Fundamental Theology
of the Forms of Christian Life

 

 

Sharing and Summary: First Day (February, 5, 2018)

The First Group

Three main important ideas

1. Everything in the Christian community is inter-related, love defines every kind of relationship and the holy trinity is a model for it.
2. Mysterious identity – we cannot form part of the body of Christy without being in deep communion with him and with the other members (without communion, the member has no life.
3. Disconnected to connect.

Questions

1. What is the responsibility of the community members, when one is not willing to be connected with the community?
2. How to bear witness to the eschatological context of the Church?

The Second Group

Three main Ideas

1. Nature does not need people, people need nature
2. The Church needs new words, new visions, new ideas, and new theology.
3. Creation an event of interconnection.

Questions

1. What prevents us as Religious to live our witnessing life inspire of all courses, seminars and retreat.
2. As a religious, priest and as laity how can we work hand in hand in unity?

The Third Group

The five main ideas of the morning sessions

• Interconnectedness
• Communications
• Memories of other lives
• Disconnected to connect
• Bear witness
• Nature does not need people, people need nature.
• Church needs new idea

Two problems to deal with:

• How will we emerge with new ideas in this 21^st century?
• How to build a united Church with the relationships in the plurality of relationships at this present scenario?

The Fourth Group

The most appealing ideas 

• Human life is shaped by
• Biotopo
• Bio-region
• Biocenosis
• Ecosystems
• Nature does not need people ,people need nature
• The great house of society has been divided into different groups
• Creation is an event of interconnection (connections to be connected)
• The forms of Christian life are inter-related they cannot be defined separately
• We cannot form part of the body of Christ without being in deep communion with him and with other members

Question

• How can the fundamental communion be relevant in the 21st century?
• How can we bear witness to the eschatological or to the Church through our mission

The Fith Group

Main ideas of the class on 5^th February

1. We are shaped by the nature, humanity and oneself.
2. Everything in the Christian community is interconnected
3. In connection lies the power.
4. Disconnected from the body a member start a process of death
5. We cannot form part of body of Christ without being in deep communion with him and with the other members.

Questions / problems

1. How to re-establish communion between body and spirit, humanity and nature for the better relationship?
2. How do we understand the eschatological character of the church in our lives?

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Sharing and Summary: Second Day (February, 6, 2018)

The First Group

The Important Points 

1. The universal call to holiness in the perfection of love
2. The consecrated life is the splendour and an infinite beauty, which lone can satisfy human heart.
3. A ‘new creation’-in Christ, guarantees and fosters the spirit of communion and fellowship. Spirit is the great I, the Koinonia-maker, the great-‘we’.

The questions

1. In this consumeristic world how to attain Holiness?
2. What are the ways we motivate our Christian brethren to realise the importance of mission in the Church?
3. How to practice ‘we’ spirit in the place of ‘I’?

The Second Group

Three Ideas 

• The universal call to holiness in the perfection of love to follow Jesus in a radical way.
• All the members of the church constitute a mystical person in the spirit.
• The mission of the church is a mission of generativists.
• The constitutive element of the Church is her passionate love for Jesus, the spouse.

Two questions:

1. As religious men and women how we can be generative in our mission?
2. How spirituality emphasizes in Religious life?

The Third Group

The main points

1. Religious life is a way of life- dreaming for the new world
2. Equal dignity in all the forms of life
3. Shared mission
4. All are called to the Radical way of life.
5. Whole Church is the spouse of Christ

Two Questions

1. Is it possible to bring equality in the mind of the Religious?
2. Is it possible for the laity to commit fully for the mission of the Lord?

The Fourth Group

Main appealing Ideas 

• People of different forms of Christian Life are called to follow Jesus radically
• The whole Church is kingly, queenly, priestly and prophetic
• All the members of the Church constitute a mystical Person in the Spirit .
• Formation is meant to be transformation and the whole Church is the Spouse of Christ

Questions for reflection 

• How can we be faithful to our friends who were friendly with us years back? Is it possible?
• If every Christian is called to follow Jesus radically -as it is stated in “Pastores dabo vobis”-, then what is the difference between the Laity and the Religious?

The Fith Group

The Main Ideas

1. The universal call to holiness in the perfection of love.
2. Religious confirm his/her one’s whole existence to Christ in an all-encompassing commitment.
3. All the members of the church constitute a mystical person in the spirit.

Questions

1. In a multicultural society how can we present Jesus as the head and shepherd who guides his people?
2. In a consumerist world how can we move from “I” to “We”?

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Sharing and Summary: Third Day (February, 7, 2018)

The first Group

The 3 main important points

• God relates to us in a personal way, as unique and free people created by him for a specific task in the church.
• The diversity of the Holy Spirit is with us all, therefore we don’t need to delete our differences for communion instead build with differences.
• Jesus is the Mediator and Mebasser in his poetic words, actions and lifestyle by being Itinerant prophet and eschatological watchman.

Questions

1. As an individual how can I live effectively my individuality for others?
2. How can I become a life giver in the community, church, world and at large?

Videos

• Happiness is not for oneself but to share with others.
• A leader has to trust the partners, give freedom and have the mind of inclusivity.
• Compassion moves Jesus to give new forms of life.
• Jesus brought new identity for the meaning of neighbour by giving back life to the blind and the woman.

Second Group 

Ideas

• Each person is a unique mystery of freedom and originality.
• God relate to us in a personal way, as unique and free people created by Him.
• God reigns among us to bring new life.

 Two questions:

1. If the kingdom of God is with in and around us then why do we fail experience that in our day today’s life?
2. How can we cope up the individuality of the person in the community?

Insights from the video clips:

1^st video

• Happiness comes from the story of the experience.
• In the community we are original and unique in our individuality.
• Community is build by contribution of each member, it is not individual show.
• Putting together all the abilities, witness and talents bring beauty.

2^ed video

• Love knows when to break the law.
• Jesus looks at the heart of the people not the out ward appearance of the person.
• Jesus loved them as they are.

 Third Group

The Important Points of the class

1. I have to be who I am?
2. New life in Jesus.
3. Consecrated Life is a vocation to live the Kingdom of God.
4. Eucharist is the medicine of immortality.
5. Each person is a special, unique and called to do a special task in the Church.
6. All forms of life is life in the presence of God in the Holy Spirit.
7. Called to be prophetic messenger of God.

Questions

1. How can we be itinerant prophets and eschatological watchmen in this 21^st century?
2. In the community each individual tells one’s own story, how can the community make this individual story to be the source of harmony, joy and relationship building?

Comments on the shows

1. The communion of individuals bring happiness.
2. Being sensitive to each Individual.
3. Jesus- the source of new life.

 

4^th GROUP, DAY 3

4 MAIN POINTS

• EACH PERSON IS A UNIQUE MYSTERY OF FREEDOM AND ORIGINALITY
• STYLE OF LIFE COMES FROM GOD
• JESUS WAS THE FIRST MESSENGER
• OUR VOCATION IS TO LEAVE THE KINGDOM OF EVIL AND TO WORK WITH KINGDOM OF GOD

3 QUESTIONS

• HOW TO ANALYZE THE REIGN OF GOD IN THE TIMES OF TROUBLES?
• HOW THE INDIVIDUALITY CAN PRECEDE IN COMMUNION WITH ONESELF, OTHERS AND MISSION?
• HOW TO COPE UP WITH THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE WHILE DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL QUALITIES?

