532. Which mysteries of Christ’s life does the Creed contain? (CCC 512) The Creed contains:
1. the mysteries of the Incarnation: conception, birth
2. the Paschal mystery: Passion, crucifixion, death, burial, descent into hell, Resurrection, Ascension.

533. Why was Christ’s whole life a mystery? (CCC 515) Christ’s whole life was a mystery, because what was visible in it leads to the invisible mystery of His Divine Sonship.

534. How is redemption at work throughout Christ’s entire life? (CCC 517) Redemption is at work throughout Christ’s entire life:
1. in His Incarnation: Christ becomes poor and makes us rich
2. in His hidden life: Christ is obedient and atones for our disobedience
3. in His word: Christ purifies the hearers
4. in His death and Resurrection: Christ works justification.

535. How does St Irenaeus explain Christ’s life as a mystery of recapitulation? (CCC 518) St Irenaeus († 200) explains Christ’s life as a mystery of recapitulation by saying that the incarnate Christ:
1. recapitulated (“summed up”) in Himself the long history of mankind
2. procured for us a ‘short cut’ to salvation.
St Irenaeus of Lyons (France) is one of the early Church Fathers.

536. How does Christ enable us to live in Him all that He Himself lived? (CCC 521) Christ enables us to live in Him all that He Himself lived by incorporating us into His Body, the Church.

537. What are the main events of Jesus’ infancy and hidden life? (CCC 522-534) The main events of Jesus’ infancy and hidden life are:
1. four of the infancy: Circumcision, Epiphany, Presentation and Flight into Egypt
2. one of Christ’s hidden life: the Finding in the temple.

538. Who is the forerunner of Christ? (CCC 523) The forerunner of Christ is St John the Baptist.

539. Why is Christmas the mystery of the “marvellous exchange”? (CCC 526) Christmas is the mystery of the “marvellous exchange”, because at Christmas Christ humbled Himself to share in our humanity, that we might come to share in His divinity.

540. What are the four main events of Christ’s infancy? (CCC 527-530) The four main events of Christ’s infancy are:
1. the Circumcision
2. the Epiphany
3. the Presentation in the temple
4. the Flight into Egypt.

541. What does Jesus’ circumcision signify? (CCC 527) Jesus’ circumcision signifies His incorporation into Abraham’s descendants and His submission to the Law.

542. What three events does the feast of the Epiphany celebrate? (CCC 528) The feast of the Epiphany celebrates:
1. the coming of the magi
2. Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan
3. the wedding feast at Cana.

543. What do the magi signify? (CCC 528) The magi signify the first fruits of the pagans who welcome the Gospel.

544. What does Christ’s Presentation in the temple manifest? (CCC 529) Christ’s Presentation in the temple manifests Him as the first-born Son who belongs to God.
Ex 13,11-12: “When the Lord has brought you into the land (…), you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the first-born of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s.”

545. What does the Flight into Egypt in Mt 2 manifest? (CCC 530) The Flight into Egypt in Mt 2 manifests that Christ came to His own home and His own people did not receive Him.

546. What is the only mystery that breaks the silence of Christ’s hidden years? (CCC 534) The only mystery that breaks the silence of Christ’s hidden years is His Finding in the temple.

547. What does the Finding in the Temple reveal? (CCC 534) The Finding in the Temple reveals Christ’s Divine Sonship and the mission flowing from it.
Christ to His parents: “Did you not know that I must be in what belongs to my Father” (Lk 2)?

548. Which are the main events of Jesus’ public life? (CCC 535-560) The main events of Jesus’ public life are eight:
1. the Baptism
2. the temptations
3. the proclamation of God’s Kingdom
4. the miracles of Christ
5. the entrustment of the keys of the Kingdom
6. the Transfiguration
7. the ascent to Jerusalem
8. the messianic entry into Jerusalem.

549. How does Christ’s public life begin? (CCC 535) Christ’s public life begins with His Baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan.

550. What does His Baptism mean for Christ? (CCC 536) For Christ His Baptism means:
1. the inauguration of His mission as God’s suffering Servant
2. the allowance to be numbered among sinners
3. the anticipation of His bloody death
4. the submission to His Father’s will.

551. Where does Christ go after His Baptism and what happens there? (CCC 538) After His Baptism Christ goes into the desert where:
1. He fasts for forty days
2. He is tempted by the Devil three times.

552. Why does Christ’s faithfulness in the temptations show that He is the New Adam? (CCC 539) Christ’s faithfulness in the temptations shows that He is the New Adam, because Christ, the New Adam, remained faithful in three temptations, while the old Adam gave in after one.

553. What liturgical practice reflects Christ’s time in the desert? (CCC 539) The liturgical practice of the forty days of Lent reflects Christ’s time in the desert.

554. In which words does Christ begin to preach the kingdom of God? (CCC 541) Christ begins to preach the kingdom of God in the words: “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1).

555. Who is invited into the Kingdom of God? (CCC 544-545) Everyone is invited into the Kingdom of God but especially the poor and the sinners.

556. What are the signs of the Kingdom wrought by Christ? (CCC 547) The signs of the Kingdom wrought by Christ are His miracles.

557. Why did Christ appoint His apostles? (CCC 551) Christ appointed His apostles:
1. to have them participate in His mission
2. to give them a share in His authority.

558. Why does St Peter hold the first place among the Twelve? (CCC 552-553) St Peter holds the first place among the Twelve, because:
1. he confessed Jesus as the Messiah
2. he received from Christ the “power of the keys”, the authority to govern the Church.
In Mt 16 Christ says to St Peter: “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.”

559. What does the Transfiguration manifest? (CCC 554-555) The Transfiguration manifests for a moment Christ’s divine glory and His imminent passion.
The Transfiguration shows Jesus’ face and clothes dazzling white and Moses and Elijah speaking to Him (Mt 17).

560. Why did Christ go up to Jerusalem? (CCC 557) Christ went up to Jerusalem in order to die willingly a violent death.

561. What does Christ do when Jerusalem comes into view on His way to it? (CCC 558) When Jerusalem comes into view on His way to it, Christ weeps over the city (Lk 19).

562. How is Christ acclaimed at His messianic entrance into Jerusalem? (CCC 559) At His messianic entrance into Jerusalem Christ is acclaimed with the words: “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”

563. When is Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem commemorated liturgically? (CCC 560) Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem is commemorated liturgically on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday.