Paragraphs |
Part / Section / Chapter / Paragraph / Article |
|
APOSTOLIC LETTER |
|
APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION |
1-25 |
PROLOGUE |
1-3 |
I. The Life of Man – To Know and Love God |
4-10 |
II. Handing on the Faith: Catechesis |
11-12 |
III. The Aim and Intended Readership of This Catechism |
13-17 |
IV. Structure of This Catechism |
18-22 |
V. Practical Directions for Using This Catechism |
23-25 |
VI. Necessary Adaptations |
26-1065 |
PART ONE – THE PROFESSION OF FAITH |
26-184 |
SECTION ONE: “I BELIEVE” – “WE BELIEVE” |
27-49 |
CHAPTER ONE: MAN’S CAPACITY FOR GOD |
27-30 |
I. The Desire for God |
31-35 |
II. Ways of Coming to Know God |
36-38 |
III. The Knowledge of God According to the Church |
39-43 |
IV. How Can We Speak about God? |
44-49 |
IN BRIEF |
50-141 |
CHAPTER TWO: GOD COMES TO MEET MAN |
51-73 |
ARTICLE 1: THE REVELATION OF GOD |
51-53 |
I. God Reveals His “Plan of Loving Goodness” |
54-64 |
II. The Stages of Revelation |
65-67 |
III. Christ Jesus – “Mediator and Fullness of All Revelation” |
68-73 |
IN BRIEF |
74-100 |
ARTICLE 2: THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION |
75-79 |
I. Apostolic Tradition |
80-83 |
II. The Relationship between Tradition and Sacred Scripture |
84-95 |
III. The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith |
96-100 |
IN BRIEF |
101-141 |
ARTICLE 3: SACRED SCRIPTURE |
101-104 |
I. Christ – The unique Word of Sacred Scripture |
105-108 |
II. Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture |
109-119 |
III. The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture |
120-130 |
IV. The Canon of Scripture |
131-133 |
V. Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church |
134-141 |
IN BRIEF |
142-184 |
CHAPTER THREE: MAN’S RESPONSE TO GOD |
144-165 |
ARTICLE 1: I BELIEVE |
144-149 |
I. The Obedience of Faith |
150-152 |
II. “I Know Whom I Have Believed” |
153-165 |
III. The Characteristics of Faith |
166-184 |
ARTICLE 2: WE BELIEVE |
168-169 |
I. “Lord, Look Upon the Faith of Your Church” |
170-171 |
II. The Language of Faith |
172-175 |
III. Only One Faith |
176-184 |
IN BRIEF |
|
The Credo Chart |
185-1065 |
SECTION TWO: THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH |
185-197 |
The Creeds |
198-421 |
CHAPTER ONE: I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER |
199-421 |
ARTICLE 1: “I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH” |
199-231 |
Paragraph 1. I Believe in God |
200-202 |
I. “I Believe in One God” |
203-213 |
II. God Reveals His Name |
214-221 |
III. God, “He Who Is,” Is Truth and Love |
222-227 |
IV. The Implications of Faith in One God |
228-231 |
IN BRIEF |
232-267 |
Paragraph 2. The Father |
232-237 |
I. “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” |
238-248 |
II. The Revelation of God as Trinity |
249-256 |
III. The Holy Trinity in the Teaching of the Faith |
257-260 |
IV. The Divine Works and the Trinitarian Missions |
261-267 |
IN BRIEF |
268-278 |
Paragraph 3. The Almighty |
275-278 |
IN BRIEF |
279-324 |
Paragraph 4. The Creator |
282-289 |
I. Catechesis on Creation |
290-292 |
II. Creation – Work of the Holy Trinity |
293-294 |
III. “The World Was Created for the Glory of God” |
295-301 |
IV. The Mystery of Creation |
302-314 |
V. God Carries Out His Plan: Divine Providence |
315-324 |
IN BRIEF |
325-355 |
Paragraph 5. Heaven and Earth |
328-336 |
I. The Angels |
337-349 |
II. The Visible World |
350-354 |
IN BRIEF |
355-384 |
Paragraph 6. Man |
356-361 |
I. “In the Image of God” |
362-368 |
II. “Body and Soul but Truly One” |
369-373 |
III. “Male and Female He Created Them” |
374-379 |
IV. Man in Paradise |
380-384 |
IN BRIEF |
385-421 |
Paragraph 7. The Fall |
386-390 |
I. Where Sin Abounded, Grace Abounded All the More |
391-395 |
II. The Fall of the Angels |
396-409 |
III. Original Sin |
410-412 |
IV. “You Did Not Abandon Him to the Power of Death” |
413-421 |
IN BRIEF |
422-682 |
CHAPTER TWO: I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY SON OF GOD |
430-455 |
ARTICLE 2: “AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD” |
430-435 |
I. Jesus |
436-440 |
II. Christ |
441-445 |
III. The Only Son of God |
446-451 |
IV. Lord |
452-455 |
IN BRIEF |
456-570 |
ARTICLE 3: “HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY” |
456-483 |
Paragraph 1. The Son of God Became Man |
456-460 |
I. Why Did the Word Become Flesh? |
461-463 |
II. The Incarnation |
464-469 |
III. True God and True Man |
470-478 |
IV. How Is the Son of God Man? |
479-483 |
IN BRIEF |
484-512 |
Paragraph 2. “Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary” |
484-486 |
I. Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit. . . |
487-507 |
II. . . .Born of the Virgin Mary |
508-511 |
IN BRIEF |
512-570 |
Paragraph 3. “The Mysteries of Christ’s Life” |
514-521 |
I. Christ’s Whole Life Is Mystery |
522-534 |
II. The Mysteries of Jesus’ Infancy and Hidden Life |
535-560 |
III. The Mysteries of Jesus’ Public Life |
561-570 |
IN BRIEF |
571-630 |
ARTICLE 4: “JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED” |
574-594 |
Paragraph 1. Jesus and Israel |
577-582 |
I. Jesus and the Law |
583-586 |
II. Jesus and the Temple |
587-591 |
III. Jesus and Israel’s Faith in the One God and Savior |
592-594 |
IN BRIEF |
595-630 |
Paragraph 2. Jesus Died Crucified |
595-598 |
I. The Trial of Jesus |
599-605 |
II. Christ’s Redemptive Death in God’s Plan of Salvation |
606-618 |
III. Christ Offered Himself to his Father for Our Sins |
619-623 |
IN BRIEF |
624-628 |
Paragraph 3. Jesus Christ Was Buried |
629-630 |
IN BRIEF |
631-658 |
ARTICLE 5: “HE DESCENDED INTO HELL ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN” |
632-635 |
Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell |
636-637 |
IN BRIEF |
638-658 |
Paragraph 2. On the Third Day He Rose from the Dead |
639-647 |
I. The Historical and Transcendent Event |
648-650 |
II. The Resurrection – A Work of the Holy Trinity |
651-655 |
III. The Meaning and Saving Significance of the Resurrection |
656-658 |
IN BRIEF |
659-667 |
ARTICLE 6: “HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER” |
665-667 |
IN BRIEF |
668-682 |
ARTICLE 7: “FROM THENCE HE WILL COME AGAIN TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD” |
668-677 |
I. He Will Come Again in Glory |
678-679 |
II. To Judge the Living and the Dead |
680-686 |
IN BRIEF |
683-1065 |
CHAPTER THREE: I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT |
687-747 |
ARTICLE 8: “I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” |
689-690 |
I. The Joint Mission of the Son and the Spirit |
691-701 |
II. The Names, Titles, and Symbols of the Holy Spirit |
702-716 |
III. God’s Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises |
717-730 |
IV. The Spirit of Christ in the Fullness of Time |
731-741 |
V. The Spirit and the Church in the Last Days |
742-747 |
IN BRIEF |
748-975 |
ARTICLE 9: “I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH” |
751-780 |
Paragraph 1. The Church in God’s Plan |
751-757 |
I. Names and Images of the Church |
758-769 |
II. The Church’s Origin, Foundation, and Mission |
770-776 |
III. The Mystery of the Church |
777-780 |
IN BRIEF |
781-810 |
Paragraph 2. The Church – People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit |
781-786 |
I. The Church – People of God |
787-796 |
II. The Church – Body of Christ |
797-801 |
III. The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit |
802-810 |
IN BRIEF |
811-870 |
Paragraph 3. The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic |
813-822 |
I. The Church Is One |
