In the Paschal Mystery, Jesus Christ Accomplishes Our Salvation.
What is The Paschal Mystery?
The words "Paschal Mystery" refer to the all the events by which Jesus accomplished our salvation: his passion, crucifixion, death, burial, descent into hell, resurrection and ascension.
Why Did Humanity Need to be Saved?
1. Human beings were divided from God by original sin and
personal sin.
a) The first man and woman ("Adam and Eve") were created in a condition of "original justice" and unity with God. They possessed grace. (Grace is a sharing in the life of God.)
b) Adam and Eve committed the first sin against God – the "original sin." Because of their sin, Adam and Eve lost the gift of grace, and would eventually die.
c) Everyone (except Jesus and Mary) commits personal sins, either mortal or venial. "Personal sin" is any sin that a human being commits. They further divide us from God.
2. In order for God and mankind to be united again, the evil of sin (original and personal) would have to be repaired. However, no human being was capable of doing this.
How Did Jesus Save Us?
1. In order to save us from sin, God the Son became man (the incarnation).
Because he is true man, Jesus can act on behalf of all humanity.
Because he is true God, whatever Jesus does has an infinite value.
2. Jesus suffered and died to atone or make satisfaction for original and personal sin.
Jesus freely offered his suffering and death to God the Father. This sacrifice was a perfect act of love and obedience.
Because Jesus was true man, he could make this offering for the sins of the whole human race.
Because Jesus is a divine person (the Son), his offering had infinite value. It was far more than what was needed to make up for the sins of humanity, original and personal.
We say then, that the sacrifice of Jesus atones or makes satisfaction for sin.
- To atone:
to put God and mankind "at one" by making up for the sins that divided us.
- To make satisfaction:
to give something which makes up for an offense; to do something good that compensates for the evil done.
"He properly atones for an offense who offers something which the offended one loves as well as or even more than he detests the offense. But by suffering out of love and obedience, Christ gave more to God than was required to compensate for the offense of the whole human race." St. Thomas Aquinas
3. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection merited justification, grace and eternal life for us.
Jesus’ sacrifice was of such great value, it not only made satisfaction for the offense of sin, but won (merited) for us justification, grace and eternal life.
To merit: to win a reward by doing something good.
Baptism gives us justification, grace, and eternal life.
Through baptism we receive the gifts of justification, grace, and eternal life that Jesus won for all humanity.
We will still suffer some of the effects of original sin: sickness, death, concupiscence, darkness of intellect, weakness of will.
However, God’s grace helps us prevail over these things. It gives us courage in sickness and suffering, the promise life after death, faith to enlighten our minds, and strength of will to help us fight concupiscence.
Our bodies will be raised and glorified when Jesus comes again. In heaven we will have far greater gifts than Adam and Eve had lost!