Listen to your Mother

How our Church Teaches that God Exists

CCC 36-38

Questions:
1. In your own words, how did you experience God’s existence? – When did you know He was there?
2. In that intimate moment, can you remember when you welcomed Him in your life?

I – How does the Church teach us about God's Existence? Let’s start with the names given to the Church CCC 36

1 – Why is the Church called Mother? Check out CCC 2030-2046

1st She is called Mother because united with all who are baptized:

a. We find our vocation – this word means “calling” in Latin

b. We receive the Living Word, which is the law of Christ

c. We receive the sacraments that help us to be holy – Holiness is found in Jesus – we call this the “Way”

d. We learn how to be holy by watching others practice their faith in Jesus. We also have the example of the saints, their stories, and their writings. We also have Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother.

e. And lastly, the Church as Mother provides for me the means of learning about my Lord and about myself; using the seasons, and celebrating through the liturgy.

Keep this in mind, the reason the Church is called Mother is because she is seen like a boat. Examples can be taken from the image of the Ark of Noah (Genesis 6) and the small Ark that saved Moses (Exodus 2:1-10). The Church is also a reflection of the Ark of the Covenant that carried the Commandments, Manna, and the Staff of Aaron (Exodus 25:21; Hebrews 9:4), and lastly the Virgin Mary who carried the Living Word in her womb (Luke 1:26-45). The Church, like Mary, gives us Jesus in the Eucharist. We can go even further – we are an image of the Church, because we carry Jesus – we are mini- Arks. Oh, another thought for you: when you go to Mass, pay attention to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, where the Priest makes two hand gestures covering the Host and Chalice – Both vessels represent the Ark, the Church, Mary, and us. Think about that when you go to Church the next day – that’s AWESOME!

2nd She is called Church, because she is:

a. A Physical Society & a Spiritual Society – an example of the human person made in the “Image and Likeness” of God. The Church has a Physical Body with the Holy Spirit. We are made of flesh with the Spirit of God.

b. The bible or shall we say “Sacred Scripture” describes the Church as a mystery. A mystery of the people, though sinners, we possess the promise of Salvation, because by our baptism we are connected to Jesus.

c. She is called Church which comes from the word in Greek “ekklēsia”. It shows the continuity between the people of Israel and us as Christians.

d. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus calls this Mysterious Community “his Church” Matthew 16:18-20. This is the first time Jesus ever calls it Church.

3rd She is called Teacher, because she was given:

a. Authority by Christ to teach (Matthew 28:16-20)

b. St. Paul calls the Church the “Pillar of Truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15).

c. Another word used by the Church is “Magisterium” – it is the living, teaching office of the Church, whose task it is to give as authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form (Sacred Scripture), or in the form of tradition. The Magisterium ensures the Church’s fidelity to the teaching of the Apostles in matters of faith and morals. (Defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church). See CCC paragraphs 85, 890, 2073.

2. Being that this Mysterious community is called Church, and that the Church is called both Mother and Teacher, she teaches that God:

a. Is the first and end of all things

b. That you and I can know with our experience of life, reasoning out that God created everything, even those things which He inspires us to do and later we create. Example: It is hot in my house, so I go and purchase an Air Conditioner. God is the first who moves the person to think and create a machine that cools. I purchase this machine, I can reason out that God inspired a person to create it, so that I can use it for my house that way my family and those who visit can be cool. God gives us the capacity to think things through.

c. Why do I have this capacity to see God? Because I was created by Him – In His Image and Likeness.. (Genesis 1:26-27)

d. Without this capacity to think, or reason, we would find it hard to see God working in the world or even in our lives. It would be difficult for us to welcome Him when He calls or shows signs of His presence to get our attention.

II – In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, mentions “In the Historical Condition”, which points towards the fall of Adam and Eve – Original Sin: Click on New Advent and Catholic Answers

1. Because of this sin, we ALL have a hard time recognizing God. We can’t recognize Him when He uses signs (a person, nature, man made images, etc) or even when He calls (through people, music, prayer, etc). There are Proclaimers of the Word who struggle with recognizing that God is calling or throwing signs at them – you’ll be amazed how little you know of God even when you’ve been serving God for years. (Genesis 1:26-31; 3).

In his Encyclical “ Humani Generis – On the Human Person”, Pope Pius XII writes about the problem of Original Sin affecting the way we live in accordance with God.
Though human reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the one personal God, who watches over and controls the world by his providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by the Creator; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between God and man wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into human action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. the human mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original sin. So it happens that men in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful.

Keep in mind the quote “the natural law written in our hearts by the Creator”

Questions:

1. Do you find yourself doubting God’s Voice, especially when He is telling you something, showing you signs, or giving you clues? What stops you from seeing the Truth through the falsehood in your life? Why do you doubt yourself?

III – The Church teaches us that you and I are in need of God, only He is the Truth you hope and desire for: CCC 38

1. God answers your questions about how to live for Him – Religion is a word that means a relationship with God – a relationship in holiness, and only God is Holy. Living a Holy life means that God wants to guide you to living a moral life in Him.

2. You can grasp by human reason what is morally good – Example: During class, when mentioning this point, I opened my bottle of water and threw water in the face of one of the students. The students reacted saying “Oh WOW. What are you doing? Yo John?” I apologized to the student who was hit by the water, he was in shock. I explained to them that all had the same reaction - that what I did was wrong, including the one hit by the water. I wanted to show all the students that God had put in our hearts the Law of Love, the Law of Justice, the Law of understanding right from wrong and by this gift of reason we are capable of seeing the different between right and wrong.

3. When we are living for God, or shall we say “Walking in His Presence”, He reveals to us that He alone is the Truth, and by pouring His Light upon us, we are able to see Him in the World, in our human actions and lastly in ourselves.