I Believe [Apostle's Creed]

CatholicExchange. com ^ | 10-04-06 | Mickey Addison

[Salvation]

by Mickey Addison

Other Articles by Mickey Addison

I Believe

10/04/06

We begin each rosary with the words, "I believe," the first words of the Apostle's Creed. It is our "statement of faith," one that is more written on our hearts rather than in a book.

To “believe" is something more than "guess" and something slightly less than "know." In fact, the first dictionary definition of "believe" is to "have confidence." This, of course, describes our Catholic faith quite precisely. We have great confidence in our Lord and His Church, and we have a number of good reasons for this confidence.

We have confidence because we have been taught by someone with authority to teach. The Christian faith is not a "religion of the book," that is, not based strictly on the Sacred Scriptures. Surely the Bible informs and strengthens our faith because it is the Word of God, but our Lord didn't flip an armload of scrolls to His disciples and tell them to figure it out for themselves. St. Paul enjoins his priests to “stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours (2 Thes 2:15). The Apostles were eyewitnesses to the inauguration of the Kingdom of God, and their successors had confidence in them. Because of the unbroken line of bishops succeeding the Apostles, we can maintain this confidence through their faith, thereby strengthening our own and opening our hearts to the working of the Spirit.

Our confidence is confirmed in the revelation of what we see around us. When I was stationed in Hawaii, I was mesmerized by the deep Pacific skies. I could sit for hours and stare out into space, marveling at the vastness of the cosmos yet completely aware that the same Creator Who willed this vast ocean of stars into being was not distant, but near. This nearness was underscored by the unpretentious complexity of the living things around me, and the decidedly un-complex love I shared with my family. Both the unimaginable yet obvious order to the universe, and the indescribable but delightful bond with my loved ones, speaks of a God both awesome and close.

It must be plain, even to the most hardened atheist, that there is something greater than what our mere senses detect. Even Carl Sagan, the famous cosmologist, couldn't reject God altogether; he acknowledged that there was "something" out there that numbers and theory couldn't quantify.

We can also have confidence in our own experience as humans who encounter the Living God in person. As Catholics, we have the tremendous privilege of approaching God in word and sacrament. Inviting Jesus into our hearts and accepting Him as Lord and Savior is powerful, but it pales in comparison to a physical encounter with our Risen Lord in the Eucharist. In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we can see Him, touch Him, speak to Him, and incorporate Him physically within us just as we open our hearts to invite Him in. Our worship is spirit and body, as is Christ. The confidence born of what we see and hear and taste open our hearts to the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit, Who in turn conforms us to Christ; it is Christ Who presents us to the Father.

None of this is possible without God reaching for us, for as St. Paul writes in his Epistle to the Philippians: “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." In the Catechism this search for God and His call to us is described as written on our hearts by our Creator:

The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to Himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for. The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his Creator. (#27)

With the reason He has given us, coupled with the very "God-shape" of our human hearts, God tends the garden of our faith. Through the Church, we have a teacher in whom we can have confidence. With our hearts and our hands we can accept Christ, literally taking Him inside our own bodies in the Eucharist. Our faith is a very gift from God and our hearts a vessel for His love.

It is through the assurance born of these remarkable graces that we can confidently proclaim, “Credo,” I believe.

© Copyright 2006 Catholic Exchange


Mickey Addison is a career military officer, and has been a catechist at the parish level since 2000. He and his wife have been married for 19 years and they have two children. He can be reached at addisoncrew@gmail.com.

This article was previously published on the Rosary Army’s website and is used by permission.

[Jaysun]

Actually, Jaysun, it might be the Christian thing for you to just send him a FReepmail with an apology and leave the thread. Please.

And I've done so. Thanks. And sorry to those who I've upset.

[Religion Moderator]

Except for newbies and articles, I don't even look at the theology of the posters only the phrasing of their posts.

[Iscool]

When did I say that?

You didn't say anything...I was only responding to what the author of the article said...

[Iscool]

but IMO it seems the Catholics on a Catholic thread who feel that low blows are being made and respond to and about the offenders's behavior are the ones that seem to get the "Knock it off" and "Don't make it personal" admonishment the most.

It seems (to me) that when a non-Catholic disagrees with the theology of the Catholic church, some of you folks take it personally and are at times a little over zealous with your defense...And just for the record, I have received the same warnings that you have...

[Running On Empty]

It would be interesting to know how many warnings you have received on a Catholic discussion thread and how many warnings Conservative Til I Die has received on a Protestant discussion thread.

[Iscool]

I got all I deserved...

[Global2010]

Simply Amazing that you have been posting threads that are hand in hand with my schooling.

Miracle. JMO

[Global2010]

Nicene Creed which says "we" is now so out of works.

Apostle Creed Stands.

[Global2010]

You are very wrong.

My best advice to you is take an adult Catechism class and then repeat your post.

You are way off base, no one worships Mary.

Did you know Mary was born with out original sin?
Immaculate Conception.
We all have original sin but Mary was born without as a perfect vessel for Immaculate Conception.
Jesus.
I would suggest you study to start the 12 Articles of the Apostles Creed.

Before you speak try taking an Adult Class in Catechism.
Next time you ask your friend to Pray for you ponder it.
Why not just ask Jesus?
End....

[Global2010]

Thank You Sal for your gracious post.

[Global2010]

Also the truth is God does not need his Angels to touch, as when the Angel came to Mary.

What Our Holy God who loves/loved us first enjoys using his sweet angels.
Nope he does not need to but just as we gleem on the morning due so the Lord finds all pleasing to his gift to us ....Love of his Creation...I knew you when you were in the womb..

[Global2010]

Can I make 1 suggestion.
If you want to debate Catholic 2006 yrs of teachings PLEASE take 1 yr of Adult Catechism in a Roman Catholic Church.

I did and it's like whoah.
It Rocks.

[Diva]

Because some Catholics are dangerously close, in my opinion, of worshiping her in place of Jesus Christ. I've seen it firsthand.

I used to think this when I was a Protestant but those who have a deep devotion to Mary have a much deeper devotion to Jesus and by "extension" of course, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Mary brings us to Jesus, so to speak, just as God used her to enter into the world He can use her to remind us of His love for us.

[trisham]

I think you guys spend more time talking about Mary than do Catholics.

*************

No kidding.

[LisaFab]

Why do Catholics venerate Mary? The Bible tells us to in what essentially composes the 'Hail Mary':

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. Luke 1:28

Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Luke 1:42

Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Luke 1:48

[trisham]

Yes. From the Holy See:

967 By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary realization" (typus)510 of the Church.

968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."511

969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."512

970 "Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it."513 "No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source."514

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p6.htm

[Salvation]

**It would be interesting to know how many warnings you have received on a Catholic discussion thread and how many warnings Conservative Til I Die has received on a Protestant discussion thread.**

Very astute observation.

[Salvation]

**Thank You Sal for your gracious post.**

You are the one who is being gracious here. LOL!

[Salvation]

Excellent!

[Jaded]

Most excellent summary!