Q. 320.  What do we mean by the “gates of heaven”?  A. By the “gates of heaven” we mean the divine power by which God keeps us out of heaven or admits us into it, at His pleasure.

Q. 321. {61} Who is the Redeemer? 
A. Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of mankind.

Q. 322.  What does the name “Jesus” signify and how was this name given to Our Lord?  A. The name “Jesus” signifies Saviour or Redeemer, and this name was given to Our Lord by an Angel who appeared to Joseph and said:  “Mary shall bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus.”

Q. 323.  What does the name “Christ” signify?  A. The name “Christ” means the same as Messias, and signifies Anointed; because, as in the Old Law, Prophets, High Priests and Kings were anointed with oil; so Jesus, the Great Prophet, High Priest and King of the New Law, was anointed as man with the fullness of divine power.

Q. 324.  How did Christ show and prove His divine power?  A. Christ showed and proved His divine power chiefly by His miracles, which are extraordinary works that can be performed only by power received from God, and which have, therefore, His sanction and authority.

Q. 325.  What, then, did the miracles of Jesus Christ prove?  A. The miracles of Jesus Christ proved that whatever He said was true, and that when He declared Himself to be the Son of God He really was what He claimed to be.

Q. 326.  Could not men have been deceived in the miracles of Christ?  A. Men could not have been deceived in the miracles of Christ because they were performed in the most open manner and usually in the presence of great multitudes of people, among whom were many of Christ’s enemies, ever ready to expose any deceit.  And if Christ performed no real miracles, how, then, could He have converted the world and have persuaded sinful men to give up what they loved and do the difficult things that the Christian religion imposes?

Q. 327.  Could not false accounts of these miracles have been written after the death of Our Lord?  A. False accounts of these miracles could not have been written after the death of Our Lord; for then neither His friends nor His enemies would have believed them without proof.  Moreover, the enemies of Christ did not deny the miracles, but tried to explain them by attributing them to the power of the devil or other causes.  Again, the Apostles and the Evangelists who wrote the accounts suffered death to testify their belief in the words and works of Our Lord.

Q. 328.  Did Jesus Christ die to redeem all men of every age and race without exception?  A. Jesus Christ died to redeem all men of every age and race without exception; and every person born into the world should share in His merits, without which no one can be saved.

Q. 329.  How are the merits of Jesus Christ applied to our souls?  A. The merits of Jesus Christ are applied to our souls through the Sacraments, and especially through Baptism and Penance, which restore us to the friendship of God.