VIDEOS OF MUCISIANS

• THE MUSIC BAND COLLABORATES WITH LIVING AND NON LIVING THINGS AND BRINGS FORTH THE SWEET MELODIES
• THE JOY IN LIFE IS TO BRING OUT THE TALENTS OF OTHERS AND MAKE OTHERS TO BE HEARD
• THE EXPRESSION OF THE FACE OF THE CONDUCTOR REFLECTS THE JOY OF A GOOD LEADERSHIP

POINTS FROM VIDEO OF JESUS

• JESUS IS THE GIVER OF LIFE AND FORGIVER OF THE SINS
• JESUS IS THE LOVER OF HUMANITY
• JESUS HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTS WHEN THERE IS A DESIRE AND COOPERATION FROM THE NEEDY

5^th Group

The Main Ideas

1. Each person is a unique mystery of freedom and originality
2. God relates to us in a personal way, as unique and free people created by him.
3. The call to sanctity in the church is universal and it has to be lived out according to the specific Charism.
4. The kingdom of God is God himself reigning in our hearts.

 Questions

1. How to understand the kingdom of God in present and future context?
2. How to live our faith in a peculiar and original way in our community and in the society?

Reflection on the video Presentation

1. Video show

• Leadership can be exercised in different way such as: you can be a leader where “you” are in the centre, and lead them, or put the “community” in the centre and you lead them.
• Our expressions and actions move according to the situations
• Each one is important and their role is unique

2. Video Show

• We are not called to be self-cantered but other cantered
• We are called to accept and comfort the lost and the least in the society.
• Jesus had the ability to touch the hearts of the people and bring good news in their lives.
• To become a “Mebasser” and a “Watchman” of Christ
• To become like Jesus, a poet in words action and lifestyle. 

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Sharing and Summary of  the Fourth Day Date-09/02/2018

Group I

Main     Ideas

• Resurrection of Jesus was the beginning of end a great collective event of the fulfillment of God’s promises.
• When we accept the kingdom of God conversion of soul takes place and we enjoy the fullness of life.
• Life with Jesus and to live in Christ by experiencing the nearness of his presence and providential care by our joyful commitment of our lives.
• Jesus called several persons from all fields of lives to form with him a community of life and mission.

     Questions

• How can we build the kingdom of God in our community and amidst the suffering humanity?
• What are the ways and means to maintain the relationship with the persons in spite of our weakness?

Inspirations from the videos

 Video one:

• Personal encounter with Holy Trinity led him to trust in the Lord alone.
• Gazing upon the Lord made him to Let go and Let God in

      Video two

• Gratefulness brings happiness and paves the way for the Joyful living.
• Opportunity knocks only once thus when we avail to it, it leads to creates something beautiful out of life.
• The beauty of our life is to stop, look and to go .

Group II

Three Ideas

• The life open to the kingdom life always open to the future, waiting for the fullness –  when we accept the kingdom of god, conversion happens and deeply changes are produced in our lifestyle and mission
• Happiness is not connected with money but lies in the experience of kingdom of God
• The Risen Lord was sent to us to initiate the last event the Parousia

Two question

• What is the difference between Jesus being a man of Historical person and man of community?
• Though Church knows about the woman discipleship, but why the more stress is put on the man discipleship?

 1^st Video

• Don’t worry about the past – stay connected to your faith
• Faith works wonders when we abandon ourselves to it
• Overlook at the problem rather than sinking into it

2^nd video

• Opportunity knocks only once
• Learning something needs patient where we need to use the formula of– stop, look and go
• We need to have network of gratefulness which will bring joyful people together and make this world joyful
• The grateful person is ever joyful, peaceful, graceful, resourceful and cheerful

New insights

• When we place ourselves in front of Jesus our life receives a special configuration
• Gratefulness brings a new way of Relationship
• When you are grateful you not fearful, when you are not fearful you are not violent

Group III:

The main ideas of the Class 

• A Life open to the Kingdom of God a life always opened to the future
• To search for the Kingdom of God and its Justice
• Having relationship with the Trinity
• A life demanded by the Kingdom of God is the purity of heart.
• A Life with Jesus is to live in Christ
• Inclusivity of Jesus while choosing the disciples
• The calling of two-two disciples in view of creating a community.
• The Importance of women in the mission of Jesus

The questions

• How can each one of us become the sign of Parousia in our community and society?
• How can we as a consecrated person to follow, to share his life and to die with Him in this consumeristic world?

Insights from the clips 

• Gratefulness makes us happy
• Every moment is a gift of God to be grateful
• stop, look and move-to transform the world
• being at the present-here and now
• Future without me does not exist
• I do not care what people say, my only desire that people know me[

The new ideas

1. Stop, Look and Go
2. After Resurrection Jesus appeared to Women because this Good News could be proclaimed very first to the Apostles and people.

Group IV:

Main appealing ideas 

• Our hope should be on the kingdom of God and not on the Kingdom of Men
• Our blessings are connected with the face of Jesus
• In a united community even the weakest person becomes a strongest person
• Jesus revealed the women the mysteries of the Kingdom

Questions for reflection 

• Why there is no place for women among the twelve?
• When will the kingdom be realized?

Points from videos 

• As the water is to fish, so the Holy Trinity to Christians
• The troubles in our lives will vanish when we focus on Jesus
• The problems of the faithful in their lives, will be resolved in the compassion of Jesus
• It is not happiness that gives us gratefulness but it is gratefulness that gives us happiness
• When we open our heart to opportunity it enables us to do something

Personal Learning 

• Gift is the opportunity and not only things
• Happiest person stops with gratefulness, looks with passion and goes to transform the world.

Group V

Important ideas

• A life open to the kingdom is a life always open to the future, waiting for the fullness.
• There is no special ritual to follow him, worship him, inspirit and truth.
• When we accept the kingdom of God, conversion happens in our life- style and mission.
• To follow him is a life of radical truth
• Mary Magdalene was the first women who encountered the risen Lord and became the first missionary.

Questions

• How can we experience ‘Parousia’ more meaningfully in today’s context?
• Is it possible to introduce the form of life demanded by the kingdom of God?

 Messages from the videos

• Don’t think about the past move ahead.
• It calls us to step into the unknown.
• In every fear there is a supporting hand of God.
• Through different events and persons Jesus speaks to us.
• Our past is a grave, future is hope & present is a journey towards hope.
• There are people who had misfortunes but they found themselves happy, it is because they are grateful.
• grateful people are joyful people
• Every moment is a great opportunity
• Every opportunity invites us to do something.
• when you are grateful you are not fearful, you do not violent.
• life is journey where we have to stop , to, look and go.

New learning

• new ideas of “Parousia”
• Community of the kingdom.

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Sharing and Summary of  the Fith Day Date-10/02/2018

Group I 

The Main ideas

• Mary was full of humility. Presence of Mary is the expression of Jesus presence after the death and resurrection.
• A new conception of life of Jesus lies in each state of our life.
• God marching on and he not only invites us to march with Him but to become (Him) Christ.
• In the school of Jesus we are only the helpers and our approach should be May I help you?
• Love is sole master of our life.
• To be a prophet in our present time is to up build, encourage and to have consolation.

Inspirations from the videos

• We do not have a mission, but mission has us.
• We are to construct and collect the scattered.
• Mission of God is a mission of love.
• Our existence is out of unconditional love of God.

New Ideas

• Our call to consecrated life is to “pursue love”.
• Our God is a great missionary

CHARISM

1. 
   

