Catechism of the Catholic Church

900

Glossary

of the Blessed Trinity is called Son of God in reference to the Eternal Father. The revelation of his divine sonship is the principal dramatic development of the story of Jesus of Nazareth (441-445). SON OF MAN: The title used by our Lord of himself in the Gospel. This title connotes a relationship with the eschatological figure of the “Son of man appearing in clouds and glory” in the prophecy of Daniel ( Mk 13:26; Dn 7:13) (440; cf. 661). SOUL: The spiritual principle of human beings. The soul is the subject of human consciousness and freedom; soul and body together form one unique human nature. Each human soul is individual and immortal, immediately created by God. The soul does not die with the body, from which it is separated by death, and with which it will be reunited in the final resurrection (363, 366; cf. 1703). STEALING/THEFT: Unjustly taking and keeping the property of another, against the reasonable will of the owner (2408). Stealing is a violation of the seventh commandment of God, “You shall not steal.” SUICIDE: The willful taking of one’s own life; a grievous sin against the fifth commandment. A human person is neither the author nor the supreme arbiter of his life, of which God is sovereign master (2280). SPIRIT: See Holy Spirit. SUNDAY: The “Lord’s Day,” the principal day of the week for the Eucharistic celebration of the Church. Each Sunday Mass

commemorates the resurrection of Christ on the first Easter Sunday, and is a reminder of the first day of creation for those who have become a “new creation in Christ” (1166, 2174, 2180). SUPERNATURAL: Surpassing the power of created beings; a result of God’s gracious initiative. Our vocation to eternal life is supernatural (1998; cf. 1722). SUPERSTITION: The attribution of a kind of magical power to certain practices or objects, like charms or omens. Reliance on such power, rather than on trust in God, constitutes an offense against the honor due to God alone, as required by the first commandment (2110). SYNOD: A meeting of bishops of an ecclesiastical province or patriarchate (or even from the whole world, e.g., Synod of Bishops) to discuss the doctrinal and pastoral needs of the church. A diocesan synod is an assembly of priests and other members of Christ’s faithful who assist the bishop by offering advice about the needs of the diocese and by proposing legislation for him to enact (887, 911). The words “synod” and “council” are sometimes used interchangeably. TABERNACLE: The receptacle in the church in which the consecrated Eucharist is reserved for Communion for the sick and dying. Reservation of the Eucharist in the tabernacle lends itself to private devotional visits and adoration of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament by the faithful (1183, 1379). -T