Freshman Religion
Mid-Term Review
January 2011
I. Terms:
1. Agnosticism
2. Deism
3. Grace
4. Natural law
5. Rationalism
6. Scientism
7. Philosophy
8. Mysteries
9. Magisterium
10. Act of faith
11. Motives of Credibility
12. Revelation
13. Allegorical Sense
14. Anagogical Sense
15. Apostle
16. Bishop
17. Council of Jerusalem
18. Deposit of Faith
19. Eschatology
20. Infallibility
21. Tradition
22. Canon
23. Evangelist
24. Vulgate
25. Pentateuch
II. Essay Questions. Be prepared to answer these questions in a short essay of two to three paragraphs.
a. Which of Aquinas’ Five Ways do you think is most convincing? Describe briefly this proof, and why you think it is convincing. (Chapter one)
b. Defend Christianity against the charges that it is anti-science and anti-reason. (Chapter One)
c. Which motive of credibility do you find most compelling? Describe it briefly, and give reasons why you find it compelling. (Chapter two)
d. If we have Scripture, then why do we have Tradition, and the Magisterium? (Chapter three)
e. If we have the fullness of Revelation in Christ, then why is it important to study the Old Testament? (Chapter four)
III. Be prepared to write a one page essay on the life of St. Maximilan Kolbe. Specifically, what THREE elements or characteristics of his life do you find the most compelling, and why? (You need to finish reading “Forget Not Love” in order to answer this correctly.)
IV. Commentary on the Gospel of St. Mark: I will include on the exam a passage from the Gospel of Mark taken from the first thirteen chapters. I want you to write a short reflection on the passage based on our discussions in class and the insights gained from our textbook. The commentary should be at least two paragraphs in length. It will be graded on clarity, organization, and soundness of insight.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
What are the "O Antiphons"?
What are the
FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS
What are the "O Antiphons"?
The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.
The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the “O Antiphons” was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, “Keep your O” and “The Great O Antiphons” were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the “O Antiphons” have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.
The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. Let’s now look at each antiphon with just a sample of Isaiah’s related prophecies :
O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” (11:2-3), and “Wonderful is His counsel and great is His wisdom.” (28:29).
O Adonai: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” (11:4-5); and “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.” (33:22).
O Radix Jesse: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (11:1), and A On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” (11:10). Remember also that Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1).
O Clavis David: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.” Isaiah had prophesied, AI will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.” (22:22), and “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.” (9:6).
O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).
O Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.” Isaiah had prophesied, “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:4) .
O Emmanuel: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”
(7:14). Remember “Emmanuel” means “God is with us.”
According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.
FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS
What are the "O Antiphons"?
The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.
The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the “O Antiphons” was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, “Keep your O” and “The Great O Antiphons” were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the “O Antiphons” have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.
The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. Let’s now look at each antiphon with just a sample of Isaiah’s related prophecies :
O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” (11:2-3), and “Wonderful is His counsel and great is His wisdom.” (28:29).
O Adonai: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” (11:4-5); and “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.” (33:22).
O Radix Jesse: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (11:1), and A On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” (11:10). Remember also that Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1).
O Clavis David: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.” Isaiah had prophesied, AI will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.” (22:22), and “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.” (9:6).
O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).
O Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.” Isaiah had prophesied, “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:4) .
O Emmanuel: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”
(7:14). Remember “Emmanuel” means “God is with us.”
According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.
Templar Lyrics
1. Peace be within thy walls,
And prosperity within thy palaces.
2. For my brethren and companions' sakes,
I will now say, Peace be within thee.
3. Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek thy good.
4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
They shall prosper that love thee.
5. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Da Pacem Domine...
1. Fiat pax in virtute tua: et abundantia in turribus tuis.
2. Propter fratres meos et proximos meos, loquebar pacem de te:
3. Propter domum Domini Dei nostri, quaesivi bona tibi.
4. Rogate quae ad pacem sunt Jerusalem: et abundantia diligentibus te. (Ps.121.)
5. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
And prosperity within thy palaces.
2. For my brethren and companions' sakes,
I will now say, Peace be within thee.
3. Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek thy good.
4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
They shall prosper that love thee.
5. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Da Pacem Domine...
1. Fiat pax in virtute tua: et abundantia in turribus tuis.
2. Propter fratres meos et proximos meos, loquebar pacem de te:
3. Propter domum Domini Dei nostri, quaesivi bona tibi.
4. Rogate quae ad pacem sunt Jerusalem: et abundantia diligentibus te. (Ps.121.)
5. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Pope Benedict's Speech to Young People
Pope's World Youth Day Message
"Good Teacher, What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?"
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 15, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the message Benedict XVI wrote for the 25th World Youth Day, which will be celebrated Palm Sunday, March 28, at the diocesan level.
* * *
Dear Friends,
This year we observe the 25th anniversary of the institution of World Youth Day, desired by the Venerable John Paul II as an annual meeting of believing young people of the whole world. It was a prophetic initiative that has borne abundant fruits, enabling new generations of Christians to come together, to listen to the Word of God, to discover the beauty of the Church and to live experiences of faith that have led many to give themselves totally to Christ.
The present 25th Youth Day represents a stage toward the next World Youth meeting, which will take place in August 2011 in Madrid, where I hope a great number of you will live this event of grace.
To prepare ourselves for such a celebration, I would like to propose to you some reflections on this year's theme: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17), treating the evangelical episode of Jesus' meeting with the rich young man, a topic already addressed in 1985 by Pope John Paul II in a most beautiful Letter, addressed for the first time to young people.
1. Jesus Meets a Young Man
And as he [Jesus] was setting out on his journey," recounts the Gospel of St. Mark, "a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother."
And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions" (Mark 10:17-22).
This account expresses effectively Jesus' great attention to youth, to you, to your expectations, your hopes, and shows how great his desire is to meet with you personally and open a dialogue with each one of you. In fact, Christ interrupts his journey to respond to his interlocutor's question, manifesting full availability to that young man, who was moved by an ardent desire to speak with the "good Teacher," to learn from him how to follow the way of life. With this evangelical passage, my Predecessor wished to exhort each one of you to "develop your own conversation with Christ -- a conversation that is of fundamental and essential importance for a young man (Letter to Young People, No. 2).
2. Jesus Looking Upon Him Loved Him
In the evangelical account, St. Mark stresses how "Jesus looking upon him loved him" (cf. Mark 10-21). In the Lord's look is the heart of the very special encounter and of all the Christian experience. In fact, Christianity is not primarily a morality, but experience of Jesus Christ, who loves us personally, young and old, poor and rich; he loves us even when we turn our back to him.
Commenting on the scene, Pope John Paul II added, turning to young people: "I hope you will experience such a look! I hope you will experience the truth that he, the Christ, keeps for you with love!" (Letter to Young People, No. 7). A love, manifested on the cross in such a full and total way, that it made St. Paul write with amazement: "who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). "The awareness that the Father has always loved us in his Son, that Christ loves every one and always," writes, again, Pope John Paul II, "becomes a firm point of support for the whole of our human existence" (Letter to Young People , No. 7), and enables us to overcome all trials: the discovery of our sins, suffering, discouragement.
In this love is found the source of the whole of Christian life and the fundamental reason of evangelization: If we have truly encountered Jesus, we cannot do other than witness him to those who have not yet crossed his look!
3. The Discovery of the Plan of Life
In the young man of the Gospel, we can perceive a very similar condition to that of each one of you. You are also rich in qualities, energies, dreams, hopes: Resources that you possess in abundance! Your very age constitutes a great richness, not only for you, but also for others, for the Church and for the world.
The rich young man asks Jesus: "What must I do?" The stage of life in which you are immersed is a time of discovery: of the gifts that God has lavished on you and of your responsibilities. It is, moreover, a time of fundamental choices to build your plan of life. It is the moment, therefore, to ask yourselves about the authentic meaning of existence and to ask yourselves: "Am I satisfied with my life? Is there something lacking?"
As the young man of the Gospel, perhaps you also live situations of instability, of disturbance or of suffering, which lead you to aspire to a life that is not mediocre, and to ask yourselves: In what does a successful life consist? What must I do? What might be my plan of life? "What must I do, for my life to have full value and full meaning?" (Ibid., No. 3).
Do not be afraid to address these questions! Far from overwhelming you, they express great aspirations, which are present in your heart. Hence, they are to be listened to. They await answers that are not superficial, but able to satisfy your authentic expectations of life and happiness.
To discover the plan of life that could render you fully happy, listen to God, who has a plan of love for each one of you. With trust, ask him: "Lord, what is your plan of Creator and Father for my life? What is your will? I want to fulfill it." Be sure that he will respond. Do not be afraid of his answer! "God is greater than our heart and knows everything!" (1 John 3:20).
4. Come and follow me!
Jesus invited the rich young man to go far beyond the satisfaction of his aspirations and of his plans, he says to him: "Come and follow me!" The Christian vocation springs from a proposal of love of the Lord and can be realized only thanks to a response of love: "Jesus invites his disciples to the total gift of their life, without human calculation or benefit, with a trust without reservations in God. The saints accepted this exacting invitation, and with humble docility followed the crucified and risen Christ. Their perfection, in the logic of faith at times humanly incomprehensible, consists in no longer putting oneself at the center, but in choosing to go against the current living according to the Gospel" (Benedict XVI, Homily at Canonization Mass, L'Osservatore Romano, 12-13, October 2009, p. 6).
On the example of so many disciples of Christ, you also, dear friends, accept with joy the invitation to follow, to live intensely and fruitfully in this world. With Baptism, in fact, he calls each one to follow him with concrete actions, to love him above all things and to serve him in brothers. The rich young man, unfortunately, did not accept Jesus' invitation and left saddened. He did not find the courage to detach himself from his material goods to find the greatest good proposed by Jesus.
The sadness of the rich young man of the Gospel is that which is born in the heart of each one when one does not have the courage to follow Christ, to make the right choice. However, it is never too late to respond to him!
Jesus never tires of turning his look of love and of calling to be his disciples, but He proposes to some a more radical choice. In this Year for Priests, I would like to exhort young men and boys to be attentive if the Lord invites to a great gift, in the way of the Ministerial Priesthood, and to make oneself available to accept with generosity and enthusiasm this sign of special predilection, undertaking with a priest or spiritual director the necessary path of discernment. Do not be afraid, then, dear boys and girls, if the Lord calls you to the religious, monastic, missionary life or one of special consecration: He is able to give profound joy to one who responds with courage!
Moreover, I invite all those who feel the vocation to marriage to accept it with faith, committing themselves to lay the solid base to live a great love, faithful and open to the gift of life, which is richness and grace for society and for the Church.
5. Oriented to Eternal Life
"What must I do to inherit eternal life?" This question of the young man of the Gospel seems far from the concerns of many contemporary young people, because, as my predecessor observed, "are we not the generation, whose horizon of existence the world and temporal progress fill completely? (Letter to Young People, No. 5). But the question on "eternal life" flowers in particularly painful moments of existence, when we suffer the loss of a close person or when we live the experience of failure.
But what is the "eternal life" to which the young man refers? It is illustrated by Jesus when, turning to his disciples, he affirms: "I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). They are words that indicate an exalted proposal of endless happiness, of joy of being filled with divine love forever.
To ask oneself about the definitive future that awaits each one of us gives full meaning to existence, because it orients the plan of life toward horizons that are not limited and passing, but ample and profound, which lead to loving the world, so loved by God himself, to dedicate oneself to its development, but always with the liberty and joy born from faith and hope. They are horizons that help not to absolutize earthly realities, seeing that God prepares a greater prospect for us, and to repeat with St. Augustine: "We desire together the heavenly homeland, we sigh for the heavenly homeland, we feel ourselves pilgrims down here" (Commentary on St. John's Gospel, Homily 35, 9). Keeping his gaze fixed on eternal life, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died in 1925 at the age of 24, said: "I want to live and not just get along!" and on the photo of an ascent sent to a friend, he wrote: "Toward on high," alluding to Christian perfection, but also to eternal life.
Dear young people, I exhort you not to forget this prospect of your plan of life: We are called to eternity. God has created us to be with Him, forever. This will help you to give full meaning to your choices and to give quality to your existence.
6. The Commandments, the Way of Authentic Love
Jesus reminds the rich young man of the Ten Commandments, as necessary conditions to "inherit eternal life." They are essential points of reference to live in love, to clearly distinguish good from evil and build a solid and lasting plan of life. Jesus also asks you if you know the commandments, if you are concerned to form your conscience according to the divine law and if you will put it into practice.
They certainly are questions that go against the current of the present-day mentality, which proposes a liberty disconnected from values, rules, objective norms and invites to reject every limitation to desires of the moment. But this type of proposal instead of leading to true liberty, leads man to become a slave of himself, of his immediate desires, of idols such as power, money, unbridled pleasure and the seductions of the world, rendering him incapable of following his original vocation to love.
God gives us the commandments because he wants to educate us to true liberty, because he wants to build with us a Kingdom of love, justice and peace. To listen to them and to put them into practice does not mean to be alienated, but to find the path of authentic liberty and love, because the commandments do not limit happiness, but indicate how to find it. At the beginning of his dialogue with the rich young man, Jesus reminds him that the law given by God is good because "God is good."
"Good Teacher, What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?"
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 15, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the message Benedict XVI wrote for the 25th World Youth Day, which will be celebrated Palm Sunday, March 28, at the diocesan level.
* * *
Dear Friends,
This year we observe the 25th anniversary of the institution of World Youth Day, desired by the Venerable John Paul II as an annual meeting of believing young people of the whole world. It was a prophetic initiative that has borne abundant fruits, enabling new generations of Christians to come together, to listen to the Word of God, to discover the beauty of the Church and to live experiences of faith that have led many to give themselves totally to Christ.
The present 25th Youth Day represents a stage toward the next World Youth meeting, which will take place in August 2011 in Madrid, where I hope a great number of you will live this event of grace.
To prepare ourselves for such a celebration, I would like to propose to you some reflections on this year's theme: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17), treating the evangelical episode of Jesus' meeting with the rich young man, a topic already addressed in 1985 by Pope John Paul II in a most beautiful Letter, addressed for the first time to young people.
1. Jesus Meets a Young Man
And as he [Jesus] was setting out on his journey," recounts the Gospel of St. Mark, "a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother."
And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions" (Mark 10:17-22).
This account expresses effectively Jesus' great attention to youth, to you, to your expectations, your hopes, and shows how great his desire is to meet with you personally and open a dialogue with each one of you. In fact, Christ interrupts his journey to respond to his interlocutor's question, manifesting full availability to that young man, who was moved by an ardent desire to speak with the "good Teacher," to learn from him how to follow the way of life. With this evangelical passage, my Predecessor wished to exhort each one of you to "develop your own conversation with Christ -- a conversation that is of fundamental and essential importance for a young man (Letter to Young People, No. 2).
2. Jesus Looking Upon Him Loved Him
In the evangelical account, St. Mark stresses how "Jesus looking upon him loved him" (cf. Mark 10-21). In the Lord's look is the heart of the very special encounter and of all the Christian experience. In fact, Christianity is not primarily a morality, but experience of Jesus Christ, who loves us personally, young and old, poor and rich; he loves us even when we turn our back to him.
Commenting on the scene, Pope John Paul II added, turning to young people: "I hope you will experience such a look! I hope you will experience the truth that he, the Christ, keeps for you with love!" (Letter to Young People, No. 7). A love, manifested on the cross in such a full and total way, that it made St. Paul write with amazement: "who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). "The awareness that the Father has always loved us in his Son, that Christ loves every one and always," writes, again, Pope John Paul II, "becomes a firm point of support for the whole of our human existence" (Letter to Young People , No. 7), and enables us to overcome all trials: the discovery of our sins, suffering, discouragement.
In this love is found the source of the whole of Christian life and the fundamental reason of evangelization: If we have truly encountered Jesus, we cannot do other than witness him to those who have not yet crossed his look!
3. The Discovery of the Plan of Life
In the young man of the Gospel, we can perceive a very similar condition to that of each one of you. You are also rich in qualities, energies, dreams, hopes: Resources that you possess in abundance! Your very age constitutes a great richness, not only for you, but also for others, for the Church and for the world.
The rich young man asks Jesus: "What must I do?" The stage of life in which you are immersed is a time of discovery: of the gifts that God has lavished on you and of your responsibilities. It is, moreover, a time of fundamental choices to build your plan of life. It is the moment, therefore, to ask yourselves about the authentic meaning of existence and to ask yourselves: "Am I satisfied with my life? Is there something lacking?"
As the young man of the Gospel, perhaps you also live situations of instability, of disturbance or of suffering, which lead you to aspire to a life that is not mediocre, and to ask yourselves: In what does a successful life consist? What must I do? What might be my plan of life? "What must I do, for my life to have full value and full meaning?" (Ibid., No. 3).
Do not be afraid to address these questions! Far from overwhelming you, they express great aspirations, which are present in your heart. Hence, they are to be listened to. They await answers that are not superficial, but able to satisfy your authentic expectations of life and happiness.
To discover the plan of life that could render you fully happy, listen to God, who has a plan of love for each one of you. With trust, ask him: "Lord, what is your plan of Creator and Father for my life? What is your will? I want to fulfill it." Be sure that he will respond. Do not be afraid of his answer! "God is greater than our heart and knows everything!" (1 John 3:20).
4. Come and follow me!
Jesus invited the rich young man to go far beyond the satisfaction of his aspirations and of his plans, he says to him: "Come and follow me!" The Christian vocation springs from a proposal of love of the Lord and can be realized only thanks to a response of love: "Jesus invites his disciples to the total gift of their life, without human calculation or benefit, with a trust without reservations in God. The saints accepted this exacting invitation, and with humble docility followed the crucified and risen Christ. Their perfection, in the logic of faith at times humanly incomprehensible, consists in no longer putting oneself at the center, but in choosing to go against the current living according to the Gospel" (Benedict XVI, Homily at Canonization Mass, L'Osservatore Romano, 12-13, October 2009, p. 6).
On the example of so many disciples of Christ, you also, dear friends, accept with joy the invitation to follow, to live intensely and fruitfully in this world. With Baptism, in fact, he calls each one to follow him with concrete actions, to love him above all things and to serve him in brothers. The rich young man, unfortunately, did not accept Jesus' invitation and left saddened. He did not find the courage to detach himself from his material goods to find the greatest good proposed by Jesus.
The sadness of the rich young man of the Gospel is that which is born in the heart of each one when one does not have the courage to follow Christ, to make the right choice. However, it is never too late to respond to him!
Jesus never tires of turning his look of love and of calling to be his disciples, but He proposes to some a more radical choice. In this Year for Priests, I would like to exhort young men and boys to be attentive if the Lord invites to a great gift, in the way of the Ministerial Priesthood, and to make oneself available to accept with generosity and enthusiasm this sign of special predilection, undertaking with a priest or spiritual director the necessary path of discernment. Do not be afraid, then, dear boys and girls, if the Lord calls you to the religious, monastic, missionary life or one of special consecration: He is able to give profound joy to one who responds with courage!
Moreover, I invite all those who feel the vocation to marriage to accept it with faith, committing themselves to lay the solid base to live a great love, faithful and open to the gift of life, which is richness and grace for society and for the Church.
5. Oriented to Eternal Life
"What must I do to inherit eternal life?" This question of the young man of the Gospel seems far from the concerns of many contemporary young people, because, as my predecessor observed, "are we not the generation, whose horizon of existence the world and temporal progress fill completely? (Letter to Young People, No. 5). But the question on "eternal life" flowers in particularly painful moments of existence, when we suffer the loss of a close person or when we live the experience of failure.
But what is the "eternal life" to which the young man refers? It is illustrated by Jesus when, turning to his disciples, he affirms: "I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). They are words that indicate an exalted proposal of endless happiness, of joy of being filled with divine love forever.
To ask oneself about the definitive future that awaits each one of us gives full meaning to existence, because it orients the plan of life toward horizons that are not limited and passing, but ample and profound, which lead to loving the world, so loved by God himself, to dedicate oneself to its development, but always with the liberty and joy born from faith and hope. They are horizons that help not to absolutize earthly realities, seeing that God prepares a greater prospect for us, and to repeat with St. Augustine: "We desire together the heavenly homeland, we sigh for the heavenly homeland, we feel ourselves pilgrims down here" (Commentary on St. John's Gospel, Homily 35, 9). Keeping his gaze fixed on eternal life, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died in 1925 at the age of 24, said: "I want to live and not just get along!" and on the photo of an ascent sent to a friend, he wrote: "Toward on high," alluding to Christian perfection, but also to eternal life.
Dear young people, I exhort you not to forget this prospect of your plan of life: We are called to eternity. God has created us to be with Him, forever. This will help you to give full meaning to your choices and to give quality to your existence.
6. The Commandments, the Way of Authentic Love
Jesus reminds the rich young man of the Ten Commandments, as necessary conditions to "inherit eternal life." They are essential points of reference to live in love, to clearly distinguish good from evil and build a solid and lasting plan of life. Jesus also asks you if you know the commandments, if you are concerned to form your conscience according to the divine law and if you will put it into practice.
They certainly are questions that go against the current of the present-day mentality, which proposes a liberty disconnected from values, rules, objective norms and invites to reject every limitation to desires of the moment. But this type of proposal instead of leading to true liberty, leads man to become a slave of himself, of his immediate desires, of idols such as power, money, unbridled pleasure and the seductions of the world, rendering him incapable of following his original vocation to love.
God gives us the commandments because he wants to educate us to true liberty, because he wants to build with us a Kingdom of love, justice and peace. To listen to them and to put them into practice does not mean to be alienated, but to find the path of authentic liberty and love, because the commandments do not limit happiness, but indicate how to find it. At the beginning of his dialogue with the rich young man, Jesus reminds him that the law given by God is good because "God is good."
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Council of Trent on the Eucharist
CHAPTER I.
On the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
In the first place, the holy Synod teaches, and openly and simply professes, that, in the august sacrament of the holy Eucharist, after the consecration of the bread and wine, our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and man, is truly, really, and substantially contained under the species of those sensible things. For neither are these things mutually repugnant,-that our Saviour Himself always sitteth at the right hand of the Father in heaven, according to the natural mode of existing, and that, nevertheless, He be, in many other places, sacramentally present to us in his own substance, by a manner of existing, which, though we can scarcely express it in words, yet can we, by the understanding illuminated by faith, conceive, and we ought most firmly to believe, to be possible unto God: for thus all our forefathers, as many as were in the true Church of Christ, who have treated of this most holy Sacrament, have most openly professed, that our Redeemer instituted this so admirable a sacrament at the last supper, when, after the blessing of the bread and wine, He testified, in express and clear words, that He gave them His own very Body, and His own Blood; words which,-recorded by the holy Evangelists, and afterwards repeated by Saint Paul, whereas they carry with them that proper and most manifest meaning in which they were understood by the Fathers,-it is indeed a crime the most unworthy that they should be wrested, by certain contentions and wicked men, to fictitious and imaginary tropes, whereby the verity of the flesh and blood of Christ is denied, contrary to the universal sense of the Church, which, as the pillar and ground of truth, has detested, as satanical, these inventions devised by impious men; she recognising, with a mind ever grateful and unforgetting, this most excellent benefit of Christ.
[Page 77]
CHAPTER II.
On the reason of the Institution of this most holy Sacrament.
Wherefore, our Saviour, when about to depart out of this world to the Father, instituted this Sacrament, in which He poured forth as it were the riches of His divine love towards man, making a remembrance of his wonderful works; and He commanded us, in the participation thereof, to venerate His memory, and to show forth his death until He come to judge the world. And He would also that this sacrement should be received as the spiritual food of souls, whereby may be fed and strengthened those who live with His life who said, He that eateth me, the same also shall live by me; and as an antidote, whereby we may be freed from daily faults, and be preserved from mortal sins. He would, furthermore, have it be a pledge of our glory to come, and everlasting happiness, and thus be a symbol of that one body whereof He is the head, and to which He would fain have us as members be united by the closest bond of faith, hope, and charity, that we might all speak the same things, and there might be no schisms amongst us.
CHAPTER III.
On the excellency of the most holy Eucharist over the rest of the Sacraments.
The most holy Eucharist has indeed this in common with the rest of the sacraments, that it is a symbol of a sacred thing, and is a visible form of an invisible grace; but there is found in the Eucharist this excellent and peculiar thing, that the other sacraments have then first the power of sanctifying when one uses them, whereas in the Eucharist, before being used, there is the [Page 78] Author Himself of sanctity. For the apostles had not as yet received the Eucharist from the hand of the Lord, when nevertheless Himself affirmed with truth that to be His own body which He presented (to them). And this faith has ever been in the Church of God, that, immediately after the consecration, the veritable Body of our Lord, and His veritable Blood, together with His soul and divinity, are under the species of bread and wine; but the Body indeed under the species of bread, and the Blood under the species of wine, by the force of the words; but the body itself under the species of wine, and the blood under the species of bread, and the soul under both, by the force of that natural connexion and concomitancy whereby the parts of Christ our Lord, who hath now risen from the dead, to die no more, are united together; and the divinity, furthermore, on account of the admirable hypostatical union thereof with His body and soul. Wherefore it is most true, that as much is contained under either species as under both; for Christ whole and entire is under the species of bread, and under any part whatsoever of that species; likewise the whole (Christ) is under the species of wine, and under the parts thereof.
CHAPTER IV.
On Transubstantiation.
And because that Christ, our Redeemer, declared that which He offered under the species of bread to be truly His own body, therefore has it ever been a firm belief in the Church of God, and this holy Synod doth now declare it anew, that, by the consecration of the bread and of the wine, a conversion is made of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord, and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of His blood; which conversion is, by the holy Catholic Church, suitably and properly called Transubstantiation.
[Page 79]
CHAPTER V.
On the cult and veneration to be shown to this most holy Sacrament.
Wherefore, there is no room left for doubt, that all the faithful of Christ may, according to the custom ever received in the Catholic Church, render in veneration the worship of latria, which is due to the true God, to this most holy sacrament. For not therefore is it the less to be adored on this account, that it was instituted by Christ, the Lord, in order to be received: for we believe that same God to be present therein, of whom the eternal Father, when introducing him into the world, says; And let all the angels of God adore him; whom the Magi falling down, adored; who, in fine, as the Scripture testifies, was adored by the apostles in Galilee.
The holy Synod declares, moreover, that very piously and religiously was this custom introduced into the Church, that this sublime and venerable sacrament be, with special veneration and solemnity, celebrated, every year, on a certain day, and that a festival; and that it be borne reverently and with honour in processions through the streets, and public places. For it is most just that there be certain appointed holy days, whereon all Christians may, with a special and unusual demonstration, testify that their minds are grateful and thankful to their common Lord and Redeemer for so ineffable and truly divine a benefit, whereby the victory and triumph of His death are represented. And so indeed did it behove victorious truth to celebrate a triumph over falsehood and heresy, that thus her adversaries, at the sight of so much splendour, and in the midst of so great joy of the universal Church, may either pine away weakened and broken; or, touched with shame and confounded, at length repent.
[Page 80]
CHAPTER VI.
On reserving the Sacrament of the sacred Eucharist, and bearing it to the Sick.
The custom of reserving the holy Eucharist in the sacrarium is so ancient, that
even the age of the Council of Nicaea recognised that usage. Moreover, as to carrying the sacred Eucharist itself to the sick, and carefully reserving it for this purpose in churches, besides that it is exceedingly conformable to equity and reason, it is also found enjoined in numerous councils, and is a very ancient observance of the Catholic Church. Wherefore, this holy Synod ordains, that this salutary and necessary custom is to be by all means retained.
CHAPTER VII.
On the preparation to be given that one may worthily receive the sacred Eucharist.
If it is unbeseeming for any one to approach to any of the sacred functions, unless he approach holily; assuredly, the more the holiness and divinity of this heavenly sacrament are understood by a Christian, the more diligently ought he to give heed that he approach not to receive it but with great reverence and holiness, especially as we read in the Apostle those words full of terror; He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself. Wherefore, he who would communicate, ought to recall to mind the precept of the Apostle; Let a man prove himself. Now ecclesiastical usage declares that necessary proof to be, that no one, conscious to himself [Page 81] of mortal sin, how contrite soever he may seem to himself, ought to approach to the sacred Eucharist without previous sacramental confession. This the holy Synod hath decreed is to be invariably observed by all Christians, even by those priests on whom it may be incumbent by their office to celebrate, provided the opportunity of a confessor do not fail them; but if, in an urgent necessity, a priest should celebrate without previous confession, let him confess as soon as possible.
CHAPTER VIII.
On the use of this admirable Sacrament.
Now as to the use of this holy sacrament, our Fathers have rightly and wisely distinguished three ways of receiving it. For they have taught that some receive it sacramentally only, to wit sinners: others spiritually only, those to wit who eating in desire that heavenly bread which is set before them, are, by a lively faith which worketh by charity, made sensible of the fruit and usefulness thereof: whereas the third (class) receive it both sacramentally and spiritually, and these are they who so prove and prepare themselves beforehand, as to approach to this divine table clothed with the wedding garment. Now as to the reception of the sacrament, it was always the custom in the Church of God, that laymen should receive the communion from priests; but that priests when celebrating should communicate themselves; which custom, as coming down from an apostolical tradition, ought with justice and reason to be retained. And finally this holy Synod with true fatherly affection admonishes, exhorts, begs, and beseeches, through the bowels of the mercy of our God, that all and each of those who bear the Christian name would now at length agree and be of one mind in this sign of unity, in this bond of charity, in this symbol of concord; and that mindful of the so great majesty, and the so [Page 82] exceeding love of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His own beloved soul as the price of our salvation, and gave us His own flesh to eat, they would believe and venerate these sacred mysteries of His body and blood with such constancy and firmness of faith, with such devotion of soul, with such piety and worship as to be able frequently to receive that supersubstantial bread, and that it may be to them truly the life of the soul, and the perpetual health of their mind; that being invigorated by the strength thereof, they may, after the journeying of this miserable pilgrimage, be able to arrive at their heavenly country, there to eat, without any veil, that same bread of angels which they now eat under the sacred veils.
But forasmuch as it is not enough to declare the truth, if errors be not laid bare and repudiated, it hath seemed good to the holy Synod to subjoin these canons, that all, -the Catholic doctrine being already recognised,-may now also understand what are the heresies which they ought to guard against and avoid.
On the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
In the first place, the holy Synod teaches, and openly and simply professes, that, in the august sacrament of the holy Eucharist, after the consecration of the bread and wine, our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and man, is truly, really, and substantially contained under the species of those sensible things. For neither are these things mutually repugnant,-that our Saviour Himself always sitteth at the right hand of the Father in heaven, according to the natural mode of existing, and that, nevertheless, He be, in many other places, sacramentally present to us in his own substance, by a manner of existing, which, though we can scarcely express it in words, yet can we, by the understanding illuminated by faith, conceive, and we ought most firmly to believe, to be possible unto God: for thus all our forefathers, as many as were in the true Church of Christ, who have treated of this most holy Sacrament, have most openly professed, that our Redeemer instituted this so admirable a sacrament at the last supper, when, after the blessing of the bread and wine, He testified, in express and clear words, that He gave them His own very Body, and His own Blood; words which,-recorded by the holy Evangelists, and afterwards repeated by Saint Paul, whereas they carry with them that proper and most manifest meaning in which they were understood by the Fathers,-it is indeed a crime the most unworthy that they should be wrested, by certain contentions and wicked men, to fictitious and imaginary tropes, whereby the verity of the flesh and blood of Christ is denied, contrary to the universal sense of the Church, which, as the pillar and ground of truth, has detested, as satanical, these inventions devised by impious men; she recognising, with a mind ever grateful and unforgetting, this most excellent benefit of Christ.
[Page 77]
CHAPTER II.
On the reason of the Institution of this most holy Sacrament.
Wherefore, our Saviour, when about to depart out of this world to the Father, instituted this Sacrament, in which He poured forth as it were the riches of His divine love towards man, making a remembrance of his wonderful works; and He commanded us, in the participation thereof, to venerate His memory, and to show forth his death until He come to judge the world. And He would also that this sacrement should be received as the spiritual food of souls, whereby may be fed and strengthened those who live with His life who said, He that eateth me, the same also shall live by me; and as an antidote, whereby we may be freed from daily faults, and be preserved from mortal sins. He would, furthermore, have it be a pledge of our glory to come, and everlasting happiness, and thus be a symbol of that one body whereof He is the head, and to which He would fain have us as members be united by the closest bond of faith, hope, and charity, that we might all speak the same things, and there might be no schisms amongst us.
CHAPTER III.
On the excellency of the most holy Eucharist over the rest of the Sacraments.
The most holy Eucharist has indeed this in common with the rest of the sacraments, that it is a symbol of a sacred thing, and is a visible form of an invisible grace; but there is found in the Eucharist this excellent and peculiar thing, that the other sacraments have then first the power of sanctifying when one uses them, whereas in the Eucharist, before being used, there is the [Page 78] Author Himself of sanctity. For the apostles had not as yet received the Eucharist from the hand of the Lord, when nevertheless Himself affirmed with truth that to be His own body which He presented (to them). And this faith has ever been in the Church of God, that, immediately after the consecration, the veritable Body of our Lord, and His veritable Blood, together with His soul and divinity, are under the species of bread and wine; but the Body indeed under the species of bread, and the Blood under the species of wine, by the force of the words; but the body itself under the species of wine, and the blood under the species of bread, and the soul under both, by the force of that natural connexion and concomitancy whereby the parts of Christ our Lord, who hath now risen from the dead, to die no more, are united together; and the divinity, furthermore, on account of the admirable hypostatical union thereof with His body and soul. Wherefore it is most true, that as much is contained under either species as under both; for Christ whole and entire is under the species of bread, and under any part whatsoever of that species; likewise the whole (Christ) is under the species of wine, and under the parts thereof.
CHAPTER IV.
On Transubstantiation.
And because that Christ, our Redeemer, declared that which He offered under the species of bread to be truly His own body, therefore has it ever been a firm belief in the Church of God, and this holy Synod doth now declare it anew, that, by the consecration of the bread and of the wine, a conversion is made of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord, and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of His blood; which conversion is, by the holy Catholic Church, suitably and properly called Transubstantiation.
[Page 79]
CHAPTER V.
On the cult and veneration to be shown to this most holy Sacrament.
Wherefore, there is no room left for doubt, that all the faithful of Christ may, according to the custom ever received in the Catholic Church, render in veneration the worship of latria, which is due to the true God, to this most holy sacrament. For not therefore is it the less to be adored on this account, that it was instituted by Christ, the Lord, in order to be received: for we believe that same God to be present therein, of whom the eternal Father, when introducing him into the world, says; And let all the angels of God adore him; whom the Magi falling down, adored; who, in fine, as the Scripture testifies, was adored by the apostles in Galilee.
The holy Synod declares, moreover, that very piously and religiously was this custom introduced into the Church, that this sublime and venerable sacrament be, with special veneration and solemnity, celebrated, every year, on a certain day, and that a festival; and that it be borne reverently and with honour in processions through the streets, and public places. For it is most just that there be certain appointed holy days, whereon all Christians may, with a special and unusual demonstration, testify that their minds are grateful and thankful to their common Lord and Redeemer for so ineffable and truly divine a benefit, whereby the victory and triumph of His death are represented. And so indeed did it behove victorious truth to celebrate a triumph over falsehood and heresy, that thus her adversaries, at the sight of so much splendour, and in the midst of so great joy of the universal Church, may either pine away weakened and broken; or, touched with shame and confounded, at length repent.
[Page 80]
CHAPTER VI.
On reserving the Sacrament of the sacred Eucharist, and bearing it to the Sick.
The custom of reserving the holy Eucharist in the sacrarium is so ancient, that
even the age of the Council of Nicaea recognised that usage. Moreover, as to carrying the sacred Eucharist itself to the sick, and carefully reserving it for this purpose in churches, besides that it is exceedingly conformable to equity and reason, it is also found enjoined in numerous councils, and is a very ancient observance of the Catholic Church. Wherefore, this holy Synod ordains, that this salutary and necessary custom is to be by all means retained.
CHAPTER VII.
On the preparation to be given that one may worthily receive the sacred Eucharist.
If it is unbeseeming for any one to approach to any of the sacred functions, unless he approach holily; assuredly, the more the holiness and divinity of this heavenly sacrament are understood by a Christian, the more diligently ought he to give heed that he approach not to receive it but with great reverence and holiness, especially as we read in the Apostle those words full of terror; He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself. Wherefore, he who would communicate, ought to recall to mind the precept of the Apostle; Let a man prove himself. Now ecclesiastical usage declares that necessary proof to be, that no one, conscious to himself [Page 81] of mortal sin, how contrite soever he may seem to himself, ought to approach to the sacred Eucharist without previous sacramental confession. This the holy Synod hath decreed is to be invariably observed by all Christians, even by those priests on whom it may be incumbent by their office to celebrate, provided the opportunity of a confessor do not fail them; but if, in an urgent necessity, a priest should celebrate without previous confession, let him confess as soon as possible.
CHAPTER VIII.
On the use of this admirable Sacrament.
Now as to the use of this holy sacrament, our Fathers have rightly and wisely distinguished three ways of receiving it. For they have taught that some receive it sacramentally only, to wit sinners: others spiritually only, those to wit who eating in desire that heavenly bread which is set before them, are, by a lively faith which worketh by charity, made sensible of the fruit and usefulness thereof: whereas the third (class) receive it both sacramentally and spiritually, and these are they who so prove and prepare themselves beforehand, as to approach to this divine table clothed with the wedding garment. Now as to the reception of the sacrament, it was always the custom in the Church of God, that laymen should receive the communion from priests; but that priests when celebrating should communicate themselves; which custom, as coming down from an apostolical tradition, ought with justice and reason to be retained. And finally this holy Synod with true fatherly affection admonishes, exhorts, begs, and beseeches, through the bowels of the mercy of our God, that all and each of those who bear the Christian name would now at length agree and be of one mind in this sign of unity, in this bond of charity, in this symbol of concord; and that mindful of the so great majesty, and the so [Page 82] exceeding love of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His own beloved soul as the price of our salvation, and gave us His own flesh to eat, they would believe and venerate these sacred mysteries of His body and blood with such constancy and firmness of faith, with such devotion of soul, with such piety and worship as to be able frequently to receive that supersubstantial bread, and that it may be to them truly the life of the soul, and the perpetual health of their mind; that being invigorated by the strength thereof, they may, after the journeying of this miserable pilgrimage, be able to arrive at their heavenly country, there to eat, without any veil, that same bread of angels which they now eat under the sacred veils.
But forasmuch as it is not enough to declare the truth, if errors be not laid bare and repudiated, it hath seemed good to the holy Synod to subjoin these canons, that all, -the Catholic doctrine being already recognised,-may now also understand what are the heresies which they ought to guard against and avoid.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The First Three Commandments
LESSON 30 - ON THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
Q. 1140. What is the first Commandment?
A. The first Commandment is: I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have strange gods before me.
Q. 1141. What does the commandment mean by "strange gods"?
A. By strange gods the commandment means idols or false gods, which the Israelites frequently worshipped when, through their sins, they had abandoned the true God.
Q. 1142. How may we, in a sense, worship strange gods?
A. We, in a sense, may worship strange gods by giving up the salvation of our souls for wealth, honors, society, worldly pleasures, etc., so that we would offend God, renounce our faith or give up the practice of our religion for their sake.
Q. 1143. How does the first Commandment help us to keep the great Commandment of the love of God?
A. The first Commandment helps us to keep the great Commandment of the love of God because it commands us to adore God alone.
Q. 1144. How do we adore God?
A. We adore God by faith, hope, and charity, by prayer and sacrifice.
Q. 1145. By what prayers do we adore God?
A. We adore God by all our prayers, but in particular by the public prayers of the Church, and, above all, by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Q. 1146. How may the first Commandment be broken?
A. The first Commandment make be broken by giving to a creature the honor which belongs to God alone; by false worship; and by attributing to a creature a perfection which belongs to God alone.
Q. 1147. What is the honor which belongs to God alone?
A. The honor which belongs to God alone is a divine honor, in which we offer Him sacrifice, incense or prayer, solely for His own sake and for His own glory. To give such honor to any creature, however holy, would be idolatry.
Q. 1148. How do we offer God false worship?
A. We offer God false worship by rejecting the religion He has instituted and following one pleasing to ourselves, with a form of worship He has never authorized, approved or sanctioned.
Q. 1149. Why must we serve God in the form of religion He has instituted and in no other?
A. We must serve God in the form of religion He has instituted and in no other, because heaven is not a right, but a promised reward, a free gift of God, which we must merit in the manner He directs and pleases.
Q. 1150. When do we attribute to a creature a perfection which belongs to God alone?
A. We attribute to a creature a perfection which belongs to God alone when we believe it possesses knowledge or power independently of God, so that it may, without His aid, make known the future or perform miracles.
Q. 1151. Do those who make use of spells and charms, or who believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune-tellers, and the like, sin against the first Commandment?
A. Those who make use of spells and charms, or who believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune-tellers, and the like, sin against the first Commandment, because they attribute to creatures perfections which belong to God alone.
Q. 1152. What are spells and charms?
A. Spells and charms are certain words, by the saying of which superstitious persons believe they can avert evil, bring good fortune or produce some supernatural or wonderful effect. They may be also objects or articles worn about the body for the same purpose.
Q. 1155. What are dreams and why is it forbidden to believe in them?
A. Dreams are the thoughts we have in sleep, when our will is unable to guide them. It is forbidden to believe in them, because they are often ridiculous, unreasonable, or wicked, and are not governed by either reason or faith.
Q. 1156. Are bad dreams sinful in themselves?
A. Bad dreams are not sinful in themselves, because we cannot prevent them, but we may make them sinful: 1.(1) By taking pleasure in them when we awake, and 2.(2) By bad reading or immodest looks, thoughts, word or actions before going to sleep; for by any of these things we may make ourselves responsible for the bad dreams.
Q. 1157. Did not God frequently in the Old Law make use of dreams as a means of making known His will?
A. God did frequently in the Old Law make use of dreams as a means of making known His Will; but on such occasions He always gave proof that what He made known was not a mere dream, but rather a revelation or inspiration. He no longer makes use of such means, for He now makes known His will through the inspiration of His Church.
Q. 1158. What are mediums and spiritists?
A. Mediums and spiritists are persons who pretend to converse with the dead or with spirits of the other world. They pretend also to give this power to others, that they may know what is going on in heaven, purgatory or hell.
Q. 1159. What other practice is very dangerous to faith and morals?
A. Another practice very dangerous to faith and morals is the use of mesmerism or hypnotism, because it is liable to sinful abuses, for it deprives a person for a time of the control of his reason and will and places his body and mind entirely in the power of another.
Q. 1160. What are fortune tellers?
A. Fortune tellers are imposters who, learning the past, or guessing at it, pretend to know also the future and to be able to reveal it to anyone who pays for the knowledge. They pretend also to know whatever concerns things lost or stolen, and the secret thoughts, actions or intentions of others.
Q. 1161. How do we, by believing in spells, charms, mediums, spiritists and fortune tellers, attribute to creatures the perfections of God?
A. By believing in spells, charms, mediums, spiritists and fortune tellers we attribute to creatures the perfections of God because we expect these creatures to perform miracles, reveal the hidden judgments of God, and make known His designs for the future with regard to His creatures, things that only God Himself may do.
Q. 1162. Is it sinful to consult mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers and the like when we do not believe in them, but through mere curiosity to hear what they may say?
A. It is sinful to consult mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers and the like even when we do not believe in them, but through mere curiosity, to hear what they may say:
1. Because it is wrong to expose ourselves to the danger of sinning even though we do not sin;
2. Because we may give scandal to others who are not certain that we go through mere curiosity;
3. Because by our pretended belief we encourage these impostors to continue their wicked practices.
Q. 1163. Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also sins against the first Commandment?
A. Sins against faith, hope and charity are also sins against the first Commandment.
Q. 1164. How does a person sin against faith?
A. A person sins against faith:
1. By not trying to know what God has taught;
2. By refusing to believe all that God has taught;
3. By neglecting to profess his belief in what God has taught.
. 1217. What is the second Commandment?
A. The second Commandment is: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Q. 1218. What do you mean by taking God's name in vain?
A. By taking God's name in vain I mean taking it without reverence, as in cursing or using in a light and careless manner, as in exclamation.
Q. 1219. What are we commanded by the second Commandment?
A. We are commanded by the second Commandment to speak with reverence of God and of the saints, and of all holy things, and to keep our lawful oaths and vows.
Q. 1220. Is it sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in a bad or worldly sense?
A. It is sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in a bad or worldly sense, to joke in them or ridicule their sacred meaning, or in general to give them any meaning but the one we believe God has intended them to convey.
Q. 1221. What is an oath?
A. An oath is the calling upon God to witness the truth of what we say.
Q. 1222. How is an oath usually taken?
A. An oath is usually taken by laying the hand on the Bible or by lifting the hand towards heaven as a sign that we call God to witness that what we are saying is under oath and to the best of our knowledge really true.
Q. 1223. What is perjury?
A. Perjury is the sin one commits who knowingly takes a false oath; that is, swears to the truth of what he knows to be false. Perjury is a crime against the law of our country and a mortal sin before God.
Q. 1224. Who have the right to make us take an oath?
A. All persons to whom the law of our country has given such authority have the right to make us take an oath. They are chiefly judges, magistrates and public officials, whose duty it is to enforce the laws. In religious matters bishops and others to whom authority is given have also the right to make us take an oath.
Q. 1225. When may we take an oath?
A. We may take an oath when it is ordered by lawful authority or required for God's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good.
Q. 1226. When may an oath be required for God's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good?
A. An oath may be required for God's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good when we are called upon to defend our religion against false charges; or to protect our own or our neighbor's property or good name; or when we are required to give testimony that will enable the lawful authorities to discover the guilt or innocence of a person accused.
Q. 1242. What is the third Commandment?
A. The third Commandment is: Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Q. 1243. What are we commanded by the third Commandment?
A. By the third Commandment we are commanded to keep holy the Lord's day and the holydays of obligation, on which we are to give our time to the service and worship of God.
Q. 1244. What are holydays of obligation?
A. Holydays of obligation are special feasts of the Church on which we are bound, under pain of mortal sin, to hear Mass and to keep from servile or bodily labors when it can be done without great loss or inconvenience. Whoever, on account of their circumstances, cannot give up work on holydays of obligation should make every effort to hear Mass and should also explain in confession the necessity of working on holydays.
Q. 1245. How are we to worship God on Sundays and holydays of obligation?
A. We are to worship God on Sundays and holydays of obligation by hearing Mass, by prayer, and by other good works.
Q. 1246. Name some of the good works recommended for Sunday.
A. Some of the good works recommended for Sunday are: The reading of religious books or papers, teaching Catechism, bringing relief to the poor or sick, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, attending Vespers, Rosary or other devotions in the Church; also attending the meetings of religious sodalities or societies. It is not necessary to spend the whole Sunday in such good works, but we should give some time to them, that for the love of God we may do a little more than what is strictly commanded.
Q. 1247. Is it forbidden, then, to seek any pleasure or enjoyment on Sunday?
A. It is not forbidden to seek lawful pleasure or enjoyment on Sunday, especially to those who are occupied during the week, for God did not intend the keeping of the Sunday to be a punishment, but a benefit to us. Therefore, after hearing Mass we may take such recreation as is necessary or useful for us; but we should avoid any vulgar, noisy or disgraceful amusements that turn the day of rest and prayer into a day of scandal and sin.
Q. 1248. Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?
A. The Sabbath day and the Sunday are not the same. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, and is the day which was kept holy in the old law; the Sunday is the first day of the week, and is the day which is kept holy in the new law.
Q. 1249. What is meant by the Old and New Law?
A. The Old Law means the law or religion given to the Jews; the New Law means the law or religion given to Christians.
Q. 1250. Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday holy instead of the Sabbath?
A. The Church commands us to keep the Sunday holy instead of the Sabbath because on Sunday Christ rose from the dead, and on Sunday He sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.
Q. 1251. Do we keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy for any other reason?
A. We keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy also to teach that the Old Law is not now binding upon us, but that we must keep the New Law, which takes its place.
Q. 1252. What is forbidden by the third Commandment?
A. The third Commandment forbids all unnecessary servile work and whatever else may hinder the due observance of the Lord's day.
Q. 1253. What are servile works?
A. Servile works are those which require labor rather of body than of mind.
Q. 1254. From what do servile works derive their name?
A. Servile works derive their name from the fact that such works were formerly done by slaves. Therefore, reading, writing, studying and, in general, all works that slaves did not perform are not considered servile works.
Q. 1255. Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?
A. Servile works are lawful on Sundays when the honor of God, the good of our neighbor, or necessity requires them.
Q. 1256. Give some examples of when the honor of God, the good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile works on Sunday.
A. The honor of God, the good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile works on Sunday, in such cases as the preparation of a place for Holy Mass, the saving of property in storms or accidents, the cooking of meals and similar works.
Q. 1140. What is the first Commandment?
A. The first Commandment is: I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have strange gods before me.
Q. 1141. What does the commandment mean by "strange gods"?
A. By strange gods the commandment means idols or false gods, which the Israelites frequently worshipped when, through their sins, they had abandoned the true God.
Q. 1142. How may we, in a sense, worship strange gods?
A. We, in a sense, may worship strange gods by giving up the salvation of our souls for wealth, honors, society, worldly pleasures, etc., so that we would offend God, renounce our faith or give up the practice of our religion for their sake.
Q. 1143. How does the first Commandment help us to keep the great Commandment of the love of God?
A. The first Commandment helps us to keep the great Commandment of the love of God because it commands us to adore God alone.
Q. 1144. How do we adore God?
A. We adore God by faith, hope, and charity, by prayer and sacrifice.
Q. 1145. By what prayers do we adore God?
A. We adore God by all our prayers, but in particular by the public prayers of the Church, and, above all, by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Q. 1146. How may the first Commandment be broken?
A. The first Commandment make be broken by giving to a creature the honor which belongs to God alone; by false worship; and by attributing to a creature a perfection which belongs to God alone.
Q. 1147. What is the honor which belongs to God alone?
A. The honor which belongs to God alone is a divine honor, in which we offer Him sacrifice, incense or prayer, solely for His own sake and for His own glory. To give such honor to any creature, however holy, would be idolatry.
Q. 1148. How do we offer God false worship?
A. We offer God false worship by rejecting the religion He has instituted and following one pleasing to ourselves, with a form of worship He has never authorized, approved or sanctioned.
Q. 1149. Why must we serve God in the form of religion He has instituted and in no other?
A. We must serve God in the form of religion He has instituted and in no other, because heaven is not a right, but a promised reward, a free gift of God, which we must merit in the manner He directs and pleases.
Q. 1150. When do we attribute to a creature a perfection which belongs to God alone?
A. We attribute to a creature a perfection which belongs to God alone when we believe it possesses knowledge or power independently of God, so that it may, without His aid, make known the future or perform miracles.
Q. 1151. Do those who make use of spells and charms, or who believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune-tellers, and the like, sin against the first Commandment?
A. Those who make use of spells and charms, or who believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune-tellers, and the like, sin against the first Commandment, because they attribute to creatures perfections which belong to God alone.
Q. 1152. What are spells and charms?
A. Spells and charms are certain words, by the saying of which superstitious persons believe they can avert evil, bring good fortune or produce some supernatural or wonderful effect. They may be also objects or articles worn about the body for the same purpose.
Q. 1155. What are dreams and why is it forbidden to believe in them?
A. Dreams are the thoughts we have in sleep, when our will is unable to guide them. It is forbidden to believe in them, because they are often ridiculous, unreasonable, or wicked, and are not governed by either reason or faith.
Q. 1156. Are bad dreams sinful in themselves?
A. Bad dreams are not sinful in themselves, because we cannot prevent them, but we may make them sinful: 1.(1) By taking pleasure in them when we awake, and 2.(2) By bad reading or immodest looks, thoughts, word or actions before going to sleep; for by any of these things we may make ourselves responsible for the bad dreams.
Q. 1157. Did not God frequently in the Old Law make use of dreams as a means of making known His will?
A. God did frequently in the Old Law make use of dreams as a means of making known His Will; but on such occasions He always gave proof that what He made known was not a mere dream, but rather a revelation or inspiration. He no longer makes use of such means, for He now makes known His will through the inspiration of His Church.
Q. 1158. What are mediums and spiritists?
A. Mediums and spiritists are persons who pretend to converse with the dead or with spirits of the other world. They pretend also to give this power to others, that they may know what is going on in heaven, purgatory or hell.
Q. 1159. What other practice is very dangerous to faith and morals?
A. Another practice very dangerous to faith and morals is the use of mesmerism or hypnotism, because it is liable to sinful abuses, for it deprives a person for a time of the control of his reason and will and places his body and mind entirely in the power of another.
Q. 1160. What are fortune tellers?
A. Fortune tellers are imposters who, learning the past, or guessing at it, pretend to know also the future and to be able to reveal it to anyone who pays for the knowledge. They pretend also to know whatever concerns things lost or stolen, and the secret thoughts, actions or intentions of others.
Q. 1161. How do we, by believing in spells, charms, mediums, spiritists and fortune tellers, attribute to creatures the perfections of God?
A. By believing in spells, charms, mediums, spiritists and fortune tellers we attribute to creatures the perfections of God because we expect these creatures to perform miracles, reveal the hidden judgments of God, and make known His designs for the future with regard to His creatures, things that only God Himself may do.
Q. 1162. Is it sinful to consult mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers and the like when we do not believe in them, but through mere curiosity to hear what they may say?
A. It is sinful to consult mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers and the like even when we do not believe in them, but through mere curiosity, to hear what they may say:
1. Because it is wrong to expose ourselves to the danger of sinning even though we do not sin;
2. Because we may give scandal to others who are not certain that we go through mere curiosity;
3. Because by our pretended belief we encourage these impostors to continue their wicked practices.
Q. 1163. Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also sins against the first Commandment?
A. Sins against faith, hope and charity are also sins against the first Commandment.
Q. 1164. How does a person sin against faith?
A. A person sins against faith:
1. By not trying to know what God has taught;
2. By refusing to believe all that God has taught;
3. By neglecting to profess his belief in what God has taught.
. 1217. What is the second Commandment?
A. The second Commandment is: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Q. 1218. What do you mean by taking God's name in vain?
A. By taking God's name in vain I mean taking it without reverence, as in cursing or using in a light and careless manner, as in exclamation.
Q. 1219. What are we commanded by the second Commandment?
A. We are commanded by the second Commandment to speak with reverence of God and of the saints, and of all holy things, and to keep our lawful oaths and vows.
Q. 1220. Is it sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in a bad or worldly sense?
A. It is sinful to use the words of Holy Scripture in a bad or worldly sense, to joke in them or ridicule their sacred meaning, or in general to give them any meaning but the one we believe God has intended them to convey.
Q. 1221. What is an oath?
A. An oath is the calling upon God to witness the truth of what we say.
Q. 1222. How is an oath usually taken?
A. An oath is usually taken by laying the hand on the Bible or by lifting the hand towards heaven as a sign that we call God to witness that what we are saying is under oath and to the best of our knowledge really true.
Q. 1223. What is perjury?
A. Perjury is the sin one commits who knowingly takes a false oath; that is, swears to the truth of what he knows to be false. Perjury is a crime against the law of our country and a mortal sin before God.
Q. 1224. Who have the right to make us take an oath?
A. All persons to whom the law of our country has given such authority have the right to make us take an oath. They are chiefly judges, magistrates and public officials, whose duty it is to enforce the laws. In religious matters bishops and others to whom authority is given have also the right to make us take an oath.
Q. 1225. When may we take an oath?
A. We may take an oath when it is ordered by lawful authority or required for God's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good.
Q. 1226. When may an oath be required for God's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good?
A. An oath may be required for God's honor or for our own or our neighbor's good when we are called upon to defend our religion against false charges; or to protect our own or our neighbor's property or good name; or when we are required to give testimony that will enable the lawful authorities to discover the guilt or innocence of a person accused.
Q. 1242. What is the third Commandment?
A. The third Commandment is: Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Q. 1243. What are we commanded by the third Commandment?
A. By the third Commandment we are commanded to keep holy the Lord's day and the holydays of obligation, on which we are to give our time to the service and worship of God.
Q. 1244. What are holydays of obligation?
A. Holydays of obligation are special feasts of the Church on which we are bound, under pain of mortal sin, to hear Mass and to keep from servile or bodily labors when it can be done without great loss or inconvenience. Whoever, on account of their circumstances, cannot give up work on holydays of obligation should make every effort to hear Mass and should also explain in confession the necessity of working on holydays.
Q. 1245. How are we to worship God on Sundays and holydays of obligation?
A. We are to worship God on Sundays and holydays of obligation by hearing Mass, by prayer, and by other good works.
Q. 1246. Name some of the good works recommended for Sunday.
A. Some of the good works recommended for Sunday are: The reading of religious books or papers, teaching Catechism, bringing relief to the poor or sick, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, attending Vespers, Rosary or other devotions in the Church; also attending the meetings of religious sodalities or societies. It is not necessary to spend the whole Sunday in such good works, but we should give some time to them, that for the love of God we may do a little more than what is strictly commanded.
