining moment in his life?
When St. Peter, speaking for the Apostles, declared
Jesus to be “the Christ.”
Focus Question
What is the significance of the names Simon,
Cephas, Petros, and Peter?
Simon was the Apostle’s original name. Cephas was
the new name Christ gave him, meaning “rock.”
Petros was the Greek form of Cephas, and Peter is
its English translation.
Focus Question
What is the meaning of St. Peter’s new
name, Rock?
This name signified that St. Peter would be
the foundation of the Church that Christ
would establish.
Focus Question
What do the keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven signify?
They indicate that St. Peter would be both the leader
in the Church and Christ’s own representative.
Focus Question
What is the power of binding and loosing
Christ granted Peter?
It is the authority to make decisions in
Christ’s Church.
Focus Question
What is St. Peter’s relationship to the city
of Rome?
In Rome, St. Peter helped to establish and nourish
the Christian community, the place he eventually
suffered martyrdom.
Focus Question
Why does each bishop of Rome become the
successor of St. Peter?
Because St. Peter was the first bishop of Rome,
each successor takes his office as head of the
Catholic Church.
Focus Question
Why was St. Peter crucified upside down?
According to tradition, St. Peter requested this,
saying that he was not worthy to die in the same
manner as Our Lord.
Focus Question
Why is St. John’s brother called St. James
“the Greater”?
He is called this to distinguish him from the other
Apostle named James, who is called “the Lesser,
perhaps because of their relative age or height.
Focus Question
Why were St. James the Greater and his
brother St. John considered to be in Christ’s
inner circle?
They were chosen by Christ to be with him at the
Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Focus Question
What was St. James the Greater the first to do?
He was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom.
Focus Question
What special title did St. John receive?
St. John was the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”
Focus Question
What “reward” did St. John receive for
being the only Apostle with enough love
and courage to stay with Christ at the foot
of the Cross?
Christ asked St. John to care for his mother and
gave St. John to the Blessed Mother as her son.
Focus Question
How was St. John’s death unique among
the Apostles?
He was the only Apostle to die a natural death,
according to tradition, at a great age.
Focus Question
What were some of St. John’s writing?
The Gospel of St. John, three epistles, and the Book
of Revelation (or Apocalypse).
Focus Question
With what city is St. John associated?
Ephesus.
Guided Exercise
Identify and explain one sensible
speculation about one of the Apostles
mentioned in the text of this lesson.
Focus Question
Who was St. Andrew’s famous brother?
St. Peter.
Focus Question
Who did St. Andrew follow before Christ?
St. John the Baptist.
Focus Question
What is St. Andrew’s cross?
It is an X-shaped cross; according to tradition, this
was the shape of the cross he was crucified on.
Focus Question
Why was St. Philip one of the first future
Apostles to encounter Christ?
He was a follower of St. John the Baptist who
pointed out to his disciples that Jesus was the
“Lamb of God.”
Focus Question
What good deed did St. Philip do for his
friend, St. Nathanael?
He brought him to Christ.
Focus Question
What is an example of a Gospel scene in
which St. Philip is mentioned?
St. Philip asked Jesus to show God the Father to
the Twelve.
The Apostles: Nathanael,
Matthew, Thomas, James
the Lesser, Jude, and Simon
Lesson Objectives
•Biographical facts about Sts. Nathanael, Matthew,
Thomas, James the Lesser, Jude, and Simon.
The Apostles: Nathanael, Matthew,
Thomas, James the Lesser, Jude, and Simon
Basic Questions
What do we know about Sts. Nathanael, Matthew,
Thomas, James the Lesser, Jude, and Simon?
St. Nathanael was introduced to Christ by his friend
St. Philip. St. Matthew was a tax collector who wrote one of
the Gospels. St. Thomas at first doubted Christ’s
Resurrection. St. James the Lesser, the “brother” of Jesus,
headed the Church in Jerusalem. St. Jude is the patron of lost
causes. St. Simon the Zealot is probably nicknamed for his
zeal for the Mosaic Law.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share
using the following question:
Why might St. Nathanael have concluded that
Christ was the Messiah simply because Christ
said he saw St. Nathanael under the fig tree?
Focus Question
What was St. Matthew’s profession before he
met Christ?
He was a tax collector.
Focus Question
Why, at first glance, was a tax collector an
unlikely choice for an Apostle?
Tax collectors were generally hated by the Jews
and were considered public sinners on a level
with prostitutes.
Focus Question
What does the choice of St. Matthew
emphasize?
The universality of Christ’s call and the Church as
a refuge for the forgiveness of sinners.
Focus Question
How did St. Matthew respond to Christ’s call?
He underwent a complete conversion, immediately
leaving his profession and becoming his disciple.
Focus Question
Why was St. Matthew both an Apostle and
an evangelist?
St. Matthew was an Apostle because he was one
of the Twelve. He was an evangelist because he
wrote a Gospel.
Focus Question
By what other names is St. Judas known?
He is called St. Jude and Thaddeus.
Focus Question
How is St. Simon distinguished from
Simon Peter?
The Gospels often refer to him as “Simon the
Zealot” to distinguish him from Simon Peter.