   1. Do I recognize my own charism? And how do I develop?

• We all recognize our charism and cherish it in our daily life
• My charism urges me to be compassionate in my mission of educating the children.
• By being sensitive to the differently abled and their cry.
• My charism urges me to be patient in caring the sick and suffering fellow-being.
• My charism is to be available at any time to serve and to care for the elderly in my community.
• My charism is to be initiative by bringing life to the lifeless.
• My charism is to be voice for the voiceless.

2. Have I to renounce to my own charism for adapting myself to the charism of my congregation?

We do not renounce our own charism for the adapting ourselves to the charism of our congregation.

3. What is the charism of my group, community and congregation?

• Contemplation in action
• Making known Christ to the unknown
• Being Eucharistic in mission

Group II

Do I recognize my own Charisms?

• Yes we do recognize our own Charisms.
• Each one of us have Charism individually

Do I develop them?

• We develop our charism according to the signs of the time and need of the society.
• Developing charism when there are opportunities.

Have I to renounce to my own Charism

• Yes in certain cases we do renounce but the values and motivations driven from it is continued.

What are the Charisms of my group or community, or congregation?

• Collaborating and building up each person’s charism for common good / goal
• Put together each ones charism in order to build my Group, my community and my congregation

Ideas and Insights from the class

• Jesus is not founder but foundation
• To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good
• Varieties of charism, but the same spirit varieties of services but the same Lord, varieties of activities but  it is the same God
• Mission of God is the mission of love

Videos

• Collaborate with God to save the world
• The mission has us not we have mission
• The world is wounded – Be a part of restoration, put things together and heal over it
• Church is community of faith, living together in harmony with nature and humanity

Group-III

The Personal Reflection

1. Do we recognize our own Charisms? 

• Yes! We do Recognize our own charisms

• Loving
• Caring
• Preaching
• Educating
• Doing social work
• Family visit
• Apostolic ministries
• Creativity

2. Are we developing these Charisms?

• Yes! We are developing/growing these Charisms.

• Self-centeredness to other centeredness
• Family centeredness to congregation centeredness.

3. Have we to renounce to our own Charisms for adapting ourselves to the Charism of our Congregation or Diocese?

• Certain Charisms of our life is renounced if they do not go with the Charism of the Congregation, and certain Charisms continue to be with us if they are parallel with the Charism of the Congregation.

4. The Charism of the Group is:

• To learn more about Consecrated Life and to teach

5. Insights from the Clips

• Love never ends
• We do not have mission, the mission has us
• Our mission is a mission of connection and not division
• New Characteristics of Prophecy- Up building, encouragement and collaboration.

GROUP IV

MAIN APPEALING IDEAS

• The mission has us to follow and imitate jesus in each state of life
• Jesus will be with us and Holy Spirit will guide us in carrying out our Charism
• Those who prophesy speak to other people for their up building encouragement and consolation
• Love never ends

POINTS FROM VIDEOS

• Every passionate person needs oxygen, in the same way every mission need the spirit of the consecrated person.
• What we do as consecrated person is not work but mission of God
• Jesus came for the cosmos
• The world has been wounded, human beings has to heal the wounds
• Young or old, man or woman, every one needs the mother’s love in times of sickness.

REFLECTION ON CHARISM

• Yes, we do recognize our own charism and try to do it by participating in the missions, apostolates of our congregation.
• We do not need to renounce the personal charism as long as it does not disturb the charism of the congregation. At times we need to be willing to renounce for the sake of the Congregation even it is painful.
• The charism of our group Communion, joy and collaboration

The charism of our community is, love and compassion.

The charism of our congregation, drawing strength from the Eucharist, compassionate love for the poor, educators of the faith, communion, all for the love of God with the mind and heart of Christ

Group-V

The main ideas of the class

1. The experience of the resurrection of Jesus implies a new conception of life.
2. The Holy Spirit is the presence of the father in our hearts.
3. To be the body of Jesus we need to humble ourselves.
4. Our mission should be for the up building, encouragement and consolation   for others.
5. In our day today activities, instead of asking God to help me, say to God may I help you.
6. Love is the core of our mission.

Messages from the videos

1. Creation is wounded by sin.
2. We don’t have mission, mission have us.
3. The world is a wonder, we are called to connect and collaborate.
4. We are called to heal the wounded world.
5. When everything goes, you experience the love which in in you.
6. Experience God as a mother, to be born again from the womb of God.

Charisms 

Charisms are the gift of the Holy Spirit. We discussed that each institution has a charism which is the charism of Jesus Christ. We are the instrument of his charism therefore we have taken a common charism for our group that is we are called to become the instrument of God’s love. Each one is gifted with a charism and we are called to manifest this charism for the common good.

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Sharing and Summary of February, 12.2018  (Post-grade)

The Important Insights from the Class (February, 12, 2018)

Fr. Joseph

1. The Spirit leads the Christian community in its fidelity to Jesus and to the mission.
2. The Father is the source of this power, Jesus received it as a gift-charism given to him through the Spirit.
3. Jesus shared his charismatic power with his disciples, making them his ministers and representatives, not superiors to other people, but humble servants of all.
4. According to St. Paul Church is one body with manifestations of the Spirit, called charisms.
5. The charisms have full meaning when they are converted to ecclesial ministries.
6. The organization of the early Church was influenced by two things; primarily it was answering the actual needs of the Christian Communities and it was following the models already present in their environment.
7. The one who has received the ministry received a certain rehabilitation, authority and power coming from spirit.
8. The father is the source of this power, Jesus received it as a gift charism given to him through spirit.
9. The power given to the community has only a function of service. It is not a power to dominate but to serve.
10. The objective of the power transmitted by Jesus to his disciples was for proclamation, rather than coordination, for evangelization rather than the government of the Christian community.

Fr. Martin

1. The inner structuring and organizing principle of the Christian communities are the charismatic gifts freely given by the Spirit.
2. The Church is constituted, not only by institutional structures, but also by a great variety of gifts/charisms that each person must activate for the building of the Church.
3. The idea of apostle is changing from the time of Jesus itself. According to Luke an apostle is those who collaborate with Jesus but Paul calls himself apostle and also his collaborators in the evangelization.
4. The source of power-exousia is God and the fullness of God’s power has been given only to the risen Jesus. Jesus shares this charismatic authority with his disciples to establish the Reign of God among people. It is prefiguration and foundation of a Church in which every believer is gifted with gifts from the Spirit and then, called to exercise a variety of ministries.
5. The objective of this power is for proclamation and evangelization rather than coordination and government of the Christian community.
6. When Church grew up simultaneously emerged group of responsible persons in each community for the smooth functioning.
7. According to St. Paul Church is one body with manifestations of the Spirit, called charisms.
8. The charisms have full meaning when they are converted to ecclesial ministries.
9. The organization of the early Church was influenced by two things; primarily it was answering the actual needs of the Christian Communities and it was following the models already present in their environment.
10. Ministry was important than those who did the ministry.

 Bro. Anand

1. The N.T is the source of everything is the charismatic figure of Jesus.
2. The N.T describes the power of Jesus with the word exousia.
3. After Vatican ii charism and ministries both are given gifts of the spirit.
4. All ministry given by the Lord must be interpreted from a pneumatological perspective.
5. The spirit leads the Christian community in its fidelity to Jesus and to the mission.
6. The one who has received the ministry received a certain rehabilitation, authority and power coming from spirit.
7. The father is the source of this power, Jesus received it as a gift charism given to him through spirit.
8. The ministry was understood at the beginning as the force power of the spirit at the service of the believing community.
9. The most important charism is love the only one able to make the body work out.
10. The presence of sprit was manifested in the assembly through a variety of charism.

