Catholic Christianity: Redemption Flashcards
What is Salvation?
Being saved from sin and eternal separation from God
What was the Church Architecture like Pre 1965?
- Altar was at the front of the church
- Facing Jerusalem
- Mass was in Latin
- Church in cross shape
- Priest faces away from congregation
What is the Church Architecture like Post 1965?
- Churches built around the altar
- Altar brought forward to bring the congregation closer
- Mass in local language
- Priest faces congregation
What happens at the start of the mass?
- Catholics come together to offer worship. Together they form the Body of Christ on earth
- At the start of the mass, Catholics apologise to God and each other for the sins that separate them
- This strengthens unity, making people “at one” with God and with one another as they accept that God has forgiven and redeemed them
What happens during the Readings at mass?
- Catholics are reminded of how God has guided his people throughout the years
- In the Gospel readings, Jesus demonstrates through his words and actions how God loves, heals, restores and forgives people
What happens during the Eucharist at mass?
- Offertory
- Consecration
- Communion
What happens during Offertory?
- People present bread (the hosts) and wine to God as a sign of thanksgiving
What happens during Consecration?
- The Eucharistic prayer is read which reflects the words of Jesus at the last supper.
- “Take this all of you and eat of it, for this is my body, this is the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins”
Explain the Eucharistic prayer
- The action of breaking the bread and pouring the wine symbolises the death of Jesus, which he accepted for the sake of humanity
- Jesus’ command to eat and drink makes his followers sharers in the offering that he made to the Father on the cross
- The command to eat emphasises that Catholics join in a celebratory meal that binds them to each other and to God in Christ
- Blood of the “new covenant” symbolises how the new promise between god and humans is different to the old one, Jesus seals the covenant with his blood and therefore it will never end or be broken
What happens in the Our Father?
- Through Christ’s redemption believers are allowed to call God “father”. At this point in the mass they say the prayer that Christ has taught, the “Our Father”
What happens in communion?
Believers receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, through this action:
- Believers are brought closer to Christ
- They are given the power and grace to resist the temptation to sin
- Jesus’ words are remembered - “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day”
What happens at the End of mass?
- After a period of silent prayer reflection on the gift received in the Eucharist, Catholics go out into the world, and through their daily actions, sharing the presence of Christ that they received in the Eucharist with everyone that they meet
What is Conscience?
- The voice of God in peoples hearts, guiding them to make the right choices
- The more someone ignores their conscience the more they go against what they feel is right
What does Conscience made up of “Natural instincts” mean?
- People instinctively know the right thing to do through Natural Law
What does Conscience “needs to be educated” mean?
- The conscience needs to be shaped and developed so we interpret it correctly, we can do this by listening to others, especially church teachings (Bible, Magisterium, Tradition)
What is the Lectern?
- A reading stand which the Bible is proclaimed
- It is a prominent place for all to see and hear from
- Christ is truly present when the word of God is proclaimed as he is the “Word of God”
What is the Altar?
- A place for sacrifice where the bread and wine
are offered - It is at the front of the Church for all to observe the consecration
- At every mass the words of Jesus are repeated and Christ is truly present on the altar offering himself to the Father on behalf of humanity
- God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, offers the Body and Blood of Christ in communion to strengthen the lives and faiths of believers
What is the Crucifix?
- A model or image of a cross with Jesus dying in pain on it
- A reminder that Jesus suffered for our sins and rebuilt the relationship between God and Humans
- Emphasises Jesus’ suffering and inspires thankfulness and gratitude