Lecture Notes #1

First Article Of Faith

“I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.”

SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR

If there is one thing that men seek from life, it is fulfillment.

We need a purpose, something to live for, a goal that will truly fulfill us and bring
us happiness.

Many live for a successful marriage and a good home; some want a pleasant job
with financial security; some seek power, some a life of pleasure and leisure, or friends
and social position.

Many today, including many younger people, find their purpose in the service of
others. In this age of great social change and consequent confusion these highly
motivated individuals are bringing about great good in our world.

Yet we must acknowledge that none of these things can completely satisfy our
aspirations. No matter what we have, there is always something else we want. We
also realize that these things cannot give us lasting and secure happiness, nor a lasting
sense of accomplishment, for human weakness, tragedy or death can destroy what we
have. “Man is like a breath; his days like a passing shadow” (Psalm 144, 4).

The conviction of the Christian believer is that two thousand years ago
Jesus Christ revealed to us an ultimate purpose to our life: to live forever with
God after death.

Faith is the fundamental basis of our relationship with God. All kinds of
relationship must be based on something. There must exist a connection between the
two related things. For example, the father-son relationship is based on paternity. But
more fundamental to this is the acceptance, complete and unconditional, by both father
and son regarding the term of relationship. That is to say, the father accepts the son as
his own and vice versa. In our relationship with God, it is Faith. “You are my people
and I will be your God.” On our part, we must say, “My Lord and My God.” To believe
is to have faith.

WHAT IS FAITH?
 Faith is a supernatural free gift of God to man which enables man to accept
all the truth that God has revealed, even without understanding them, but relying
solely on the testimony of God’s word.

Supernatural means above the natural level; it belongs to the level of the divine;
something that does not belong to the nature of man.

Free Gift means something that is given freely out of the goodness of the giver
and without any right, merit, or title on the part of the receiver.

Enables man to accept all the truths that God has revealed means that faith
moves man’s intellect to assent to the revealed truths of God without any exception. It
is a total and complete acceptance.

Even without understanding them, but relying solely on the testimony of

God’s word. “To see is to believe.” This is a common saying which is self-
contradictory. Once one understands a proposition or statement, he needs no longer
believe. St. Paul says that believing is like seeing an object through a frosted glass.
However, it becomes a pure fanaticism to believe without reason, which is contrary to
the rational nature of man. Faith must be founded on the sources of credibility. There
must be a reason to believe in someone because he has:

a. Knowledge. The person making the statement must know or must have the
necessary knowledge about the subject matter. God is all-knowing and He knows all
things.

b. Authority. The person must have the power to make such statement or
pronouncement.

c. Truthfulness. The person is not known to be a liar. He is one with “palabra

de honor,” one whose word is worth His honor. God is all-truth and the sources of all
truths.

d. Goodness (integrity). He is one whose desire is to do good to others and

not seek their destruction. God is all-good and does not want our own destruction.

From the above given criteria of credibility, it is most reasonable to believe in

God because He is the foundation of wisdom; He is the source of all authority; and that
supreme truth and goodness belong to His essence.

Faith: Acceptance and Commitment

 Faith is our saying “yes” to God as He reveals Himself to us. It is our
response to Christ - He invites us and faith is our acceptance of his invitation. It is
something lasting - an attitude, a relationship to God by which we open ourselves to
Him.

Faith is the power, the ability to say “I believe” to God in whatever He

teaches and to commit ourselves to live by His teachings. When people generally
speak of “faith” they mean acceptance of something on the word of someone else.
Daily we make countless acts of this sort of faith: that the food we eat is nourishing and
not poisoned, that the car we drive is safe, etc. We do not test these things for
ourselves, but take another’s word. By this virtue of faith we take God’s word for
something we cannot prove for ourselves.

There are several aspects or steps to a person’s faith: first, faith is a personal
contact with God, an intimate “meeting” or “encounter” with Him; by faith we believe
that what God tells us is true not because we see the evidence for ourselves, but simply
because we realize that He is telling us; faith is ultimately a commitment, a free choice
by which we give ourselves to God and begin living a whole new way of life. It is a free
and personal decision to abandon ourselves to the living God. We are converted, we
turn fully toward Him, a changed person; faith is perhaps best looked at as a dynamic
relationship, a living and continual encounter between God and oneself, by which we
continually grown in knowledge of Him and His will for us, and commit ourselves to live
by this. We have great need of faith because it is the basis of our life with God. Without
it we cannot accept God’s teachings, nor can we commit ourselves to live by them. Our
minds are obviously limited, especially when faced with the mysteries of the infinite
God, and our wills are weak.

THREE KINDS OF FAITH

We can understand faith more fully if we distinguish among three kinds of

faith: believing faith, trusting faith, and expecting faith.

Believing faith means to accept the basic doctrinal truths of Christianity. Such
faith is essential -- but it is not sufficient. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even
the demons believe -- and shudder” (James 2:19).

Trusting faith is the belief that God is good, that He loves His people, and will
care for them always. A person with trusting faith not only assents to a creed; he also
entrusts his life into God’s hands. Such faith is also essential -- but there is more that
God desires. God wants His people to believe, to trust, and to expect.

Expectant faith reaches out to Jesus and expects Him to act in specific
situations. Expectant faith differs from the other kinds of faith in its active, dynamic
nature. Many Christians have an abundant supply of believing and trusting faith, yet still
fail to ask for much that God would gladly give. This is because believing and trusting
faith tend to be passive. They stress a yielding to the will of God and a willingness to
endure difficult circumstances. However, without the active response of expectant faith,
the Christian may mistakenly accept adverse circumstances as the will of God when
God might want to change them.

The dynamic nature of expectant faith illuminates an important truth: faith

is an active, external response, not an internal emotion.

GROWING IN FAITH

Faith is formed by God; Christians cannot grow in faith by their own

efforts. Nevertheless, Christians can contribute to their growth in faith by
confronting some important hazards and by following some helpful steps. Man
cannot build his own faith, but God cannot build it without his cooperation.

Hazards to Faith

1. Fear. The first hazard to exercising faith is fear. When a person has an
opportunity to exercise expectant faith, the voice of fear often whispers, “What if God
does not do this thing? That will probably crush your mustard seed of faith.” Or, “Do you
actually think that your little faith is going to make any difference? This situation calls for
a Christian with real faith.” These attacks of fear exploit our sense of human weakness.

These fears usually stem from personal insecurity, fear of failure, and an
overintense approach to faith. To overcome them, the Christian should relax, rest in the
Lord, remember God’s promises, trust His word, and venture forth with a willingness to
make mistakes. Growing in faith is like learning to walk: if you are unwilling to fall, you
will always crawl.

Christians who are just starting to grow in faith should begin by praying for small
things. Begin by praying away a headache, and leave praying for healing of serious
illnesses for later. Christians should be eager to exercise their faith. They should view
their failures as opportunities to learn about how to exercise faith more effectively.

2. Emotions. Worrying about feelings of faith also frequently blocks the free
exercise of faith. Many people try to work up intense feelings of faith for each prayer
request, believing subconsciously or consciously that God will not work unless they
have the right feelings of faith. Such people have more faith in their own feelings of faith
than faith in the Lord. When Christians pray or act in faith, they should direct their
attention totally to God. Feelings of faith are helpful, but God’s power does not depend
on them. The realization that faith is not an emotion should free the Christian from
bondage to his own feelings of doubt and allow him to stand firmly on the rock of God’s
word.

3. Self-doubt. Many people who lack faith in themselves also lack faith in God.
Often a personal problem of insecurity and self-doubt will masquerade as a serious sin
of unbelief. A Christian plagued by this problem is also open to satanic attacks of self-
condemnation. When a person’s difficulties with faith are caused by self-doubt, he
should be especially careful to disregard these distorted guilt-feelings. Knowing that the
problem is primarily with self-confidence allows the individual to see the problem
clearly and to trust more fully in the Lord.

4. Satan. A final hazard to faith is spiritual warfare. Many difficulties in exercising

faith are natural, but others are caused by satanic opposition. Indeed, evil spirits can
aggravate even the natural problems. An awareness of the realities of spiritual warfare
aids a Christian in resisting thoughts of doubt or fear which spiritual forces hostile to
God plant in his mind. As these lies come to the surface, Christians can rebuke them
with God’s authority and replace them with the truth.

Positive Steps Toward Faith

1. An Environment of Faith. A Christian can grow in faith if he associates with

those people who will foster growth in faith. Social environments exert a powerful
influence on our attitudes, actions, and the course of our lives. If a person spends most
of his time with sports enthusiasts or music lovers, he will tend to share their passions.
Similarly, his faith will be weak if he is surrounded by people who expect little from God.
On the other hand, his faith will grow if he lives among faith-filled companions.
Therefore, anyone who wants to grow in faith should identify the Christians around him
who are living lives of faith, meet with them regularly, and begin to develop supportive
personal relationships with them.

2. Reading. Christians can build their faith by reading books and other printed
material which communicate a faith-filled Christian world-view. Of particular value are
books and magazines which describe God’s work in the lives of faithful Christian men
and women. Such books testify to the truth of Scripture by showing how God’s word has
been lived out in the lives of his people. They are especially helpful for those who are
new in the Christian life. Christian reading material can build faith just as surely as
exposure to the secular media can undermine it.

3. God’s Word. A particularly important means of growing in faith is through

hearing God’s word. In the tenth chapter of Romans Paul writes “so faith comes from
what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
Christians hear God’s word through Scripture, teaching, prophecy, books, personal
exhortation, and direct words from the Lord. Often the simplest truths inspire the
deepest faith: God loves us, His Holy Spirit lives within us, He has promised to care for
our every need. God gives His word to strengthen us, reassure us, and to build our
faith. Thus Christians should be diligent to hear, absorb; contemplate, and love God’s
word, for it builds faith and nourishes our spirits.

4. Personal Prayer. Christians will grow strong in faith as they are faithful to
personal prayer. God has adopted His people as sons and daughters; He delights in
answering their prayers (Matt. 7:7-11). Yet many Christians pray as though they were
begging money from a cruel and miserly stranger. Confidence should pervade all
Christian prayer. As God’s children pray with assurance, a new faith is born within them
and their petitions release the power of God.

5. Prayer for Faith. A final step in growing in faith is also the most direct: ask
God to increase your faith. The Christian should offer this prayer confidently, expecting
God to answer it. God wants His people to believe boldly in His love and His promises;
He will not refuse to answer a prayer which so resembles His own desires.
 Lecture Notes #2

First Article Of Faith

“I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.”

THE DEPOSITORIES OF FAITH:

Faith, as defined earlier, is a free gift of God to man. Its contents, however, are found
in the depositories or sources of faith.

a. Holy Bible

b. The Divine Tradition

c. The Magisterium of the Church

THE HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible is the story of God’s revelation in history, written by chosen men
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and contained in the Old and New
Testaments.

Authorship of the Holy Bible

God is the principal author of the Holy Bible. The men who wrote them under the
divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit are considered the instrumental or secondary
authors.

Divine Inspiration

It is a supernatural light enlightening and elevating the power of the human mind
and moving the will of man; enabling these two faculties to penetrate the realm of
the supernatural.
 Thus, the human authors wrote all that God wished and only what He wished. But
because God left them completely free instruments of His, these writers brought their
own personalities into what they wrote. The products are similar and all are correct, but
with differences according to the style and talent of each author.

Effects of Divine Inspiration

The first and most important effect of Divine Inspiration is that the Holy Bible, as
the Word of God, can have real influence on those who read it with faith and
humility. “For the Word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-
edged sword but more finely; it can slip through the place where the soul is divided
from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and
thoughts.” (Hebrew 4:12)

The second effect of Divine Inspiration is the Inerrancy of the Holy Bible. This
means that the Bible contains no formal error, because God is the principal author.
Formal error is committed when the inspired author, with full deliberation, intended to
teach the readers something that is objectively wrong. Often, the surface meaning of a
passage is contrary to truth. But if the author said this only as a means of teaching
another lesson, no formal error is involved. The author was not intending to
communicate as truth to his readers the surface meaning, but the deeper meaning.
Example of this is the first chapter of Genesis, that God created the world in six days.

Interpretation of the Holy Bible

Since God speaks in Sacred Scriptures through men in human fashion, the interpreter
of Sacred Scriptures in order to see clearly what God wanted to communicatee, should
carefully investigate what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God
wanted to manifest by means of their words. (Vat. II, Revelation, 12).

The Holy Bible certainly contains true historical references, but these must always be
carefully studied to be sure they are what the author intended. We must remember that
the Bible does not contain history as we ordinarily think of it, as a disinterested
presentation of facts. The Bible is a religious history. Everything that happened is seen
in its relation to God and to Christ’s universal redeeming act of salvation of man. We
can say, that the Bible is a religious interpretation of history. But the history that it
presumes in its interpretation is true. We cannot always determine all the historical
details that are being presumed. However, it is possible by means of Archeology and
other sciences, to reconstruct the basic history presumed in the Bible. For example, the
first 14 chapters of exodus tell us about the Hebrew people in Egypt, about their
sufferings, and their release through the power of God. These chapters are written in a
way to emphasize God’s power and the weakness of those who opposed Him; they are
an interpretation of what happened. But there are basic facts presumed that really did
take place, such as the suffering of the people, their release with the help of Moses, and
their crossing of the body of water called the Red Sea.

Division of the Holy Bible

1. The Old Testament

Catholic scholars generally subdivided it into 45 books, and these are traditionally
classified into three:

a. Historical Books (21 books)

These related the earliest ages of the world, or to the history of the Jews. For example
are the 5 books of Moses and the 4 books of Kings.

b. Prophetical Books (17 books)

These are those that foretold the coming of the Messiah, among which are the Books
of Isaiah and Jeremiah.

c. Doctrinal Books (7 books)

These are made of maxims and prayers among which are the Book of psalms and the
Proverbs.

Contents of the Old Testament

a. The story of why man needs salvation

b. The story of what God did to prepare for the final act of salvation. God first
made a covenant with Abraham and secondly, with the Hebrew people, and
this was mediated by Moses at Mt. Sinai.
 c. Since the Hebrew people did not keep the law of God, the covenant of Mt.
Sinai was replaced, or better, fulfilled in the blood of Christ on Mount Calvary.

Purpose of the Old Testament

The principal purposes to which the plan of the Old Testament was directed are the
following:

a. To prepare of the coming of Christ and the Messianic Kingdom.

b. To announce this coming by prophecy.

c. To indicate its meaning through various ways and types.

Value of the Old Testament for Christians

Christians should receive these books with reverence and read them carefully, because
although they contain some things which are incomplete and temporary, nevertheless:

a. They contain a store of sublime teachings about God.

b. They reveal to us true divine pedagogy.

c. They teach sound wisdom about human life.

d. They provide wonderful treasury of prayers.

e. They give excellent expression to a vivid sense of the most Holy and most
Merciful God.

There are many things in the Old Testament that may shock the Christian reader,
because he expects to find Christian perfection in a pre-christian document. God
accepted the people as they were, and worked with them to lead them gradually to a
higher morality. When we read therefore, those things that indicate a very primitive
morality, instead of being scandalized, we should marvel at the wisdom of a God who
could lead this people freely to an ever higher appreciation of His Holy Will. It was not
His plan to force them against their will.

2. The New Testament

The New Testament refers to the inspired books that were written about Jesus

Christ and the fullness of revelation brought about by Him. It is called the New
Testament because it has to do with a new covenant, established by Jesus Christ
between God and man. “This is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, which is
being shed for many.” (Mark 14:24). It is also called “new” in order to distinguish it from
the Old Testament, or from the old relationship that was formed by God on Mt. Sinai
which lasted throughout the period of the history of Israel. The word “testament” is a
direct translation of the Latin word for “covenant”.

There are twenty seven books of the New testament, and they generally classified as
follows:

a. Historical Books (the 4 Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles).

b. Doctrinal Books (the Epistles of Sts. Paul, Peter, James, John and Jude).
c. Prophetical Books (the Book of Revelation or the Apocalypse of St.
John).

The 4 Gospels written by Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the apostolic witness
to and interpretation of the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. They were composed
during the latter part of the first century A.D., after the material had been developed
within the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in order to teach the Christian
Community what it should know about the Savior.

The Epistles of St. Paul were written either by Paul himself or by his disciples directed
to some of the early Christian Communities or individuals in response to some particular
problems or situations. They give us a good insight into the gradual development of
much of the theology of the New Testament (Romans; 1 & 2 Corinthians; 1 & 2
Timothy; Titus; Philemon; and Hebrews).

The Book of Revelations was written by St. John to console the early Christians at a
time of persecution. It is filled with much symbolism that would have been understood
by them. It records the ultimate victory of the kingdom of God.

Importance of the New Testament

Its importance is that it contains the fullness of revelation that was brought to us by
Jesus Christ. “For when the fullness of time arrived (cfr. Gal. 4:4), the Word was made
Flesh and dwelt among us in His fullness of graces and truth.” (cfr. John 1:14). Christ
established the Kingdom of God on earth, manifested His Father and Himself by deeds
and words, and completed His work by the sending of the Holy Spirit. “Having been
lifted up from the earth, He draws all men to Himself.” (cfr. John 12:32), He who alone
has the words of eternal life ( cfr. John 6:68). This mystery had not been manifested to
other generations as it was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Holy Spirit
(cfr. Eph. 3:4-6), so that they might preach the gospel, stir up faith in Jesus Christ and
gather the Church together. “To these realities, the writings of the New Testament
stand as a perpetual and divine witness.” (Vat. II, Rev. 17).

THE DIVINE TRADITION

The one source of our faith is Jesus Christ. Everything that He said and did is the
foundation of Christianity. He is the fullness of revelation. The truths of Jesus Christ
have been preserved for us in the Holy Bible and in Divine Tradition. These two must
not be considered as completely separate sources of faith. While the Holy Bible
contains the Word of God, the Living Divine Tradition continually interprets and adapts
these truths to the changing historical periods. Because of this, the Church can and
must continually examine herself in the light of the truths contained in the Holy Bible.

The Holy Bible and especially the New Testament, contains the tradition of the Early
Church about Jesus Christ. These truths were written down in order than man might
have some inspired basis for knowing what to believe. “But these are written that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have
life in His name.” (John 20:31)

The Holy Bible is the basis for all Theology in the Church. No explanation of
Christian Truth can begin with anything but the Holy Bible, because here is the word of
God on which all truth is founded. Sacred Theology rests on the written word of God,
together with Sacred Tradition, as its primary and perpetual foundation. By scrutinizing,
in the light of faith all truth stored up in the mystery of Christ, Theology is most
powerfully strengthened and constantly rejuvenated by that Word. For the Sacred
Scriptures contain the Word of God and, since they are inspired, they really are the
word of God; and so the study of the Sacred pages is, as it were, the soul of Sacred
Theology.” (Vat. II, Revelation, 24).

The Church brings the message of the Holy Bible to the people of God by providing
translation of the Holy Bible in the languages of the people. The Bible was written
originally in three main languages of the past ages: HEBREW, ARAMAIC, AND
GREEK. The earliest Church used the Bible in the Greek translation. Then when Latin
became the common spoken language, it was translated into Latin. One of the better
translations called the VULGATE, was done by St. Jerome.

THE MAGISTERIUM OF THE CHURCH

Christ commanded St. Peter and the other Apostles to proclaim His Gospel until the
end of time. This teaching office He gave them has by His will, had been handed on to
their successors, the Pope and other Bishops.

Although this is not considered as a direct source of faith, like the Holy Bible and the
Divine Tradition, anyone who wishes to become a true Christian has always been held
required to accept what the Church teaches as matters of faith and morals. What is
taught as divinely revealed by all the teachers of Christ’s Church together is the word of
God, and therefore, it has the infallible certainty of His word. This teaching office is
exercised in two ways in the Church:

1. The Ordinary Magisterium

When the Ministers of the Church (Bishops) teach the people of God in simple pastoral
ministry as when:

a. They preach and expound the Gospel in word and in writing.

b. They preside over the catechetical instruction of the faithful under their care.

c. They watch over the form of prayer and worship in which faith is lived and
practiced.

d. They guide the faithful on what they are to believe and do to attain salvation in
their instructions and pastoral letters in accordance with the revelation that has
been entrusted to them.

2. The Extraordinary Magisterium

This extraordinary exercise of Her Office of Teaching is made use of in two ways:

a. The Ecumenical Councils

 These are general meetings of the college of bishops from all over the catholic world
together with the Pope as their head. The authority of the ecumenical councils was
foreshown in the Acts of the Apostles by what is said there of a Council of Apostles and
apostolic co-workers no many years after the resurrection of Jesus. (cfr. Acts 15:128).

Since that Apostolic period, when major crises, heresies and misunderstandings have
arisen, the Bishops of the church have gathered in Ecumenical Councils. There have
been 21 of such Councils celebrated in the course of the Church’s history. The first one
was the Council of Nicaea held in 325 A.D.; and the most recent one was the II Vatican
Council, from 1962-1965.

b. The Papal Magisterium

The Pope has a special teaching office among the bishops. Succeeding to St.

Peter’s role as “Shepherd of the Flock,” he has the duty to care for the faith of the entire
Church. Christ Himself wills the chief shepherd of all to have this personal concern.
The Pope does not derive his power and authority from other bishops, or by delegation
from the Church, but from Christ. Hence, he has an independent responsibility to guard
the faith. Because it is a personal duty of his office to teach the whole Church, his
words have authority from his own sacred office, and does not need approval or
acceptance by others to deserve reverent hearing and acceptance from each member
of the Church. Still, it is the practice of the Holy Father to consult widely with other
bishops, theologians and scholars, before giving authoritative teaching to the whole
Church.

The Infallibility of the Church’s Magisterium

As authentic teachers of Christ’s people, the Bishops, the Ecumenical Councils, and
the Pope speaking officially (ex-cathedra) as the Supreme Head of the entire universal
Church, can proclaim the Word of God infallibly. To say that they teach infallibly is such
cases, is in effect, to say that they do what Christ commanded them to do; they serve as
recognizable witness of a meaningful faith so that men, hearing them, can believe God.

Infallibility does not extend to all their teachings. This privilege is enjoyed by them only
when they teach about faith and morals. What is taught as divinely revealed by all the
teachers of Christ’s Church together is the word of God., and therefore, it has the
infallible certainty of His word.
 As the Second Vatican Council declared, the infallible teaching office of the Bishops “is
even more clearly verified when, gathered together in an Ecumenical Council, they are
teachers and judges of Faith and Morals for the Universal Church.

Their definition must then be adhered to with the submission of faith.” (Vat. II, Lumen
Gentium 25)

The infallibility of the Pope, like that of the believing Church and that of the whole body
of Bishops, is not the same as revelation or inspiration. It does not imply any special
supernatural insight or wisdom. But it is a precious safeguard for the whole Church.
Through the gift of papal infallibility, the Holy Spirit guards the faith of the whole Church
from error.

The privilege of infallibility does not extend to matters of natural sciences and other
human wisdom. It applies to the same matters as the infallibility of the whole Church,
that is, in the words of the definitions quoted above, to “doctrines concerning faith and
morals to be held by the whole Church.”
 LECTURE NOTES #3

OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD APART FROM THE HOLY BIBLE

At this point, we shall investigate whether the existence of God could be

demonstrated by pure natural reason, that is to say, unaided by the light of divine faith.

God is most real and near to us in many ways (Deut. 4:8). Even without the gift of faith,
men can know with certainty that there is God. Even those who do not yet know that
God exists desire for possession of truth and fullness of life, and for a wholeness of
being that can in fact be found only in God. They seek of REALITY of whose existence
they are now unaware. One who finds God after such a long search, finds Him Whom
he has been seeking all along. In fact, our whole being was made in such a way that it
needs the richness of God to fulfill it, as expressed by St. Augustine: “You have made
us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.“
(Confessions).

St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, while admitting the limitations of pure human
natural reasons, offered five ways of proving the existence of God. Human reasoning
can proceed either by:

a) Deduction – This process of reasoning starts from the knowledge of a general

truth (premise) which is manifestly self-evident, we can arrive at a valid and true
conclusion.

b) Induction – It is the act of reasoning that proceeds from a part to the whole; from
particulars to general or from individuals to the knowledge of a general truth; from the
knowledge of the effects we come to discover the existence of the cause.
 Of these two processes of reasoning, St. Thomas Aquinas made use of the second one
because effects within the grasp of the human mind. Effects are more familiar with us.

THE FIVE WAYS OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS IN PROVING THE EXISTENCE OF

GOD

1) From the Idea of Motion

Definitions:

a) Motion – is a change from potency to actuality.

b) Potency – is a quality or capability of becoming a reality.

c) Actuality – is a state of being actual or real.

Reasoning Process:

Everything that moves, is moved by another. Nothing can be moved unless it is in

potency according to that to which it is being moved.

On the other hand, something can only move in as much as it is in actuality, for it is
impossible for the same thing to be in potency and actuality simultaneously. For
example, water cannot be cold at the same time hot. A cold water has the potency to
become hot; and the same cold water cannot become hot unless heated by something
that is actually hot, e.g., by fire.

Therefore, everything that moves, is moved by another. If in case, that which moves
something were itself moved by another, and the latter still moved by another, and so
on and so forth. But his is impossible, for it is absurd (vicious circle) to proceed into
infinity looking for that which moves another.
 Unless we grant the existence of a PRIME MOVER, nothing moves another, for it is in
accordance with reason that secondary motions depend on the impulse of the first
mover.

Therefore, there exists a PRIME MOVER, which is itself not moved by another –
an UNMOVED MOVER. This is God.

2) From the Idea of the Efficient Cause

Definitions:

a) Efficient Cause – is a principle by whose an action an effect is produced.

b) Effect – is that whose existence or reality depends on the action of an efficient

cause.

Reasoning Process:

From the visible world, it is evident that there exist an array of effects. There is nothing
found in them neither can it be possible that something is the efficient cause of itself,
because, if that were the case, it must be prior (in terms of existence) to itself, which
fact is most impossible to happen.

In the order of efficient causes, the first is the medial efficient cause which is the cause
of the last efficient cause. It could happen that a series of medial causes exist. Now, if
the cause were removed, there could be no effects.

Therefore, if there not a FIRST EFFICIENT CAUSE, there would likewise be no middle
nor last efficient cause and consequently, no effects. This, however, is evidently false.
 Therefore, it is necessary to accept the existence of a FIRST EFFICIENT CAUSE, for
again, it is impossible to proceed into infinity looking for the efficient cause of another.
This

UNCAUSED CAUSE is GOD.

3) From the Idea of Possible and Necessary Being

Definitions:

a) Possible Being – is that whose existence starts from non-being but it can be
a reality.

b) Necessary Being – is that whose existence is its own essence.

c) Essence – is the property necessary to the nature of a being.

Reasoning process:

In the world of beings, we find some whose essence is possible being and possible
nonbeing. As such, their essence could not always be being (esse), because what is
possible suggests the idea of non-being previous to its actual existence.

If therefore, all beings were possible beings, there was a time that there was no being.
If this were true, even now, there would be no being, because a non-being could not
actually exist unless it derives its existence from an actual being.

Therefore, not all beings are possible beings, but there is a NECESSARY BEING, one
whose existence, that is to say, a being which cannot but exist, and from whose
existence, all other beings derived their own. This NECESSARY BEING is God.
4) From the Various Degrees of Perfections found in Beings

Definitions:

a) Perfection – is the absence of any defect. In other words, it is the possession

of all the qualities or elements necessary to the composition of something.

b) Degree – is a member of a series arranged in rank.

Reasoning Process:

In the perfection of beings, we find “more” and “less”. Beings possess perfection in
varying degrees. One is beautiful, another is more beautiful, and still a third is most
beautiful. The idea of more and less are said of beings inasmuch as they come near,
nearer or nearest to the most.

What is, therefore, said to be the greatest among others of the same kind, is the cause
or source of all the rests belonging to this particular group.

Therefore, there exists a most perfect being our SUPREME BEING which is the
cause of all perfections in other beings. This MOST PERFECT or SUPREME
BEING is God.

5) From the Government of Things in the World

Definitions:

a) Government – a system or act of governing.

b) To govern – is to rule, control, direct and supervise the activity of another

towards an end. This implies intelligence on the part of the governor.
Reasoning Process

It is observable, that even in inanimate and irrational beings, all are in operation for a
certain purpose or end. This is very evident from the fact that they all operate uniformly
in order to achieve the best. This not the work of chance, but the work of an intelligent
being governing and directing them towards their end as a bowman shoots and directs
his arrow towards its target.

Therefore, there exists an INTELLIGENT BEING by whose knowledge and direction

all beings are ordered to their natural end. This INTELLIGENT BEING is God.

These five ways of St. Thomas Aquinas have always been held by the Catholic Church
as powerful arguments against those who claim that there is no God and against those
who say that the existence of God can never be proven by natural reason. The Church
holds and teaches that God, the beginning and end of all things, can, by the natural light
of human reason, be known with certainty from created reality, for the invisible things of
Him are perceived and understood through the things which have been created by Him.

OTHER WAYS IN WHICH MAN CAN KNOW GOD BY HIS NATURAL REASON

Man can come to a limited knowledge of the existence of God by his natural reason.
The evidence for God‟s existence is to be found in:

1. The existence of the world.

2. The order and harmony of the universe.

3. The testimony of our conscience.

THE NATURE OF GOD: WHO IS GOD?

GOD is the SUPREME BEING, a PURE SPIRIT, SELF-EXISTING, INFINITELY
PERFECT, WHO made all things and keeps them in existence.

From the Holy Bible, God reveals Himself to us as a “Lord” whose greatness exceeds
our understanding, and also as a “Father” who is near to us and truly loves us. He also
reveals Himself as a saving God. Through events in the history of salvation, and
through the divinely inspired words accompanying and clarifying those events, He
makes Himself and His saving plan known.

From His own words, we discover Him as a being so different from us and from all the
things we experience. We come to be and we pass away; we exist only because He
caused us to be. Reality is His own nature. He not only exists and lives, but He is the
foundation and source of all being and life. Nothing exists without Him. “It is He who
gives to all men life and breath and all things.” (Acts 17:25). In Him were created all
things.” (Col. 1:16)

God is a PURE SPIRIT and the most perfect spirit. A spirit is a being that has
understanding and freewill but without a body and will never die, that is to say, immortal,
for only those that have parts are subject to corruption and disintegration. As a rational
being, God is aware of infinite being and of His own being which are one and the same.

God is a SELF-EXISTING spiritual being. This means that He does not owe His
existence to any other being. Being the First Mover, He is the unmoved mover; being
the First Efficient Cause, He is the uncaused cause. God made us, but who made
God? The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.”
(Rev. 1:18). Asked to make His name known when He spoke to Moses of His saving
plan, He proclaimed the richness of His being, “I AM WHO AM...Say this to the people
of Israel, „I AM has sent me to you.” (Ex. 3:14). In Hebrew, “i am” means “Yahweh.”

God is INFINITELY PERFECT. By this, we mean that He has all perfections without
limit. God is so great and wonderful that He needs nothing to make Him greater or
more wonderful. He possesses all perfections: countless, innumerable, illimitable,
boundless, the cause of all perfections in all things. So perfect is God that He is
infinitely incomprehensible, incapable of being completely understood. He is above all
the created beings, though something of Him, some likeness of His being may be found
in every creature, like a faint shadow of his all-encompassing supremacy.

We find perfections in creatures, like beauty, intelligence, goodness, etc... Since these
perfections are inherent in the nature of creatures, they must have come from the
author of nature who is God, for no one can give what one does not have. Moreover,
the effect cannot be greater than its cause. As creatures are effects of God, therefore,
creatures cannot be greater than God.

THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD

1. GOD IS ETERNAL

By this, we mean that God always was and always will be, and always remains the
same. God has no beginning; there never was a time when there was no God. God
can never cease to exist. He will have no end. He will always be living and immortal.
“Before the mountains were begotten and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Apoc. 1:18).

God will always remain the same. As He was in the beginning, He is now, and He ever
shall be. God cannot change. The God that is God now, is the same God that has
every been, the same God that will every be, from throughout all eternity, “the Father of
lights, with whom there is not a change, nor shadow of alteration.” (James 1:17). “For I
the Lord do not change.” (Mal. 3:6).

2. GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL (ALMIGHTY)

By this, we mean that God can do all things by a mere act of His Divine will. Nothing is
impossible to God. God‟s omnipotence (power) is known to us especially by the
magnificence of creation, and by His miracles. “Things that are impossible with men are
possible with God.” (Luke 18:27). The only things God cannot do is to contradict
Himself. He cannot will what is wrong, because evil is a contradiction of His goodness.
“for it is always in Your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the might
of Your arm. Because the whole world before You is like a speck of dust that tips the
scales, and like a drop of morning dew that falls upon the ground. But You are merciful
to all, for You can do all things.” (Wisdom 11:21-23).

3. GOD IS ALL-KNOWING (OMNISCIENCE)

God knows all things, the past, the present, and the future. He knows even our most
secret thoughts, words, and actions. God‟s knowledge encompasses everyone and
everything, all that is, all that was, and all that will be. He knows the sorrows of His
people and He foresees how He will save them. The farthest regions of the universe
are familiar to Him: “He determines the number of the stars, He gives to all of them their
names.” (Psalm 147:4). Not even the most trivial things escape Him: “Even the hairs of
your head are all numbered.” (Matt. 10:30). The future and the most hidden secrets of
man‟s hearts are open to His eyes, even those things which are yet to be done by the
free actions of His creatures.

If we think of this power of God to see and know all things, and His promise to make
everything manifest on the last day, we can more easily resist every temptation to sin.
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be made known, nor anything concealed that
will not be made known.” (Luke 8:17).

4. GOD IS ALL-PRESENT (OMNIPRESENCE)

Human mind finds it difficult to understand the meaning of spiritual reality, to grasp how
something can be real without having spatial and temporal dimensions. Even St.
Augustine experienced difficulty in understanding the meaning of god‟s spirituality. Yet
God‟s spiritual reality is no mere abstraction. It is a reality more intense and mighty
than that of beings encountered in space and time.

God is all-present because there is nothing that can have existence apart from Him. All
creation exist in Him as thoughts exist in the mind. There is no place where God is not.
The omnipresence of God can be understood in three ways:

a. God is all-present by His Almighty Power: “Do I not fill heaven and earth: said
the
Lord.” (Jer. 23:24). “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28). God
has no limits, and He exists outside as well as in all creation.
 b. God is all-present by His Knowledge: Because God knows all things, all are
present in Him and He in all things. However, we must not make the mistake
of thinking that God, in Whom everything exist, is limited by this “everything.”
He has no limits, and exists outside as well as in all creation.

c. God is all-present by His Image and Likeness: All creation reflect the image of
God. This reflection of God in creatures, however, is not by way of “univocal
similitude” but one of “analogical similitude.” God is reflected in creatures in
varying degrees. All things bear witness to God, but He is other than them all.
He is their Maker,. radically different from the changing things He has made.
Their beauty is but a reflection of His, and an invitation to hunger for Him.
Although God is everywhere, we do not see Him, because He is a pure spirit
and cannot be seen with our eyes.

The omnipresence of God should be an incentive for us to do everything to please Him.

As we are careful never to do anything wrong in the presence of our mother, how much
more careful should we be in the presence of God.

5. GOD IS ALL-GOOD.

To know God is to know One Who loves His people and wishes to save them. “I have
loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued My faithfulness to you.”
(Jer. 31:3).

Even in the earlier days of salvation history, before God revealed how fully men of
every nation and people belong to Him and are called to become His children in the
eternal Son Who became our brother, He made Himself known as our Father. He is
One to be infinitely trusted; He will never fail us. “For You are our Father, though
Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; You, O Lord, are our
Father, our Redeemer from of old is Your name.” (Is. 63:16).

6. GOD IS ALL-LOVING.

God is infinitely lovable in Himself, and from His fatherly love every good comes to us.
Love is a part of His nature. Compared to God‟s infinite goodness, the goodness of
man is nothing. Only the shadow of a shadow. Out of His goodness, God created
angels and men. Although He had no need of them. God loves His creatures far more
than a mother loves the children she has borne.

God gives us the beautiful world to live in. He takes care of our body and soul. He
showers benefits and graces on us day after day. He prepares for us a place in His
kingdom. Above all, He sent His Son into the world to die for our sake.

7. GOD IS ALL-HOLY.

God is the very fountain of holiness. God is infinitely holy in Himself. “Be ye holy, for I,
the Lord, your God, am holy.” (Lev. 19:2) He is the “Holy One.” (Is. 5:24).

His holiness is far more than freedom from any touch of moral evil, for God cannot sin.
References to His holiness also expresses more than His hostility to the moral evil that
wounds and bruises creation and calls for punishment by Him. However, the holiness
of God attracts the human heart because of the goodness it implies, a goodness of such
intensity that it touches sinful man with awe and reverential fear. The splendor and
holiness of God must be taken seriously, for He who is holy and requires holiness is the
Lord and Judge of all.

8. GOD IS ALL-JUST.

By this perfection of God, the wicked are punished and the good are rewarded. Holy
Scripture teaches that no one is to be punished because of the sins of his parents; it is
for his own sins that man incurs punishment. In this life, partial justice is done, for often,
the good are happy, and the wicked are tormented by their guilty conscience. But
complete justice will not be accomplish till the next life.

9. GOD IS ALL- MERCIFUL:

The infinite goodness and holiness of God make Him so far exalted above all finite
beings, the creature cannot of himself be worthy even to gaze upon or to speak of God:
but this same perfection is also the root of that Divine Mercy which heals the sinner and
calls him to his God.
 God gives sinners time for repentance. He receives them back with joy then they
repent.

But merciful as He is, we must not presume on His mercy, “for god will not be mocked.”
“Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” (Psalm
102:8). “He is long-suffering, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should turn
to repentance.” (Peter 3:9 ).

FAITH IN GOD OUR FATHER. (From the Holy Bible)

God revealed Himself under many figures in the Old and New Testaments. He was
KING, JUDGE, CREATOR, SAVIOR, SHEPHERD, and HUSBANDMAN. All of these
clarified some aspect of the relationship between God and His people. One other title
that was used very early and that came to be used with some frequency in the latter
period is that of FATHER.

In an ancient passage in the book of Exodus, the Lord says: “Israel is my son, my first
born.” (Ex. 4:22). Some of the names used by the ancient Israelites expressed their
conviction that God was their Father. The name of “Joab” means “Yahweh is Father.”
This understanding of God would have important consequences for the appreciation of
God‟s actions in the people‟s behalf. The prophet Hosea saw that name as a figure of
speech that expressed God‟s consuming love, like that of a father for His people.
“When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1)

Jeremiah used the term to illustrate God‟s bounteous love for His people: “I had
though: how I should like to treat you as sons, and give you a pleasant land, a heritage
most beautiful among the nations! You would call me, „My Father,‟ I though, and never
cease following Me.” (Jer. 3:19).

In the New Testament, the figure of Father is one of those most frequently applied to
God by Jesus. He speaks of God not only as His Father, but also of all men. He asks
us to act as children of our Father in heaven (cfr. Matt. 5:45), to be perfect as the Father
is perfect (cfr. Matt. 5:48), and to pray to our Father (cfr. Matt. 6:14). The Father in turn
will forgive us our offenses (cfr. Matt. 6:14), will provide abundantly for our daily bread
(cfr. Matt. 6:25-32), and will keep safe those who follow Jesus (cfr. John 17:11).
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE USE OF THE FATHER-FIGURE

1. Since the father-figure is used so frequently through out the sacred Scriptures, we
can suppose that God wanted man to know the intensity of His divine love and
concern. God will not leave man as a stranger in a hostile world but will help him.
This divine love and concern are expressed especially in the plan that God had for
man‟s salvation.

2. The atherhood of God makes us aware of our own unity as children of the one
Father.
“Have we not all the one Father? Has not the one God created us? Why then we break
faith with each other, violating the covenant of our fathers? (Mal. 2:10).

3. As Father, God also has authority over His children. “A son honors his father, and a
servant fears his master; if then I am a father, where is the honor due to me? So
says the Lord of hosts...” (Mal. 1:6).

4. Jesus teaches us that God‟s love includes the authority whereby He can impose His
will on creatures. “It is not the man who says to me, „Lord, Lord,‟ who will enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does my heavenly Father‟s will.” (Matt. 7:21).
The Bible makes it clear that the Father‟s love and concern for man before it speaks
of His authoritative will, it is His love that guides us to respond to Him even while
asserting His authority.

5. As Father, God has a unique relationship to His Son. St. John, in his gospel, brings
this out most clearly by speaking of God almost exclusively as the Father of Jesus.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father (cfr. John 1:14-18) is love in a special
way by the Father (cfr. John 6:46 / 10:15).

6. The unity of the Father and Son (cfr. John 10:30), and the unique relationship
between them do not detract from God‟s fatherhood of His creatures, but makes it all
the greater. Now, anything we ask of the Father in the name of His Son will be given
to us. (cfr. John 16:23).
 LECTURE NOTES #4

I BELIEVE IN GOD . . . . . .
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

God is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible. "This one and only true God, of
His own goodness and almighty power, not in order to increase or to acquire His
happiness, but in order to show His perfection through the blessings He bestows on His
creatures, by a most free decision from the very beginning of time created out of nothing
both the spiritual and the corporal creatures, which is as it were common to both, being
composed of spirit and body." (First Vatican Council).

Creation in the Book of Genesis

The first two chapters of Genesis described the Creation of the world and of man.

The Creation in Six Days

The creation is described as a work of six days (Hexaemeron).

Gen. 1:1-2 = The Prologue: Theme as Primordial State

Gen. 1:3-31 = The work of the six days

Gen. 1:3-13 = The First Triduum: Work of Separation, Fixed structures, the living
rooms.
Gen. 1:3-5 = Light, Separation of Light and Darkness - First Day.

Gen. 1:6-8 = Firmament, Separation of Upper and

Lower waters - Second Day.
 Gen. 9-13 = Separation of Waters and Continents, Production of Plants -
Third Day

Gen.1:14-31 = Second Triduum: Creation of the living creatures

Gen. 1:14-19 = Creation of Light Bearers - Fourth Day

Gen. 1:20-23 = Creation of Birds and Fishes - Fifth Day

Gen. 1:24-31 = Creation of land animals and creation of man - Sixth Day

Gen. 2:1-4a = Summary and rest of God - Epilogue - Seventh Day

We should see the perfect harmony and symmetry of this plan; God builds on the first
days the living rooms, during the second triduum the inhabitants.

This is evidently an artificial schema and not part of the real intention of the author.
The real intention is to describe the creation in time and order and the sanctification of
the sabbath, but not the six days.

Points to be Considered for the Proper Interpretation of the Creation Story.

1. Moses taught simple-minded and primitive people

2. Moses did not intent to write a scientific book, nor scientific truths.

3. Moses intended to teach theological truths. Some of these are:

a. The one God, an absolute Lord, has created freely all things and is utterly
distinct from them all.

b. God‟s will is all-powerful. He has only to speak and the elements of the
universe appear and are organized.
 c. Man is the supreme good and goal of creation. He bears God‟s image and thereby
surpasses all other works of creation. Man is most noble among all the visible
creatures of God and to him entrusted His creation.

d. In the account of man‟s origin the dignity of human labor is honored and man‟s
right to and need for times of contemplative quiet are recalled.

e. St. Augustine sees also here another meaning: that is, the promise of eternal
rest. When scripture says that God „rested‟ after His work of creation, this does
not mean that God got tired. Rather, God here promised rest to those who labor,
„so that you may understand that you too will have rest after your good works,
and will have rest without end.‟

4. The sevenfold division of God‟s activity is an artificial one. It follows that the
assignment of the various days must also be artificial. It does not mean that God
cannot create the universe and all that are in it with just one act of His Divine Will.
What the author wanted to emphasize here was that everything came ultimately
from God.

5. In pursuing his aim of teaching a theological truth to primitive people, Moses used
the style and for of writing called “anthropomorphism,” which was most effective and
easily understood under the circumstances of the times. For example:

a. He made use of a popular form that relates historical events in popular expression
and order.

b. He attributed human characteristics to God, like mouth, hands, eyes, ears, etc., a
style which is very effective to ordinary people.

c. He set down the events of creation in an order not necessarily scientific, but suited
the understanding of a primitive and unschooled people.

6. We must always remember that the sacred author was not aiming to teach Physics,
Anthropology, nor Astronomy but FAITH.

DOCTRINE OF FAITH
 Genesis Chapter One is one of the most important and influential chapters of the entire
bible, basis for our Faith and Morality: God the Creator, hence the Lord, hence the Goal.

1. The one God (monotheism) is the creator of everything (creation). He made

everything out of nothing in absolute freedom and in absolute wisdom. As the word of
our mouth depends completely on our breath, we on God. As the word we speak does
not add anything to our knowledge, so we do not add anything to God.

2. Because God is the creator, therefore, He is the Lord who can command and
who guides the whole history of mankind.

3. Because God is the creator of everything, therefore, He is the Highest Good and
the One Goal of all creatures.

4. The creation of God is very good, therefore, the origin of evil is not to be sought
in God or in His work as such (no dualism).

5. Man is God‟s creature, the climax of his works in his dignity as image of God,
king of the universe.

6. Also the time is God‟s work, he demands the sanctification of one day, work on
the other days.

Significance of the Doctrine of Creation

God‟s revelation of Himself as creator provides a radical foundation for the humility
men should have before God, and also for the RESPECT men should have for the
dignity of created reality.

Clearly, it is folly for men to resist the One who has made them and who keeps them in
existence. “Shall the axe vaunt itself over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify
itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff
should lift him who is not wood?” (Is. 10:15).

Man should have a bracing fear of God, founded on the recognition of reality. The
Book of Daniel teaches us this from the story of Nebuchadnezar. When his pride turned
him from God, he lost also his intelligence, and he learned that his intelligence could
endure from the beginning to the end of one blasphemous sentence only by God‟s
permission. (cfr. Dan. 4:2934). So there was nothing for him to do but “praise and extol
and honor the King of Heaven; for all His works are right and His ways are just; and
those who walk in pride, He is able to abase.” (Dan. 4:37).

Dignity of Creation

God has created a real world. Though He creates out of nothing, He brings into
existence enduring realities; He calls to being and to participation in a plan that has
eternal significance. “I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can de
added to it, nor anything be taken from it. “ (Eccl. 3:14). It is real life and not a plaything
that goes on in this world. The world of creation is crowned by and intended to be
subdued by free persons, men whose free choices in creation will have significance for
all eternity.

Those who see the world as a product of forces, blind and unfree, also see the world
and the life in it as without meaning, and man as without real freedom and without real
hope. It is a far greater vision of man that comes from faith‟s recognition that man‟s
source is indeed, infinitely greater than all the forces of space and time. Man‟s duty to
salute God as Creator is also the honor of recognizing the sublime dignity of creation,
which is indeed the fruit of eternal love.

THE INVISIBLE WORLD OF CREATION: THE ANGELS

God‟s creation extends to more than the visible world. “Countless hosts of angels
stand before you to do your Will; they look upon Your splendor and praise You, night
and day.” (Roman Missal).

Scriptures also speaks of the angels as His creatures. The faith of the Church
recognizes the words of Scriptures about angels as far more than figurative speech
about God‟s providential care, and it knows that there really are purely spiritual persons
made by God who rejoice to know Him and to share His life.
 Angels have frequent roles in the history of salvation, in both the Old and New
Testament. Though the number of angels is clearly large, Scriptures gives us the
names of only three angels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.

Christ speaks of the angels and their care too: “See that you do not despise one of
these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven, their angels always behold the face of My
father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 18:10). “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My
Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53).
In another passage, we read that

“angels came and ministered unto Him.” (Matt. 4:11).

The angels are not mere abstractions or beings barely real. They are powerful
realities, of whom, we in fact, know but little, and they are instruments of God‟s
providence for us in mighty but hidden ways. Hence, the Liturgy of the Church
celebrates them in feasts, and in the daily Eucharistic sacrifice joins its worship to that
of the angels. In the holy Bible, nine choirs of angels are mentioned: Seraphim,
Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and
Angels.

The angels were not created equal. They are ranked according to the amount of gifts
given them, and the work assigned to them. They are created spirits, without bodies,
having understanding and free will. As Spiritual Beings, they are superior to man and
inferior to God. We do not know the number of angels, but we can only infer from the
Holy Bible that their number is very great. They must have been created by God before
the creation of man. No definite time has ever been mentioned regarding their creation
but from the available resources, all indications point to the fact that they must have
been created before the creation of man.

God created the angels not for His own happiness and glory but in order to share His
happiness. He wants them to participate in His eternal glory. He bestowed on them
great wisdom, power, and holiness. Angels are most excellent being created by God.
They are nobler in nature than man. Of all God‟s creatures, angels resemble Him most.
The Fall of Lucifer and his followers

Not all the angels remained faithful to God. Some of them disobeyed God. They
committed sin. God gave free will to them, just as He did to men. He put them to a test,
in order to make them earn and deserve the happiness of heaven. We do not know the
nature of that test, but many of them, using their free will, refused to submit themselves
to God; and because of this serious offense, they were punished. “For God did not
spare the angels when they sinned, but dragged them down by infernal ropes.” (2 Peter
2:4). Whenever the fallen angels were later permitted to go, they had in a way their hell
with them, for they were forever deprived of the love of God.

It was the Archangel Michael who led the good angels against the bad angels. “And
there was a great battle in heaven; Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and
the dragon fought and his angels, and they did not prevail, neither their places found
any more in heaven.” (Apoc. 12:7-8). They were cast into hell, and these are called
devils. “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for
the devil and his followers.” (Matt. 25:41). Other names given to them are: satan,
demon, devil, lucifer, tempter, beelzebub, bad angels, fallen angels, the deceiver, the
evil one, prince of darkness, powers of the underworld.

“How have you fallen from the heavens, O Lucifer.. You said in your heart, „Above the
stars of God, I will set my throne‟.” (Is. 14:12). Jesus said: “I was watching Satan fall as
lightning from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)

After the fall of the bad angels, they became enemies of God. God did not create them
as devils; they were good angels before they became devils. Even after they disobeyed
God, they remained pure spirit, wise, and powerful, but their holiness was withdrawn
from them. They turned enemies of God and God‟s friends.

The Good Angels

The angels who remained faithful to God entered into the eternal happiness of heaven.
They behold the face of God continually, praise and glorify Him, and are perfectly happy
in His presence. They are commonly represented with:
1. Wings - to show the speed with which they travel from one place to another.

2. Harps - to indicate their perpetual praise of God.

3. Lilies - to symbolize their perfect purity.

4. Small children - to show their innocence and perpetual youth.

The good angels help us by:

1. They pray for us and bring our prayers closer to God.

2. They act as God‟s messengers to us and often reveal God‟s will.

3. Certain angels have special charge of nations, communities, and churches.

4. They serve as our guardian angels and such, they:

a. Pray for us.

b. Protect us from bodily and spiritual harm.

c. Inspire us to do good.

d. Help us in our work and needs.

LECTURE NOTES #5

I BELIEVE IN GOD……
 CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

THE SPECIAL CREATION OF MAN: GENESIS 1:26-31

The creation of man is the climax of the creation story, the greatest and most
important work of God. It is written in solemn language, occupies a place of honor as
the last work. God creates not with a simple command but begins with a self-
exhortation, He creates directly, not like in other cases: ‘let the earth produce.’ Man is
made into image of God and give dominion over everything.

Man is creature, hence, depending on God, completely responsible to God.

Man the Image of God: As a statue represent, example a king or the president,
so man, the image of God represents God in the midst of creation. (Biblical texts in the
OT which speak of men as image of God: Sir. 17: 1ff; Wisdom 2:33; Psalm 8; Gen. 9:6)

Man is the image of God, but we add, only image, there is no blood relation
between him and God as ancient pagan myths told: (made of day and the blood of a
slain god).

If we are made in the image of God we are to be imitators of God as beloved

children (Eph. 5:1). We strive to be perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect (Mt. 5:48),
to make the image of God in us more and more visible.

In what sense are we image of God? We say our whole human nature, body and
soul, is the image of God. But it is in the spiritual soul that makes man to man (Wisdom
2:23), and this spiritual soul reaches its perfection in sanctifying grace. In the context,
this being an image of God manifest itself in being ruler to the world. (Sir. 17:1ff).

Christ the image of God - the NT speaks of Christ as the image, of the invisible
God (Col. 1:15). To be and to become the image of god means now to be closer to
Christ - in grace. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, so we shall also
bear the image of the man from heaven. (2 Cor. 15-49),  through the spirit of god we are
transformed into the image of god (2 Cor 3:17ff),  and we are told to put off the old man
and put on the new man that is being renewed unto perfect knowledge to the image of
his creator (Col 3:8ff).  Either we being the image of god, or we make god according to
our image. 

Man resembles the image of god, furthermore, in the capacities that he has a
person.  He mirrors god in his intelligence, his concern for good and evil, his freedom,
and his immortal destiny.  Through his intelligence, man is able to know, understand
and reason. God made man able to ask questions, to philosophize, and catch important
insights into creation and its purposes. However, it is chiefly through revelation that god
illumines the minds of men with the wisdom needed to subdue the earth.

Man's conscience also makes him godlike. unlike other living things , men has a
restless concern for what is truly good and evil , no matter how often he wavers in that
concern . Man’s freedom, too, makes him like god, who is supremely free. Men are not
driven simply by blind forces or instinct. They have responsibility and freedom. In
creating man, god also gave another freedom, one which is restored to ask by Christ.
This is the freedom to live in god's friendship, and by the aid of grace to do good things
that one's heart longs for, and to fulfil one's divinely implanted longings.

Each man is like god in being destined to live forever. This is one reason why
every human person, however young or old, useless, or limited terms of worldly
possibilities, is to be treated with great reverence. 

Dominion:  As a king in former times put up his status as a symbol of his power
(in our days we have the flag of the country), which the subjects had to respect, so man
is king in god's creation.  God has given man power over everything, except his fellow
men, obedience yes, but not tyranny.  Man has no right to possess his fellow men as if
slaves or to use them for experiments.

Therefore , men has the god- given right to investigate creation, technical
progress,  including a trip to the moon, is not against the will of god, but fulfillment of his
command of the creator. But man must on guard not to abuse his power. The first use
of the atomic power was to kill. Progress yes, but it is saddening that man with all his
knowledge and power can reach the moon, whilst at the same time millions go hungry
and live below their human dignity and without true peace.

Also in the time of the greatest progress the word of Christ remains true, what
use for a man, if he gains the whole world… and invitation of Christ urgent; go, sell
everything, then come and follow me. There must be Christians who are visible sign that
the things of this world are not   last values, who give witness for a higher world.

Male and female he created them:  man and woman have the same nature and
dignity, the dignity of a human person, by no means also in our days a reminder. And
man essentially a social being, both being together and make “man” in mutual love and
support.

Here for the first time the term “sex” Enters the bible in this sober statement, sex
a thing so much praised and debased, luster after and also feared. It belongs to the
order of creation and nature and is therefore good.
 Be fruitful and multiply:  man is given a participation in the creative power of
god. But in moral responsibility he has the right, and perhaps at times the duty, to
control this fertility (Family planning), but under the law of god, not every means is
morally good.

Celibacy: Here, too, the church believes following an invitation of Christ that
there should be Christians who give witness that sex is not the highest and last in
human life, that sacrifices can be made for the sake of the love of god, for the sake of
the kingdom. But the word Christ stands: He who is able to receive this, let him receive
it (Mt 19:21). No one can be forced.

The first food law: (Gen. 1:29-30): The lower plants are given as food for the
animals, the higher plants and their fruits to man, man is presented as vegetarian, no
killing of animal. This is to be understood figuratively as a symbol for the peace and
harmony at the beginning.

FIRST MAN IN PARADISE: CREATION AND FALL:

(GEN. 2:4B-3-24)

Plan and Contends:

Gen. 2:4b-25 = Creation of Adam and Eve and Paradise:

Gen. 2:4b-7: Adam

Gen. 2:8-17: Paradise

Gen. 2:18-25: Eve

Gen. 3:1-24 = First Sin and Punishment

Gen. 3:1-7: Temptation and Fall

Gen. 3:8-20: Judgment

Gen. 3:21-24: Expulsion from Paradise

Importance and General Meaning

These two chapter belongs to the most influential text of the OT and of the entire
bible with their doctrine about the origin of man and about the original justice and sin.
Gen. 2-3 Is one great theodicy, an explanation about the origin of all evil, physical and
moral in the world of the good god-answer: it is a result of a primitive rebellion against
god: Hence we may add, the remedy in return to obedience. we have here text about
the origin and nature of man (from dust, made from another, marriage fallen), It's loss in
original sin actively omitted by Adam and handed on to his descendants, it also speaks
about protoevangelization, the first promise of salvation.

Creation of Adam (Gen. 2:4b-7)

“Dry Creation”: Gen. 4b-6 = Wilst in Gen. 1 the earth emerged from the water of
the abyss, here the starting point is dry and parched which has to get some water. (2:6,
text difficult). Water is the first gift of god which makes life possible - and the formation
of man.