Q. 1247. Is it forbidden, then, to seek any pleasure or enjoyment on Sunday?
A. It is not forbidden to seek lawful pleasure or enjoyment on Sunday, especially to those who are occupied during the week, for God did not intend the keeping of the Sunday to be a punishment, but a benefit to us. Therefore, after hearing Mass we may take such recreation as is necessary or useful for us; but we should avoid any vulgar, noisy or disgraceful amusements that turn the day of rest and prayer into a day of scandal and sin.
Q. 1248. Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?
A. The Sabbath day and the Sunday are not the same. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, and is the day which was kept holy in the old law; the Sunday is the first day of the week, and is the day which is kept holy in the new law.
Q. 1249. What is meant by the Old and New Law?
A. The Old Law means the law or religion given to the Jews; the New Law means the law or religion given to Christians.
Q. 1250. Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday holy instead of the Sabbath?
A. The Church commands us to keep the Sunday holy instead of the Sabbath because on Sunday Christ rose from the dead, and on Sunday He sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.
Q. 1251. Do we keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy for any other reason?
A. We keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy also to teach that the Old Law is not now binding upon us, but that we must keep the New Law, which takes its place.
Q. 1252. What is forbidden by the third Commandment?
A. The third Commandment forbids all unnecessary servile work and whatever else may hinder the due observance of the Lord's day.
Q. 1253. What are servile works?
A. Servile works are those which require labor rather of body than of mind.
Q. 1254. From what do servile works derive their name?
A. Servile works derive their name from the fact that such works were formerly done by slaves. Therefore, reading, writing, studying and, in general, all works that slaves did not perform are not considered servile works.
Q. 1255. Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?
A. Servile works are lawful on Sundays when the honor of God, the good of our neighbor, or necessity requires them.
Q. 1256. Give some examples of when the honor of God, the good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile works on Sunday.
A. The honor of God, the good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile works on Sunday, in such cases as the preparation of a place for Holy Mass, the saving of property in storms or accidents, the cooking of meals and similar works.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Messianic Prophecy
Messianic Prophecy
Jesus said to them: "These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms *** , concerning me." Luke 24:44
Born of a virgin
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.
Matthew 1:18 Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.
1:19 Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
1:21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins.
1:22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying:
1:23 Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
1:24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife.
1:25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
A descendant of Abraham
Genesis 12:1 And the Lord said to Abram: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.
12:3 I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and IN THEE shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Galatians 3:16 To Abraham were the promises made and to his seed. He saith not, And to his seeds, as of many: but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Of the tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations.
Luke 3:23 And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years; being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was of Heli, who was of Mathat,
3:24 Who was of Levi, who was of Melchi, who was of Janne, who was of Joseph,
3:25 Who was of Mathathias, who was of Amos, who was of Nahum, who was of Hesli, who was of Nagge,
3:26 Who was of Mahath, who was of Mathathias, who was of Semei, who was of Joseph, who was of Juda,
3:27 Who was of Joanna, who was of Reza, who was of Zorobabel, who was of Salathiel, who was of Neri,
3:28 Who was of Melchi, who was of Addi, who was of Cosan, who was of Helmadan, who was of Her,
3:29 Who was of Jesus, who was of Eliezer, who was of Jorim, who was of Mathat, who was of Levi,
3:30 Who was of Simeon, who was of Judas, who was of Joseph, who was of Jona, who was of Eliakim,
3:31 Who was of Melea, who was of Menna, who was of Mathatha, who was of Nathan, who was of David,
3:32 Who was of Jesse, who was of Obed, who was of Booz, who was of Salmon, who was of Naasson,
3:33 Who was of Aminadab, who was of Aram, who was of Esron, who was of Phares, who was of Judas,
Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprung out of Juda: in which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.
Of the house of David
2nd Kings 7:12 And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of the bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
7:13 He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom fore ever.
7:14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and if he commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.
7:15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.
7:16 And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Will come at a specific time
Daniel 9:25 Know thou, therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls, in straitness of times.
9:26 And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary: and the end thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed desolation.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law:
Ephesians 1:10 In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.
Born in Bethlehem
Micheas 5:2 And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity.
Matthew 2:1 When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,
2:5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
2:6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.
2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Taken to Egypt
Osee 11:1 As the morning passeth, so hath the king of Israel passed away. Because Israel was a child, and I loved him: and I called my son out of Egypt.
Matthew 2:14 Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod:
2:15 That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Herod's killing of the infants
Jeremias 31:15 Thus saith the Lord: A voice was heard on high of lamentation, of mourning, and weeping, of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted for them, because they are not.
Matthew 2:16 Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
2:17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying:
2:18 A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
Anointed by the Holy Spirit
Isaias 11:2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him.
3:17 And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Would perform miracles
Isaias 35:5 Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
35:6 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities, and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease, and every infirmity.
Would preach good news
Isaias 61:1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up.
Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country.
4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, and was magnified by all.
4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up: and he went into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the sabbath day; and he rose up to read.
4:17 And the book of Isaias the prophet was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:
4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart,
4:19 To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward.
4:20 And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
4:21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears.
Would enter Jerusalem as a king on a donkey
Zacharias 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: BEHOLD THY KING will come to thee, the just and saviour: he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.
Matthew 21:4 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke.
21:6 And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them.
21:7 And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon.
21:8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way:
21:9 And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
Would be rejected by Jews
Psalm 117:22 The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner.
1st Peter 2:7 To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
Would die a humiliating death involving:
- rejection
Isaiah 53:3 Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
John 7:48 Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
- betrayal
Psalm 40:10 For even the man of peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me.
Luke 22:3 And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve.
22:4 And he went, and discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might betray him to them.
John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen. But that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth bread with me, shall lift up his heel against me.
- sold for 30 pieces of silver
Zacharias 11:12 And I said to them: If it be good in your eyes, bring hither my wages: and if not, be quiet. And they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:14 Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests,
26:15 And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.
- silence before His accusers
Isaiah 53:7 He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.
Matthew 27:12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing.
27:13 Then Pilate saith to him: Dost not thou hear how great testimonies they allege against thee?
27:14 And he answered him to never a word; so that the governor wondered exceedingly.
- mocked
Psalm 21:7 But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.
21:8 All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.
Matthew 27:31 And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
- beaten
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.
Matthew 27:26 Then he released to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him unto them to be crucified.
- spit upon
Isaiah 50:6 I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me.
Matthew 27:30 And spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head.
- piercing His hands and feet
Psalm 21:17 For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet.
Matthew 27:31 And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
- being crucified with thieves
Isaias 53:12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
Matthew 27:38 Then were crucified with him two thieves: one on the right hand, and one on the left.
- praying for His persecutors
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
Luke 23:34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.
- piercing His side
Zacharias 12:10 And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of prayers: and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son, and they shall grieve over him, as the manner is to grieve for the death of the firstborn.
John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
- given gall and vinegar to drink
Psalm 68:22 And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Luke 23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
Matthew 27:34 And they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink.
- no broken bones
Psalm 33:21 The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken.
John 19:32 The soldiers therefore came; and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him.
19:33 But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
19:35 And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe.
19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him.
- buried in a rich man's tomb
Isaiah 53:9 And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death: because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth.
Matthew 27:57 And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus.
27:58 He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered.
27:59 And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth.
27:60 And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way.
- casting lots for His garments
Psalm 21:19 They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.
John 19:23 The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
19:24 They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lot. And the soldiers indeed did these things.
Would rise from the dead
Psalm 15:10 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt then give thy holy one to see corruption.
Mark 16:6 Who saith to them: Be not affrighted; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him.
Acts 2:31 Foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption.
Ascend into Heaven
Psalm 67:19 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God.
Acts 1:9 And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Would sit down at the right hand of God
Psalm 109:1 The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high.
Jesus said to them: "These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms *** , concerning me." Luke 24:44
Born of a virgin
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.
Matthew 1:18 Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.
1:19 Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
1:21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins.
1:22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying:
1:23 Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
1:24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife.
1:25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
A descendant of Abraham
Genesis 12:1 And the Lord said to Abram: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.
12:3 I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and IN THEE shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Galatians 3:16 To Abraham were the promises made and to his seed. He saith not, And to his seeds, as of many: but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Of the tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations.
Luke 3:23 And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years; being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was of Heli, who was of Mathat,
3:24 Who was of Levi, who was of Melchi, who was of Janne, who was of Joseph,
3:25 Who was of Mathathias, who was of Amos, who was of Nahum, who was of Hesli, who was of Nagge,
3:26 Who was of Mahath, who was of Mathathias, who was of Semei, who was of Joseph, who was of Juda,
3:27 Who was of Joanna, who was of Reza, who was of Zorobabel, who was of Salathiel, who was of Neri,
3:28 Who was of Melchi, who was of Addi, who was of Cosan, who was of Helmadan, who was of Her,
3:29 Who was of Jesus, who was of Eliezer, who was of Jorim, who was of Mathat, who was of Levi,
3:30 Who was of Simeon, who was of Judas, who was of Joseph, who was of Jona, who was of Eliakim,
3:31 Who was of Melea, who was of Menna, who was of Mathatha, who was of Nathan, who was of David,
3:32 Who was of Jesse, who was of Obed, who was of Booz, who was of Salmon, who was of Naasson,
3:33 Who was of Aminadab, who was of Aram, who was of Esron, who was of Phares, who was of Judas,
Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprung out of Juda: in which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.
Of the house of David
2nd Kings 7:12 And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of the bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
7:13 He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom fore ever.
7:14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and if he commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.
7:15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.
7:16 And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Will come at a specific time
Daniel 9:25 Know thou, therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls, in straitness of times.
9:26 And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary: and the end thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed desolation.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law:
Ephesians 1:10 In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.
Born in Bethlehem
Micheas 5:2 And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity.
Matthew 2:1 When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,
2:5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
2:6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.
2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Taken to Egypt
Osee 11:1 As the morning passeth, so hath the king of Israel passed away. Because Israel was a child, and I loved him: and I called my son out of Egypt.
Matthew 2:14 Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod:
2:15 That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Herod's killing of the infants
Jeremias 31:15 Thus saith the Lord: A voice was heard on high of lamentation, of mourning, and weeping, of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted for them, because they are not.
Matthew 2:16 Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
2:17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying:
2:18 A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
Anointed by the Holy Spirit
Isaias 11:2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him.
3:17 And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Would perform miracles
Isaias 35:5 Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
35:6 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities, and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease, and every infirmity.
Would preach good news
Isaias 61:1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up.
Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country.
4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, and was magnified by all.
4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up: and he went into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the sabbath day; and he rose up to read.
4:17 And the book of Isaias the prophet was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:
4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart,
4:19 To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward.
4:20 And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
4:21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears.
Would enter Jerusalem as a king on a donkey
Zacharias 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: BEHOLD THY KING will come to thee, the just and saviour: he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.
Matthew 21:4 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke.
21:6 And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them.
21:7 And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon.
21:8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way:
21:9 And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
Would be rejected by Jews
Psalm 117:22 The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner.
1st Peter 2:7 To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
Would die a humiliating death involving:
- rejection
Isaiah 53:3 Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
John 7:48 Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
- betrayal
Psalm 40:10 For even the man of peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me.
Luke 22:3 And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve.
22:4 And he went, and discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might betray him to them.
John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen. But that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth bread with me, shall lift up his heel against me.
- sold for 30 pieces of silver
Zacharias 11:12 And I said to them: If it be good in your eyes, bring hither my wages: and if not, be quiet. And they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:14 Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests,
26:15 And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.
- silence before His accusers
Isaiah 53:7 He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.
Matthew 27:12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing.
27:13 Then Pilate saith to him: Dost not thou hear how great testimonies they allege against thee?
27:14 And he answered him to never a word; so that the governor wondered exceedingly.
- mocked
Psalm 21:7 But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.
21:8 All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.
Matthew 27:31 And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
- beaten
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.
Matthew 27:26 Then he released to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him unto them to be crucified.
- spit upon
Isaiah 50:6 I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me.
Matthew 27:30 And spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head.
- piercing His hands and feet
Psalm 21:17 For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet.
Matthew 27:31 And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
- being crucified with thieves
Isaias 53:12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
Matthew 27:38 Then were crucified with him two thieves: one on the right hand, and one on the left.
- praying for His persecutors
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
Luke 23:34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.
- piercing His side
Zacharias 12:10 And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of prayers: and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son, and they shall grieve over him, as the manner is to grieve for the death of the firstborn.
John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
- given gall and vinegar to drink
Psalm 68:22 And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Luke 23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
Matthew 27:34 And they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink.
- no broken bones
Psalm 33:21 The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken.
John 19:32 The soldiers therefore came; and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him.
19:33 But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
19:35 And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe.
19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him.
- buried in a rich man's tomb
Isaiah 53:9 And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death: because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth.
Matthew 27:57 And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus.
27:58 He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered.
27:59 And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth.
27:60 And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way.
- casting lots for His garments
Psalm 21:19 They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.
John 19:23 The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
19:24 They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lot. And the soldiers indeed did these things.
Would rise from the dead
Psalm 15:10 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt then give thy holy one to see corruption.
Mark 16:6 Who saith to them: Be not affrighted; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him.
Acts 2:31 Foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption.
Ascend into Heaven
Psalm 67:19 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God.
Acts 1:9 And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Would sit down at the right hand of God
Psalm 109:1 The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool.
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Religion Syllabus
Freshman Religion
Syllabus/Requirements/Texts
September 2010
Michael J. Ortiz
Organization of Class
“What good must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mat. 19:16).
This course is organized on a quarterly basis. Each section studied during the year aims to help students understand and assimilate the Revelation of Jesus Christ in Sacred Scripture and the Tradition of the Catholic Church in its moral, doctrinal, and spiritual dimensions. We will be using as our main texts Faith and Revelation and The Blessed Trinity, both from the Didache Series published by Midwest Theological Forum. Each book is a semester-length source of material drawn from the Catechism and Sacred Scripture. Hence the first two quarters will cover Faith and Revelation, and the second two The Blessed Trinity.
We will also be reading the Gospel of St. Mark each day in class. Additionally, we will read at least two biographies so students can see in detail how the Gospel is lived with heroism and fidelity by the saints who not only model for us a holy life but also intercede for us along our own way.
Quarter One: Knowing God Through Natural Revelation, Reason, and Faith; Divine Revelation and Supernatural Faith; the Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus Christ Through Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture.
Quarter Two: Sacred Scripture: the Inspired Word of God. the Old Testament: God Reveals Himself to His People; Jesus Christ: the Fullness of Divine Revelation; the Church Transmits God’s Revelation.
Quarter Three: Faith and Revelation; Understanding the Trinity; God the Father; The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ
Quarter Four: Jesus Christ--True God and True Man; the Holy Spirit--the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity; the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mother of Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Requirements
1. A neat, well-organized notebook will be 15% of the class grade. Class notes, definitions, historical outlines, prayers studied, and drafts of essays will be done in this notebook.
2. Quizzes on our reading of the Gospel of St. Mark will be 10% of the grade.
3. Tests will include memorization and essay, and will be 75% of the grade.
Texts
Faith and Revelation: Knowing God Through Sacred Scripture
The Blessed Trinity and Our Christian Vocation
The Gospel of St. Mark, (Navarre Bible 2005 edition)
Forget Not Love, Andre Frossard
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian
Maria Di Lorenzo
Syllabus/Requirements/Texts
September 2010
Michael J. Ortiz
Organization of Class
“What good must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mat. 19:16).
This course is organized on a quarterly basis. Each section studied during the year aims to help students understand and assimilate the Revelation of Jesus Christ in Sacred Scripture and the Tradition of the Catholic Church in its moral, doctrinal, and spiritual dimensions. We will be using as our main texts Faith and Revelation and The Blessed Trinity, both from the Didache Series published by Midwest Theological Forum. Each book is a semester-length source of material drawn from the Catechism and Sacred Scripture. Hence the first two quarters will cover Faith and Revelation, and the second two The Blessed Trinity.
We will also be reading the Gospel of St. Mark each day in class. Additionally, we will read at least two biographies so students can see in detail how the Gospel is lived with heroism and fidelity by the saints who not only model for us a holy life but also intercede for us along our own way.
Quarter One: Knowing God Through Natural Revelation, Reason, and Faith; Divine Revelation and Supernatural Faith; the Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus Christ Through Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture.
Quarter Two: Sacred Scripture: the Inspired Word of God. the Old Testament: God Reveals Himself to His People; Jesus Christ: the Fullness of Divine Revelation; the Church Transmits God’s Revelation.
Quarter Three: Faith and Revelation; Understanding the Trinity; God the Father; The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ
Quarter Four: Jesus Christ--True God and True Man; the Holy Spirit--the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity; the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mother of Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Requirements
1. A neat, well-organized notebook will be 15% of the class grade. Class notes, definitions, historical outlines, prayers studied, and drafts of essays will be done in this notebook.
2. Quizzes on our reading of the Gospel of St. Mark will be 10% of the grade.
3. Tests will include memorization and essay, and will be 75% of the grade.
Texts
Faith and Revelation: Knowing God Through Sacred Scripture
The Blessed Trinity and Our Christian Vocation
The Gospel of St. Mark, (Navarre Bible 2005 edition)
Forget Not Love, Andre Frossard
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian
Maria Di Lorenzo
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed
Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed
By St. Thomas Aquinas
Excerpts
ARTICLE 1
“I Believe in One God, the Father the Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.”
Among all the truths which the faithful must believe, this is the first— that there is one God. We must see that God means the ruler and provider of all things. He, therefore, believes in God who believes that everything in this world is governed and provided for by Him. He who would believe that all things come into being by chance does not believe that there is a God.
From a consideration of all this, one is led to a fivefold benefit:
(1) We are led to a knowledge of the divine majesty. Now, if a maker is greater than the things he makes, then God is greater than all things which He has made.
(2) We are led to give thanks to God. Because God is the Creator of all things, it is certain that what we are and what we have is from God: “What do you have that you did not receive?” [1 Cor 4:7].
(3) We are led to bear our troubles in patience.
(4) We are led to a right use of created things.
5) We are led also to acknowledge the great dignity of man. God made all things for man: “You subjected all things under his feet” [Ps 8:8], and man is more like to God than all other creatures save the Angels: “Let us make man to Our image and likeness” [Gen 1:26].
ARTICLE 2
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”
It is not only necessary for Christians to believe in one God who is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things; but also they must believe that God is the Father and that Christ is the true Son of God. This, as St. Peter says, is not mere fable, but is certain and proved by the word of God on the Mount of Transfiguration.
There were, however, certain heretics who erred in this belief. Photinus, for instance, believed that Christ is not the Son of God but a good man who, by a good life and by doing the will of God, merited to be called the son of God by adoption; and so Christ who lived a good life and did the will of God merited to be called the son of God.
Moreover, this error would not have Christ living before the Blessed Virgin, but would have Him begin to exist only at His conception.
Accordingly, there are here two errors: the first, that Christ is not the true Son of God according to His nature; and the second, that Christ in His entire being began to exist in time. Our faith, however, holds that He is the Son of God in His nature, and that he is from all eternity.
ARTICLE 3
“Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.”
The Christian must not only believe in the Son of God, as we have seen, but also in His Incarnation. St. John, after having written of things subtle and difficult to understand, points out the Incarnation to us when he says: “And the Word was made flesh” [Jn 1:14].
Now, in order that we may understand something of this, I give two illustrations at the outset.
It is clear that there is nothing more like the Word of God than the word which is conceived in our mind but not spoken.
Now, no one knows this interior word in our mind except the one who conceives it, and then it is known to others only when it is pronounced. So also as long as the Word of God was in the heart of the Father, it was not known except by the Father Himself; but when the Word assumed flesh—as a word becomes audible—then was It first made manifest and known. “Afterwards He was seen upon earth and conversed with men” [Baruch 3:38].
On this point there arose many errors; and the holy Fathers at the Council of Nicea added in that other Creed a number of things which suppress all these errors.
Origen said that Christ was born and came into the world to save even the devils, and, therefore, at the end of the world all the demons will be saved. But this is contrary to the Holy Scripture: Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Mt 25:41]. Consequently, to remove this error they added in the Creed: “Who for us men (not for the devils) and for our salvation, came down from heaven.” In this the love of God for us is made more apparent.
ARTICLE 4
“Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”
It is just as necessary for the Christian to believe in the passion and death of the Son of God as it is to believe in His Incarnation. For, as St. Gregory says, “there would have been no advantage in His having been born for us unless we had profited by His Redemption.”
Now, we must believe that, although Christ suffered death, yet His Godhead did not die; it was the human nature in Christ that died. For He did not die as God, but as man.
But what need was there that the Son of God should suffer for us? There was a great need; and indeed it can be assigned to two reasons. The first is that it was a remedy against sin, and the second is for an example of what we ought to do.
It was a remedy to such an extent that in the passion of Christ we find a remedy against all the evils which we incur by our sins.
And by our sins we incur five different evils:
The first evil that man incurs by sin is the defilement of his soul.
Secondly, we commit an offense against God.
Thirdly, we have been weakened by sin.
Fourthly, we incur the punishment due to sin.
Fifthly, we incur banishment from the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever wishes to live perfectly need do nothing other than despise what Christ despised on the cross, and desire what Christ desired. There is no virtue that did not have its example on the Cross.
ARTICLE 5
“He Descended to the Underworld. The third day He arose again from the dead.”
The death of Christ was the separation of His soul from His body as it is with other men. But the Divinity was so indissolubly conjoined to the Man-Christ that although His soul and body were disunited, His Divinity was always most perfectly united to both the soul and body.
There are four reasons why Christ together with His soul descended to the underworld.
First, He wished to take upon Himself the entire punishment for our sin, and thus atone for its entire guilt. The punishment for the sin of man was not alone death of the body, but there was also a punishment of the soul, since the soul had its share in sin; and it was punished by being deprived of the beatific vision; and as yet no atonement had been offered whereby this punishment would be taken away.
The second reason is that He might perfectly deliver all His friends. Christ had His friends both in the world and in the underworld. The former were His friends in that they possessed charity; and the latter were they who departed this life with charity and faith in the future Redeemer, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and other just and good men.
The third reason is that He would completely triumph over the devil. Now, a person is perfectly vanquished when he is not only overcome in conflict, but also when the assault is carried into his very home, and the seat of his kingdom is taken away from him.
The fourth and final reason is that Christ might free the just who were in the underworld.
Christ truly died, but not because of weakness or of necessity but rather of His own will entirely and by His own power. This is seen in that moment when He yielded up the Spirit; He cried out with a loud voice [Mt 27:50], which could not be true of others at the moment of dying, because they die out of weakness... For this the centurion said: “Indeed, this was the Son of God” [Mt 27:54].
“As Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” [Rom 6:4]. This new life is the life of justice which renews the soul and leads it to the life of glory.
ARTICLE 6
“He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.”
The Ascension of Christ into heaven is in accord with reason:
(1) because heaven was due to Christ by His very nature. It is natural for one to return to that place from whence he takes his origin. The beginning of Christ is from God, who is above all things: “I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again I leave the world and I go to the Father” [Jn 16:28].
(2) Heaven is due to Christ because of His victory. For He was sent into the world to combat the devil, and He did overcome him.
(3) The Ascension is reasonable because of the humility of Christ. There never was humility so great as that of Christ, who, although He was God, yet wished to become man; and although He was the Lord, yet wished to take the form of a servant, and, as St. Paul says: “He was made obedient unto death” [Phil 2:8], and descended even into the underworld.
The Ascension of Christ was very beneficial for us…that He might draw our hearts to Himself: “For where your treasure is, there is your heart so” [Mt 6:21].
ARTICLE 7
“From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
It is of the office of the King and Lord to pronounce judgment: “The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with His look” [Prov 20:8]. Since Christ, therefore, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God as Lord of all, it is clear that His is the office of Judge.
All are to be judged—those who are, who were, and who will be: “We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil” [2 Cor 5:10]. There are, says St. Gregory, four different classes of people to be judged. The chief difference is between the good and the wicked.
The judgment ought indeed to be feared. (a) Because of the wisdom of the Judge. God knows all things, our thoughts, words and deeds, and “all things are naked and open to his eyes.[Heb 4:13].
“All the ways of men are open to His eyes” [Prov 16:2]. He knows our words: “The ear of jealousy hears all things” [Wis 1:10].
Also our thoughts: “The heart is perverse above all things and unsearchable. Who can know it? I am the Lord, who search the heart and prove the reins; who give to every one according to his way and according to the fruit of his devices” [Jer 17:9-10].
There will be infallible witnesses— men’s own consciences: “Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them; and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men” [Rm 2:15-16].
Our preparation for the judgment:
Now, against this fear of the judgment we ought to have four remedies. The first is good works: “Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do what is good, and you shall have praise from the same” [Rm 13:3]. The second is confession and repentance for sins committed; and this ought to include sorrow in thinking of them, and all severity in making satisfaction for them. And these will take away the eternal punishment. The third is giving of alms, which makes all things clean: “Make friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings” [Lk 16:9]. The fourth is charity, viz., the love of God and our neighbor, for “charity covers a multitude of sins” [1 Pt 4:8].
ARTICLE 8
“I Believe in the Holy Spirit.”
As we have said, the Word of God is the Son of God just as in a way the word of man is the concept of his intellect. But sometimes man has a word which is dead. This is when, for instance, he conceives what he ought to do, but he has not the will to do it; or when one believes but does not practise; then his faith is said to be dead, as St. James points out [2:17]. The word of God, however, is alive: “For the word of God is living” [Hb 4:12].
It is necessary, therefore, that in God there be will and love. Thus, St. Augustine says: “The word of God which we plan to speak is knowledge with love” [De Trinitate IX, 10]. Now, as the Word of God is the Son of God, God’s love is the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is that one possesses the Holy Spirit when he loves God: “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit who is given to us” [Rm 5:5].
Many benefits come to us from the Holy Spirit:
(1) He cleanses us from our sins. The reason is that one must repair that which one has made. It is necessary, therefore, that the hearts of men, destroyed by sin, be made anew by the Holy Spirit: “Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created; and You shall renew the face of the earth” [Ps 103:30]. Nor is it any wonder that the Spirit cleanses, since all sins are taken away by love: “Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much” [Lk 7:47]. “Charity covers all sins”
(2) The Holy Spirit enlightens the intellect, since all that we know, we know through the Holy Spirit:
(3) He assists us and, to a certain extent, compels us to keep the commandments. No one can keep the commandments unless he loves God: “If any one love Me, he will keep My word” [Jn 14:23]. Thus, the Holy Spirit makes us love God: “And I give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in the midst of you; and I will cause you to walk in My commandments and to keep My judgments and do them” [Ez 36:26-27].
(4) He strengthens in us the hope of eternal life, because He is the pledge to us of this our destiny: “You were signed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the pledge of our inheritance” [Eph 1:13].
5) He counsels us when we are in doubt, and teaches us what is the will of God: “He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” [Rev 2:7].
ARTICLE 9
“I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church.”
We see that in a man there are one soul and one body; and of his body there are many members. So also the Catholic Church is one body and has different members. The soul which animates this body is the Holy Spirit. Hence, after confessing our faith in the Holy Spirit, we are bid to believe in the Holy Catholic Church. Thus, in the Symbol it is said, “the Holy Catholic Church.”
The Church has four essential conditions, in that she is one, holy, catholic, and strong and firm.
One
Of the first, it must be known that the Church is one. Although various heretics have founded various sects, they do not belong to the Church, since they are but so many divisions. Of her it is said: “One is My dove; My perfect one is but one” [Sg 6:8]. The unity of the Church arises from three sources:
(1) the unity of faith. All Christians who are of the body of the Church believe the same doctrine. : “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”[Eph 4:5];
(2) the unity of hope. All are strengthened in one hope of arriving at eternal life.
(3) the unity of charity. All are joined together in the love of God, and to each other in mutual love: “And the glory which You hast given Me, I have given them; that they may be one, as We also are one” [Jn 17:22]. No one ought to be indifferent to the Church, or allow himself to be cut off and expelled from it; for there is but one Church in which men are saved, just as outside of the ark of Noah no one could be saved.
Holy
The faithful of this Church are made holy because of four things: (1) Just as a church is cleansed materially when it is consecrated, so also the faithful are washed in the blood of Christ: “Jesus Christ... who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” [Rev 1:5
(2) Just as there is the anointing of the church, so also the faithful are anointed with a spiritual unction in order to be sanctified. Otherwise they would not be Christians, for Christ is the same as Anointed. This anointing is the grace of the Holy Spirit: “He who confirms us with you in Christ and who has anointed us, is God” [2 Cor 1:21].
(3) The faithful are made holy because of the Trinity who dwells in the Church; for wherever God dwells, that place is holy.
(4) Lastly, the faithful are sanctified because God is invoked in the Church. Let us, therefore, beware, seeing that we are thus sanctified, lest by sin we defile our soul which is the temple of God: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? But if any man violates the temple of God, him shall God destroy” [1 Cor 3:16-17].
Catholic
The Church is Catholic, that is, universal.
Firstly, it is universal in place, because it is worldwide. The Church has three parts: one is on earth, one is in heaven, and one is in purgatory.
Secondly, the Church is universal in regard to all the conditions of mankind; for no exceptions are made, neither master nor servant, neither man nor woman: “Neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female” [Gal 3:28].
Thirdly, it is universal in time. Some have said that the Church will exist only up to a certain time. But this is false, for the Church began to exist in the time of Abel and will endure up to the end of the world: “Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” [Mt 28:20]. Moreover, even after the end of the world, it will continue to exist in heaven.
Apostolic
The Church is firm. A house is said to be firm if it has a solid foundation. The principal foundation of the Church is Christ: “For other foundation no men can lay but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus” [1 Cor 3:11]. The secondary foundation, however, is the Apostles and their teaching. Therefore, the Church is firm. It is said in the Apocalypse that the city has “twelve foundations,” and therein were “written the names of the twelve Apostles” [Rev 21:14]. From this the Church is called Apostolic. Likewise, to indicate this firmness of the Church St. Peter is called the crowning head.
The firmness of a house is evident if, when it is violently struck, it does not fall. The Church similarly can never be destroyed, neither by persecution nor by error.
ARTICLE 10
“The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins.”
As in our natural body the operation of one member works for the good of the entire body, so also is it with a spiritual body, such as is the Church. Because all the faithful are one body, the good of one member is communicated to another: “And every one members, one of another” [Rm 12:5].
So, among the points of faith which the Apostles have handed down is that there is a common sharing of good in the Church. This is expressed in the words, “the Communion of Saints”. Among the various members of the Church, the principal member is Christ, because He is the Head: “He made Him head over all the Church, which is His body” [Eph 1:22]. Christ communicates His good, just as the power of the head is communicated to all the members.
This communication takes place through the Sacraments of the Church in which operate the merits of the passion of Christ, which in turn operates for the conferring of grace unto the remission of sins.
These Sacraments of the Church are seven in number.
“Baptism.”—The first is Baptism which is a certain spiritual regeneration. Just as there can be no physical life unless man is first born in the flesh, so spiritual life or grace cannot be had unless man is spiritually reborn.
“Confirmation.”—The second Sacrament is Confirmation. Just as they who are physically born need certain powers to act, so those who are reborn spiritually must have the strength of the Holy Spirit which is imparted to them in this Sacrament.
“Holy Eucharist.”—The Eucharist is the third Sacrament. In the physical life, after man is born and acquires powers, he needs food to sustain and strengthen him. Likewise in the spiritual life, after being fortified, he has need of spiritual food; this is the Body of Christ: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you “[Jn 6:54].
“Extreme Unction.”—Extreme Unction is the fifth Sacrament. In this life there are many things which prevent one from a perfect purification from one’s sins. But since no one can enter into eternal life until he is well cleansed, there is need of another Sacrament which will purify man of his sins, and both free him from sickness and prepare him for entry into the heavenly kingdom. This is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. That this Sacrament does not always restore health to the body is due to this, that perhaps to live is not to the advantage of the soul’s salvation.
“Holy Orders.”—It is necessary that these Sacraments be administered by chosen ministers. Therefore, the Sacrament of Orders is necessary, by whose powers these Sacraments are dispensed.
“Matrimony.”—The seventh Sacrament is Matrimony, and in it men, if they live uprightly, are saved; and thereby they are enabled to live without mortal sin. Sometimes the partners in marriage fall into venial sin, when their concupiscence does not extend beyond the rights of matrimony; but if they do go beyond such rights, they sin mortally.
By these seven Sacraments we receive the remission of sins, and so in the Creed there follows immediately: “the forgiveness of sins.” The power was given to the Apostles to forgive sins. We must believe that the ministers of the Church receive this power from the Apostles; and the Apostles received it from Christ; and thus the priests have the power of binding and loosing. Moreover, we believe that there is the full power of forgiving sins in the Church, although it operates from the highest to the lowest, i.e., from the Pope down through the prelates.
We must also know that not only the efficacy of the Passion of Christ is communicated to us, but also the merits of His life; and, moreover, all the good that all the Saints have done is communicated to all who are in the state of grace, because all are one: “I am a partaker of all those who fear You” [Ps 118:63]. Therefore, he who lives in charity participates in all the good that is done in the entire world…
ARTICLE 11
“The Resurrection of the Body”
There are four benefits that faith and hope in the resurrection bring:
Firstly, it takes away the sorrow which we feel for the departed. It is impossible for one not to grieve over the death of a relative or friend; but the hope that such a one will rise again greatly tempers the pain of parting: “And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, as others who have no hope” [1 Thes 4:12].
Secondly, it takes away the fear of death. If one does not hope in another and better life after death, then without doubt one is greatly in fear of death and would willingly commit any crime rather than suffer death. But because we believe in another life which will be ours after death, we do not fear death, nor would we do anything wrong through fear of it.
Thirdly, it makes us watchful and careful to live uprightly. If, however, this life in which we live were all, we would not have this great incentive to live well, for whatever we do would be of little importance, since it would be regulated not by eternity, but by brief, determined time. But we believe that we shall receive eternal rewards in the resurrection for whatsoever we do here.
Finally, it withdraws us from evil. Just as the hope of reward urges us to do good, so also the fear of punishment, which we believe is reserved for wicked deeds, keeps us from evil: “But they who have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they who have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment” [Jn 5:29].
ARTICLE 12
“Life everlasting. Amen.”
The end of all our desires, eternal life, is fittingly placed last among those things to be believed; and the Creed says: “life everlasting. Amen.” They wrote this to stand against those who believe that the soul perishes with the body. If this were indeed true, then the condition of man would be just the same as that of the beasts. This agrees with what the Psalmist says: “Man when he was in honor did not understand; he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them” [Ps 48:21]. The human soul, however, is in its immortality made like unto God, and in its sensuality alone is it like the brutes. He, then, who believes that the soul dies with the body withdraws it from this similarity to God and likens it to the brutes. Against such it is said: “They knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honor of holy souls. For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of His own likeness He made him” [Wis 2:22-23].
Life everlasting
We must first consider in this Article what is everlasting life. And in this we must know that in everlasting life man is united to God. God Himself is the reward and the end of all our labors: “I am your protector, and your reward exceeding great” [Gen 15:1]. This union with God consists, firstly, in a perfect vision: “We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face” [1 Cor 13:12]. Secondly, in a most fervent love; for the better one is known, the more perfectly is one loved: “The Lord said it, whose fire is in Sion, and His furnace in Jerusalem” [Is 31:9]. Thirdly, in the highest praise. “We shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise,” as says St. Augustine [City of God XX, 30].
Then, too, in everlasting life is the full and perfect satisfying of every desire; for there every blessed soul will have to overflowing what he hoped for and desired. The reason is that in this life no one can fulfill all his desires, nor can any created thing fully satisfy the craving of man. God only satisfies and infinitely exceeds man’s desires; and, therefore, perfect satiety is found in God alone. As St. Augustine says: “You have made us for You, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” [Confessions I, 1].
Finally, in heaven there will be the happy society of all the blessed, and this society will be especially delightful.
Lot of the wicked
The perfect will enjoy all this in the life everlasting, and much more that surpasses description. But the wicked, on the other hand, will be in eternal death suffering pain and punishment as great as will be the happiness and glory of the good. The punishment of the damned will be increased, firstly, by their separation from God and from all good. This is the pain of loss which corresponds to aversion, and is a greater punishment than that of sense: “And the unprofitable servant, cast out into the exterior darkness” [Mt 25:30]. The wicked in this life have interior darkness, namely sin; but then they shall also have exterior darkness.
We thus see the difference between doing good and doing evil. Good works lead to life, evil drags us to death. For this reason, men ought frequently to recall these things to mind, since they will incite one to do good and withdraw one from evil. Therefore, very significantly, at the end of the Creed is placed “life everlasting,” so that it would be more and more deeply impressed on the memory. To this life everlasting may the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed God for ever, bring us! Amen.

Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed
By St. Thomas Aquinas
Excerpts
ARTICLE 1
“I Believe in One God, the Father the Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.”
Among all the truths which the faithful must believe, this is the first— that there is one God. We must see that God means the ruler and provider of all things. He, therefore, believes in God who believes that everything in this world is governed and provided for by Him. He who would believe that all things come into being by chance does not believe that there is a God.
From a consideration of all this, one is led to a fivefold benefit:
(1) We are led to a knowledge of the divine majesty. Now, if a maker is greater than the things he makes, then God is greater than all things which He has made.
(2) We are led to give thanks to God. Because God is the Creator of all things, it is certain that what we are and what we have is from God: “What do you have that you did not receive?” [1 Cor 4:7].
(3) We are led to bear our troubles in patience.
(4) We are led to a right use of created things.
5) We are led also to acknowledge the great dignity of man. God made all things for man: “You subjected all things under his feet” [Ps 8:8], and man is more like to God than all other creatures save the Angels: “Let us make man to Our image and likeness” [Gen 1:26].
ARTICLE 2
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”
It is not only necessary for Christians to believe in one God who is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things; but also they must believe that God is the Father and that Christ is the true Son of God. This, as St. Peter says, is not mere fable, but is certain and proved by the word of God on the Mount of Transfiguration.
There were, however, certain heretics who erred in this belief. Photinus, for instance, believed that Christ is not the Son of God but a good man who, by a good life and by doing the will of God, merited to be called the son of God by adoption; and so Christ who lived a good life and did the will of God merited to be called the son of God.
Moreover, this error would not have Christ living before the Blessed Virgin, but would have Him begin to exist only at His conception.
Accordingly, there are here two errors: the first, that Christ is not the true Son of God according to His nature; and the second, that Christ in His entire being began to exist in time. Our faith, however, holds that He is the Son of God in His nature, and that he is from all eternity.
ARTICLE 3
“Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.”
The Christian must not only believe in the Son of God, as we have seen, but also in His Incarnation. St. John, after having written of things subtle and difficult to understand, points out the Incarnation to us when he says: “And the Word was made flesh” [Jn 1:14].
Now, in order that we may understand something of this, I give two illustrations at the outset.
It is clear that there is nothing more like the Word of God than the word which is conceived in our mind but not spoken.
Now, no one knows this interior word in our mind except the one who conceives it, and then it is known to others only when it is pronounced. So also as long as the Word of God was in the heart of the Father, it was not known except by the Father Himself; but when the Word assumed flesh—as a word becomes audible—then was It first made manifest and known. “Afterwards He was seen upon earth and conversed with men” [Baruch 3:38].
On this point there arose many errors; and the holy Fathers at the Council of Nicea added in that other Creed a number of things which suppress all these errors.
Origen said that Christ was born and came into the world to save even the devils, and, therefore, at the end of the world all the demons will be saved. But this is contrary to the Holy Scripture: Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Mt 25:41]. Consequently, to remove this error they added in the Creed: “Who for us men (not for the devils) and for our salvation, came down from heaven.” In this the love of God for us is made more apparent.
ARTICLE 4
“Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”
It is just as necessary for the Christian to believe in the passion and death of the Son of God as it is to believe in His Incarnation. For, as St. Gregory says, “there would have been no advantage in His having been born for us unless we had profited by His Redemption.”
Now, we must believe that, although Christ suffered death, yet His Godhead did not die; it was the human nature in Christ that died. For He did not die as God, but as man.
But what need was there that the Son of God should suffer for us? There was a great need; and indeed it can be assigned to two reasons. The first is that it was a remedy against sin, and the second is for an example of what we ought to do.
It was a remedy to such an extent that in the passion of Christ we find a remedy against all the evils which we incur by our sins.
And by our sins we incur five different evils:
The first evil that man incurs by sin is the defilement of his soul.
Secondly, we commit an offense against God.
Thirdly, we have been weakened by sin.
Fourthly, we incur the punishment due to sin.
Fifthly, we incur banishment from the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever wishes to live perfectly need do nothing other than despise what Christ despised on the cross, and desire what Christ desired. There is no virtue that did not have its example on the Cross.
ARTICLE 5
“He Descended to the Underworld. The third day He arose again from the dead.”
The death of Christ was the separation of His soul from His body as it is with other men. But the Divinity was so indissolubly conjoined to the Man-Christ that although His soul and body were disunited, His Divinity was always most perfectly united to both the soul and body.
There are four reasons why Christ together with His soul descended to the underworld.
First, He wished to take upon Himself the entire punishment for our sin, and thus atone for its entire guilt. The punishment for the sin of man was not alone death of the body, but there was also a punishment of the soul, since the soul had its share in sin; and it was punished by being deprived of the beatific vision; and as yet no atonement had been offered whereby this punishment would be taken away.
The second reason is that He might perfectly deliver all His friends. Christ had His friends both in the world and in the underworld. The former were His friends in that they possessed charity; and the latter were they who departed this life with charity and faith in the future Redeemer, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and other just and good men.
The third reason is that He would completely triumph over the devil. Now, a person is perfectly vanquished when he is not only overcome in conflict, but also when the assault is carried into his very home, and the seat of his kingdom is taken away from him.
The fourth and final reason is that Christ might free the just who were in the underworld.
Christ truly died, but not because of weakness or of necessity but rather of His own will entirely and by His own power. This is seen in that moment when He yielded up the Spirit; He cried out with a loud voice [Mt 27:50], which could not be true of others at the moment of dying, because they die out of weakness... For this the centurion said: “Indeed, this was the Son of God” [Mt 27:54].
“As Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” [Rom 6:4]. This new life is the life of justice which renews the soul and leads it to the life of glory.
ARTICLE 6
“He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.”
The Ascension of Christ into heaven is in accord with reason:
(1) because heaven was due to Christ by His very nature. It is natural for one to return to that place from whence he takes his origin. The beginning of Christ is from God, who is above all things: “I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again I leave the world and I go to the Father” [Jn 16:28].
(2) Heaven is due to Christ because of His victory. For He was sent into the world to combat the devil, and He did overcome him.
(3) The Ascension is reasonable because of the humility of Christ. There never was humility so great as that of Christ, who, although He was God, yet wished to become man; and although He was the Lord, yet wished to take the form of a servant, and, as St. Paul says: “He was made obedient unto death” [Phil 2:8], and descended even into the underworld.
The Ascension of Christ was very beneficial for us…that He might draw our hearts to Himself: “For where your treasure is, there is your heart so” [Mt 6:21].
ARTICLE 7
“From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
It is of the office of the King and Lord to pronounce judgment: “The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with His look” [Prov 20:8]. Since Christ, therefore, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God as Lord of all, it is clear that His is the office of Judge.
All are to be judged—those who are, who were, and who will be: “We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil” [2 Cor 5:10]. There are, says St. Gregory, four different classes of people to be judged. The chief difference is between the good and the wicked.
The judgment ought indeed to be feared. (a) Because of the wisdom of the Judge. God knows all things, our thoughts, words and deeds, and “all things are naked and open to his eyes.[Heb 4:13].
“All the ways of men are open to His eyes” [Prov 16:2]. He knows our words: “The ear of jealousy hears all things” [Wis 1:10].
Also our thoughts: “The heart is perverse above all things and unsearchable. Who can know it? I am the Lord, who search the heart and prove the reins; who give to every one according to his way and according to the fruit of his devices” [Jer 17:9-10].
There will be infallible witnesses— men’s own consciences: “Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them; and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men” [Rm 2:15-16].
Our preparation for the judgment:
Now, against this fear of the judgment we ought to have four remedies. The first is good works: “Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do what is good, and you shall have praise from the same” [Rm 13:3]. The second is confession and repentance for sins committed; and this ought to include sorrow in thinking of them, and all severity in making satisfaction for them. And these will take away the eternal punishment. The third is giving of alms, which makes all things clean: “Make friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings” [Lk 16:9]. The fourth is charity, viz., the love of God and our neighbor, for “charity covers a multitude of sins” [1 Pt 4:8].
ARTICLE 8
“I Believe in the Holy Spirit.”
As we have said, the Word of God is the Son of God just as in a way the word of man is the concept of his intellect. But sometimes man has a word which is dead. This is when, for instance, he conceives what he ought to do, but he has not the will to do it; or when one believes but does not practise; then his faith is said to be dead, as St. James points out [2:17]. The word of God, however, is alive: “For the word of God is living” [Hb 4:12].
It is necessary, therefore, that in God there be will and love. Thus, St. Augustine says: “The word of God which we plan to speak is knowledge with love” [De Trinitate IX, 10]. Now, as the Word of God is the Son of God, God’s love is the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is that one possesses the Holy Spirit when he loves God: “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit who is given to us” [Rm 5:5].
Many benefits come to us from the Holy Spirit:
(1) He cleanses us from our sins. The reason is that one must repair that which one has made. It is necessary, therefore, that the hearts of men, destroyed by sin, be made anew by the Holy Spirit: “Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created; and You shall renew the face of the earth” [Ps 103:30]. Nor is it any wonder that the Spirit cleanses, since all sins are taken away by love: “Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much” [Lk 7:47]. “Charity covers all sins”
(2) The Holy Spirit enlightens the intellect, since all that we know, we know through the Holy Spirit:
(3) He assists us and, to a certain extent, compels us to keep the commandments. No one can keep the commandments unless he loves God: “If any one love Me, he will keep My word” [Jn 14:23]. Thus, the Holy Spirit makes us love God: “And I give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in the midst of you; and I will cause you to walk in My commandments and to keep My judgments and do them” [Ez 36:26-27].
(4) He strengthens in us the hope of eternal life, because He is the pledge to us of this our destiny: “You were signed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the pledge of our inheritance” [Eph 1:13].
5) He counsels us when we are in doubt, and teaches us what is the will of God: “He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” [Rev 2:7].
ARTICLE 9
“I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church.”
We see that in a man there are one soul and one body; and of his body there are many members. So also the Catholic Church is one body and has different members. The soul which animates this body is the Holy Spirit. Hence, after confessing our faith in the Holy Spirit, we are bid to believe in the Holy Catholic Church. Thus, in the Symbol it is said, “the Holy Catholic Church.”
The Church has four essential conditions, in that she is one, holy, catholic, and strong and firm.
One
Of the first, it must be known that the Church is one. Although various heretics have founded various sects, they do not belong to the Church, since they are but so many divisions. Of her it is said: “One is My dove; My perfect one is but one” [Sg 6:8]. The unity of the Church arises from three sources:
(1) the unity of faith. All Christians who are of the body of the Church believe the same doctrine. : “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”[Eph 4:5];
(2) the unity of hope. All are strengthened in one hope of arriving at eternal life.
(3) the unity of charity. All are joined together in the love of God, and to each other in mutual love: “And the glory which You hast given Me, I have given them; that they may be one, as We also are one” [Jn 17:22]. No one ought to be indifferent to the Church, or allow himself to be cut off and expelled from it; for there is but one Church in which men are saved, just as outside of the ark of Noah no one could be saved.
Holy
The faithful of this Church are made holy because of four things: (1) Just as a church is cleansed materially when it is consecrated, so also the faithful are washed in the blood of Christ: “Jesus Christ... who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” [Rev 1:5
(2) Just as there is the anointing of the church, so also the faithful are anointed with a spiritual unction in order to be sanctified. Otherwise they would not be Christians, for Christ is the same as Anointed. This anointing is the grace of the Holy Spirit: “He who confirms us with you in Christ and who has anointed us, is God” [2 Cor 1:21].
(3) The faithful are made holy because of the Trinity who dwells in the Church; for wherever God dwells, that place is holy.
(4) Lastly, the faithful are sanctified because God is invoked in the Church. Let us, therefore, beware, seeing that we are thus sanctified, lest by sin we defile our soul which is the temple of God: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? But if any man violates the temple of God, him shall God destroy” [1 Cor 3:16-17].
Catholic
The Church is Catholic, that is, universal.
Firstly, it is universal in place, because it is worldwide. The Church has three parts: one is on earth, one is in heaven, and one is in purgatory.
Secondly, the Church is universal in regard to all the conditions of mankind; for no exceptions are made, neither master nor servant, neither man nor woman: “Neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female” [Gal 3:28].
Thirdly, it is universal in time. Some have said that the Church will exist only up to a certain time. But this is false, for the Church began to exist in the time of Abel and will endure up to the end of the world: “Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” [Mt 28:20]. Moreover, even after the end of the world, it will continue to exist in heaven.
Apostolic
The Church is firm. A house is said to be firm if it has a solid foundation. The principal foundation of the Church is Christ: “For other foundation no men can lay but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus” [1 Cor 3:11]. The secondary foundation, however, is the Apostles and their teaching. Therefore, the Church is firm. It is said in the Apocalypse that the city has “twelve foundations,” and therein were “written the names of the twelve Apostles” [Rev 21:14]. From this the Church is called Apostolic. Likewise, to indicate this firmness of the Church St. Peter is called the crowning head.
The firmness of a house is evident if, when it is violently struck, it does not fall. The Church similarly can never be destroyed, neither by persecution nor by error.
ARTICLE 10
“The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins.”
As in our natural body the operation of one member works for the good of the entire body, so also is it with a spiritual body, such as is the Church. Because all the faithful are one body, the good of one member is communicated to another: “And every one members, one of another” [Rm 12:5].
So, among the points of faith which the Apostles have handed down is that there is a common sharing of good in the Church. This is expressed in the words, “the Communion of Saints”. Among the various members of the Church, the principal member is Christ, because He is the Head: “He made Him head over all the Church, which is His body” [Eph 1:22]. Christ communicates His good, just as the power of the head is communicated to all the members.
This communication takes place through the Sacraments of the Church in which operate the merits of the passion of Christ, which in turn operates for the conferring of grace unto the remission of sins.
These Sacraments of the Church are seven in number.
“Baptism.”—The first is Baptism which is a certain spiritual regeneration. Just as there can be no physical life unless man is first born in the flesh, so spiritual life or grace cannot be had unless man is spiritually reborn.
“Confirmation.”—The second Sacrament is Confirmation. Just as they who are physically born need certain powers to act, so those who are reborn spiritually must have the strength of the Holy Spirit which is imparted to them in this Sacrament.
“Holy Eucharist.”—The Eucharist is the third Sacrament. In the physical life, after man is born and acquires powers, he needs food to sustain and strengthen him. Likewise in the spiritual life, after being fortified, he has need of spiritual food; this is the Body of Christ: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you “[Jn 6:54].
“Extreme Unction.”—Extreme Unction is the fifth Sacrament. In this life there are many things which prevent one from a perfect purification from one’s sins. But since no one can enter into eternal life until he is well cleansed, there is need of another Sacrament which will purify man of his sins, and both free him from sickness and prepare him for entry into the heavenly kingdom. This is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. That this Sacrament does not always restore health to the body is due to this, that perhaps to live is not to the advantage of the soul’s salvation.
“Holy Orders.”—It is necessary that these Sacraments be administered by chosen ministers. Therefore, the Sacrament of Orders is necessary, by whose powers these Sacraments are dispensed.
“Matrimony.”—The seventh Sacrament is Matrimony, and in it men, if they live uprightly, are saved; and thereby they are enabled to live without mortal sin. Sometimes the partners in marriage fall into venial sin, when their concupiscence does not extend beyond the rights of matrimony; but if they do go beyond such rights, they sin mortally.
By these seven Sacraments we receive the remission of sins, and so in the Creed there follows immediately: “the forgiveness of sins.” The power was given to the Apostles to forgive sins. We must believe that the ministers of the Church receive this power from the Apostles; and the Apostles received it from Christ; and thus the priests have the power of binding and loosing. Moreover, we believe that there is the full power of forgiving sins in the Church, although it operates from the highest to the lowest, i.e., from the Pope down through the prelates.
We must also know that not only the efficacy of the Passion of Christ is communicated to us, but also the merits of His life; and, moreover, all the good that all the Saints have done is communicated to all who are in the state of grace, because all are one: “I am a partaker of all those who fear You” [Ps 118:63]. Therefore, he who lives in charity participates in all the good that is done in the entire world…
ARTICLE 11
“The Resurrection of the Body”
There are four benefits that faith and hope in the resurrection bring:
Firstly, it takes away the sorrow which we feel for the departed. It is impossible for one not to grieve over the death of a relative or friend; but the hope that such a one will rise again greatly tempers the pain of parting: “And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, as others who have no hope” [1 Thes 4:12].
Secondly, it takes away the fear of death. If one does not hope in another and better life after death, then without doubt one is greatly in fear of death and would willingly commit any crime rather than suffer death. But because we believe in another life which will be ours after death, we do not fear death, nor would we do anything wrong through fear of it.
Thirdly, it makes us watchful and careful to live uprightly. If, however, this life in which we live were all, we would not have this great incentive to live well, for whatever we do would be of little importance, since it would be regulated not by eternity, but by brief, determined time. But we believe that we shall receive eternal rewards in the resurrection for whatsoever we do here.
Finally, it withdraws us from evil. Just as the hope of reward urges us to do good, so also the fear of punishment, which we believe is reserved for wicked deeds, keeps us from evil: “But they who have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they who have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment” [Jn 5:29].
ARTICLE 12
“Life everlasting. Amen.”
The end of all our desires, eternal life, is fittingly placed last among those things to be believed; and the Creed says: “life everlasting. Amen.” They wrote this to stand against those who believe that the soul perishes with the body. If this were indeed true, then the condition of man would be just the same as that of the beasts. This agrees with what the Psalmist says: “Man when he was in honor did not understand; he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them” [Ps 48:21]. The human soul, however, is in its immortality made like unto God, and in its sensuality alone is it like the brutes. He, then, who believes that the soul dies with the body withdraws it from this similarity to God and likens it to the brutes. Against such it is said: “They knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honor of holy souls. For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of His own likeness He made him” [Wis 2:22-23].
Life everlasting
We must first consider in this Article what is everlasting life. And in this we must know that in everlasting life man is united to God. God Himself is the reward and the end of all our labors: “I am your protector, and your reward exceeding great” [Gen 15:1]. This union with God consists, firstly, in a perfect vision: “We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face” [1 Cor 13:12]. Secondly, in a most fervent love; for the better one is known, the more perfectly is one loved: “The Lord said it, whose fire is in Sion, and His furnace in Jerusalem” [Is 31:9]. Thirdly, in the highest praise. “We shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise,” as says St. Augustine [City of God XX, 30].
Then, too, in everlasting life is the full and perfect satisfying of every desire; for there every blessed soul will have to overflowing what he hoped for and desired. The reason is that in this life no one can fulfill all his desires, nor can any created thing fully satisfy the craving of man. God only satisfies and infinitely exceeds man’s desires; and, therefore, perfect satiety is found in God alone. As St. Augustine says: “You have made us for You, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” [Confessions I, 1].
Finally, in heaven there will be the happy society of all the blessed, and this society will be especially delightful.
Lot of the wicked
The perfect will enjoy all this in the life everlasting, and much more that surpasses description. But the wicked, on the other hand, will be in eternal death suffering pain and punishment as great as will be the happiness and glory of the good. The punishment of the damned will be increased, firstly, by their separation from God and from all good. This is the pain of loss which corresponds to aversion, and is a greater punishment than that of sense: “And the unprofitable servant, cast out into the exterior darkness” [Mt 25:30]. The wicked in this life have interior darkness, namely sin; but then they shall also have exterior darkness.
We thus see the difference between doing good and doing evil. Good works lead to life, evil drags us to death. For this reason, men ought frequently to recall these things to mind, since they will incite one to do good and withdraw one from evil. Therefore, very significantly, at the end of the Creed is placed “life everlasting,” so that it would be more and more deeply impressed on the memory. To this life everlasting may the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed God for ever, bring us! Amen.
By St. Thomas Aquinas
Excerpts
ARTICLE 1
“I Believe in One God, the Father the Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.”
Among all the truths which the faithful must believe, this is the first— that there is one God. We must see that God means the ruler and provider of all things. He, therefore, believes in God who believes that everything in this world is governed and provided for by Him. He who would believe that all things come into being by chance does not believe that there is a God.
From a consideration of all this, one is led to a fivefold benefit:
(1) We are led to a knowledge of the divine majesty. Now, if a maker is greater than the things he makes, then God is greater than all things which He has made.
(2) We are led to give thanks to God. Because God is the Creator of all things, it is certain that what we are and what we have is from God: “What do you have that you did not receive?” [1 Cor 4:7].
(3) We are led to bear our troubles in patience.
(4) We are led to a right use of created things.
5) We are led also to acknowledge the great dignity of man. God made all things for man: “You subjected all things under his feet” [Ps 8:8], and man is more like to God than all other creatures save the Angels: “Let us make man to Our image and likeness” [Gen 1:26].
ARTICLE 2
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”
It is not only necessary for Christians to believe in one God who is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things; but also they must believe that God is the Father and that Christ is the true Son of God. This, as St. Peter says, is not mere fable, but is certain and proved by the word of God on the Mount of Transfiguration.
There were, however, certain heretics who erred in this belief. Photinus, for instance, believed that Christ is not the Son of God but a good man who, by a good life and by doing the will of God, merited to be called the son of God by adoption; and so Christ who lived a good life and did the will of God merited to be called the son of God.
Moreover, this error would not have Christ living before the Blessed Virgin, but would have Him begin to exist only at His conception.
Accordingly, there are here two errors: the first, that Christ is not the true Son of God according to His nature; and the second, that Christ in His entire being began to exist in time. Our faith, however, holds that He is the Son of God in His nature, and that he is from all eternity.
ARTICLE 3
“Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.”
The Christian must not only believe in the Son of God, as we have seen, but also in His Incarnation. St. John, after having written of things subtle and difficult to understand, points out the Incarnation to us when he says: “And the Word was made flesh” [Jn 1:14].
Now, in order that we may understand something of this, I give two illustrations at the outset.
It is clear that there is nothing more like the Word of God than the word which is conceived in our mind but not spoken.
Now, no one knows this interior word in our mind except the one who conceives it, and then it is known to others only when it is pronounced. So also as long as the Word of God was in the heart of the Father, it was not known except by the Father Himself; but when the Word assumed flesh—as a word becomes audible—then was It first made manifest and known. “Afterwards He was seen upon earth and conversed with men” [Baruch 3:38].
On this point there arose many errors; and the holy Fathers at the Council of Nicea added in that other Creed a number of things which suppress all these errors.
Origen said that Christ was born and came into the world to save even the devils, and, therefore, at the end of the world all the demons will be saved. But this is contrary to the Holy Scripture: Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Mt 25:41]. Consequently, to remove this error they added in the Creed: “Who for us men (not for the devils) and for our salvation, came down from heaven.” In this the love of God for us is made more apparent.
ARTICLE 4
“Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”
It is just as necessary for the Christian to believe in the passion and death of the Son of God as it is to believe in His Incarnation. For, as St. Gregory says, “there would have been no advantage in His having been born for us unless we had profited by His Redemption.”
Now, we must believe that, although Christ suffered death, yet His Godhead did not die; it was the human nature in Christ that died. For He did not die as God, but as man.
But what need was there that the Son of God should suffer for us? There was a great need; and indeed it can be assigned to two reasons. The first is that it was a remedy against sin, and the second is for an example of what we ought to do.
It was a remedy to such an extent that in the passion of Christ we find a remedy against all the evils which we incur by our sins.
And by our sins we incur five different evils:
The first evil that man incurs by sin is the defilement of his soul.
Secondly, we commit an offense against God.
Thirdly, we have been weakened by sin.
Fourthly, we incur the punishment due to sin.
Fifthly, we incur banishment from the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever wishes to live perfectly need do nothing other than despise what Christ despised on the cross, and desire what Christ desired. There is no virtue that did not have its example on the Cross.
ARTICLE 5
“He Descended to the Underworld. The third day He arose again from the dead.”
The death of Christ was the separation of His soul from His body as it is with other men. But the Divinity was so indissolubly conjoined to the Man-Christ that although His soul and body were disunited, His Divinity was always most perfectly united to both the soul and body.
There are four reasons why Christ together with His soul descended to the underworld.
First, He wished to take upon Himself the entire punishment for our sin, and thus atone for its entire guilt. The punishment for the sin of man was not alone death of the body, but there was also a punishment of the soul, since the soul had its share in sin; and it was punished by being deprived of the beatific vision; and as yet no atonement had been offered whereby this punishment would be taken away.
The second reason is that He might perfectly deliver all His friends. Christ had His friends both in the world and in the underworld. The former were His friends in that they possessed charity; and the latter were they who departed this life with charity and faith in the future Redeemer, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and other just and good men.
The third reason is that He would completely triumph over the devil. Now, a person is perfectly vanquished when he is not only overcome in conflict, but also when the assault is carried into his very home, and the seat of his kingdom is taken away from him.
The fourth and final reason is that Christ might free the just who were in the underworld.
Christ truly died, but not because of weakness or of necessity but rather of His own will entirely and by His own power. This is seen in that moment when He yielded up the Spirit; He cried out with a loud voice [Mt 27:50], which could not be true of others at the moment of dying, because they die out of weakness... For this the centurion said: “Indeed, this was the Son of God” [Mt 27:54].
“As Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” [Rom 6:4]. This new life is the life of justice which renews the soul and leads it to the life of glory.
ARTICLE 6
“He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.”
The Ascension of Christ into heaven is in accord with reason:
(1) because heaven was due to Christ by His very nature. It is natural for one to return to that place from whence he takes his origin. The beginning of Christ is from God, who is above all things: “I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again I leave the world and I go to the Father” [Jn 16:28].
(2) Heaven is due to Christ because of His victory. For He was sent into the world to combat the devil, and He did overcome him.
(3) The Ascension is reasonable because of the humility of Christ. There never was humility so great as that of Christ, who, although He was God, yet wished to become man; and although He was the Lord, yet wished to take the form of a servant, and, as St. Paul says: “He was made obedient unto death” [Phil 2:8], and descended even into the underworld.
The Ascension of Christ was very beneficial for us…that He might draw our hearts to Himself: “For where your treasure is, there is your heart so” [Mt 6:21].
ARTICLE 7
“From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
It is of the office of the King and Lord to pronounce judgment: “The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with His look” [Prov 20:8]. Since Christ, therefore, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God as Lord of all, it is clear that His is the office of Judge.
All are to be judged—those who are, who were, and who will be: “We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil” [2 Cor 5:10]. There are, says St. Gregory, four different classes of people to be judged. The chief difference is between the good and the wicked.
The judgment ought indeed to be feared. (a) Because of the wisdom of the Judge. God knows all things, our thoughts, words and deeds, and “all things are naked and open to his eyes.[Heb 4:13].
“All the ways of men are open to His eyes” [Prov 16:2]. He knows our words: “The ear of jealousy hears all things” [Wis 1:10].
Also our thoughts: “The heart is perverse above all things and unsearchable. Who can know it? I am the Lord, who search the heart and prove the reins; who give to every one according to his way and according to the fruit of his devices” [Jer 17:9-10].
There will be infallible witnesses— men’s own consciences: “Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them; and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men” [Rm 2:15-16].
Our preparation for the judgment:
Now, against this fear of the judgment we ought to have four remedies. The first is good works: “Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do what is good, and you shall have praise from the same” [Rm 13:3]. The second is confession and repentance for sins committed; and this ought to include sorrow in thinking of them, and all severity in making satisfaction for them. And these will take away the eternal punishment. The third is giving of alms, which makes all things clean: “Make friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings” [Lk 16:9]. The fourth is charity, viz., the love of God and our neighbor, for “charity covers a multitude of sins” [1 Pt 4:8].
ARTICLE 8
“I Believe in the Holy Spirit.”
As we have said, the Word of God is the Son of God just as in a way the word of man is the concept of his intellect. But sometimes man has a word which is dead. This is when, for instance, he conceives what he ought to do, but he has not the will to do it; or when one believes but does not practise; then his faith is said to be dead, as St. James points out [2:17]. The word of God, however, is alive: “For the word of God is living” [Hb 4:12].
It is necessary, therefore, that in God there be will and love. Thus, St. Augustine says: “The word of God which we plan to speak is knowledge with love” [De Trinitate IX, 10]. Now, as the Word of God is the Son of God, God’s love is the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is that one possesses the Holy Spirit when he loves God: “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit who is given to us” [Rm 5:5].
Many benefits come to us from the Holy Spirit:
(1) He cleanses us from our sins. The reason is that one must repair that which one has made. It is necessary, therefore, that the hearts of men, destroyed by sin, be made anew by the Holy Spirit: “Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created; and You shall renew the face of the earth” [Ps 103:30]. Nor is it any wonder that the Spirit cleanses, since all sins are taken away by love: “Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much” [Lk 7:47]. “Charity covers all sins”
(2) The Holy Spirit enlightens the intellect, since all that we know, we know through the Holy Spirit:
(3) He assists us and, to a certain extent, compels us to keep the commandments. No one can keep the commandments unless he loves God: “If any one love Me, he will keep My word” [Jn 14:23]. Thus, the Holy Spirit makes us love God: “And I give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in the midst of you; and I will cause you to walk in My commandments and to keep My judgments and do them” [Ez 36:26-27].
(4) He strengthens in us the hope of eternal life, because He is the pledge to us of this our destiny: “You were signed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the pledge of our inheritance” [Eph 1:13].
5) He counsels us when we are in doubt, and teaches us what is the will of God: “He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” [Rev 2:7].
ARTICLE 9
“I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church.”
We see that in a man there are one soul and one body; and of his body there are many members. So also the Catholic Church is one body and has different members. The soul which animates this body is the Holy Spirit. Hence, after confessing our faith in the Holy Spirit, we are bid to believe in the Holy Catholic Church. Thus, in the Symbol it is said, “the Holy Catholic Church.”
The Church has four essential conditions, in that she is one, holy, catholic, and strong and firm.
One
Of the first, it must be known that the Church is one. Although various heretics have founded various sects, they do not belong to the Church, since they are but so many divisions. Of her it is said: “One is My dove; My perfect one is but one” [Sg 6:8]. The unity of the Church arises from three sources:
(1) the unity of faith. All Christians who are of the body of the Church believe the same doctrine. : “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”[Eph 4:5];
(2) the unity of hope. All are strengthened in one hope of arriving at eternal life.
(3) the unity of charity. All are joined together in the love of God, and to each other in mutual love: “And the glory which You hast given Me, I have given them; that they may be one, as We also are one” [Jn 17:22]. No one ought to be indifferent to the Church, or allow himself to be cut off and expelled from it; for there is but one Church in which men are saved, just as outside of the ark of Noah no one could be saved.
Holy
The faithful of this Church are made holy because of four things: (1) Just as a church is cleansed materially when it is consecrated, so also the faithful are washed in the blood of Christ: “Jesus Christ... who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” [Rev 1:5
(2) Just as there is the anointing of the church, so also the faithful are anointed with a spiritual unction in order to be sanctified. Otherwise they would not be Christians, for Christ is the same as Anointed. This anointing is the grace of the Holy Spirit: “He who confirms us with you in Christ and who has anointed us, is God” [2 Cor 1:21].
(3) The faithful are made holy because of the Trinity who dwells in the Church; for wherever God dwells, that place is holy.
(4) Lastly, the faithful are sanctified because God is invoked in the Church. Let us, therefore, beware, seeing that we are thus sanctified, lest by sin we defile our soul which is the temple of God: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? But if any man violates the temple of God, him shall God destroy” [1 Cor 3:16-17].
Catholic
The Church is Catholic, that is, universal.
Firstly, it is universal in place, because it is worldwide. The Church has three parts: one is on earth, one is in heaven, and one is in purgatory.
Secondly, the Church is universal in regard to all the conditions of mankind; for no exceptions are made, neither master nor servant, neither man nor woman: “Neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female” [Gal 3:28].
Thirdly, it is universal in time. Some have said that the Church will exist only up to a certain time. But this is false, for the Church began to exist in the time of Abel and will endure up to the end of the world: “Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” [Mt 28:20]. Moreover, even after the end of the world, it will continue to exist in heaven.
Apostolic
The Church is firm. A house is said to be firm if it has a solid foundation. The principal foundation of the Church is Christ: “For other foundation no men can lay but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus” [1 Cor 3:11]. The secondary foundation, however, is the Apostles and their teaching. Therefore, the Church is firm. It is said in the Apocalypse that the city has “twelve foundations,” and therein were “written the names of the twelve Apostles” [Rev 21:14]. From this the Church is called Apostolic. Likewise, to indicate this firmness of the Church St. Peter is called the crowning head.
The firmness of a house is evident if, when it is violently struck, it does not fall. The Church similarly can never be destroyed, neither by persecution nor by error.
ARTICLE 10
“The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins.”
As in our natural body the operation of one member works for the good of the entire body, so also is it with a spiritual body, such as is the Church. Because all the faithful are one body, the good of one member is communicated to another: “And every one members, one of another” [Rm 12:5].
So, among the points of faith which the Apostles have handed down is that there is a common sharing of good in the Church. This is expressed in the words, “the Communion of Saints”. Among the various members of the Church, the principal member is Christ, because He is the Head: “He made Him head over all the Church, which is His body” [Eph 1:22]. Christ communicates His good, just as the power of the head is communicated to all the members.
This communication takes place through the Sacraments of the Church in which operate the merits of the passion of Christ, which in turn operates for the conferring of grace unto the remission of sins.
These Sacraments of the Church are seven in number.
“Baptism.”—The first is Baptism which is a certain spiritual regeneration. Just as there can be no physical life unless man is first born in the flesh, so spiritual life or grace cannot be had unless man is spiritually reborn.
“Confirmation.”—The second Sacrament is Confirmation. Just as they who are physically born need certain powers to act, so those who are reborn spiritually must have the strength of the Holy Spirit which is imparted to them in this Sacrament.
“Holy Eucharist.”—The Eucharist is the third Sacrament. In the physical life, after man is born and acquires powers, he needs food to sustain and strengthen him. Likewise in the spiritual life, after being fortified, he has need of spiritual food; this is the Body of Christ: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you “[Jn 6:54].
“Extreme Unction.”—Extreme Unction is the fifth Sacrament. In this life there are many things which prevent one from a perfect purification from one’s sins. But since no one can enter into eternal life until he is well cleansed, there is need of another Sacrament which will purify man of his sins, and both free him from sickness and prepare him for entry into the heavenly kingdom. This is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. That this Sacrament does not always restore health to the body is due to this, that perhaps to live is not to the advantage of the soul’s salvation.
“Holy Orders.”—It is necessary that these Sacraments be administered by chosen ministers. Therefore, the Sacrament of Orders is necessary, by whose powers these Sacraments are dispensed.
“Matrimony.”—The seventh Sacrament is Matrimony, and in it men, if they live uprightly, are saved; and thereby they are enabled to live without mortal sin. Sometimes the partners in marriage fall into venial sin, when their concupiscence does not extend beyond the rights of matrimony; but if they do go beyond such rights, they sin mortally.
By these seven Sacraments we receive the remission of sins, and so in the Creed there follows immediately: “the forgiveness of sins.” The power was given to the Apostles to forgive sins. We must believe that the ministers of the Church receive this power from the Apostles; and the Apostles received it from Christ; and thus the priests have the power of binding and loosing. Moreover, we believe that there is the full power of forgiving sins in the Church, although it operates from the highest to the lowest, i.e., from the Pope down through the prelates.
We must also know that not only the efficacy of the Passion of Christ is communicated to us, but also the merits of His life; and, moreover, all the good that all the Saints have done is communicated to all who are in the state of grace, because all are one: “I am a partaker of all those who fear You” [Ps 118:63]. Therefore, he who lives in charity participates in all the good that is done in the entire world…
ARTICLE 11
“The Resurrection of the Body”
There are four benefits that faith and hope in the resurrection bring:
Firstly, it takes away the sorrow which we feel for the departed. It is impossible for one not to grieve over the death of a relative or friend; but the hope that such a one will rise again greatly tempers the pain of parting: “And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, as others who have no hope” [1 Thes 4:12].
Secondly, it takes away the fear of death. If one does not hope in another and better life after death, then without doubt one is greatly in fear of death and would willingly commit any crime rather than suffer death. But because we believe in another life which will be ours after death, we do not fear death, nor would we do anything wrong through fear of it.
Thirdly, it makes us watchful and careful to live uprightly. If, however, this life in which we live were all, we would not have this great incentive to live well, for whatever we do would be of little importance, since it would be regulated not by eternity, but by brief, determined time. But we believe that we shall receive eternal rewards in the resurrection for whatsoever we do here.
Finally, it withdraws us from evil. Just as the hope of reward urges us to do good, so also the fear of punishment, which we believe is reserved for wicked deeds, keeps us from evil: “But they who have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they who have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment” [Jn 5:29].
ARTICLE 12
“Life everlasting. Amen.”
The end of all our desires, eternal life, is fittingly placed last among those things to be believed; and the Creed says: “life everlasting. Amen.” They wrote this to stand against those who believe that the soul perishes with the body. If this were indeed true, then the condition of man would be just the same as that of the beasts. This agrees with what the Psalmist says: “Man when he was in honor did not understand; he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them” [Ps 48:21]. The human soul, however, is in its immortality made like unto God, and in its sensuality alone is it like the brutes. He, then, who believes that the soul dies with the body withdraws it from this similarity to God and likens it to the brutes. Against such it is said: “They knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honor of holy souls. For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of His own likeness He made him” [Wis 2:22-23].
Life everlasting
We must first consider in this Article what is everlasting life. And in this we must know that in everlasting life man is united to God. God Himself is the reward and the end of all our labors: “I am your protector, and your reward exceeding great” [Gen 15:1]. This union with God consists, firstly, in a perfect vision: “We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face” [1 Cor 13:12]. Secondly, in a most fervent love; for the better one is known, the more perfectly is one loved: “The Lord said it, whose fire is in Sion, and His furnace in Jerusalem” [Is 31:9]. Thirdly, in the highest praise. “We shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise,” as says St. Augustine [City of God XX, 30].
Then, too, in everlasting life is the full and perfect satisfying of every desire; for there every blessed soul will have to overflowing what he hoped for and desired. The reason is that in this life no one can fulfill all his desires, nor can any created thing fully satisfy the craving of man. God only satisfies and infinitely exceeds man’s desires; and, therefore, perfect satiety is found in God alone. As St. Augustine says: “You have made us for You, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” [Confessions I, 1].
Finally, in heaven there will be the happy society of all the blessed, and this society will be especially delightful.
Lot of the wicked
The perfect will enjoy all this in the life everlasting, and much more that surpasses description. But the wicked, on the other hand, will be in eternal death suffering pain and punishment as great as will be the happiness and glory of the good. The punishment of the damned will be increased, firstly, by their separation from God and from all good. This is the pain of loss which corresponds to aversion, and is a greater punishment than that of sense: “And the unprofitable servant, cast out into the exterior darkness” [Mt 25:30]. The wicked in this life have interior darkness, namely sin; but then they shall also have exterior darkness.
We thus see the difference between doing good and doing evil. Good works lead to life, evil drags us to death. For this reason, men ought frequently to recall these things to mind, since they will incite one to do good and withdraw one from evil. Therefore, very significantly, at the end of the Creed is placed “life everlasting,” so that it would be more and more deeply impressed on the memory. To this life everlasting may the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed God for ever, bring us! Amen.

Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed
By St. Thomas Aquinas
Excerpts
ARTICLE 1
“I Believe in One God, the Father the Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.”
Among all the truths which the faithful must believe, this is the first— that there is one God. We must see that God means the ruler and provider of all things. He, therefore, believes in God who believes that everything in this world is governed and provided for by Him. He who would believe that all things come into being by chance does not believe that there is a God.
From a consideration of all this, one is led to a fivefold benefit:
(1) We are led to a knowledge of the divine majesty. Now, if a maker is greater than the things he makes, then God is greater than all things which He has made.
(2) We are led to give thanks to God. Because God is the Creator of all things, it is certain that what we are and what we have is from God: “What do you have that you did not receive?” [1 Cor 4:7].
(3) We are led to bear our troubles in patience.
(4) We are led to a right use of created things.
5) We are led also to acknowledge the great dignity of man. God made all things for man: “You subjected all things under his feet” [Ps 8:8], and man is more like to God than all other creatures save the Angels: “Let us make man to Our image and likeness” [Gen 1:26].
ARTICLE 2
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”
It is not only necessary for Christians to believe in one God who is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things; but also they must believe that God is the Father and that Christ is the true Son of God. This, as St. Peter says, is not mere fable, but is certain and proved by the word of God on the Mount of Transfiguration.
There were, however, certain heretics who erred in this belief. Photinus, for instance, believed that Christ is not the Son of God but a good man who, by a good life and by doing the will of God, merited to be called the son of God by adoption; and so Christ who lived a good life and did the will of God merited to be called the son of God.
Moreover, this error would not have Christ living before the Blessed Virgin, but would have Him begin to exist only at His conception.
Accordingly, there are here two errors: the first, that Christ is not the true Son of God according to His nature; and the second, that Christ in His entire being began to exist in time. Our faith, however, holds that He is the Son of God in His nature, and that he is from all eternity.
ARTICLE 3
“Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.”
The Christian must not only believe in the Son of God, as we have seen, but also in His Incarnation. St. John, after having written of things subtle and difficult to understand, points out the Incarnation to us when he says: “And the Word was made flesh” [Jn 1:14].
Now, in order that we may understand something of this, I give two illustrations at the outset.
It is clear that there is nothing more like the Word of God than the word which is conceived in our mind but not spoken.
Now, no one knows this interior word in our mind except the one who conceives it, and then it is known to others only when it is pronounced. So also as long as the Word of God was in the heart of the Father, it was not known except by the Father Himself; but when the Word assumed flesh—as a word becomes audible—then was It first made manifest and known. “Afterwards He was seen upon earth and conversed with men” [Baruch 3:38].
On this point there arose many errors; and the holy Fathers at the Council of Nicea added in that other Creed a number of things which suppress all these errors.
Origen said that Christ was born and came into the world to save even the devils, and, therefore, at the end of the world all the demons will be saved. But this is contrary to the Holy Scripture: Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Mt 25:41]. Consequently, to remove this error they added in the Creed: “Who for us men (not for the devils) and for our salvation, came down from heaven.” In this the love of God for us is made more apparent.
ARTICLE 4
“Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”
It is just as necessary for the Christian to believe in the passion and death of the Son of God as it is to believe in His Incarnation. For, as St. Gregory says, “there would have been no advantage in His having been born for us unless we had profited by His Redemption.”
Now, we must believe that, although Christ suffered death, yet His Godhead did not die; it was the human nature in Christ that died. For He did not die as God, but as man.
But what need was there that the Son of God should suffer for us? There was a great need; and indeed it can be assigned to two reasons. The first is that it was a remedy against sin, and the second is for an example of what we ought to do.
It was a remedy to such an extent that in the passion of Christ we find a remedy against all the evils which we incur by our sins.
And by our sins we incur five different evils:
The first evil that man incurs by sin is the defilement of his soul.
Secondly, we commit an offense against God.
Thirdly, we have been weakened by sin.
Fourthly, we incur the punishment due to sin.
Fifthly, we incur banishment from the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever wishes to live perfectly need do nothing other than despise what Christ despised on the cross, and desire what Christ desired. There is no virtue that did not have its example on the Cross.
ARTICLE 5
“He Descended to the Underworld. The third day He arose again from the dead.”
The death of Christ was the separation of His soul from His body as it is with other men. But the Divinity was so indissolubly conjoined to the Man-Christ that although His soul and body were disunited, His Divinity was always most perfectly united to both the soul and body.
There are four reasons why Christ together with His soul descended to the underworld.
First, He wished to take upon Himself the entire punishment for our sin, and thus atone for its entire guilt. The punishment for the sin of man was not alone death of the body, but there was also a punishment of the soul, since the soul had its share in sin; and it was punished by being deprived of the beatific vision; and as yet no atonement had been offered whereby this punishment would be taken away.
The second reason is that He might perfectly deliver all His friends. Christ had His friends both in the world and in the underworld. The former were His friends in that they possessed charity; and the latter were they who departed this life with charity and faith in the future Redeemer, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and other just and good men.
The third reason is that He would completely triumph over the devil. Now, a person is perfectly vanquished when he is not only overcome in conflict, but also when the assault is carried into his very home, and the seat of his kingdom is taken away from him.
The fourth and final reason is that Christ might free the just who were in the underworld.
Christ truly died, but not because of weakness or of necessity but rather of His own will entirely and by His own power. This is seen in that moment when He yielded up the Spirit; He cried out with a loud voice [Mt 27:50], which could not be true of others at the moment of dying, because they die out of weakness... For this the centurion said: “Indeed, this was the Son of God” [Mt 27:54].
“As Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” [Rom 6:4]. This new life is the life of justice which renews the soul and leads it to the life of glory.
ARTICLE 6
“He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.”
The Ascension of Christ into heaven is in accord with reason:
(1) because heaven was due to Christ by His very nature. It is natural for one to return to that place from whence he takes his origin. The beginning of Christ is from God, who is above all things: “I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again I leave the world and I go to the Father” [Jn 16:28].
(2) Heaven is due to Christ because of His victory. For He was sent into the world to combat the devil, and He did overcome him.
(3) The Ascension is reasonable because of the humility of Christ. There never was humility so great as that of Christ, who, although He was God, yet wished to become man; and although He was the Lord, yet wished to take the form of a servant, and, as St. Paul says: “He was made obedient unto death” [Phil 2:8], and descended even into the underworld.
The Ascension of Christ was very beneficial for us…that He might draw our hearts to Himself: “For where your treasure is, there is your heart so” [Mt 6:21].
ARTICLE 7
“From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
It is of the office of the King and Lord to pronounce judgment: “The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with His look” [Prov 20:8]. Since Christ, therefore, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God as Lord of all, it is clear that His is the office of Judge.
All are to be judged—those who are, who were, and who will be: “We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil” [2 Cor 5:10]. There are, says St. Gregory, four different classes of people to be judged. The chief difference is between the good and the wicked.
The judgment ought indeed to be feared. (a) Because of the wisdom of the Judge. God knows all things, our thoughts, words and deeds, and “all things are naked and open to his eyes.[Heb 4:13].
“All the ways of men are open to His eyes” [Prov 16:2]. He knows our words: “The ear of jealousy hears all things” [Wis 1:10].
Also our thoughts: “The heart is perverse above all things and unsearchable. Who can know it? I am the Lord, who search the heart and prove the reins; who give to every one according to his way and according to the fruit of his devices” [Jer 17:9-10].
There will be infallible witnesses— men’s own consciences: “Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them; and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men” [Rm 2:15-16].
Our preparation for the judgment:
Now, against this fear of the judgment we ought to have four remedies. The first is good works: “Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do what is good, and you shall have praise from the same” [Rm 13:3]. The second is confession and repentance for sins committed; and this ought to include sorrow in thinking of them, and all severity in making satisfaction for them. And these will take away the eternal punishment. The third is giving of alms, which makes all things clean: “Make friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings” [Lk 16:9]. The fourth is charity, viz., the love of God and our neighbor, for “charity covers a multitude of sins” [1 Pt 4:8].
ARTICLE 8
“I Believe in the Holy Spirit.”
As we have said, the Word of God is the Son of God just as in a way the word of man is the concept of his intellect. But sometimes man has a word which is dead. This is when, for instance, he conceives what he ought to do, but he has not the will to do it; or when one believes but does not practise; then his faith is said to be dead, as St. James points out [2:17]. The word of God, however, is alive: “For the word of God is living” [Hb 4:12].
It is necessary, therefore, that in God there be will and love. Thus, St. Augustine says: “The word of God which we plan to speak is knowledge with love” [De Trinitate IX, 10]. Now, as the Word of God is the Son of God, God’s love is the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is that one possesses the Holy Spirit when he loves God: “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit who is given to us” [Rm 5:5].
Many benefits come to us from the Holy Spirit:
(1) He cleanses us from our sins. The reason is that one must repair that which one has made. It is necessary, therefore, that the hearts of men, destroyed by sin, be made anew by the Holy Spirit: “Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created; and You shall renew the face of the earth” [Ps 103:30]. Nor is it any wonder that the Spirit cleanses, since all sins are taken away by love: “Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much” [Lk 7:47]. “Charity covers all sins”
(2) The Holy Spirit enlightens the intellect, since all that we know, we know through the Holy Spirit:
(3) He assists us and, to a certain extent, compels us to keep the commandments. No one can keep the commandments unless he loves God: “If any one love Me, he will keep My word” [Jn 14:23]. Thus, the Holy Spirit makes us love God: “And I give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in the midst of you; and I will cause you to walk in My commandments and to keep My judgments and do them” [Ez 36:26-27].
(4) He strengthens in us the hope of eternal life, because He is the pledge to us of this our destiny: “You were signed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the pledge of our inheritance” [Eph 1:13].
5) He counsels us when we are in doubt, and teaches us what is the will of God: “He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” [Rev 2:7].
ARTICLE 9
“I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church.”
We see that in a man there are one soul and one body; and of his body there are many members. So also the Catholic Church is one body and has different members. The soul which animates this body is the Holy Spirit. Hence, after confessing our faith in the Holy Spirit, we are bid to believe in the Holy Catholic Church. Thus, in the Symbol it is said, “the Holy Catholic Church.”
The Church has four essential conditions, in that she is one, holy, catholic, and strong and firm.
One
Of the first, it must be known that the Church is one. Although various heretics have founded various sects, they do not belong to the Church, since they are but so many divisions. Of her it is said: “One is My dove; My perfect one is but one” [Sg 6:8]. The unity of the Church arises from three sources:
(1) the unity of faith. All Christians who are of the body of the Church believe the same doctrine. : “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”[Eph 4:5];
(2) the unity of hope. All are strengthened in one hope of arriving at eternal life.
(3) the unity of charity. All are joined together in the love of God, and to each other in mutual love: “And the glory which You hast given Me, I have given them; that they may be one, as We also are one” [Jn 17:22]. No one ought to be indifferent to the Church, or allow himself to be cut off and expelled from it; for there is but one Church in which men are saved, just as outside of the ark of Noah no one could be saved.
Holy
The faithful of this Church are made holy because of four things: (1) Just as a church is cleansed materially when it is consecrated, so also the faithful are washed in the blood of Christ: “Jesus Christ... who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” [Rev 1:5
(2) Just as there is the anointing of the church, so also the faithful are anointed with a spiritual unction in order to be sanctified. Otherwise they would not be Christians, for Christ is the same as Anointed. This anointing is the grace of the Holy Spirit: “He who confirms us with you in Christ and who has anointed us, is God” [2 Cor 1:21].
(3) The faithful are made holy because of the Trinity who dwells in the Church; for wherever God dwells, that place is holy.
(4) Lastly, the faithful are sanctified because God is invoked in the Church. Let us, therefore, beware, seeing that we are thus sanctified, lest by sin we defile our soul which is the temple of God: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? But if any man violates the temple of God, him shall God destroy” [1 Cor 3:16-17].
Catholic
The Church is Catholic, that is, universal.
Firstly, it is universal in place, because it is worldwide. The Church has three parts: one is on earth, one is in heaven, and one is in purgatory.
Secondly, the Church is universal in regard to all the conditions of mankind; for no exceptions are made, neither master nor servant, neither man nor woman: “Neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female” [Gal 3:28].
Thirdly, it is universal in time. Some have said that the Church will exist only up to a certain time. But this is false, for the Church began to exist in the time of Abel and will endure up to the end of the world: “Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” [Mt 28:20]. Moreover, even after the end of the world, it will continue to exist in heaven.
Apostolic
The Church is firm. A house is said to be firm if it has a solid foundation. The principal foundation of the Church is Christ: “For other foundation no men can lay but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus” [1 Cor 3:11]. The secondary foundation, however, is the Apostles and their teaching. Therefore, the Church is firm. It is said in the Apocalypse that the city has “twelve foundations,” and therein were “written the names of the twelve Apostles” [Rev 21:14]. From this the Church is called Apostolic. Likewise, to indicate this firmness of the Church St. Peter is called the crowning head.
The firmness of a house is evident if, when it is violently struck, it does not fall. The Church similarly can never be destroyed, neither by persecution nor by error.
ARTICLE 10
“The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins.”
As in our natural body the operation of one member works for the good of the entire body, so also is it with a spiritual body, such as is the Church. Because all the faithful are one body, the good of one member is communicated to another: “And every one members, one of another” [Rm 12:5].
So, among the points of faith which the Apostles have handed down is that there is a common sharing of good in the Church. This is expressed in the words, “the Communion of Saints”. Among the various members of the Church, the principal member is Christ, because He is the Head: “He made Him head over all the Church, which is His body” [Eph 1:22]. Christ communicates His good, just as the power of the head is communicated to all the members.
This communication takes place through the Sacraments of the Church in which operate the merits of the passion of Christ, which in turn operates for the conferring of grace unto the remission of sins.
These Sacraments of the Church are seven in number.
“Baptism.”—The first is Baptism which is a certain spiritual regeneration. Just as there can be no physical life unless man is first born in the flesh, so spiritual life or grace cannot be had unless man is spiritually reborn.
“Confirmation.”—The second Sacrament is Confirmation. Just as they who are physically born need certain powers to act, so those who are reborn spiritually must have the strength of the Holy Spirit which is imparted to them in this Sacrament.
“Holy Eucharist.”—The Eucharist is the third Sacrament. In the physical life, after man is born and acquires powers, he needs food to sustain and strengthen him. Likewise in the spiritual life, after being fortified, he has need of spiritual food; this is the Body of Christ: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you “[Jn 6:54].
“Extreme Unction.”—Extreme Unction is the fifth Sacrament. In this life there are many things which prevent one from a perfect purification from one’s sins. But since no one can enter into eternal life until he is well cleansed, there is need of another Sacrament which will purify man of his sins, and both free him from sickness and prepare him for entry into the heavenly kingdom. This is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. That this Sacrament does not always restore health to the body is due to this, that perhaps to live is not to the advantage of the soul’s salvation.
“Holy Orders.”—It is necessary that these Sacraments be administered by chosen ministers. Therefore, the Sacrament of Orders is necessary, by whose powers these Sacraments are dispensed.
“Matrimony.”—The seventh Sacrament is Matrimony, and in it men, if they live uprightly, are saved; and thereby they are enabled to live without mortal sin. Sometimes the partners in marriage fall into venial sin, when their concupiscence does not extend beyond the rights of matrimony; but if they do go beyond such rights, they sin mortally.
By these seven Sacraments we receive the remission of sins, and so in the Creed there follows immediately: “the forgiveness of sins.” The power was given to the Apostles to forgive sins. We must believe that the ministers of the Church receive this power from the Apostles; and the Apostles received it from Christ; and thus the priests have the power of binding and loosing. Moreover, we believe that there is the full power of forgiving sins in the Church, although it operates from the highest to the lowest, i.e., from the Pope down through the prelates.
We must also know that not only the efficacy of the Passion of Christ is communicated to us, but also the merits of His life; and, moreover, all the good that all the Saints have done is communicated to all who are in the state of grace, because all are one: “I am a partaker of all those who fear You” [Ps 118:63]. Therefore, he who lives in charity participates in all the good that is done in the entire world…
ARTICLE 11
“The Resurrection of the Body”
There are four benefits that faith and hope in the resurrection bring:
Firstly, it takes away the sorrow which we feel for the departed. It is impossible for one not to grieve over the death of a relative or friend; but the hope that such a one will rise again greatly tempers the pain of parting: “And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, as others who have no hope” [1 Thes 4:12].
Secondly, it takes away the fear of death. If one does not hope in another and better life after death, then without doubt one is greatly in fear of death and would willingly commit any crime rather than suffer death. But because we believe in another life which will be ours after death, we do not fear death, nor would we do anything wrong through fear of it.
Thirdly, it makes us watchful and careful to live uprightly. If, however, this life in which we live were all, we would not have this great incentive to live well, for whatever we do would be of little importance, since it would be regulated not by eternity, but by brief, determined time. But we believe that we shall receive eternal rewards in the resurrection for whatsoever we do here.
Finally, it withdraws us from evil. Just as the hope of reward urges us to do good, so also the fear of punishment, which we believe is reserved for wicked deeds, keeps us from evil: “But they who have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they who have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment” [Jn 5:29].
ARTICLE 12
“Life everlasting. Amen.”
The end of all our desires, eternal life, is fittingly placed last among those things to be believed; and the Creed says: “life everlasting. Amen.” They wrote this to stand against those who believe that the soul perishes with the body. If this were indeed true, then the condition of man would be just the same as that of the beasts. This agrees with what the Psalmist says: “Man when he was in honor did not understand; he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them” [Ps 48:21]. The human soul, however, is in its immortality made like unto God, and in its sensuality alone is it like the brutes. He, then, who believes that the soul dies with the body withdraws it from this similarity to God and likens it to the brutes. Against such it is said: “They knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honor of holy souls. For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of His own likeness He made him” [Wis 2:22-23].
Life everlasting
We must first consider in this Article what is everlasting life. And in this we must know that in everlasting life man is united to God. God Himself is the reward and the end of all our labors: “I am your protector, and your reward exceeding great” [Gen 15:1]. This union with God consists, firstly, in a perfect vision: “We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face” [1 Cor 13:12]. Secondly, in a most fervent love; for the better one is known, the more perfectly is one loved: “The Lord said it, whose fire is in Sion, and His furnace in Jerusalem” [Is 31:9]. Thirdly, in the highest praise. “We shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise,” as says St. Augustine [City of God XX, 30].
Then, too, in everlasting life is the full and perfect satisfying of every desire; for there every blessed soul will have to overflowing what he hoped for and desired. The reason is that in this life no one can fulfill all his desires, nor can any created thing fully satisfy the craving of man. God only satisfies and infinitely exceeds man’s desires; and, therefore, perfect satiety is found in God alone. As St. Augustine says: “You have made us for You, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” [Confessions I, 1].
Finally, in heaven there will be the happy society of all the blessed, and this society will be especially delightful.
Lot of the wicked
The perfect will enjoy all this in the life everlasting, and much more that surpasses description. But the wicked, on the other hand, will be in eternal death suffering pain and punishment as great as will be the happiness and glory of the good. The punishment of the damned will be increased, firstly, by their separation from God and from all good. This is the pain of loss which corresponds to aversion, and is a greater punishment than that of sense: “And the unprofitable servant, cast out into the exterior darkness” [Mt 25:30]. The wicked in this life have interior darkness, namely sin; but then they shall also have exterior darkness.
We thus see the difference between doing good and doing evil. Good works lead to life, evil drags us to death. For this reason, men ought frequently to recall these things to mind, since they will incite one to do good and withdraw one from evil. Therefore, very significantly, at the end of the Creed is placed “life everlasting,” so that it would be more and more deeply impressed on the memory. To this life everlasting may the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed God for ever, bring us! Amen.
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