5.E Teaching and Sanctifying Church

Myself, Noah, and Sam collaborated to make an Idea Sketch. We analyzed a verse from Acts. First, we analyzed the characters in the verse. We summarized and clarified the plot. Finally, analyzed Simon's actions and talked about the authority of the Holy Spirit.

5.F Lecture Notes

     Last Things in the Catholic Church are: Judgement, Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. The Last Judgement is when Jesus will return, however we do not know the time or location of the event. Death is the end of our ability to change God's judgement. Due to this fact, we must do everything we can to achieve Salvation right now while we are alive. We must access where we stand right now and improve on our status with God. Our lifetime affects our Paticular Judgement when God individually judges our life to determine wether we go to Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory upon death. Heaven is being in complete communion with God. It is a state of total wholeness and bliss. Purgatory is a state of being. In Purgatory the objective is that our souls are separated from sin and then can proceed to Heaven. Hell is self-exclusion from God. Self-exclusion because we make the choice throughout our lifetime to determine our Afterlife.

MR 5.F Last Things Analysis

Before analyzing what the redemptive options are for the man, when we die we receive our Particular Judgement. From there we go to either, Hell, Purgatory, or Heaven based on our relationship with God. 

For the man even though he denied Christ his whole life, he changed his heart and asked for forgiveness. Since God is omnibenevolent and forgives everyone, I believe the man was forgiven. Also since he met with a priest a few times before dying he might have received grace through baptism. Since baptism is the opening gate for man to be in communion with God and man receives the grace of the Holy Spirit. I think he definitely did not go to Hell. He went to Purgatory because I do not believe he was pure in spirit but he was on his way. He had to still cleanse himself of any attachment to sin/evil. This example shows us that although it's not the best time to repent, it is never too late to repent and make amends with God.

MR 5.F Last Things Analysis

A man who has rejected God all his life but had a change of heart once he got cancer is a pretty interesting situation. A man who plainly rejected God and never changed his mind would go to hell. A man who never rejected God ever and was pure would go to Heaven. But one who had always rejected God until he changed his mind, his heart, would go to Purgatory. He would go to Purgatory becuase although he had been rejected God for a majority of his life in the end be began to turn to God. It's just as if one had gone to Purgatory. When one goes to Purgatory he is there to become pure and end up going to Heaven. The man was like someone before going into Purgatory and his soul was beginning to become more pure before his death. Therefore this man will go to Purgatory.

MR 5F Last Things

If a man has been rejecting God his whole life, but changes his mind when he gets cancer does he go to Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory? I believe that the man would go to purgatory because although he has rejected God's life, all that matters, is that he is now in a relationship with God. One of the most basic things that we learned about the feast of Christ, is that anyone at any point in time can join the feast of Christ. This particular man has joined the feast of Christ, and he is in a relationship with God, therefore he is not rejecting agod, therefore he cannot go to Hell because that would not be just. The man would go to purgatory because even though he accepts God at the end of his life, he has not had enough time to perfect his union with God, and that is what purgatory is for. The "punishment" for rejecting God for part of his life is that the time he gets to see God is delayed. Another thing that helps this man out is the fact that he met with priests a few times. This shows that he was for real about wanting to go to heaven and that he wanted to be forgiven for his sins.

I made this analysis based off of the problem solving question, you presented me with. I think this analysis is unique because I touched on some good points. I read the stron on this thorougly and I used what I learned to back up my argument that the man would go to purgatory. 

MR 5.E Sanctifying the Church Analysis

In this analysis I worked with Ethan and Sam to make an idea sketch. This idea sketch analyzed the the sacraments. We used a table found in the book that provided evidence that was found in scripture. We shows how the evidence relates to each sacrament.

MR 5.E The Sanctifying Church

In the story there is Simon (magician and believer in Phillip's teachings), Phillip the deacon preaching in Samaria, Peter and John (Apostles who go to Samaria to give the people grace), and the Holy Spirit.

Baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit are seen in two different occasions in the story. Baptism is seen when they are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ by Phillip before the arrival of the Apostles. The reception of the Holy Spirit is seen when the Apostles John and Peter blessed the people with the Holy Spirit by laying down their hands because the people had accepted the Word of God. When John and Peter go down to Samaria to give the people the grace of the Holy Spirit. By receiving this I learned that once one is baptized and is ready to proclaim the Word of God the Holy Spirit can come down and guide them in their mission. The response of Peter to Simon's request to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit teaches and shows us that to fully receive grace and be in communion with God one does not need power, wealth, or any earthly material to enter into the Kingdom of God. One must humble himself or herself to be in Heaven. It was call "laying on of hands" back then and it's still called "laying on of hands". It is a symbolic act of when God is called upon or one is receiving the Grace of the Holy Spirit. We must take away from this story that we have to humble ourselves and give every single part of us to God and His mission in order to achieve Heaven.