Sr. Lalitha

1. Charisms and Ministries; both are gifts of the Spirit. Both are important in the Church.
2. The apostles received the same power that Jesus has received
3. The fullness of God’s power has been given only to the Risen Jesus (Mt 28:18)
4. The source of power-exousia is not Jesus, but God. Only after the resurrection of Jesus the power-exousia given to Him
5. God has given also power to the demon, but is subordinate to Him (Lk 2:53).
6. Jesus appeared as the “deacon” who came “not to be served but to serve and give his life for many” (Mt 10:42-45; Lk 22:25ff); Jesus appears as a man for others, as the one loving others more than himself;
7. The greatest among you must be the servant of all (Lk 22:26). The power of the disciples is totally oriented towards the establishment of the Reign of God among men, it is limited to the mission they have received.
8. There is a variety of Charisms, but the same Spirit, a variety of ministries, but the same Lord; a variety of activities but the same God who acts in all. The most important Charism is Love.
9. We as Christians are all Disciples of Christ.
10. The Apostles, bishops, presbyters must tend the flock of God the way Christ did; by being an image of the solicitude of the Lord Jesus to whom they are accountable (1Cor 3:10-17).

Sr. Selin

1. Vatican II affirms that the Church is constituted, not only by institutional structures, but also by a great variety of gifts/ charisms that each person must activate for the building of the Church.
2. According to Luke, an apostle is the one invested, with this category by Jesus and, also, those who collaborate with him.
3. The exousia is a hidden and invisible power, but able to dominate the world; it is not under the sign of arbitrariness, but Subject to the juridical or political order; it is a power which allows to grow, which saves; only God has this power in fullness (Lk 12:5; Rom 9:21).
4. The historical Jesus had powers against the demons, to forgive sins, to work miracles (Mk 2:5-12), Power to establish fraternal relations of love and reconciliation, Power to teach with authority, with a message directly from God (Mk 1:22, 27), unlike the rabbis who were just bearers of the tradition (Mt 11:27).
5. Jesus shared his charismatic authority with his disciples. He called, prepared and sent them to proclaim the Kingdom, heal the sick, expel demons and overcome death (Mk 6:7; Lk9:1; Mt 10:1). This transmission of power was not limited to the twelve; according to Luke, he chose another 72 disciples (Lk10:1-12).
6. The power given to the community has only a function of service. It is not a power to dominate but to serve.
7. The objective of the power transmitted by Jesus to his disciples was for proclamation, rather than coordination, for evangelization rather than the government of the Christian community.
8. In the communities of John, women occupied a very relevant place: the Samaritan, Martha, Mary and above all, Mary of Magdala, apostle of the apostles. The important value in these communities is not the investiture but the personal relation with Jesus.
9. The most important charism is love, the only one able to make the body work out.
10. Apostles, bishops, presbyters must tend the flock of God the way Christ did.

Bro. Rosaiah

1. This institution derives from the apostleship, instituted by Christ.
2. The apostles received the same power that Jesus has received.
3. It is said that the Spirit transmits the charism.
4. The Spirit who anointed him, communicated to him his transforming energy (Lk 4:18-21).
5. They discovered the charismatic and ministerial mission of each one of the believers, already anticipated in the pre-paschal community.
6. The Spirit leads the Christian community in its fidelity to Jesus and to the mission.
7. The Father is the source of this power, Jesus received it as a gift-charism given to him through the Spirit.
8. Jesus shared his charismatic power with his disciples, making them his ministers and representatives, not superiors to other people, but humble servants of all.
9. The important value in these communities ( Johnnie) is not the investiture but the personal relation with Jesus.
10. The one who has received the ministry, received a certain rehabilitation, authority and power coming from the Spirit.

Bro. Libin

1. The Primitive Church was aware of being convoked by the word of God, not by voluntary association.
2. The Church cannot exist without permanent ministries, but it can without charisms.
3. The Church is constituted, not only by institutional structures, but also by a great variety of gifts or charisms that each person must activate for the building of the Church.
4. According also to Luke, an apostle is the one invested with this category by Jesus and, also, those who collaborate with him.
5. Jesus charismatic gifts become ministries in favor of the people; he did not place himself over the others, as a presiding authority; on the contrary, it is a liberating power at the service of all, obedient up to death and death on the cross (Phil 2:6-8).
6. According to one of the parables of Jesus, power is given to the vigilant servants as a reward to their fidelity in the service (Mk 13:34).
7. Jesus corrected any ambition among his disciples: do not allow yourselves to be called teachers, lords, and fathers. The greatest among you must be the servant of all (Lk 22:26).
8. The presence of the Spirit was manifested in the assembly through a variety of charisms (1Cor 12:4-5). It was a dynamic consecration for the building up of others (1Cor 12:7), the building up of the Body of Christ which is the Church.
9. Another model was the agape and inclusive model of the communities of John. The central figure was the “beloved disciple;” his authority was founded on his love for Jesus.
10. For Paul, it is “only one Body under the primacy of the Spirit.”12 In this Body there are manifestations of the Spirit, called charisms, ministries and energies (1Cor 12:4-5): there is a variety of charisms, but the same Spirit; a variety of ministries, but the same Lord; a variety of activities, but the same God who acts in all.

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The Important Insights from the Class (14/02/2018)

Fr. Joseph

1. For Caesareus of Arles the Fundamental function of the ordained ministry is the Proclamation of the Word, they have to be the light and nourishment for the flock.
2. Basil says priest must teach first by being a living example of what he teaches.
3. Basil says a priest must be a messenger, a missionary, an itinerant preacher, approaching people with love and compassion.
4. For Caesareus, the primary function of the ordained ministers, especially bishops, was the proclamation of the Word: (Is 58:1); this ministry is a prophetic one, as the one of Isaiah, Ezekiel (3:18-20), Paul (Acts 20:31); the bishop must nourish the flock with the bread of the Word (2 Tim 4, 5). The bishops must be always alert and vigilant of their flock, caring for the vineyard of the Lord.
5. Another aspect of the Christian existence is stressed: those who believe in Jesus Christ.
6. There are many writings about martyrdom: the martyr is a witness of Christ in his sufferings and death, faithful to baptism; he is a sacrifice united to the one of Christ; he leaves everything for his faith.
7. The martyrs are witnesses of evangelical radicalism; they were the models for every believer; if eventually they will survive martyrdom, they were recognized to be in possession of a spiritual charism and did not need the imposition of hands to be presbyters or deacons; their martyrial confession gives them already the honor of becoming presbyters; the reward is to share for ever in the glory of Christ.
8. The ministry is a manifestation of love for Jesus, by doing what Jesus loves most: to care for his flock.
9. The priesthood is a celestial ministry, though it is carried out on earth. It demands great purity on those granted by the Spirit in this ministry.
10. The Eucharist is the great eschatological and celestial sacrifice of Christ, performed by the priests; from this celestial sacrifice comes their great dignity, which has not been given even to the angels.

