Youth Catechism of Catholic Church

23/11/2019

*THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD*
(Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living - Luke 20:38)
23 Nov 2019

The theme of the Resurrection is so central to our belief system, if it is taken out from our canon of faith, our entire faith will collapse.

St Paul presents *THREE FACTS* - 1 Cor 15, as follows:
+ Christ *died* for our sins (v.3)
+ He was *buried* (v.4)
+ He was *raised* on the third day (v.4)

St Paul provides *COMPELLING EVIDENCE* of the resurrected Jesus - 1 Cor 15, as follows:
+ He (Jesus) *appeared* to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve (v.5)
+ He (Jesus) *appeared* to more than five hundred brethren at one time (v.6)
+ He (Jesus) *appeared* to James, then to all the apostles (v.7)
+ He (Jesus) *appeared* also to me (Paul) (v.😎

St Paul gives his *CONCLUSIONS* in these statements - 1Cor 15, as follows:
+ So we preach and so you believed (v.11)
+ Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (v.12)
+ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised (v.13)
+ If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain (v.14)

One cannot find a more logical and persuasive piece of writing on the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead that 1Cor 15.
For a disciple, the person of Jesus, his life, suffering and death will have meaning and purpose only if one accepts and believes that he rose from the dead. Without the resurrection of Jesus, it is like having the most beautiful car in the world without its engine !!!
Our entire world view of life and life-after-death depends upon this one single reality and belief. For
St Paul will repeatedly say, if you have died with Christ, you will also rise with him in glory (Rom 6:8). It is our faith in the resurrection of Jesus that gives us the hope of eternal life.

[Reflection by Fr Trevor D’Souza, OFM]
[You are free to share this reflection with those who are interested]
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10/10/2019

*CAN MY LIFE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?*
(You are the salt of the earth (Mt 5:13); You are the light of the world (Mt 5:14).

On the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhji, the tribute in the newspaper, “One man changed our history, you can make a difference!”

Often we wonder whether our lives can REALLY make a difference in this world. Our self-image is so poor and so is our self-worth.

When I asked a person (who is a good writer) to write an article for the church magazine, the response was, ‘what difference will my article make?’ I really do not have much to write about. And further, there are better writers than me. Poor me!!! The response can be summarized as: can my words and thoughts make a difference?

Jesus has great confidence in his disciples (past, present and future) and their ability to accomplish his mission. He called them the SALT and LIGHT of the world. We all know how a pinch of salt can make a big difference to our cooking. And how a small lamp is worth more than a thousand suns in a little dark room. He wished and wants that all his disciples be like the salt and the light that will add value to their environment and surrounding – be it their family, workplace, or society at large.

Jesus has great confidence is us/me. Do we/I have the same confidence in ourselves/myself. It is time to realize that however small I am, I can make a difference. The tiniest screw in the watch is as important as the biggest wheel in it.
Be the salt. Be the light. Add taste. Add light. For without you the world is a little *MINUS* something!!!

[Reflection by Fr Trevor D’Souza, OFM,]

06/10/2019

Today's Challenge

As a Christian, you are making your faith in Jesus firm: "I can take him with me, I can believe him!" Sit down one evening and write down why Jesus is absolutely believable for you. If everyone in the group does the same, you can talk about it.

06/10/2019

Festal Greetings to all of you.

On October 5, the church celebrates the Memorial of St. Mary Faustina Kowalska, virgin.St. Faustina was born Helena Kowalska on August 25, 1905 to a poor but devout Polish family in 1905. At the...

06/10/2019

Faith – what is it?

Faith is knowledge and trust. It has seven characteristics: - Faith is a sheer gift of God, which we receive when we fervently ask for it. - Faith is the supernatural power that is absolutely necessary if we are to attain salvation. - Faith requires the free will and clear understanding of a person when he accepts the divine invitation. - Faith is absolutely certain, because Jesus guarantees it. - Faith is incomplete unless it leads to active love. Faith grows when we listen more and more carefully to God’s Word and enter a lively exchange with him in prayer. - Faith gives us even now a foretaste of the joy of heaven. (153–165, 179–180, 183–184)

Many people say that to believe is not enough for them; they want to know. The word “believe”, however, has two completely different meanings. If a parachutist asks the clerk at the airport, “Is the parachute packed safely?” and the other man answers casually, At the beginning of faith, there is often an emotional disturbance or uneasiness. The person senses that the visible world and the normal course of things cannot be all there is. He feels touched by a mystery and follows the traces that point to the existence of God and gradually finds the confidence to speak to God and finally to unite himself to him in freedom. In John’s Gospel it says, “No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known” (Jn 1:18). That is why we must believe Jesus, the Son of God, if we want to know what God would like to communicate to us. Believing, therefore, means accepting Jesus and staking one’s whole life on him.

30/09/2019

Inspiration

Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480-547)

Just as there is an evil, bitter zeal that separates us from God and leads to the kingdom of death, there is a good zeal that separates us from sin and leads to God and to eternal life.

30/09/2019

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

07/09/2019

Dr. Zakir Naik has finally proven that Jesus is God! One of Zakir Naik's favorite topics is "Muhammad in the Bible." Dr. Naik claims that when Jesus spoke ab...

10/06/2019

"It denies human nature and wants to cut off entire generations from God."