Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep in perfect peace those

whose minds are steadfast, because

they trust in you.”

 Deuteronomy 31:8

“The LORD himself goes before you and will

be with you; he will never leave you nor

forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be

discouraged.”
 Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls.”
 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is

made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more

gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on

me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in

insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am

weak, then I am strong.

 Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for
you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not
to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.
 Our Catholic Faith
Living What We Believe
CHAPTER 1
Our Loving God: Father and Creator
🕆 One, True God
🕆 Beliefs about God
🕆 Divine Revelation
🕆 Who Is God?
🕆 Creator of Heaven and Earth
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
One, True God
We need never fear the journey if we realize that
God is our Father, a loving Father, and that he
is in charge, directing us to our destination.

Belief in one true God is central to all other

aspects of our Catholic faith.
The heavens declare
the glory of God;
the sky proclaims its
builder’s craft.
Psalm 19:2
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Beliefs about God
Few questions are more important than the
question of God’s existence.

Through history, the vast majority

of people have worshiped
some kind of deity.
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Beliefs about God
Monotheistic religions Polytheistic religion
Judaism Hinduism
Christianity
Islam

mono – one
theos – God
poly – many
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Beliefs about God

• Deists – believe that God created the

universe, but that he takes no further
interest in it
• Atheists – do not believe in the existence
of God
• Secular humanists – claim the world can
operate without any recourse to God
• Agnostics – people who claim that God’s
existence cannot be known
Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Beliefs about God

By natural reason man can know God with

certainty, on the basis of his works. But there
is another order of knowledge, which man
cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers:
the order of divine Revelation. Through an
utterly free decision, God has revealed himself
and given himself to man. This he does by
revealing the mystery, his plan of loving
goodness, formed from all eternity in Christ,
for the benefit of all men. God has fully
revealed this plan by sending us his beloved
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Beliefs about God
Intellectual Proofs for God’s Existence
1. The Unmoved Mover – whatever is in motion must be
moved by something else
2. First Cause – nothing causes itself
3. Everything Comes from Something – “nothing”
cannot create “something”
4. Supreme Model – we can only speak of different
degrees of qualities (truth, beauty, goodness) by
comparing them to a reference point
5. Grand Designer – the beauty, immensity, symmetry,
and power in the world forces us to conclude that a
Grand Designer made it all
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Beliefs about God
Heartfelt Proofs for God’s Existence
1. An unquenchable thirst for joy and happiness – God
implanted a homing device that causes us to be
restless until we find him
2. An experience of beauty and truth – when we
experience profound joy and truth, we get a taste of
God’s beauty and truth
3. A sense of personal conscience, moral goodness,
and justice – we sense there is an absolute moral
authority that teaches the standard of human
behavior
4. Love – love comes from love itself: God
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Divine Revelation
Divine Revelation – God’s self-revelation

Human Salvation Covenant

Reason History
Noah
Bible Abraham

Sinai

Jesus Christ
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Divine Revelation
The Deposit of Faith
► entrusted by Christ to the Apostles

Sacred Scripture Sacred Tradition

divinely inspired the living “handing
writings on” of the Church’s
Gospel message
Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Divine Revelation

Sacred
Christ The Apostles
Tradition
&
Sacred Magisterium
Scripture Pope & bishops

dogma
central truths
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Who Is God?
Personal
Omnipresent Omnipotent
everywhere almighty
Immutable
unchanging
Utterly
simple Contains
Yahweh
all
“I Am” things
Infinite
Unique
Holy
Immense
Eternal
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Who Is God?
The Blessed Trinity

Father

God
Holy
Son
Spirit
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Creator of Heaven and Earth

Truths about God’s creation:

• God freely created an orderly and good
world out of nothing.
• God is totally beyond us. At the same
time, God is present to us, upholding and
sustaining creation.
• God guides creation through divine
providence.
• God created human beings in his
image and likeness.
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Creator of Heaven and Earth

Truths about God’s creation:

• God created us male and female out of
love and for love.
• God is the creator of all that is seen and
unseen.
• Though essentially good because God
made us, humans are tainted with sin.
• Through Jesus Christ and the power of
the Holy Spirit, God invites us into a
personal relationship with him.
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Creator of Heaven and Earth
The Fall and Original Sin
Adam misuse of freedom
Original
& Eve disobedience Sin

☠ Loss of Original Holiness and

Justice
☠ Disunity between God and their
descendants
☠ Disharmony between nature and
humans
☠ Alienation from each other
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Creator of Heaven and Earth
Our fallen human nature:
▪ Ignorance
▪ Suffering
▪ Concupiscence
▪ Death
Liberation from Original Sin:
▪ Only through Jesus Christ
▪ Baptism
▪ Constant help of Holy Spirit
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator
Creator of Heaven and Earth

The rewards for those who believe in the

one, true God:
1. We come to knowledge of God’s
greatness and his love for us – God
loves us unconditionally
2. Our life has meaning – we have dignity
and should care for one another
3. God will always care for us –
God will not abandon us when we sin
 Chapter 1 Our Loving God: Father and Creator

The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

In green pastures you let me graze;
to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength.
Psalm 23

You guide me along the right path

for the sake of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley,
I fear no harm, for you are at my side;
your rod and your staff give me courage.
You set a table before me as my enemies watch;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
 Activity #1
Write a reflection about your
personal encounter with God and
how your faith strengthened by this
experience.

Min. of 5 sentences not exceeding to

2 paragraphs. (convert to PDF)