823-829 |
II. The Church Is Holy |
830-856 |
III. The Church Is Catholic |
857-865 |
IV. The Church Is Apostolic |
866-870 |
IN BRIEF |
871-945 |
Paragraph 4. Christ’s Faithful – Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life |
874-896 |
I. The Hierarchical Constitution of the Church |
897-913 |
II. The Lay Faithful |
914-933 |
III. The Consecrated Life |
934-945 |
IN BRIEF |
946-962 |
Paragraph 5. The Communion of Saints |
949-953 |
I. Communion in Spiritual Goods |
954-959 |
II. The Communion of the Church of Heaven and Earth |
960-962 |
IN BRIEF |
963-975 |
Paragraph 6. Mary – Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church |
964-970 |
I. Mary’s Motherhood with Regard to the Church |
971 |
II. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin |
972 |
III. Mary – Eschatological Icon of the Church |
973-975 |
IN BRIEF |
976-987 |
ARTICLE 10: “I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS” |
977-980 |
I. One Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins |
981-983 |
II. The Power of the Keys |
984-987 |
IN BRIEF |
988-1019 |
ARTICLE 11: “I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY” |
992-1004 |
I. Christ’s Resurrection and Ours |
1005-1014 |
II. Dying in Jesus Christ |
1015-1019 |
IN BRIEF |
1020-1065 |
ARTICLE 12: “I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING” |
1021-1022 |
I. The Particular Judgement |
1023-1029 |
II. Heaven |
1030-1032 |
III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory |
1033-1037 |
IV. Hell |
1038-1041 |
V. The Last Judgement |
1042-1050 |
VI. The Hope of the New Heaven and the New Earth |
1051-1060 |
IN BRIEF |
1061-1065 |
“Amen” |
1066-1690 |
PART TWO – THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY |
1076-1209 |
SECTION ONE: THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY |
1077-1134 |
CHAPTER ONE: THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH |
1077-1112 |
ARTICLE 1: THE LITURGY – WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY |
1077-1083 |
I. The Father – Source and Goal of the Liturgy |
1084-1090 |
II. Christ’s Work in the Liturgy |
1091-1109 |
III. The Holy Spirit and the Church in the Liturgy |
1110-1112 |
IN BRIEF |
1113-1134 |
ARTICLE 2: THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE CHURCH’S SACRAMENTS |
1114-1116 |
I. The Sacraments of Christ |
1117-1121 |
II. The Sacraments of the Church |
1122-1126 |
III. The Sacraments of Faith |
1127-1129 |
IV. The Sacraments of Salvation |
1130 |
V. The Sacraments of Eternal Life |
1131-1134 |
IN BRIEF |
1135-1209 |
CHAPTER TWO: THE SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION |
1136-1199 |
ARTICLE 1: CELEBRATING THE CHURCH’S LITURGY |
1136-1144 |
I. Who Celebrates? |
1145-1162 |
II. How Is the Liturgy Celebrated? |
1163-1178 |
III. When Is the Liturgy Celebrated? |
1179-1186 |
IV. Where Is the Liturgy Celebrated? |
1187-1199 |
IN BRIEF |
1200-1209 |
ARTICLE 2: LITURGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE UNITY OF THE MYSTERY |
1207-1209 |
IN BRIEF |
1210-1690 |
SECTION TWO: THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH |
1212-1419 |
CHAPTER ONE: THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION |
1213-1284 |
ARTICLE 1: THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM |
1214-1216 |
I. What Is the Sacrament Called? |
1217-1228 |
II. Baptism in the Economy of Salvation |
1229-1245 |
III. How Is the Sacrament of Baptism Celebrated? |
1246-1255 |
IV. Who Can Receive Baptism? |
1256 |
V. Who Can Baptize? |
1257-1261 |
VI. The Necessity of Baptism? |
1262-1274 |
VII. The Grace of Baptism |
1275-1284 |
IN BRIEF |
1285-1321 |
ARTICLE 2: THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION |
1286-1292 |
I. Confirmation in the Economy of Salvation |
1293-1301 |
II. The Signs and the Rite of Confirmation |
