A Journey Through the Catechism (The Incarnation; Redemption; the Lord’s Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension)
Our Pastor Column series through the Baltimore Catechism continues with the sixth and seventh articles: “On the Incarnation and Redemption” and “On Our Lord’s Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.”
Q: Did God abandon us after we fell into sin?
A: God did not abandon us but promised us a Redeemer, who was to make satisfaction for our sin and reopen to us the gates of Heaven.
Q: Who is the Redeemer?
A: Our Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the Redeemer of all humanity. (N.B. “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under Heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” —Acts 4:12)
Q: What do we believe of Jesus Christ?
A: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God and true man.
Q: What do we mean by the Incarnation?
A: By the Incarnation, we mean that the Son of God was made man. (N.B. The word “incarnation” is derived from the Latin “in carx,” which means “in the flesh.”Jesus is also the Word of God, “and the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” —John 1:14)
Q: How was the Son of God made man?
A: The Son of God was conceived and made man by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the immaculate womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A: The Son of God was conceived and made man by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the immaculate womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Q: On what day was the Son of God conceived and made man?
A: The Son of God was conceived and made man at the Annunciation, the day when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was going to be the Mother of God.
A: The Son of God was conceived and made man at the Annunciation, the day when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was going to be the Mother of God.
Q: On what day was Christ born?
A: Chris was born on Christmas in a stable at Bethlehem, more than two thousand years ago. (N.B. In fact, Jesus was born two thousand and twenty-one years ago, hence why this is the year 2021 AD. The chronological acronym “BC” means “before Christ” and the acronym “AD” means “Anno Domini,” which is Latin for “the Year of the Lord.”)
Q: What did Jesus Christ suffer?
A: Jesus Christ suffered a bloody sweat (in the Garden of Gethsemane), a cruel scourging, was crowned with thorns, and was crucified.
Q: On what day did Christ die?
A: Christ died on Good Friday.
Q: Why did Christ suffer and die?
A: Christ suffered and died for our sins.
Q: On what day did Christ rise from the dead?
A: Christ rose from the dead, glorious and immortal, on Easter Sunday, the third day after His death.
Q: After Christ had remained forty days on Earth, where did He go?
A: After forty days, Christ ascended into Heaven, and the day on which He ascended is called Ascension Day.
~ Fr. Lewis