1. The Second Letter of St. Peter To the Christians

2. Who Is the Author? Peter the Apostle and first pope? God? Does it matter?

3. When Was It Written? Peter died in 67 A.D. Does it matter?

4. We Can Overcome Temptation CCC 1811 It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to maintain moral balance. Christ's gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues. Everyone should always ask for this grace of light and strength, frequent the sacraments, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and follow his calls to love what is good and shun evil.

5. We Can Overcome Temptation CCC 1812 The human virtues are rooted in the theological virtues, which adapt man's faculties for participation in the divine nature: for the theological virtues relate directly to God. They dispose Christians to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. They have the One and Triune God for their origin, motive, and object.

6. We Can Overcome Temptation CCC 1813 The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and give life to all the moral virtues. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being. There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.

7. Supplement … Your Faith with virtue Virtue with knowledge Knowledge with self-control Self-control with steadfastness Steadfastness with godliness Godliness with brotherly affection Brotherly affection with love.

8. Supplement … without virtue, knowledge, self- control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love… YOU ARE BLIND AND SHORTSIGHTED! With them, you will be EFFECTIVE AND FRUITFUL!

9. We Are Reminded Peter intends to remind us of these things. Don’t we all need to be reminded often? Is that not why we read Holy Scripture? Is that not why we are here?

10. Interpretation of Prophecy “…no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” NAB: there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God.

11. Questions What is the main theme of Peter’s Second Letter? How does Peter use the word “moved” in 1:21? How can we know that what we read or hear about Prophecy in Holy Scriptures has been properly interpreted? How do we know that Peter is an authority to whom we must listen?