1302-1305 |
III. The Effects of Confirmation |
1306-1311 |
IV. Who Can Receive This Sacrament? |
1312-1314 |
V. The Minister of Confirmation |
1315-1321 |
IN BRIEF |
1322-1419 |
ARTICLE 3: THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST |
1324-1327 |
I. The Eucharist – Source and Summit of the Ecclesial Life |
1328-1332 |
II. What Is This Sacrament Called? |
1333-1344 |
III. The Eucharist in the Economy of Salvation |
1345-1355 |
IV. The Liturgical Celebration of the Eucharist |
1356-1381 |
V. The Sacramental Sacrifice: Thanksgiving, Memorial, Presence |
1382-1401 |
VI. The Pascal Banquet |
1402-1405 |
VII. The Eucharist – “Pledge of the Glory to Come” |
1406-1419 |
IN BRIEF |
1420-1532 |
CHAPTER TWO: THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING |
1422-1498 |
ARTICLE 4: THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION |
1423-1424 |
I. What Is This Sacrament Called? |
1425-1426 |
II. Why a Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism? |
1427-1429 |
III. The Conversion of the Baptized |
1430-1433 |
IV. Interior Penance |
1424-1439 |
V. The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life |
1440-1449 |
VI. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation |
1450-1460 |
VII. The Acts of the Penitent |
1461-1467 |
VIII. The Minister of This Sacrament |
1468-1470 |
IX. The Effects of This Sacrament |
1471-1479 |
X. Indulgences |
1480-1484 |
XI. The Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance |
1485-1498 |
IN BRIEF |
1499-1532 |
ARTICLE 5: THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK |
1500-1513 |
I. It’s Foundation in the Economy of Salvation |
1514-1516 |
II. Who Receives and Who Administers This Sacrament? |
1517-1519 |
III. How Is This Sacrament Celebrated? |
1520-1523 |
IV. The Effects of the Celebration of This Sacrament |
1524-1525 |
V. Viaticum, the Last Sacrament of the Christian |
1526-1532 |
IN BRIEF |
1533-1666 |
CHAPTER THREE: THE SACRAMENTS AT THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION |
1536-1600 |
ARTICLE 6: THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS |
1537-1538 |
I. Why Is This Sacrament Called “Orders”? |
1539-1553 |
II. The Sacramant of Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation |
1554-1571 |
III. The Three Degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders |
1572-1574 |
IV. The Celebration of This Sacrament |
1575-1576 |
V. Who Can Confer This Sacrament? |
1577-1580 |
VI. Who Can Receive This Sacrament? |
1581-1589 |
VII. The Effects of the Sacrament of Holy Orders |
1590-1600 |
IN BRIEF |
1601-1666 |
ARTICLE 7: THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY |
1602-1620 |
I. Marriage in God’s Plan |
1621-1624 |
II. The Celebration of Marriage |
1625-1637 |
III. Matrimonial Consent |
1638-1642 |
IV. The Effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony |
1643-1654 |
V. The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love |
1655-1658 |
VI. The Domestic Church |
1659-1666 |
IN BRIEF |
1667-1690 |
CHAPTER FOUR: OTHER LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS |
1667-1679 |
ARTICLE 1: SACRAMENTALS |
1677-1679 |
IN BRIEF |
1680-1690 |
ARTICLE 2: CHRISTIAN FUNERALS |
1681-1683 |
I. The Christian’s Last Passover |
1684-1690 |
II. The Celebration of Funerals |
1691-2557 |
PART THREE – LIFE IN CHRIST |
1699-2051 |
SECTION ONE: MAN’S VOCATION: LIFE IN THE SPIRIT |
1700-1876 |
CHAPTER ONE: THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON |
1701-1715 |
ARTICLE 1: MAN: THE IMAGE OF GOD |
1710-1715 |
IN BRIEF |
1716-1729 |
ARTICLE 2: OUR VOCATION TO BEATITUDE |
1716-1717 |
I. The Beatitudes |
1718-1719 |
II. The Desire for Happiness |
1720-1724 |
III. Christian Beatitude |
1725-1729 |
IN BRIEF |
1730-1748 |
ARTICLE 3: MAN’S FREEDOM |
1731-1738 |
I. Freedom and Responsibility |
1739-1742 |
II. Human Freedom in the Economy of Salvation |
1743-1748 |
IN BRIEF |
1749-1761 |
ARTICLE 4: THE MORALITY OF HUMAN ACTS |
1750-1754 |
I. The Sources of Morality |
1755-1756 |
II. Good Acts and Evil Acts |
1757-1761 |
IN BRIEF |
1762-1775 |
ARTICLE 5: THE MORALITY OF THE PASSIONS |
1763-1766 |
I. Passions |
1767-1770 |
II. Passions and Moral Life |
1771-1775 |
IN BRIEF |
1776-1802 |
ARTICLE 6: MORAL CONSCIENCE |
1777-1782 |
I. The Judgement of Conscience |
1783-1785 |
II. The Formation of Conscience |
1786-1789 |
III. To Choose in Accord with Conscience |
1790-1794 |
IV. Erroneous Judgement |
1795-1802 |
IN BRIEF |
1803-1845 |
ARTICLE 7: THE VIRTUES |
1804-1811 |
I. The Human Virtues |
1812-1829 |
II. The Theological Virtues |
1830-1832 |
III. The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit |
1833-1845 |
IN BRIEF |
1846-1876 |
ARTICLE 8: SIN |
1846-1848 |
I. Mercy and Sin |
1849-1851 |
II. The Definition of Sin |
1852-1853 |
III. The Different Kinds of Sins |
1854-1864 |
IV. The Gravity of Sin: Mortal and Venial Sin |
1865-1869 |
V. The Proliferation of Sin |
1870-1876 |
IN BRIEF |
1877-1948 |
CHAPTER TWO: THE HUMAN COMMUNITY |
1878-1896 |
ARTICLE 1: THE PERSON AND SOCIETY |
1878-1885 |
I. The Communal Character of the Human Vocation |
1886-1889 |
II. Conversion and Society |
1890-1896 |
IN BRIEF |
1897-1927 |
ARTICLE 2: PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE |
1897-1904 |
I. Authority |
1905-1912 |
II. The Common Good |
1913-1917 |
III. Responsibility and Participation |
1918-1927 |
IN BRIEF |
1928-1948 |
ARTICLE 3: SOCIAL JUSTICE |
1929-1933 |
I. Respect for the Human Person |
1934-1938 |
II. Equality and Differences among Men |
1939-1942 |
III. Human Solidarity |
1943-1948 |
IN BRIEF |
1949-2051 |
CHAPTER THREE: GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE |
1950-1986 |
ARTICLE 1: THE MORAL LAW |
1954-1960 |
I. The Natural Moral Law |
1961-1964 |
II. The Old Law |
1965-1974 |
III. The New Law or the Law of the Gospel |
1975-1986 |
IN BRIEF |
1987-2029 |
ARTICLE 2: GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION |
1987-1995 |
I. Justification |
1996-2005 |
II. Grace |
2006-2011 |
III. Merit |
2012-2016 |
IV. Christian Holiness |
2017-2029 |
IN BRIEF |
2030-2051 |
ARTICLE 3: THE CHURCH, MOTHER AND TEACHER |
2032-2040 |
I. Moral Life and the Magisterium of the Church |
2041-2043 |
II. The Precepts of the Church |
2044-2046 |
III. Moral Life and Missionary Witness |
2047-2051 |
IN BRIEF |
|
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CHART |
2052-2557 |
SECTION TWO: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS |
2075-2082 |
IN BRIEF |
2083-2195 |
CHAPTER ONE: “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOU GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND” |
2084-2141 |
ARTICLE 1: THE FIRST COMMANDMENT |
2084-2094 |
I. “You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only Shall You Serve” |
2095-2109 |
II. “Him Only Shall You Serve” |
2110-2128 |
III. “You Shall Have No Other Gods before Me” |
2129-2132 |
IV. “You Shall Not Make for Yourself a Graven Image” |
2133-2141 |
IN BRIEF |
2142-2167 |
ARTICLE 2: THE SECOND COMMANDMENT |
2142-2149 |
I. The Name of the Lord Is Holy |
2150-2155 |
II. Taking the Name of the Lord in Vain |
2156-2159 |
III. The Christian Name |
2160-2167 |
IN BRIEF |
2168-2195 |
ARTICLE 3: THE THIRD COMMANDMENT |
2168-2173 |
I. The Sabbath Day |
2174-2188 |
II. The Lord’s Day |
2189-2195 |
IN BRIEF |
2196-2257 |
CHAPTER TWO: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF” |
2197-2257 |
ARTICLE 4: THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT |
2201-2206 |
I. The Family in God’s Plan |
2207-2213 |
II. The Family and Society |
2214-2231 |
III. The Duties of Family and the Kingdom |
2232-2233 |
IV. The Family and the Kingdom |
2234-2246 |
V. The Authorities in Civil Society |
2247-2257 |
IN BRIEF |
2258-2330 |
ARTICLE 5: THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT |
2259-2283 |
I. Respect for Human Life |
2284-2301 |
II. Respect for the Dignity of Persons |
2302-2317 |
III. Safeguarding Peace |
2318-2330 |
IN BRIEF |
2331-2400 |
ARTICLE 6: THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT |
2331-2336 |
I. “Male and Female He Created Them . . .” |
2337-2359 |
II. The Vocation to Chastity |
2360-2379 |
III. The Love of Husband and Wife |
2380-2391 |
IV. Offenses against the Dignity of Marriage |
2392-2400 |
IN BRIEF |
2401-2463 |
ARTICLE 7: THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT |
2402-2406 |
I. The Universal Destination and the Private Ownership of Goods |
2407-2418 |
II. Respect for Persons and Their Goods |
2419-2425 |
III. The Social Doctrine of the Church |
2426-2436 |
IV. Economic Activity and Social Justice |
2437-2442 |
V. Justice and Solidarity among Nations |
2443-2449 |
VI. Love for the Poor |
2450-2463 |
IN BRIEF |
2464-2513 |
ARTICLE 8: THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT |
2465-2470 |
I. Living in the Truth |
2471-2474 |
II. To Bear Witness to the Truth |
2475-2487 |
III. Offenses against Truth |
2488-2492 |
IV. Respect for the Truth |
2493-2499 |
V. The Use of the Social Communications Media |
2500-2503 |
VI. Truth, Beauty, and Sacred Art |
2504-2513 |
IN BRIEF |
2514-2533 |
ARTICLE 9: THE NINTH COMMANDMENT |
2517-2519 |
I. Purification of the Heart |
2520-2527 |
II. The Battle for Purity |
2528-2533 |
IN BRIEF |
2534-2557 |
ARTICLE 10: THE TENTH COMMANDMENT |
2535-2540 |
I. The Disorder of Covetous Desires |
2541-2543 |
II. The Desires of the Spirit |
2544-2547 |
III. Poverty of Heart |
2548-2550 |
IV. “I Want to See God” |
2551-2557 |
IN BRIEF |
2558-2865 |
PART FOUR – CHRISTIAN PRAYER |
2558-2758 |
SECTION ONE: PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE |
2559-2565 |
WHAT IS PRAYER? |
2566-2649 |
CHAPTER ONE: THE REVELATION OF PRAYER |
2566-2567 |
THE UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAYER |
2568-2597 |
ARTICLE 1: IN THE OLD TESTAMENT |
2590-2597 |
IN BRIEF |
2598-2622 |
ARTICLE 2: IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME |
2620-2622 |
IN BRIEF |
2623-2649 |
ARTICLE 3: IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH |
2626-2628 |
I. Blessing and Adoration |
2629-2633 |
II. Prayer of Petition |
2634-2636 |
III. Prayer of Intercession |
2637-2638 |
IV. Prayer of Thanksgiving |
2639-2643 |
V. Prayer of Praise |
2644-2649 |
IN BRIEF |
2650-2696 |
CHAPTER TWO: THE TRADITION OF PRAYER |
2652-2662 |
ARTICLE 1: AT THE WELLSPRINGS OF PRAYER |
2661-2662 |
IN BRIEF |
2663-2682 |
ARTICLE 2: THE WAY OF PRAYER |
2680-2682 |
IN BRIEF |
2683-2696 |
ARTICLE 3: GUIDES FOR PRAYER |
2692-2696 |
IN BRIEF |
2697-2758 |
CHAPTER THREE: THE LIFE OF PRAYER |
2700-2724 |
ARTICLE 1: EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER |
2700-2704 |
I. Vocal Prayer |
2705-2708 |
II. Meditation |
2709-2719 |
III. Contemplative Prayer |
2720-2724 |
IN BRIEF |
2725-2745 |
ARTICLE 2: THE BATTLE OF PRAYER |
2726-2728 |
I. Objections to Prayer |
2729-2733 |
II. Humble Vigilance of Heart |
2734-2741 |
III. Filial Trust |
2742-2745 |
IV. Persevering in Love |
2746-2758 |
ARTICLE 3: THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS |
2752-2758 |
IN BRIEF |
2759-2865 |
SECTION TWO: THE LORD’S PRAYER: “OUR FATHER!” |
2761-2776 |
ARTICLE 1: “THE SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE GOSPEL” |
2762-2764 |
I. At the Center of the Scriptures |
2765-2766 |
II. “The Lord’s Prayer” |
2767-2772 |
III. The Prayer of the Church |
2773-2776 |
IN BRIEF |
2777-2802 |