Man – Adam: Gen. 2:7 = What is man, how is he made? Man is dust, shaped
into a FORM, endowed with the breath of life. He is called “Adam” (earthling) because
he is taken from “adama” (earth).

The “molding of the wet clay the beating into the nostril.” The breath of life
from god. Our author certainly teaches the total dependence of man with body and soul
from god which implies on man humility and trust. This story about the origin of Adam
teaches how fragile, how mortal man is, just dust that breath and when god withdraws
his breath, we return to dust.

Although the text says explicitly that god took “dust”, the theory of moderate
evolution is not excluded by this text, that is, that god took perhaps an animal body into
which he created the spiritual soul. The author intends to describe not the exact manner
of man's creation, but rather man's nature. Man is not only dust that breathes, man is
called to friendship with god as the following story teaches.

THE PARADISE AND MAN’S TRANSFER INTO IT:

(GEN. 2:8-17)

The Story: God now plants a garden with immense blessings, symbolized by the
water of the four mightiest rivers. This garden is god's possession, the place of god.
Man is taken from his native (natural) place and transferred into it to keep, guard and
enjoy it. Two special trees are mentioned: the “tree of life” and the “tree of knowledge of
good and evil”, this second tree is a “forbidden tree” for man, reserved to god alone.

Teachings:

1. Elevation of Man: Man, created outside of the garden, is brought into it, into
the nearness of god to enjoy his blessings, his life. He has access to the Tree of life. 
 2. The Commandment of God: Man has to work, to guard the garden, that is,
also in his elevation, man remains under god's commandment, is god's servant. The
“forbidden tree” underlines the sovereign right of god.

3. The Trees: If the garden is essentially symbolic (nearness to god), then the
trees in this garden are fitting symbols. The tree of life in the center of the garden
symbolizes that god is the source of all life, that the true life for man is life with god. The
tree of knowledge of good and evil symbolizes that god alone has the right to “KNOW”,
to determine what is good and evil, man has to accept it, to submit himself to the moral
law of god. Man is not autonomous in moral things, is not his own law. This was a strict
law with the death penalty attached to it.

N.B. We should not overlook the wide range of liberty given to man, everything in
his, this one tree except.

If the garden is essentially symbolic, then it is waste of time to try to locate the
Garden of Eden

4. The wholeness of Creation and the Original State: The world in which we
live now is not according to the original plan of god, the world with suffering; sin and
death is a product of sin, of separation from god. The human quest for the lost paradise
is ultimately a search for god who alone can give back was lost. 

THE CREATION OF EVE, MAN AND WOMAN, MARRIAGE: (GEN. 2:18-25)

Connection: The question concerning the nature of man is not yet completely
answered: man is not only dust that breathes, is not only a creature with the lost
paradise, man is essentially also a social being: man and woman. 

The Story: It begins with the statement that it is not good for man to be alone.
Adam alone is not “man” as god wants him to be (2:18). The creation and parade of the
animals shows what man is not, shows the superiority of man over animals and his
dominion (he can give to the animals the names) (2:19-20). The creation of Eve from
side of Adam, essentially symbolic, explains in story-form the equality and mutual
attraction of man and woman.

Teachings:

1. Relationship between Man and Woman: It is teaching that man and woman
are of the same nature, equal, destined for companionship. This was an important
teaching in ancient times (and now still) when woman was only too frequently in a very
low social position (part of the property of man).
 2. Divine Institution of Indissoluble, Monogamous Marriage: God is not only
the author of life, but also of human love and marriage. God leads Eve to Adam (2, 22)
hence, marriage belongs to the order of creation and nature. And what god has put
together let no one put as under (Mt. 19:4).

3. Original harmony in Paradise: They were naked and we're not ashamed (2,
25). This is the way, how the story describes the original harmony between god and
man, between man and man, between man and woman, between body and soul. Sin
destroyed this basic harmony between man and god and all the others collapsed with
in.

4. Unity of Mankind: Inspite all the differences in races and languages mankind
according to our story one great family, coming from one pair of parents.

GENESIS 3 AS A WHOLE: SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT

Connection: If Gen. 2 told us something about the origin of man and his original
state, this is yet the complete answer to the question: What is man, what is the meaning
of mankind’s history?

Fallen Man: Historical msn, as we know him, is a fallen creature, subject to

many evils, suffering and death, temptation and sin, living in a world full of disorder and
fight.

The Problem of Evil: The question is, how can all these physical and moral evil
be explained in a world created by a good god? The answer is: the cause of all the evil
is a falling away of man from god, in sin at the beginning of history, caused by a
temptation of devil.

N.B. If this is the true answer, then the last and true remedy must be a
turning back to God, or we are working only at symptoms of evil, not at its root
cause.

Setting for the history of salvation: We see in this chapter mankind in absolute
need of redemption. We hear something about the ancient adversary of man, Satan, we
realize the background of all historical fights: Satan versus god. We here also the first
great promise of salvation, the “protoevangelism” in Gen 3:15.

TEMPTATION AND FALL: GEN. 3:1-17

The Serpent: A new actor appears, Satan, under the symbol of a serpent, this
crawling, fear- inspiring animal: which was also connected with pagan cults.

Dialogue between Serpent and Eve: Psychology of Temptation

 It begins with an innocent looking question, yet one which distorts the truth and is
as such already full of poison. It gives to Eve the opportunity to feel important, to show
off with her knowledge, and yet to see the limitations of her freedom and knowledge.
Eve enters into the dialogue (Gen. 3:1-3). Suddenly, the serpent knows everything, the
motives of god, his fear, his envy, god has told a lie: god is against the true happiness
and fulfillment of man, he wants to keep them down! “To be like god” - but they had
practically everything in the garden of god, just one tree except. Here the temptor
attacks, but he does not say eat! The decision lies with man! 

Eve and Adam In Temptation and Sin: (Gen. 3:6)

Eve has all the eyes of her senses open (good to eat, beautiful to look at, good
for becoming wise). This is no good policy in a moment of temptation. Then she
seduces her companion, and Adam loved Eve more than God, who had given to him
Eve.

The Effect of Sin: (3:7) Their eyes are opened, they get a new knowledge, they
see that they are naked! We can almost hear the laughter of hell! (wise-aarum /naked
erom). Gone are harmony and peace, they hide themselves and try to cover their
bodies. The soul which has given up submission under God has lost its control over the
body and its passions.

Nature of Sin: They wanted to be like God, hence, the very center of this (and of
every sin) is pride. “By knowing good and evil”, they attempted to be their own moral
law, morality autonomous, not any longer under the law of God. It was further a
case of unbelief, they trusted the serpent more than God.

The Trial: (Gen. 3:8-13) God is immediately on the spot, all-knowing, all just, but
much more still as the good shepherd who looks after the lost sheep. Man who just
wanted to be like God, who had lived in close friendship with God goes into hiding. This
friendship is lost. How does sin change everything! How ridiculous their attempt to hide,
and yet repeated over and over again, though we should know that no night is so dark,
no place so remote that God does not see what we are doing.

God asks, man excuses and accuses: God asks, not because he needs
information, but because man needs confession, lest he store up his souls
repressed guilt!

The woman you have given me: how had he created Eve with great joy, how
he had loved her, now this accusation, and at the end God is responsible, since He
gave him this companion. Gone is their mutual confidence and love. Sin destroys also
human bonds!
 Eve points to the serpent: the other is more guilty than we!

The Sentences: (Gen. 3:14-20)

A Textual Problem: the Latin Bible (Vulgate) translated 3, 15: ipse conteret (she
will crush your head); thus we have the many pictures of Mary putting her foot upon the
head of the serpent. The Hebrew text reads, ipse conteret (he will crush, hit your head),
i.e. the seed of the woman, ultimately Christ.

The sentence against the serpent: (3, 14-15:) The complete defeat of Satan is
announced: to crawl on the belly to eat dust means figuratively utter defeat. But it will be
a fight for life and death, the serpent will try to snap at the foot of man, man will try to
crush the head (3, 15) This is the first great good news, the “protoevangelism”, a
promise of hope for fallen man. God places himself behind man and hurts the enmity
back upon the serpent who had tried to establish enmity man and god. God gives
implicitly pardon to fallen man and appeals to a fight with the promise victory.

The woman: The woman of the protoevangelium in the literal sense in Eve, her
seed is mankind. But in the deeper sense we have to see in the “offspring of the
woman”. Christ who defeated Satan by his sacrifice on the cross, the “new Adam” will
we find Mary the “Second evil” who is united to Christ with an indissoluble bond and
was proclaimed “mother” in the hour of redemption when she was standing under the
cross.

N.B. The fight between the “serpent” and mankind is the great theme of the tan, a
fight for eternal life with god or eternal death with the devil in hell. Neutrality is not
possible. Great meditations in the Ignatian retreat place before us Christ his army on the
one side, Satan with the slaves on the other. We have to choose to serve in the army of
Christ. 

Sentence Against the Woman, Sufferings of Women: (3, 16): As the sentence
against the serpent alluded to the nature of the serpent (crawl), so the sentence against
the women: she is punished as “mother” by the pains of childbirth (we remember the
primitive health conditions of former times, the pains of childbirth were proverbial in the
OT), and she is punished as “wife” who has the restless longing for man, though man
only too frequently abused his power to enslave her to turn into a boss instead of a
loving companion, to change the mutual attraction into the degrading greed.

Sentence Against Man: Hard Work and Death: (3, 17-19): Man who was made
to rule over the world to toil, though taken from the soil this soil turns hostile against him
and brings forth thorns and thistles. Man who was taken from the dust, will now return to
the dust. He has lost the supernatural life with god, so the natural life will be taken away
from him.
 N.B. In this way the origin of all evil is traced bact to sin, to the separation from
God.