Fr. Martin

1. The most important category of the process of organization of the church was to continue the role of the apostles and Clement of Rome emphasize it by telling the ministry of presbyters has its origin in the apostles.
2. According to Ignatius of Antioch the bishop represents Christ and the presbyters the apostles. For him, a Church without a bishop and presbyters is not a Church.
3. Pseudo-Dionysius distinguishes the order of initiators from order of initiated. He continued the admission to orders of the initiators takes place through the imposition of hands and they are closer to God.
4. The three things, which distinguishes the Christians from the rest of the world, are religion, piety to God and mutual relations of love.
5. Laity had a greater participation to form ecclesial structures up to the third century.
6. When Church grew in number presbyters in charge had direct contact with the people and the function of the bishop gradually developed according to the pattern of the imperial beurocracy.
7. Tertullian always tried to defend the rights of the laity and also supported for the voice of the laity would be recognized in the Church.
8. The ministry of priesthood is doing what Jesus loves most: to care for his flock and he has to fight against all the enemies of the flock: flesh, blood, powers, and spirits.
9. Priest must be in constant contact with the Lord, to be the light and salt of the earth and according to Basil the fundamental function of the ordained minister is the proclamation of the Word especially through his life witness.
10. According to St. Augustine, priests are supposed to live with one heart, one soul and everything in common, in great poverty and austerity.

Bro. Anand

1. Jesus was sent by the Father and he sent the apostles who established bishops and deacons, tested in the Spirit.
2. For Pastor Hermas, the Christian community was govern by Presbyterial College, together with deacons, apostles, prophets and doctors.
3. Ignatius speaks of the Christian communities governed by the Episkops. For him, a Church without a bishop and Presbyters is not Church.
4. Martyrdom is presented as one of the Fundamental aspect of the Christian existence.
5. The Bishops must be always alert and vigilant of their flock, caring for the vineyard of the Lord.
6. Christ is priest and victim He destroys sin.
7. Agustin was the one who tried to put together both forms of clerical and monastic life.
8. During the eight century the distinction separation between clergy and laity reached its fullness culture, habit, life style and Juridical privilege.
9. Basil says, in his moral rules and beautiful reflection, Priest must be a messenger a missionary and itinerant preacher, approaching people with love and compassion.
10. The important qualities of Priests are to reject glories, honors and dignities to live for the others to control their temper being gentle and caring for widows and virgins.

Sr. Lalitha

1. Ignatius of Antioch speaks of the Christian communities governed by the Episkopos. For him a church without a bishop and presbyters is not a church. Because the bishop represents Christ and the presbyters the apostles.
2. Martyr is a witness of Christ in his suffering and death, faithful to his baptism; he is a sacrifice united to the Christ, he leaves everything for his faith.
3. The Martyr does dot fight alone, God is their help.
4. The Martyr is the most perfect imitator of Christ; he is totally purified from sins in martyrdom.
5. The Martyrs are witnesses of evangelical radicalism; they were the models for every believer.
6. For Origin Christ is priest and victim, he destroys sin.
7. John Chrysostom dedicated one of his first writings to the Priesthood: he says for a presbyter, the ministry is a manifestation of love for Jesus, by doing what Jesus loves most: to care for his flock.
8. The presbyter manifests his love for Jesus not by fasting or praying, but by taking care of the flock.
9. The most important qualities of the priests are: to reject glories, honors and dignities; to live for others; to control their temper, being gentle and caring for widows and virgins.
10. All the Christian communities were born and Governed from the unitary principle of the Resurrection and Pentecost.

Sr. Selin

1. The ministry is understood as an apostolic succession and is becoming sacerdotalized, with specific reference to the cult and to the service to the community.
2. Though lay martyrs love everybody, they are unjustly persecuted; they are killed, and through that they receive a new life. They are poor, but they make many people rich. They are deprived, but they have everything. They do good to everybody, but they are punished as criminals. They are persecuted by the Jews and the Greeks, but none of them know the reason for their hatred.”
3. Martyrdom is presented as one of the fundamental aspects of the Christian existence.
4. Another aspect of the Christian existence is stressed: those who believe in Jesus Christ “are the soul of the world. Immersed in the world they open the world to transcendence and mystery, giving to the body of humanity consistency and peace.”35
5. The presbyter manifests his love for Jesus not by fasting or praying, but by taking care of the flock.
6. The style of care is not by force, but persuasion, gathering the scattered parts of the church
7. The most important qualities of the priests are: to reject glories, honours and dignities; to live for others; to control their temper, being gentle and caring for widows and virgins.6
8. The priest must teach first by being a living example of what he teaches (Reg 70, 10-11).
9. The bishop has to do only what cannot be done without him; other things should be done by the laity and clergy, as in the administration.
10. The priesthood is a celestial ministry, though it is carried out on earth. It demands great purity on those granted by the Lord.

Bro. Rosaiah 

1. For Irenaeus, the Christian communities are moved by the Spirit, however, there gradually emerged common structures for the local churches.
2. Hippolytus of Rome, at the beginning of third century, clearly states that the ministry of bishop is to be the successors of the apostles.
3. Martyrdom is presented as one of the fundamental aspects of the Christian existence.
4. The martyr is a witness of Christ in his sufferings and death, faithful to baptism; he is a sacrifice united to the one of Christ; he leaves everything for his faith.
5. The monks wanted to maintain their lay condition, because to become clergy meant to mingle in secular realities and to abandon the solitude; so they refused to receive the ordination.
6. The ministerial and charismatic concentration converted them in persons without ministry, without function.
7. Christian people felt themselves as the soul of the world, with a great spiritual dignity, far beyond their ministerial role in the Christian community, committed to radical discipleship up to martyrdom, which was the supreme manifestation of radical discipleship.
8. The ministries by designation are already present from the very beginning. The Gospel speaks of designations by Jesus. Acts and the letters of Paul speak often of these designations in the first Christian communities.
9. In the Trito-Paulinism it is clear that they were aware that this designation was accompanied by the grace of God.
10. For Augustine, the ordained ministry (bishops, presbyters and deacons) is connected with communion and poverty.

Bro. Libin

1. The letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians mentions the presbyters. This letter gives an explanation of the ecclesiastical ministries: Jesus was sent by the Father and He sent the Apostles who established bishops and deacons, tested in the Spirit.
2. Cyprian of Carthage attributed to the bishops the functions of priest and mediator between God and the community.
3. In the universe there are many levels of orders, from the highest to the lowest degree, according to the closeness to the source of life.
4. The orders of the initiators are considered priestly or sacerdotal ones; the admission to these orders takes place through the imposition of the hands; they are closer to God.
5. Christians have no specific language, customs, habitat, practices; they are not an alien race or a ghetto; their religion is universal; though a minority, they represent a universal society immanent to all the universe; though nothing distinguishes the Christians from the rest, however, they have something peculiar to them which is a sign that they belong to an invisible order.
6. However, there is something striking in the life style of the Christians: “Though they love everybody, they are unjustly persecuted; they are killed, and through that they receive a new life. They are poor, but they make many people rich. They are deprived, but they have everything. They do good to everybody, but they are punished as criminals. They are persecuted by the Jews and the Greeks, but none of them know the reason for their hatred.”
7. Those who believe in Jesus Christ “are the soul of the world. Immersed in the world they open the world to transcendence and mystery, giving to the body of humanity consistency and peace.”
8. In the Traditio Apostolica it is affirmed that martyrdom places the Christians who suffered it above any other function or ministry in the terrestrial Church: they are witnesses.
9. The martyr is a witness of Christ in his sufferings and death, faithful to baptism; he is a sacrifice united to the one of Christ; he leaves everything for his faith; he needs to be trained for martyrdom; the martyr does not fight alone, God is there helping; the martyr is the most perfect imitator of Christ.
10. Bishop of Hippo, St. Augustine wanted to have a monastery of clergy with him, with the fundamental goal of being a community of one heart, one soul and everything in common, as the community of Jerusalem