ARTICLE 2: “OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN” |
2777-2778 |
I. “We Dare to Say” |
2779-2785 |
II. “Father!” |
2786-2793 |
III. “Our” Father |
2794-2796 |
IV. “Who Art in Heaven” |
2797-2802 |
IN BRIEF |
2803-2854 |
ARTICLE 3: “THE SEVEN PETITIONS” |
2807-2815 |
I. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” |
2816-2821 |
II. “Thy Kingdom Come” |
2822-2827 |
III. “The Will Be Done on Earth as It Is in Heaven” |
2828-2837 |
IV. “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” |
2838-2845 |
V. “And Forgive us Our Trespasses, as We Forgive Those Who Trespass against Us” |
2846-2849 |
VI. “And Lead Us Not into Temptation” |
2850-2854 |
VII. “But Deliver Us From Evil” |
2855-2865 |
ARTICLE 4: THE FINAL DOXOLOGY |
2857-2865 |
IN BRIEF |
|
ABBREVIATIONS |
CHRIST’S REDEMPTIVE DEATH IN GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION
“Jesus handed over according to the definite plan of God”
599 Jesus’ violent death was not the result of chance in an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances, but is part of the mystery of God’s plan, as St. Peter explains to the Jews of Jerusalem in his first sermon on Pentecost: “This Jesus [was] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.”393 This Biblical language does not mean that those who handed him over were merely passive players in a scenario written in advance by God.394
600 To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace: “In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”395 For the sake of accomplishing his plan of salvation, God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.396
“He died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures”
601 The Scriptures had foretold this divine plan of salvation through the putting to death of “the righteous one, my Servant” as a mystery of universal redemption, that is, as the ransom that would free men from the slavery of sin.397 Citing a confession of faith that he himself had “received”, St. Paul professes that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.”398 In particular Jesus’ redemptive death fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering Servant.399 Indeed Jesus himself explained the meaning of his life and death in the light of God’s suffering Servant.400 After his Resurrection he gave this interpretation of the Scriptures to the disciples at Emmaus, and then to the apostles.401
“For our sake God made him to be sin”
602 Consequently, St. Peter can formulate the apostolic faith in the divine plan of salvation in this way: “You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers. . . with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake.”402 Man’s sins, following on original sin, are punishable by death.403 By sending his own Son in the form of a slave, in the form of a fallen humanity, on account of sin, God “made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”404
603 Jesus did not experience reprobation as if he himself had sinned.405 But in the redeeming love that always united him to the Father, he assumed us in the state of our waywardness of sin, to the point that he could say in our name from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”406 Having thus established him in solidarity with us sinners, God “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all”, so that we might be “reconciled to God by the death of his Son”.407
God takes the initiative of universal redeeming love
604 By giving up his own Son for our sins, God manifests that his plan for us is one of benevolent love, prior to any merit on our part: “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.”408 God “shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”409
605 At the end of the parable of the lost sheep Jesus recalled that God’s love excludes no one: “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”410 He affirms that he came “to give his life as a ransom for many”; this last term is not restrictive, but contrasts the whole of humanity with the unique person of the redeemer who hands himself over to save us.411 The Church, following the apostles, teaches that Christ died for all men without exception: “There is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer.”412
CHRIST OFFERED HIMSELF TO HIS FATHER FOR OUR SINS
Christ’s whole life is an offering to the Father
606 The Son of God, who came down “from heaven, not to do [his] own will, but the will of him who sent [him]”,413 said on coming into the world, “Lo, I have come to do your will, O God.” “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”414 From the first moment of his Incarnation the Son embraces the Father’s plan of divine salvation in his redemptive mission: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.”415 The sacrifice of Jesus “for the sins of the whole world”416 expresses his loving communion with the Father. “The Father loves me, because I lay down my life”, said the Lord, “[for] I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.”417
607 The desire to embrace his Father’s plan of redeeming love inspired Jesus’ whole life,418 for his redemptive passion was the very reason for his Incarnation. And so he asked, “And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour.”419 And again, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?”420 From the cross, just before “It is finished”, he said, “I thirst.”421
“The Lamb who takes away the sin of the world”
608 After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.422 By doing so, he reveals that Jesus is at the same time the suffering Servant who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel’s redemption at the first Passover.423 Christ’s whole life expresses his mission: “to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”424
Jesus freely embraced the Father’s redeeming love
609 By embracing in his human heart the Father’s love for men, Jesus “loved them to the end”, for “greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”425 In suffering and death his humanity became the free and perfect instrument of his divine love which desires the salvation of men.426 Indeed, out of love for his Father and for men, whom the Father wants to save, Jesus freely accepted his Passion and death: “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”427 Hence the sovereign freedom of God’s Son as he went out to his death.428
Our communion in the mysteries of Jesus
519 All Christ’s riches “are for every individual and are everybody’s property.”187 Christ did not live his life for himself but for us, from his Incarnation “for us men and for our salvation” to his death “for our sins” and Resurrection “for our justification”.188 He is still “our advocate with the Father”, who “always lives to make intercession” for us.189 He remains ever “in the presence of God on our behalf, bringing before him all that he lived and suffered for us.”190
520 In all of his life Jesus presents himself as our model. He is “the perfect man”,191 who invites us to become his disciples and follow him. In humbling himself, he has given us an example to imitate, through his prayer he draws us to pray, and by his poverty he calls us to accept freely the privation and persecutions that may come our way.192
521 Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives it in us. “By his Incarnation, he, the Son of God, has in a certain way united himself with each man.”193 We are called only to become one with him, for he enables us as the members of his Body to share in what he lived for us in his flesh as our model: