The Catechism — a Fundamental Resource for the Catholic Faith

09-03-2017Weekly ReflectionParishioner Mark Porter

The Catechism of the Catholic Church – what is it? A book we have on our bookshelf, sitting cold and dusty since we purchased it with good intentions years ago? The seemingly endless rules and regulations that Catholics are beholden to observe? The restrictions that prevent us from living happy lives as masters of our own destiny? The codification of extra stuff Catholics have heaped upon the original teachings of Christ?

Whether you answered yes to any of these questions, or your answer was a resounding “I don’t really know for sure,” or even if you opened it just last night, it may be time to take a new look at the wisdom of the Church as it is captured in this marvelous gift she has given to the world. Indeed, it is a marvelous gift, for within it you will find the mind and life of the Church, which is nothing less than a reflection of the divine mind and life of Christ himself.

In the introduction to the second edition, St. John Paul II tells us:

“This text will provide every catechist with sound help for communicating the one, perennial deposit of faith within the local Church, while seeking, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to link the wondrous unity of the Christian mystery with the varied needs and conditions of those to whom this message is addressed.”

And to whom is this message addressed? To all of us, certainly. All the Catholic faithful who strive to understand their faith, to live out their lives according to God’s plan. In addition, the gospel message goes out to everyone on earth. Jesus himself makes this abundantly clear in the Great Commission:

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, and teaching them everything I have commanded you.

He tells his apostles, “go to all nations,” that is, not to a select few, but to everyone on earth. You and I are living in a time when the message of hope and love that Christ gave to us is needed now, more than ever. The Church offers each of us a tremendous fount of knowledge — the accumulated wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine, the mystic thoughts of St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross, and the graceful simplicity of St. Francis and St. Benedict. If the idea of reading the collected works of these great role models of our faith is daunting, then start with the Catechism. The full 2,000 years of Christianity is offered up in this brilliant work, and it doesn’t require an advanced degree in theology or philosophy to understand it. It only requires that you take the first step in opening its pages. In so doing, you will not only grow in your own faith, but you will become equipped to spread the gospel to the rest of the world, one ordinary conversation at a time.

There are five major themes that run as a golden thread through the Catechism, along with three secondary themes.

These are presented in an outline that walks through the Creed, the Paschal Mystery, Life in Christ, and finishes with Christian Prayer. Within each of these sections we can find explanations for everything the Church teaches, along with references to Scripture, Apostolic Letters, the early Church Fathers, and other wonderful Catholic writings that have been preserved through the centuries. If you hope to get more out of your faith, the Catechism is a great place to start. It has the ability to open hearts and minds to a deep wisdom that is difficult for most of us to find on our own, and yet is within reach to those who are willing to make an effort, to take a chance that their lives can be transformed.

Perhaps a short reflection on some of the text will illustrate the point. Paragraph 112 has a quote from St. Thomas Aquinas regarding scripture. He tells us that scripture was obscure and closed to us in the Old Testament. This is because the heart of Christ was not revealed until his Passion. In this way, we can take all of scripture, Old and New Testament alike, to have been opened to us with Christ’s death on the cross.

We then turn to paragraph 89, where we find that the dogmas of the Catholic Church are like lights along the path, illuminating it and making it secure. These are the truths that the Church has made clear, which, from the previous paragraph, is only possible through the radiant act of Christ’s passion.

And finally, in paragraph 132, the Catechism speaks of studying scripture, and that “pride of place” is held by the liturgical homily – the words the priest speaks to us each week at Mass. This means that every homily we hear, leads us through the dogmas of our faith to Christ on the cross.

What a remarkable thought! Does this change the way we perceive the Mass? It should. Certainly, we should never expect that each Sunday we will experience some sublimely poetic discourse that moves a hardened heart to ecstasy. But armed with the knowledge we gleaned from the Catechism, we can be certain there will be something every week that will provide gain for our lives. St. Paul himself says:

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

If the Catechism has the power to lift up our understanding of the Church, Sacred Scripture, and the teachings of Christ handed down through his apostles, it most definitely is worth investing time getting to know its contents.

So what else can the Catechism offer us?

For Christian prayer:

“humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we acknowledge that ‘we do not know how to pray as we ought’, are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer.” [CCC 2559]

For the Liturgy:

“the Holy Spirit fulfills what was prefigured in the Old Covenant. Since Christ’s church was ‘prepared in marvelous fashion in the history of the people of Israel and in the Old Covenant,’ the Church’s liturgy has retained certain elements of the worship of the Old Covenant as integral and irreplaceable, adopting them as her own; notably: reading the Old Testament; praying the Psalms; above all, recalling the saving events and significant realities which have found their fulfillment in the mystery of Christ (promise and covenant, Exodus and Passover, kingdom and temple, exile and return.)” [CCC 1093]

Concerning the sacrament of confession:

“penance requires the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite of heart, confess with the lips, and practice complete humility and fruitful satisfaction.” [CCC 1450]

In moral conscience:

“In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right. It is by the judgment of his conscience that man perceives and recognizes the prescriptions of the divine law.” [CCC 1778]

Is the Catechism then a set of rules? Does it proscribe to us how we must live our lives? Well, the short answer to those questions is “yes.” But don’t let that push you down the path of objection. For whenever the Church teaches that a certain behavior is not allowed, it is not because she wishes to limit our freedom, but in fact it is because she recognizes there is a better way—a superior alternative—that brings us closer to God, and ultimately closer to the purpose for which we were created: the Divine Life; Beatitude; seeing God as He truly is. And before we get to that heavenly destination, the Church on earth teaches how to live in the Kingdom of God right now, treating each other with the dignity with which God endowed us. After all, Genesis tells us that we were created in His image and likeness.

“We look like God.” This is an expression I’ve heard on Catholic Radio many times. Say it again: “We look like God!” What an incredible thought. And realize that this is not an accident of creation. It is not an unforeseen consequence of the way our universe was designed. It is a deliberate act of love from the God who is in every way of describing it, our Father.

Pick up the Catechism again. Find a section that speaks to an area of your life where you are struggling. Dive into the richness and truth of all there is to find in the Catholic Church.

Mark Porter and his wife, Linda, have been parishioners at Corpus Christi since 1994. Their two sons, Liam and Brendan, are pursuing careers in medicine and law. Mark is currently in formation for the diaconate.