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The Important Insights from the Class (15/02/2018)

Fr. Joseph

1. Monastic life assumed celibacy as a radical life style in solitude or as a necessary requirement to live in communion—koinonía—without discrimination, as an expression of a total and absolute donation to God.
2. Monasticism emerged, as a radical way of Christian life; but, at the same time that it presented the ideal and utopia to which everybody was called, it gradually distantiated itself from the majority of the people of God and creates a new form of life, a new state, leaving behind, – though without their intention, the “form of lay Christian life.”
3. For Paul the great difference resides in the “before”and the “after” of Christian life, not between one Christian or another: “before enemies now reconciled (Rom 5:10); before slaves of sin now free from sin and servants of God” (Rom 6:22).
4. For Paul, the encounter with Jesus Christ and his Gospel transforms human life and gives to it a new meaning. We experience salvation and true life (Gal 3:28).
5. For Origen, the human being is a complex reality composed of spirit, body and soul, whose goal is to become according to the image of God.
6. The goal of Christian existence is to reach the Promised Land, which is a celestial pre-existent land.
7. There is only one moral or way of life for the Christians: the Gospels.
8. For Basil, monasticism is not the supreme form of Christian life in the Church; for him all the forms of Christian life in the Church are correlative and complementary.
9. A Christian derives himself from Christ. To say Christ is to say King. To say King means that Jesus is the supreme good containing in itself all other goods (justice, wisdom, goodness).
10. All Christians (not only the monks) are called to evangelical radicality: they have to live poverty, sharing the goods; they have to obey God’s commandments and they have to be chaste overcoming all passions.

Fr. Martin

1. Monasticism emerged as a radical way of Christian life to the response of Constantine’s massification of Christian faith.
2. According St. Paul Christianity means a transformation of human life with the encounter of Gospel and Jesus Christ to a new meaning.
3. According to Gregory of Nyssa, Christianity is the imitation of divine nature. Man can imitate it only because he is made in the image of God and Christianity helps to restore their primitive dignity. This will make everyone as perfect as Heavenly Father.
4. According to Athanasius, this perfection can be achieved through scriptures and Gregory of Nyssa adds this perfection is a continuous process.
5. According to Origen our soul has two tendencies: superior and inferior. Superior soul is created to the image of Word and inferior was added after the Fall.
6. Origen speaks of two kinds of Christians: the simple ones and the perfect ones. The simple ones have a elementary faith and knowledge of Jesus but the perfect ones are those who those who grown in deeper faith and knowledge, were able to discover the mystery of Christ in the Gospel.
7. Augustine together with Pacomius based his community life on Word of God and lifestyle of the Jerusalem Community – a community of one heart, one soul and everything in common.
8. According to Gregory of Nazianzen, every form of Christian life has the same fundamental dignity and he was not interested to give the title of perfection to a particular form of life.
9. According to St. Augustine monks are the ‘militia Christi’ who help Christ in the members who are poor and he continued by telling the same reward will be given to everyone.
10. In Benedictine Rule Christo-centrism is emphasized. Benedict places the monks in the hands of Christ and he taught monks to do anything to the other as if you are doing to Christ. 

Bro. Anand

1. Monastic life assumed celibacy as a radical life style in solitude on as a necessary requirement to live in communion-koinonia– without discrimination, as an expression of a total absolute donation to God.
2. Married persons and virgins shared faith, life and missionary activities without any institutionalization, classifications or differences.
3. For Paul, the encounter with Jesus and His Gospel transforms human life and gives to it a new meaning.
4. For Origen, the human being is a complex reality composed of Spirit, body and soul whose goal is to become according to the image of God.
5. Rational being go through three state: pre-existent, existence and Resurrection.
6. Christian existence is battle field between angels and demons, Christ and Satan.
7. All Christians are called to evangelical radicality they have to live poverty, sharing the goods, they have to obey God’s commandments and they have to be chaste overcoming all passions.
8. In a letter of young Basil his conversion, addressed to his friend Gregory Nazianzen, he describes as the liberation of the soul from the passion and destruction of this world and the way to discover God’s beauty within ourselves.
9. The Goal of the Koinonia for Pacomius was to reproduce the lifestyle of the first Christians “a community of one heart, one soul, and everything in common.”
10. For Augustine, the reason of being of monastic life of to imitate the lifestyle of the first Christian community of Jerusalem.

Sr. Lalitha

1. Monastic life assumed celibacy as a radical life style in solitude or as a necessary requirement to live in communion—koinonía.
2. The Fathers of the Church dedicated their lives to generate and nourish a high theological, spiritual and practical level of Christian life.
3. For Paul the great difference resides in the “before” and the “after” of Christian life, not between one Christian or another: “before enemies now reconciled (Rom 5:10); before slaves of sin now free from sin and servants of God” (Rom 6:22).
4. There is a rich plurality of gifts but only one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all (Eph 4:5).
5. For Origen the soul has two tendencies: one superior and the other inferior; the superior is pre-existent and was created to the image of the Word; it is the organ of a virtuous and moral life, of contemplation and prayer. The inferior is not pre-existent, but was added after the fall; it easily separates from the spirit attracted by the body.
6. In the Bible, every “going up” means a sort of spiritual ascension, and “going down” a relaxation.
7. According to Basil of Cesaria the Moral rule the starting point is penance (as Jesus and the Baptist), which demands a process of separation from anything contrary to God, love for God and mutual love, confession of faith, awareness of the gravity of judgment, obedience to God’s will and good works.
8. For Basil, All Christians (not only the monks) are called to evangelical radicalism: they have to live poverty, sharing the goods; they have to obey God’s commandments and they have to be chaste overcoming all passions.
9. Gregory if Nyssa says it is not enough that we call ourselves Christians, we must live out a life worthy of that name, not a hybrid life (virtues and vices).
10. For Pacumius the greatest sin was to become a motive of scandal for the brothers: ‘The one who is not at peace with the brother is not at peace with God.”

Sr. Selin

1. For Paul the great difference resides in the “before “and the “after” of Christian life, not between one Christian or another: “before enemies now reconciled (Rom 5:10); before slaves of sin now free from sin and servants of God” (Rom 6:22).and the encounter with Jesus Christ and his Gospel transforms human life and gives to it a new meaning.
2. According to origen spiritual combat is part of human existence, because the soul is between two poles of antagonist attraction: the spirit to lift her up and the earthly body to put her down.
3. For Basil, the double commandment of love (God and neighbour) is the basis of any evangelical ascetic process.
4. For Gregory there should be coherence between the name of Christian and the praxis of Christian life.
5. Pacomius passion was to make the Word of God the only rule of Christian life. So He was considered a personal sacrament of God.
6. The goal of the koinonía for Pacomius was to reproduce the lifestyle of the first Christians: “a community of one heart, one soul and everything in common.
7. For John Chrysostom the fundamental Christian rule is to love and serve others, and all the other austerities are secondary and useless.
8. Evagrius understood monastic life as a process of purification and of a return to paradise, to the authentic knowledge of God.
9. For Augustine, the reason of being of monastic life is to imitate the lifestyle of the first Christian community of Jerusalem: “a community of one heart and one soul, putting everything in common and being provided by the superior according to their respective needs.”75 The Holy Spirit played a fundamental role in building this anima una et cor unum among first Christian community.
10. For Benedict the monastery, which is presented as a school of divine service, a workshop of good works and house of God for prayer.

Bro. Rosaiah

1.  For Origen, the human being is a complex reality composed of spirit, body and soul, whose goal is to become according to the image of God.
2. The goal of Christian existence is to reach the Promised Land, which is a celestial pre-existent land.
3. For Basil, Love for God demands a radical renunciation to the world which rejects God’s commandments. Cenobitic life is ideal because it places together both loves: God and neighbour.
4. For Basil, the most important thing in the process is not penance but love, which has no limits.
5. Christianity is the imitation of divine nature. Man can imitate it because he is made in the image of God, and Christianity restores in people their primitive dignity.
6. All of them understood monastic Christian life as “a spiritual path/ itinerary” symbolically expressed by the “going further into the desert” ( Orient Fathers).
7. Athanasius presents the “Vita Antonii” as a journey, as an itinerary with different stages, not as a state, following the call from the Lord to leave behind everything and to follow Him.
8. His passion was to make the Word of God the only rule of Christian life (Pacomius).
9. Monks and laity are under the supreme commandment of love, though they live it out in a different way.

• Moses is presented as a model of virtuous life, always struggling for higher virtue. Virtue is perfect when it has no limitations or boundaries: “I do not claim to have achieved it yet, but I race forward and run towards the goal” (Phl 3:13).

Bro. Libin

1. The Fathers of the Church dedicated their lives to generate and nourish a high theological, spiritual and practical level of Christian life.
2. When Christian life was under the force of the charism and the only institutions were the family and the local Church, Christian life assumed different charismatic forms, living together among themselves with peace and with spontaneity.
3. Baptism symbolically marks the passage from one form or state of life to another.
4. Each member has his/her own function within the Body and this is the important matter: liberty within solidarity, integration through love into the only Body of Christ. There is a rich plurality of gifts but only one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all (Eph 4:5).
5. When Christian life is contemplated as collectivity or community, then, the Christian community is called holy assembly, priestly people, royal people (1Pt 2:7), Body of Christ (1Cor 12, 27), temple or sanctuary of God (1Cor 5).
6. The soul has two tendencies: one superior and the other inferior; the superior is pre-existent and was created to the image of the Word; it is the organ of a virtuous and moral life, of contemplation and prayer. The inferior is not pre-existent, but was added after the fall; it easily separates from the spirit attracted by the body.
7. Each person has received in the creation the sperm of God, which tends to form the image of the Son, Christ, within us. Through sin, the sperm of the devil is introduced within us and makes us sons of the devil.
8. Penance demands a process of separation from anything contrary to God, love for God and mutual love, confession of faith, awareness of the gravity of judgment, obedience to God’s will and good works.
9. Love for God demands a radical renunciation to the world which rejects God’s commandments.
10. For Basil, the most important thing in the process is not penance but love, which has no limits.

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The Important Insights from the Class (15/02/2018)

Fr. Joseph

1. Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, was proclaiming non-violence, condemned divorce and considered adultery a serious moral problem, but not a public crime punishable with death. His teaching about matrimony and celibacy were rather striking for the moral standards of his time.
2. Some religious traditions in the Roman Empire considered continence a source of spiritual fortitude and venerated the virgins as a source and symbol of spiritual power.
3. These groups influenced a new perception of matrimony beyond the civilian duty of generating children. Their ideal of marriage was the perfect union of body and souls, nourished by an atmosphere of mutual care, concern and, above all, friendship and communion of hearts.
4. In antiquity the family was a sort of religious institution. By marriage, the woman was incardinated to the religion of the new household with their own domestic liturgy-Institutionalization of matrimony.
5. From the Old Testament we can know even better and value the novelty of the thought and behavior of Jesus. When he was asked about marriage he said: at the beginning it was not like that. It is obvious that he was making a negative judgment on present history and giving a criterion for discernment in the future.
6. God demands from Jeremiah celibacy (Jer 16:2), to make him a symbol and image of Yahweh, alone, without a loving spouse, abandoned and betrayed by her.19 Though God has been abandoned He does not take another spouse, He is faithful.
7. The most important writing to understand the new developments of matrimony in this period is the book of the Song of Songs.22 It recuperated the tradition of Hosea. God manifests himself to the prostitute (wife and girlfriend at the same time) as Love. God is Love and where there is Love God is there. Love goes beyond death, then there is immortality.
8. The Spouse of the new People of God and of the eschatological wedding feast is Jesus of Nazareth. This will affect also the understanding of matrimony.
9. In the community of the new Covenant, baptism makes each one of the believers a sacred reality consecrated to God. Christian marriage is part of this new covenant.
10. The anthropology behind this new orientation is an optimistic one. All human beings are called to the new Covenant. The Christian becomes not an angel, but a “new man”, a “new woman.” The old human being must die. Everything is grace and there is hope for humanity in the “fullness of time” which has already arrived.

Fr. Martin

1. According to Plato the most important victory is victory over oneself and the worst downfall was to give in to one’s desires. – self control
2. In the Roman world, marriage was existed among the higher classes, in order to transfer the inheritance to the legitimate children.
3. In the book of Genesis matrimony is presented as a covenant of love not as a contract between families.
4. The relationship of Yahweh and Israelites was always compared to the relationship of marriage couples.
5. In the Christian community of the new covenant through baptism makes each one of the believers a sacred reality consecrated to God. Christian marriage is part of this new covenant.
6. According to St. Paul perfect continence is not viable for married couples because it will deprive the rights of the partner.
7. According to St. Paul everything good in this world is attuned with faith in Christ.
8. According to St. Paul each one has to choose their forms of life according to their own charism.
9. Paul enumerates celibacy/virginity helps one to be totally committed and dedicated to the Lord and His concerns without division.
10. In letter to Ephesians St. Paul is comparing the relation between husband and wife to the relation between Christ and Church.

 Bro. Anand

1. Matrimony is the first form which human life adopts: it overcomes solitude, flourishes in love and procreates new life.
2. For Plato and Aristotle, sexual pleasure was not bad; however, they considered it as a pleasure qualitatively inferior to others, because of its tendency to be abused given its intensity and attraction, thanks to which the perpetuation of the species is secured.
3. Matrimony, as an expression of God’s Covenant, acquires romanticism, intensity and passion.
4. God is Love and where there is Love God is there.
5. The prophet Malachi says that God is the witness of matrimony and consecrates it (Mal 2:14).
6. The primitive Christian community was aware of being a chosen people of God, “the faithful remnant,” “the true Israel.”
7. In the community of the new Covenant, baptism makes each one of the believers a sacred reality consecrated to God.
8. From the Old Testament we can know even better and value the novelty of the thought and behaviour of Jesus.
9. In the Hellenistic world, matrimony gradually entered into the public sphere and became a civic institution, with a public servant or a priest acting in the rituals, and the community sanctioning the marriage.
10. Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, was proclaiming non-violence, condemned divorce and considered adultery a serious moral problem, but not a public crime punishable with death.

Sr. Lalitha

1. Matrimony is the first form, which human life adopts. It overcomes solitude, flourishes, involves and procreates new life.
2. The most important victory was triumph over oneself, and the worst downfall was to give in to our desires. For this self-control is very necessary.
3. There are three phases of spiritualized and sacralised conception of matrimony. The first one defends the stability of matrimony as part of the covenant between God and his People: as the people belong to God, so the wife belongs to her husband.
4. In the second phase, matrimony, as an expression of the Covenant of God with his people, Covenant becomes a “covenant of love”;
5. In the third phase, matrimony, acquires a high degree of spiritualization. Love is celebrated in its immanence, transcendence and transparency.
6. Paul says, it is good to remain as a celibate/virgin; because 1) the present reality of the world is totally new 2) time is running out; 3) the order of this world is passing away; 4) celibacy/virginity helps one to be totally committed and dedicated to the Lord and His concerns, without division.
7. Paul says the relation with Jesus, the Lord, is the foundation of Christian experience for any form of life, married or celibate.
8. The Spouse of the new People of God and of the eschatological wedding feast is Jesus of Nazareth.
9. For those believing in the resurrection and the afterlife, chastity was considered as the first of the virtues, while lust or porneia was an abomination. Generative activity was dirty and was an obstacle to the experience.
10. The prophet Malachi says that God is the witness of matrimony and consecrates it (Mal 2:14).

Sr. Selin

1. For Plato and Aristotle the most important victory for them was triumph over oneself and the worst downfall was to give in to our desires. For this self-control was necessary the ascesis.
2. Their ideal of marriage was the perfect union of body and souls, nourished by an atmosphere of mutual care, concern and, above all, friendship and communion of hearts (Seneca, Plutarch, Musonius Rufus).
3. In the traditional narratives, especially in the Yahwistic source, we can detect a great appreciation for the role of the woman. God created the woman not to serve man, but to be complementary and to be one flesh together (Gn 2:18, 20).
4. First phase: stable matrimony, as symbol of the Covenant though God has been abandoned He does not take another spouse, He is faithful. It is to define God as the faithful Spouse of Israel is a tremendous development of the revelation which affects the conduct of Israel.
5. The second phase: Matrimony as representation of the Covenant matrimony, as an expression of the Covenant of God with his people, acquires more romanticism, intensity and passion. Covenant becomes a “covenant of love”; matrimony will start to be understood also as a covenant of love. (Deutero and Trito-Isaiah). Then, the monogamic, stable and faithful matrimony was the only one according to the Covenant.
6. Third phase: Matrimony and continence in the horizon of the resurrection that is faith in the resurrection relativized matrimonial fecundity and underlined the spiritual purity of the spouses and sexual continence as a better way of union with God.
7. Fourth phase: Christian novelty: Matrimony and Celibacy in the context of the New Covenant where no place for neither divorce nor adultery, and Something new in the new Covenant is that Jesus is presented and presents himself as the Spouse.
8. 1 Corinthians 7:17b-24 is the central axis of all the discernment .The only thing that really matters is the new eschatological life of communion with the Lord which can be lived out whether one is circumcised or uncircumcised, slave or free, married or single celibate.
9. The Yahwist source beautifully presents the order wanted by God: “God made man and woman for happiness in filial relation to God, equal between themselves and masters/administrators of creation. God made them for interpersonal communion and to procreate. This is the utopia of the origins
10. New possible way of life is a charism which anticipates the future, already present. For this reason he encourages the young unmarried people to welcome the gift and to answer with generosity. They could be a wonderful witness within the realities of this passing world.

Bro. Rosaiah

1. Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, was proclaiming non-violence, condemned divorce and considered adultery a serious moral problem, but not a public crime punishable with death. His teaching about matrimony and celibacy were rather striking for the moral standards of his time.-Greco-Roman Context.
2. The most important victory for them was triumph over oneself and the worst downfall was to give in to our desires.-For Plato and Aristotle.
3. Marriage was a private act of free persons. Matrimony only existed among the higher classes, in order to transfer the inheritance to the legitimate children. A poor man could marry a rich woman. This was a respectable way of acquiring wealth. But a poor woman was condemned to be just a concubine.-In the Roman World
4. The spousal love of God was the paradigm of the love of the spouses, which demands a monogamic, stable and faithful marriage-in the second phase
5. The hellenization of Judaism brought about a spiritual understanding of salvation. The belief in another world beyond the limitations and contradictions of this one generated an understanding that everything created was “separated from God,” was impure and non-sacred. Perfection was a gradual and low process of ascension toward the superior world.
6. Jesus speaks about celibacy (eunuch) because of the Reign of God. Matrimony and eunuchía or celibacy are gifts from God and possibilities in the Reign of God.
7. 1 Corinthians 7:17b-24 is the central axis of all the discernment. In it Paul affirms that Christian vocation does not change the legitimate state of life before the call.
8. To those young people committed to an imminent matrimony, Paul tells them to discern about their strength and if they have received the charism of the enkrateia for the building of the Church.
9. In the project of God, matrimony was called to be a representation of the mysterious union of Christ and his Church, God and His people. This new covenant is sealed by the blood of Christ.
10. The Yahwist source beautifully presents the order wanted by God: “God made man and woman for happiness in filial relation to God, equal between themselves and masters/administrators of creation. God made them for interpersonal communion and to procreate. This is the utopia of the origins.

Bro. Libin

1. The moral principles of the Greco-Roman world of the times of Jesus and the primitive Church were of sexual continence, moderation and self-control. They had a humane though secularized conception of matrimony.
2. For Plato and Aristotle, sexual pleasure was not bad; however, they considered it as a pleasure qualitatively inferior to others, because of its tendency to be abused given its intensity and attraction, thanks to which the perpetuation of the species is secured.
3. Enkrateia was the classical word to express the self-control in the use of pleasures, becoming the masters of all the wild forces of our desires. The most important victory for them was triumph over oneself and the worst downfall was to give in to our desires. For this self-control was necessary the ascesis.- Greco-Roman Context.
4. The slaves were able to go legally into marriage only in the 3rd century, as they have no patrimony to transfer to the descendants. Though through the sepulchral inscriptions we know marriages among the slaves, they exist earlier- In the Roman world,
5. In the traditional narratives, especially in the Yahwist source, we can detect a great appreciation for the role of the woman; matrimony is presented, not as a contract between families, but as a covenant of love.
6. The Yahwist source says that God created man and woman to be happy in Paradise demanding from them only obedience (Gn 2:17), and that God created the woman not to serve man, but to be complementary and to be one flesh together (Gn 2:18, 20).
7. Jeremiah becomes a living icon of God abandoned by his people. To define God as the Spouse of Israel is a tremendous development of the revelation which affects the conduct of Israel.
8. The spousal love of God was the paradigm of the love of the spouses, which demands a monogamic, stable and faithful marriage. Nehemiah, as the prophets, sacralized the marriage in the perspective of the covenant, but forced to keep the identity of the Jewish people as a nation after the exile, reduced this vision to the Israelite marriages, excommunicating the mixed ones-second phase, matrimony and continence in the horizon of the Resurrection.
9. An important group is the community of Qumran whose members considered themselves the chosen ones and some of whom practiced celibacy and prepared for the eschatological battle-third phase.
10. These are the arguments of Paul for perfect continence: to please the Lord, to care for the Lord and the things of the Lord; to be holy in body and soul; constant dealing with the Lord. Paul lives in perfect continence and he would like everyone to do the same (vv. 7-8). This is the ideal image of the Christian.

 

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