Q. 151.  Why is it necessary to know God?  A. It is necessary to know God because without knowing Him we cannot love Him; and without loving Him we cannot be saved.  We should know Him because He is infinitely true; love Him because He is infinitely beautiful; and serve Him because He is infinitely good.

Q. 152. {7} Of which must we take more care, our soul or our body?  A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body.

Q. 153. {8} Why must we take more care of our soul than of our body?  A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body, because in losing our soul we lose God and everlasting happiness.

Q. 154. {9} What must we do to save our souls?  A. To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart.

Q. 155.  What does “worship” mean?  A.  “Worship” means to give divine honor by acts such as the offering of prayer or sacrifice.

Q. 156. {10} How shall we know the things which we are to believe?  A. We shall know the things which we are to believe from the Catholic Church, through which God speaks to us.

Q. 157.  What do we mean by the “Church, through which God speaks to us”?  A. By the “Church, through which God speaks to us,” we mean the “teaching Church”; that is, the Pope, Bishops, and priests, whose duty it is to instruct us in the truths and practices of our religion.

Q. 158. {11} Where shall we find the chief truths which the Church teaches?  A. We shall find the chief truths which the Church teaches in the Apostles’ Creed.

Q. 159.  If we shall find only the “chief truths” in the Apostles’ Creed, where shall we find the remaining truths?  A. We shall find the remaining truths of our Faith in the religious writings and preachings that have been sanctioned by the authority of the Church.

Q. 160.  Name some sacred truths not mentioned in the Apostles’ Creed.  A. In the Apostles’ Creed there is no mention of the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, nor of the Infallibility of the Pope, nor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nor of some other truths that we are bound to believe.

Q. 161. {12} Say the Apostles’ Creed.  A. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried.  He descended into hell:  the third day He arose again from the dead:  He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty:  from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

LESSON SECOND.  ON GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS.