C H A P T E R 1 4

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

BAPTISM

• The Sacrament: Water and the Words—I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit

• Effects: washes away all sin, including Original Sin;

pours the life of grace into the soul; makes us adopted children of God; puts an indelible mark on our soul; we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and theological virtues

THE TEMPTATION

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,One does not live by bread alone,    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,He will command his angels concerning you,’    and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,Worship the Lord your God,    and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him

PARABLES

Main lessons of the parables:• Teach us about God• Teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven• God loves us• God wants sinners to return to his love and

forgiveness• Teach us that we are children of God• Teach us to love, even our enemies• Teach us to forgive others• Teach us to do good works

THE WILL OF THE FATHER

• We are happiest when we do the will of the Father.• Discernment is the process of discovering God’s

plan for us. (There is a sense of rightness, peace, and joy when we do our Father’s will)

• God’s loving plan for us is called “divine providence”

• We should pray that God’s will be done in our lives; that we grow in trust of God’s will; that we will recognize God’s will and that we will live out God’s will

THE APOSTLES

• The word apostle means to “send forth”. Christ sent forth the apostles with a mission to preach the gospel and baptize all nations.

• Jesus spent more time with the apostles than his other followers in order to teach them what he wanted others to know and what was necessary for the foundation of the Church.

• It is not always easy to follow God’s will—look at the sacrifice of Jesus and the saints—but we receive eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven

SENDING FORTH THE APOSTLES

• Simon, called Peter, became the first Pope. He traveled to Antioch, Corinth, and Rome. He was crucified (upside down) in AD 64

• Andrew, brother of Peter, traveled to Greece. A martyr, he was tied to a cross. He continued to preach until his death

• James the Greater, martyred by Herod soon after Pentecost• John, leader of the churches in Asia. He was exiled to the

prison island of Patmos. After his release, he returned to Ephesus where he later died.

• Philip traveled to Greece and was crucified• Bartholomew preached in India and Armenia. He was

beheaded by King Abanopolis.

SENDING FORTH CONTINUED

• Thomas preached to the Parthians, Medes, and Persians. He traveled to India and was martyred.• Matthew traveled to Ethiopia or Persia.• James the Lesser, the first bishop of Jerusalem,

martyred by the Jewish people in AD62• Jude Thaddeus and Simon traveled together to

Persia where they were both martyred.

• Judas Iscariot—did not believe the Gospel message, betrayed Christ, and committed suicide