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The Basic Beliefs

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THE BASIC BELIEFS

  •  “What does life mean? For a few years, perhaps, we can put off answering it while we are distracted with educational, career, and marriage decisions. In those early decades, other people have more say in our lives than we do. But sooner or later, we will come face to face with the question.”  — attributed to Rabbi Harold Kushner, Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel and author
  • “For us it is all but inevitable that, however momentarily, we feel ourselves to be part of a vast cosmic drama and our thoughts turn to the author, not merely of our roles, but of our existence.”  Ralph McInerny (1929-2010) philosopher, esteemed teacher, and author.
  •  “Aristotle and Aquinas both see God as the highest being and believe that the highest life is one that acts for the sake of heeding to this highest being.” Melissa Atkinson, “Aristotle and Aquinas: Intrinsic Morality versus God’s Morality”

Theologians and philosophers frequently prattle at length about a church’s dogma, attempting to dissect every word and every concept, justifying or diminishing them according to their own preconceived views. However, few people really care about the abstractions of the philosophers and theologians. (While I do not wish to demean either philosophers or theologians, as they provide value to the discussions about God, few people ever read or pay serious attention to the actual works of philosophers or theologians.) The great mass of people, struggling to live in a daily regimen of work and family life, has little time to consider detailed philosophical or theological ruminations. However, they do care very much about the meaning of life. Why do I exist? What is my role in life? Is there a God? How do I relate to God? What is Truth? Some have a set of basic beliefs that answer these questions in one fashion or another, but many others are still searching for meaningful answers to these basic issues. Still others wander in a fog of unconcern, encumbered by worldliness and self-absorption.

The Catholic Church has a set of basic beliefs that answers the questions about life’s meaning; these answers were presented to mankind by God through His prophets and, then ultimately, through His Son, Jesus Christ. These beliefs have not changed in the 2000+ years of the church, as they are the essence of Christ’s teaching and, as such, are unchangeable. Although Christ’s teachings and the Tradition of the Church are extensive and contain thousands of pages, the basic beliefs can be and are summarized in a few sentences. If one wants to know the tenets of Catholicism, all one has to do is to read and reflect on The Apostles Creed. It is as radical set of beliefs as anyone has ever presented to man for his acceptance and commitment. It is a summary of Christ’s teaching to us about God, Himself, and how humans should relate to God.

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”

 A man is born of a virgin, died and rose from the dead, resurrection of the body, life everlasting for humans! How could anyone believe in these ideas? They are more than radical; they appear to be outlandish and nonsensical! Yet billions of people, the learned and unlearned, rich and poor, and all races, not only accept the concepts in the Apostles Creed to be true; they recite them regularly and then try to live their lives in the belief of its promise! Through faith and reason, they have accepted the Creed as true.

God exists, loves us, and has opened the door to eternal bliss. All we must do is accept his truth and return his love.

Suggested Reading:

“Credo”, by Hans Urs Von Balthasar, published by Igantius Press,  Subtitle “Meditations on the Apostles’ Creed.

Pass It On

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Pass It On

“What would be the most valuable item that I could pass on to you,” inquired the father of his children. As they hesitated to answer, he encouraged them to make suggestions. “Would giving each of you a million dollars be the thing that you would find to be the most valuable,” he suggested as they still seemed hesitant to provide an answer to his question. Finally one of his children offered, “Yes, lots of money would be the best gift for us. It would ensure that we could live without financial worries.” The other children concurred with this suggestion. Sufficient money that would enable them to meet their financial needs during their lifetime seemed to be the most valued legacy. The father pondered their inputs and suggestions for a few moments and then replied, “Well, I do not have the amount of money to meet the financial needs of just one of you much less than all of you,” the father announced to their disappointment. They wondered why he had asked the question in the first place.

“Each person must ask the basic question, “What is one’s legacy?” and face the answer to that question in his or her own way,” the father ventured. “Your mother and I asked ourselves the same question when each of you was born. “What can we provide each child that will stand the test of time and would be the highest value as each of you grew and faced life on your own? If we had the money to insure your financial welfare, you could misuse the money or spend it on unimportant things or simply lose it,” he continued. “We finally came to the conclusion that there were two things that would be valuable for you through your entire life.” The children straightened up in their chairs, peering intently at their father hoping to hear the answer each wanted to hear. He responded by advising that money could be lost, stolen, or frittered away. So money was not the most valuable thing they could receive. The items which no one could take away from each one of them and would last forever were the items that should be passed on to the children.

The two most valuable and lasting items are:1. A strong set of values and  2. A quality education; together these two extremely valuable gifts would sustain their children for their entire lives. The set of values would be provided by their Catholic faith and the example of the parents. The Catholic faith is directed to two things: (1) the love of God, and (2) directing man to the help God provides us as we follow his instructions in our journey towards union with him in heaven. What can be more important than eternal happiness! On the secular level, a quality education would enable the children to challenge the world and recover when difficulties entered their lives. Oh yes, they could discard the set of values and the Catholic faith and they could waste their educations. But the set of values and the education could always be used when they were needed and accepted for their true value. Once money is wasted or lost, it is difficult, if not impossible, to regain it and even if  it is regained, it provides little lasting value.

As each of us contemplates that which we would like to pass on to others, such as family members, friends, and to the society at large, as Catholics should not we first concentrate on passing on the truths of the Catholic faith, the truths that guide us to eternal life with God –true happiness?  What is more valuable and lasting than the truths of God as provided by Jesus Christ and his church – the Catholic Faith? Secondly, a quality education provides the training that enables a person to think his or her way through each obstacle in life.

What do you want to pass on to your loved ones and to society??? Remember that which you emphasize is passed on? Make certain that you emphasize the truly important and valuable items. Nothing is more valuable than the love of God. Follow the direction of Jesus when he instructed his disciples to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Pass it on!