Focus Question
Who were the Zealots?
They were a violent group that desired a political
messiah who would drive the Romans from Palestine
and reestablish Israel as an earthly kingdom.
Focus Question
By what other name is St. Bartholomew
identified?
St. Nathanael.
Focus Question
What did St. Nathanael think about Christ
when he first learned where he was from?
He assumed Christ could not be the Messiah, since
he was from Nazareth, from which he said nothing
good could come.
Focus Question
How did Christ convince St. Nathanael to
follow him without reserve?
Christ told St. Nathanael that before St. Philip
called him, he saw St. Nathanael under the fig tree.
This was enough to convince St. Nathanael that
Christ was the Son of God and King of Israel.
Guided Exercise
Write on what Christ meant when he said
to St. Thomas, “Have you believed because
you have seen me? Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20:29).
Focus Question
Why is St. Thomas often called “Doubting”?
St. Thomas, who was absent when Christ first
appeared to the Apostles, refused to believe in the
Resurrection, saying, “Unless I see in his hands
the print of the nails, and place my finger in the
mark of the nails and place my hand in his side, I
will not believe” (Jn 20:25).
Focus Question
What is St. Thomas’s profession of faith,
often repeated even today?
When St. Thomas saw the risen Christ, he said,
“My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28).
Focus Question
Which Church did St. James head?
The “mother” Church of all Christianity, the
Church in Jerusalem.
Focus Question
What is St. James’s epistle like?
It shows a very concrete and practical Christianity,
emphasizing that good works are the teachings of
Christ put into practice.
The Apostles: Judas Iscariot
and Paul, the Universal
Call to Apostolate, and the
Fullness of the Kingdom
Lesson Objectives
•Biographical facts about Judas Iscariot and St. Paul
•The universal call to apostolate
•The fullness of the Kingdom of God
The Apostles: Judas Iscariot and Paul, the Universal
Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness of the
Kingdom
Basic Questions
What do we know about Judas Iscariot and St. Paul?
Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ. St. Paul went from the
greatest persecutor to the greatest missionary in the
early Church.
The Apostles: Judas Iscariot and Paul, the Universal
Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness of the
Kingdom
Basic Questions
What is the universal call to the apostolate?
All of the Christian faithful are called to be missionaries.
The Apostles: Judas Iscariot and Paul, the Universal
Call to Apostolate, and the Fullness of the
Kingdom
Basic Questions
When will the Kingdom of God reach its fullness?
The Church awaits her definitive fulfillment at the
Second Coming of Christ at the end of time.
Focus Question
Why is Judas Iscariot infamous?
He betrayed Christ to the Jewish authorities.
Focus Question
What hard lesson does Judas’s downfall teach?
Even the graces given to Christ’s Apostles—and the
familiar friendship of Christ himself—may be of
no avail if one is unfaithful and does not believe.
Focus Question
What kind of Jew was Saul?
He was a dedicated and pious Jew who went to
Jerusalem to study the Mosaic Law under the great
rabbi Gamaliel.
Focus Question
What was Saul’s professional occupation?
He was a tentmaker, a useful trade that
permitted him to support himself during his
later apostolic travels.
Focus Question
What did Saul’s zeal for Judaism lead him
to do?
To stop the spread of Christianity, which he
considered both erroneous and blasphemous.
Focus Question
How did St. Paul’s life change when he met
Christ on the way to Damascus?
St. Paul placed his life entirely at the service of Jesus
Christ and his Gospel.
Focus Question
What is St. Paul’s most famous title?
Apostle to the Gentiles.
Focus Question
Why is it correct to say that St. Paul
was one of the greatest missionaries in
Christian history?
St. Paul brought the Gospel to many places in the
Roman Empire, even planning to go to Spain,
suffering great hardships to do so.
Focus Question
What was the central message of Christ’s
public ministry?
“The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is
at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Focus Question
What did some Jews envision the Messiah as
being and doing?
A great political or military leader, an earthly king,
one who would lead a revolution to end the Roman
occupation of Israel.
Focus Question
Where was the Kingdom of God already
present when Christ preached it?
It was present in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Focus Question
Why is faith needed to see the Kingdom of
God present in the pilgrim Church?
Because without the eyes of faith, the Church looks
like just another human institution.
Focus Question
What do we mean in praying, “Thy
kingdom come” in the Mass shortly
after the Consecration?
We are acknowledging Christ’s hidden presence in
the Eucharist and asking him to hasten his final
coming, which will reveal the glory of his presence
now veiled under the appearance of bread and wine.
Focus Question
Why is the Church called pilgrim?
The Church on earth knows that her final
destination—Heaven—has not yet been reached.
Guided Exercise
Complete a focused reading on the section,
“Called to be Apostles…” (p. 99),
using the following question:
What does it mean to say that every
Christian is called to be a missionary?
Guided Exercise
Explain in what sense the following statement,
taken from the student text (p. 100),
is a “proof ” of the Gospel.
The fact that these simple fishermen and ordinary people
whom Christ appointed as his Apostles were willing to risk
their lives to the point of martyrdom for the Gospel is itself
a strong witness to the truth they had heard from Christ
and the gifts they had received through the Holy Spirit.