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The trinitarian christocentricity of the
Gospel message
99. The Word of God,
incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth, Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the Word of
the Father who speaks to the world through his Spirit. Jesus constantly refers
to the Father, of whom he knows he is the Only Son, and to the Holy Spirit, by
whom he knows he is anointed. He is ?the Way' that leads to the innermost
mystery of God. (318) The christocentricity of catechesis, in order of
its internal dynamic, leads to confession of faith in God, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
It is essentially a trinitarian
christocentricity. Christians, at Baptism, are configured to Christ, "One
of the Trinity", (319) and constituted "sons in the
Son", in communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Their faith is,
therefore, radically Trinitarian. "The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is
the central mystery of Christian faith and life". (320)
100. The trinitarian
christocentricity of the Gospel message leads catechesis to attend amongst
others, to the following points.
– The internal structure of catechesis:
every mode of presentation must always be christocentric-trinitarian:
"Through Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit". (321)
"If catechesis lacks these three elements or neglects their close
relationship, the Christian message can certainly lose its proper
character". (322)
– Following the pedagogy of Jesus in
revelation of the Father, of himself as the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, catechesis
shows the most intimate life of God, starting with his salvific works for the
good of humanity. (323) The works of God reveal who he is and the
mystery of his inner Being throws light on all of his works. It is analogous
with human relationships: people reveal themselves by their actions and, the
more deeply we know them, the better we understand what they do. (324)
– The presentation of the innermost being of
God, revealed by Jesus, the mystery of being one in essence and three in
Person, has vital implications for the lives of human beings. To confess belief
in one God means, that "man should not submit his personal freedom in an
absolute manner to any earthly power". (325) It also implies that
humanity, made in the image and likeness of God who is a "communion of
persons", is called to be a fraternal society, comprised of sons and
daughters of the same Father, and equal in personal dignity. (326) The
human and social implications of the Christian concept of God are immense. The
Church, in professing her faith in the Trinity and by proclaiming it to the
world, understands herself as "a people gathered together in the unity of
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit". (327)
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