Click here to download the homily
Readings: DT 6:2-6; PS
18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51; HEB 7:23-28; MK 12:28B-34
Additional homilies related to the Creed:
August 6th, 2017 - Transfiguration - Jesus is both God and Man
May 27th, 2018 - The Most Holy Trinity - One God, but Three Persons
This homily was the 16th in the series. Click on the links below for the other homilies.
September 23rd, 2018 - 25th Sunday of OT - Gospel and Homily - Mass Series #11
September 30th, 2018 - 26th Sunday of OT - Our Father, Sign of Peace, Breaking the Bread - Mass Series #12
September 30th, 2018 - 26th Sunday of OT - Our Father, Sign of Peace, Breaking the Bread - Mass Series #12
Related Bulletin Articles:
Creed
Our
creed sets us apart from the rest of the world.
Our culture today is one of relativism, which suggests that knowledge,
truth, and morality are all relative to culture, society, historical context,
or even relative to each individual person; but are not absolute in
themselves.
Relativism
is wrong because if there isn’t truth beyond ourselves, then medicine and even
science itself would be impossible. Medicine
and science require the belief in a universe that has an order to it, truth
that is independent of our choices.
Our
creed reveals a world that was created by God, who has a plan for our happiness
and eternal life. It reveals how that
plan was played out so far and how it will be fulfilled. That we were separated from God and in need
of a Savior to forgive us of our sins and reconcile us with God. There is a cosmic battle going on between good
and evil. How we live our lives
determines the outcome for ourselves and affects those around us. There is no neutrality in this battle. We either take the side of God, or we will be
on the side of Satan.
The
decisive blow to the enemy came when God became man in Jesus Christ. This is such an important part of the battle
that when we recite it in the creed we all bow.
Jesus Christ worked out our salvation through His passion, death, and
resurrection, and in the end, He will come to judge the living and the
dead. Those who chose Him and fought on
His side by following the way of life He showed us and helping others to do the
same, will receive eternal life. Those
who chose anything else, including themselves, are in actuality opposed to God
and will be in eternal damnation.
When
we profess the creed and mean what we are saying, then we are choosing God’s
side. We recite the creed every Sunday
and Solemnity as a renewal of what we believe and a recommitment that we will
live by this belief.
Prayers of the Faithful / Petitions
After
professing our faith, we then exercise it by praying the Prayers of the
Faithful. These are the petitions or
intercessions. If we didn’t believe in
God and that He loves us, then we wouldn’t bother asking Him for help. We are also exercising hope, since we are
desiring that He fulfill His promises to answer our prayers.
Interceding
for ourselves and each other is supported by Sacred Scripture in the Acts of
the Apostles (12:1-7), the first letter to Timothy (2:1-4), the first letter to
the Thessalonians (1:2-3) and the second letter to the Corinthians (1:11). Tradition also up holds the practice of
praying for each other, even at Mass.
St. Justin Martyr described the Mass as it was celebrated in the 2nd
century and in it he includes the petitions:
“Then we all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves… and for
others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and
actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.” [CCC 1345]
The
intercessions are also helpful to us to overcome our tendency toward
self-centeredness. When we pray for
others we are focusing on them and their well-being. As such, we are also exercising charity,
which is the love of God and love of others.
Love is willing what is truly good for the other. As we pray for others we are loving
them.
Additional information about the Creed can be found on our website: asc.church
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