Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The fourth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, He was crucified, He died, He was buried” There are ten (10) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 622.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church cites three passages of Sacred Scripture to summarize it’s teaching on the redemption of Christ: Matthew 20:28; John 13:1; 1 Peter 1:18. For some people ‘redemption’ is almost a foreign concept. Not for us as followers of Jesus Christ the redeemer. Pope John Paul II began his ministry as the Bishop of Rome with a letter entitled Redemptor Hominis (The Redeemer of Man; 3 April, 1979). We know that redemption means more that turning in recyclable bottles and coupons. The redemption wrought by the redeemer Jesus Christ by His saving death and resurrection is at the heart of our faith.
Jesus Christ did not come to live on Earth, to suffer and to die and rise in order to save kitty cats or goldfish or horses. Jesus Christ came to give His life in ransom for human beings, for all peoples of all times and places (cf. Matthew 20:28). When we accept His grace and mercy our relationship to Jesus Christ has changed from the ‘multitude’ (many) for which He came to the ‘few’ who are chosen (cf. Matthew 20:16). Our task as followers of Jesus Christ is to stay within the sphere of His redemption all our days that we might enjoy communion with Him not only in the here and now but also in the hereafter (cf. Revelation 2:10).
Jesus’ redeeming love was not half-hearted or merely passing. Jesus Christ loved His own unto death (cf. John 13:1; Philippians 2:8). We who call ourselves His followers are to similarly have an unending love which endures, for God, neighbor and self, strengthened by His love within us (cf. Matthew 19:19; 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). Faithful married love shows this love unto the end in a very special way. We belong to Christ the Bridegroom of Mother Church through grace and faith and Baptism. Worthy and regular reception of Holy Communion and Penance help to keep us faithful to our Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders. These sacraments keep us connected to Christ as His own people.
There are those in our day and age who discount the life of faith and the practice of our holy religion. These would have us conduct our lives as if God did not exist and as if there were no such thing as sin or grace… Christ’s saving death and resurrection, however, frees us from the vain conduct inherited from our fallen race (cf. 1 Peter 1:18). We belong to Him whose blood was shed that we might be washed and saved by the redeemer (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11; Revelation 1:5; 7:14).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr