St. Edmund Campion Catechism Group - Series 2 Lesson 21

Titles of Christ

1. Introduction:
   
   
   
   - Faith: Faith is the supernatural virtue which renders the intellect entirely obedient to the will when God reveals a truth, because of the authority of God revealing.
   
   - Reason: The act by which the conclusion of a demonstration is reached.
   
   - Knowledge of God: We can know God by faith and reason.
   
      - Divine Revelation (Scripture and Tradition) is the source of the knowledge of God by faith.
   
      - Observation of the natural world gives us knowledge of God by reason.
   
      - Theology (Divine Revelation unpacked by reason) gives us knowledge of God by both faith and reason.
   
    - Nature of God: God is defined as ipse esse subsistens (subsistent being existing of Himself) or Actus Purus (Pure Act). God is in potential to nothing because He is everything: "I am Who am."
   
    - The Holy Trinity: the term used to express the central doctrine on the Christian religion: the truth that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, these Three Persons being truly distinct from one another. There is one being, with one nature and there are Three Persons.
   
    - The Person of Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. The hypostasis is Jesus Christ which bears the Divine Nature (as do the Father and the Holy Ghost), and also a human nature. 
   
    

2. The Incarnation
   
   To the Jews, the name of God has was whispered in the Holy of Holies of the Temple only once a year by the high priest; to others it was forbidden. God was a spirit to be respected and feared. By becoming Man, God revealed Himself so that we might know Him. The names and titles we give to God as One and God as Three Persons refelct the knowledge we have of Him.

3. Many Titles of Christ
   
   Each title reveals something about the perfections of Jesus,
   
   
   
   -  The Litany of the Holy Name
   
   -  Handel's Messiah, For unto us a child is born

   For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. (Is 9:6)

4. Christ
   
   Christ is the "Annointed One", the King, the Prophet and the Priest.
   
   
   
   And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people, and the chief priests and scribes, came together; and they brought him into their council, saying: If thou be the Christ, tell us.  And he saith to them: If I shall tell you, you will not believe me. And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go.  But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God.  Then said they all: Art thou then the Son of God? Who said: You say that I am. And they said: What need we any further testimony? for we ourselves have heard it from his own mouth. (Lk 22:66-71)

5. Christ the King
   
   - Handel's Messiah, Alleluia Chorus: King of Kings and Lord of Lords
   
   
   
   For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. (Apoc 19:6)
   
   
   
   And the seventh angel sounded the trumpet: and there were great voices in heaven, saying: The kingdom of this world is become our Lord's and his Christ's, and he shall reign for ever and ever. Amen. (Apoc 11:15)
   
   
   
   And he hath on his garment, and on his thigh written: KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Apoc 19:16)
   
   
   
   The standard of Christ the King:
   
    -  Source of Kingship: He is our Creator and Redeemer
   
    -  Office of King: He is the Law Maker, Judge and Executor (to reward and punish)

6. Christ the Prophet
   
   Why did Jesus become man? To redeem us from sin and hell and to teach us the way to heaven. The gospels are not just the historical account of the Redemption of man by Christ's sacrifice, they are full of the teachings of Christ. The same is true of all the books of the New Testament in which Christ teaches through the medium of His apostles. A prophet does not only announce future events, but primarily teaches the truth.

7. Christ the Priest
   
   Christ is the only priest of the New Testament. Those who receive Holy Orders are ordained to His priesthood. We say that they sacramantally participate in the priesthood of Christ so that they become "other Christs". In effect, they become instruments of Christ so that He offers the Divine Sacrifice through His ordained priests.
   
   
   
   By analogy, there is the priesthood of the faithful too. The faithful participate in the priesthood of Christ when they unite their hearts and minds with Christ as He offers Himself to the Father, principally at the Mass, but in any sacrifice that we make.