THE EXPULSION FROM PARADISE: 3, 20-24

They are now driven out of the garden, from the friendship with god, i.e. they
have lost their supernatural grace.

God still cares for them in his providence, he makes garments for them. The way
back is not possible for man, cherubim guard approach to paradise, in other words, only
god can give back lost friendship, self-redemption is not possible.

Importance of Gen. 2-3 for Theology:

Those two chapters belong to the most important text of the bible, since they give: 

a) The OT basis for the doctrine of original sin: of the loss of an original friendship
with god, the loss affects entire mankind, since Adam is the head of mankind,
this loss is the root cause for the flood of personal scenes and all kinds of evil.
b) The OT basis for the doctrine of redemption: for the absolute necessity of
redemption, as first for shadowing of the “new Adam” who will crush the head of
the serpent in perfect obedience and humility against the pride and disobedience
of the first Adam - with Mary in close association.
c) The OT basis for the hope and expectation of redemption: From the
“protoevangelium” on the OT is a religion of hope, looking out for the future
redeemer. The great sign of salvation will be the mother with the; 
d) Doctrine of man: together with Gen. 1 we find here precious information about
the nature and marriage.
 LECTURE NOTES #6

TEMPTATION AND SIN

Temptation is the devil's invitation to commit sin. In itself, temptation is not a sin.
It becomes sinful only when:

a. We bring it upon ourselves by carelessness or over-confidence.

b. We enjoy or take pleasure in it.

c. We give our consent to it.

The greatest saints have often been most strongly tempted. Our Lord even
permitted Himself to be tempted. Thus we see that temptation is not a sin, because we
are not responsible for it. Some temptations come from the bad angels; but other
temptations come from ourselves and from persons and things around us. By this, we
mean that temptation can come to us from: the flesh, the world and the devil.

God permits us to be tempted in order to try us and let us win an eternal reward
in heaven. “Because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation
should prove you.” (Tobias 12:13).

Temptation serves also to keep us humble. God permits all mankind to have
temptations, but never beyond their strength to resist. “God is faithful and will not permit
you to be tempted beyond your endurance.” The stronger the temptation, the greater
the graces and help God gives for its conquest. He wanted to show us that resisting
temptation, we may rise to greater love of God.

We can always resist temptation, because no temptation can force us into sin,
and God will always help us if we ask His help. “Watch and pray, that you may not enter
into temptation.” (Matt. 26:41). No amount of temptation can do us harm if we obey
God's laws and keep away from sin. If we resist, temptation will flee from us. “Resist the
devil and he will flee from you."" (James 4:17).

Remedies Against Temptation

When assailed by temptation, one must:

 1. Resist at once. It is easier to conquer temptation at the start than later on, just
as fire is easier to put out at the beginning.

2. Be watchful and pray. One must immediately call on God's help. St. Paul says”
If Christ is with us, who can fight against us?”

3. Receive frequently the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of Penance and

the Holy Eucharist.

4. Have a true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary our Mother, and to our
guardian angel.

5. Avoid the occasion of temptations and sins which are persons, places and
things.

6. Have a habit of reading good books especially the holy Bible.

SIN AND ITS DIMENSIONS:

The central focus of our Christian life is love. Sin is the opposite of this love.
Above all, it is hostile to that great love of God which calls man to grow in His grace.

Just as we can strive freely to see things from God's point of view and to act in
accord with His will, so too, we can freely ignore God's plan and the role He invites us to
play. We can be grateful to God, our Creator and Redeemer, and stand in awe of His
power and holiness, or we can be ungrateful, despise God and violate His plan and holy
will. We can determine to model in favor of a cheap pattern of our own making. In short,
just as we can accept the invitation God has made to adopt us as members of His own
family, so too, we can refuse this offer in favor of a selfish and isolated life. Such a
refusal of God's gift to us of Himself is what constitutes a sin. This refusal of a creature
to recognize what God is, to acknowledge the authority of the Love that made him and
calls him to life, is PRIDE, which is the root of all sin.

Sin is basically a personal offense against God, a turning away from God. For
this reason, it is important to distinguish between actions which are done with
knowledge and freedom and those which are not. Actions which are in themselves
wrong, when done without knowledge or free consent of the will constitute only a
material sin. In this case, the doer has no moral guilt. This is to be distinguished from a
case wherein the doer freely and knowingly does what he judges to be wrong. This is
called formal sin and that the doer is guilty of a moral evil. A formal sin is a deliberate
violation of the known will of God.

A Formal sin may either be:

 a) MORTAL SIN: It is an act which is in itself seriously wrong, or one that is
judged by the doer to be so, and which nonetheless is performed knowingly and
deliberately. This kind of sin separates the sinner from the friendship of God or it
deepens one’s alienation from God. It can be a particular serious or it can be a state of
alienation from God.

The degree of knowledge and consent required to constitute a mortal sin cannot
be stated with precision. Comprehensive knowledge and absolute freedom are never
had in human affairs, and are not needed. To commit mortal sin, therefore, one must be
substantially free in one's conduct, and that he knows what he is doing with certainty.
Catholic teaching readily recognizes that emotional problems and the influence or
external conditions can reduce or even take away one’s freedom and responsibility. But
the Church does not teach that people are rarely free to choose, that only seldom are
they really able to do good or to do evil.

The evil effects of mortal sin are:

I. It deprives the soul of sanctifying grace.

II. It makes the soul an enemy of God.

III. It takes away all the merits of its good actions.

IV. It deprives the soul of its right to everlasting happiness in heaven.

V. It makes the soul deserving of everlasting punishment in hell.

b) VENIAL SIN: It is a less serious or slight offense against God, or the act may
be serious in itself, but the doer lacks full knowledge, as in the case of ignorance; or
lacks full consent as in the case of violence. Venial sin does not deprive the soul of
sanctifying grace; and can be pardoned even without sacramental confession.

The evil effects of venial sin are:

I. It makes us less fervent in the service and love of God

II. It weakens our will power to do good, and to resist temptation.

III. It deprives us of many actual graces we need for resisting temptations.

IV. It deprives us of heaven for a time.

Not all evil acts are always sinful. There may be times when such acts are
not ‘sinful at all provided that:

I. We do not know that the act is sinful (lack of knowledge).

 II. We do not give our consent to the evil act (lack of consent).
III. The act is done through no fault of our own.
However, we can be guilty of sins others commit when:

I. We give counsel or advice that the evil act be done.

II. We command the act to be done.
III. We give our consent to the performance of the act.
IV. We provoke or incite the performance of the act.
V. We praise, flatter, or encourage the doer of the evil act.
VI. We keep silent over the performance of the evil act.
VII. We give assistance to the evil-doer.
VIII. We defend or conceal the evil act or the evil-doer.
IX. We do not punish the evil-doer.
It is our most serious obligation to keep ourselves away from the occasions of
sins. We would not be free from sin if we carelessly or by negligence bring ourselves
near to the occasions of sins. These are:

I. Bad companions.

II. Dance halls, disco pubs, and cabaret

III. Gambling dens, bars, liquor saloons and beer houses.

IV. Bad books, newspapers, and magazines, comics.

V. Bad movies, shows, TV programs and X-rated Beta movies.

THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS:

These are called capital sins, not because they are the greatest sins in
themselves, but because they are the chief causes why men commit sin. They are the
origin of every sin, all other sins arise from them as their fountain head. These are also
sometimes called VICES, because they produced permanent disorders in the soul.
They are the seven fatal diseases of the soul, which ends in death of the soul

a) Pride: It is an inordinate love of one’s own excellence, an excessive self-

esteem. The proud man overestimates himself, and believes himself to be the source of
his own excellence. (cfr. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican).

The remedy to this capital sin is the virtue of HUMILITY, which disposes us to
acknowledge out true worth and our own limitations.
 b) Covetousness: It is the excessive love for, and seeking after wealth and other
worldly possessions. It is also called avarice. A covetous person strives for more riches
than he needs and is never contended, however much he already has.

The virtues of LIBERALITY which disposes us to use rightly the worldly goods is
the antidote to covetousness. To provide for one’s future and that of one’s family is
praiseworthy. To avoid waste and extravagance are good virtues.

c) Lust: It is the inordinate seeking of the pleasures of the flesh. The pleasure
which this vice has as its object is at once so attractive and connatural to human nature
as to excite keenly man’s desire and to lead him into the commission of many disorders
in the pursuit of it.

The best remedy against lust is the cultivation of the beautiful virtue of purity in
mind and body. It would be helpful to avoid all occasions of temptations against this
virtue.

d) Anger: It is a strong feeling of displeasure, combined with a desire to inflict

unjust punishments on the offender. An angry man loses his reason. In anger a man will
do what he afterwards regrets.

The virtues of patience and meekness are good antidote opposed to anger.

e) Gluttony: It is an excessive desire for and/or indulgence in food and in drink.

Gluttony is greediness and intemperance in eating and drinking. Of the gluttons, St.
Paul said that “their god is their stomach.” “We do not live to eat, but we eat to live.”

The best remedy against gluttony are the virtues of temperance and self-
control.

f) Envy: It is a bitter feeling at the excellence or good fortune of those who are
better or happier, with a desire to rob them of what they have. It consist in discontent or
anger at the success of another, as though it were evil to oneself. It also consists in
rejoicing over the another's misfortune, as if it were blessing to oneself.

The virtues of charity and brotherly love are an antidote to envy.

g) Sloth: It is the neglect of one’s duties, spiritual and temporal through laziness.
The rule of the universe is activity; life and movement are found in all nature. The
slothful man is the exception and he by his laziness goes against nature. Sloth
paralyzes the faculties of man.

The virtues of diligence and zeal are a good medicine to sloth.