2.1 Morality: A Response to God’s Love2.1 Morality: A Response to God’s Love

Chapter 2Jesus

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2.2 Chapter Overview2.2 Chapter Overview

Jesus is the starting point of Catholic morality.

Love is the guiding principle of Catholic morality.

The kingdom of God is a central theme in the mission of Jesus.

Jesus models service and calls upon his followers to serve.

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Incarnation (p. 23): “The mystery of the wonderful union of the divine and human natures” (Catechism, #483) in Jesus the Son of God.

Sermon on the Mount (p. 23): A part of the Gospel according to Matthew in which Jesus preaches important moral teachings, including the Beatitudes.

Beatitudes (p. 28): The teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount on the meaning and way to true happiness.

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Beatitude saints (p. 28): People who take the Beatitudes’ message to heart and attempt to live it.

Kingdom of God (p. 30): God’s reign or rule―proclaimed by and present in Jesus―in which people serve one another, share their goods with one another, and refuse to retaliate with violence against others.

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Foot washing (p. 31): The activity Jesus performed prior to the Last Supper that becomes the model for all Christian service.

“Hard sayings of Jesus” (p. 32): Teachings such as the Beatitudes and the Last Judgment that overturn commonly held values and priorities.

Legalism (p. 35): Attitude of strict observance of laws, regardless of circumstances and possible harm to people involved.

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Minimalism (p. 36): An attitude of doing only the least that is required by law in our moral life.

Moral muscle (p. 36): Pushing ourselves to do more than the minimum in our moral life.

2.3 Review2.3 Review

1. Which moral questions does Jesus view as more basic than What should I do?

2. What does it mean to say that Jesus does “morality on the run”?

3. What does it mean to say that the moral character of Jesus serves as the basis for Christian morality?

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4. Who is Jesus? List five ways to describe him.

5. Which word describes the guiding principle of Christian morality?

6. According to the story in the Gospel according to Matthew, where is Christ to be found?

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7. In what context does Jesus put his message to place God first in our lives?

8. How are the Beatitudes similar to and different from the Ten Commandments?

9. What do the Beatitudes challenge us to do?

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10. Define a “Beatitude saint.”

11. What are the two dimensions to God’s reign?

12. What is the kingdom of God? How do we participate in this kingdom today?

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13. Name two images Jesus uses to help us appreciate the kingdom of God.

14. What action by Jesus modeled his command to serve others? When did Jesus perform this action?

15. What does the text mean by the “hard sayings” of Jesus? Give an example.

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16. What is most striking about Gospel stories related to Jesus and the Law?

17. Name four perspectives that Jesus held about the law.

18. Rather than focusing on what we are supposed to do, what does Jesus focus on in his teachings?

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19. According to the text does Jesus renounce the Law?

20. Define legalism and minimalism.

21. What does the text mean by the phrase “exercise moral muscle”?

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22. How can we achieve the perfection to

which Jesus challenges us?

23. What is the relationship between the sacraments and Christian identity?