Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 7th 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 620.
Our very being comes from God (cf. Acts 17:28). Not only our existence or our lives, but our salvation too come from God, His initiative (cf. 1 John 4:10). We are to cooperate with the good God in preserving our lives as best we are able by eating well and getting enough exercise and sleep and not hinder the same for others. This is true of our physical lives. It is also true for our spiritual lives. When we spend time in prayer, especially by participating in the Holy Mass (some people come daily…) we allow God to feed us with His Word in Holy Scripture and in the sacrament of the Altar, the Holy Eucharist. There would be no Mass had Christ not instituted it on His own initiative at the Last Supper (cf. Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 24:30; 1 Corinthians 11:23). There would be no Church had Christ not founded her upon the rock of Saint Peter (cf. Matthew 16:16-19).
Christ would have done none of this had He not been sent by the Eternal Father. God’s initiative is key, not only to our very being but our salvation. The loving plan of God for our salvation is revealed fully in the sending of Jesus Christ into the world (cf. John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 Peter 1:13). Jesus Christ, in turn sends His bride, Mother Church, into the world to continue His saving mission, revealing the love of the eternal Father (cf. Matthew 28:19-20; 1 John 4:7).
Our independence as “Americans” with our “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality sometimes makes it hard for us to accept our dependency upon others, let alone God. To acknowledge that Jesus Christ died as ‘victim of propitiation for our sins’ (cf. 1 John 4:10) is to admit our dependence. Jesus Christ suffered and died for me and for you and for all of us and even for those who continue to reject Him, His love and mercy. We had a debt we could not pay, sin. Though we are finite creatures when we sin it is an offense to God who is infinite, which makes the gravity of our sins similarly without measure. Only Christ’s self-offering upon the Cross could pay the infinite price of our salvation. He suffered and died for sins He did not commit. In this He is the Victim of propitiation for our sins. This is how God has reconciled us to Himself: in the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:19). We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world. Amen.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr