“Listen to Your Mother (part 2)” – the Church as Teacher
By Joani Ramirez - From the Ministry "La Nueva Alianza - www.LaNuevaAlianza.org"
Questions:
1. What is something that you know how to do well and that you enjoy doing?
2. How did you learn it?
3. Why did you learn it from that person?
4. How do you keep your skills/abilities up to date/sharp?
When we want to learn something or get answers to a question, we go to a trusted, proven, reliable source of information in that area of study or profession because we believe that they have asked questions/ tested theories, and developed positions on a topic and can speak with authority on that topic to a degree that can assure us with confidence in their knowledge.
(E.g. dictionary –Webster, Larrousse; medicines & drugs, FDA or Physicians Desk Reference; toothpaste – American Dental Association, etc.) Even in this age of extensive access to information, we can go online to search for information but usually still go to “reputable reliable sources” …established portals or search engines i.e. Google, Yahoo, etc or to websites such as WebMD for health information.
The Church is also a trusted, reliable, proven source of Truth for us in matters of the faith and on living that faith in our day-to-day lives.
Last week, we spoke about how we have been “entrusted with this sacred deposit (scripture and tradition) of the Truth. And that Christ himself entrusted this truth to a specific group of people (His apostles) to be safeguarded and shared.
Last summer we spoke of two titles that the Church is given…Mother and Teacher. It’s not uncommon in many cultures for the mothers to be the teachers and keepers of tradition since many times they were the ones with more access to the children.
The Church is our mother because through her we become part of the family of God & because she feeds us spiritually through the Word of God and Eucharist.
The Church is also our teacher; we spoke about that last summer but we will reflect again on this today in more detail.
Going back to the questions at the beginning, when we want to learn something, we go to someone who has that knowledge or authority to teach.
Who has authority to teach us about the faith? Why?
CCC 85 "The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ." This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome. (Dei Verbum #10)
Let’s look at what this paragraph of the Catechism is telling us.
Authentic: genuine, real, done or made in a traditional way. (Merriam-Webster dictionary)
Who gave the authority? Jesus! Why? Well lets think about this, when you have a message you want to make sure that that message is transmitted accurately, that what people hear is what you meant. For example: political candidates authorize the message in their political ads.
Magisterium: (definition from “Pocket Catholic Dictionary. John A. Hardon, S.J. 1980)
The Church’s teaching authority, vested in the bishops, as successors of the Apostles, under the Roman Pontiff, as successor of St. Peter. Also vested in the Pope, a Vicar of Christ and visible head of the Catholic Church.
Again, this authority c0mes from Christ:
Luke 10: 16
Jesus said to apostles, “He who hears you, hears me; he who rejects you rejects me, he who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me.”
So we can basically say that when the Magisterium teaches us on matters of the faith and of morality, it is Jesus who speaks.
Christ’s words must be fulfilled and cannot fail. So this promise of Christ protects all teaching of the Magisterium (when the bishops are in union with each other and the Pope) presenting doctrine or teaching on faith & morality for what is needed for our salvation.
When did this authorization happen?
Matthew 28: 16-20 When Christ Commissioned His Disciples
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all the I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the close of the age.”
How do they teach us? What does that mean? What does it look like?
CCC 86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith." (Dei Verbum #10)
To be a servant means to do the will of the master…to teach His message. The word bishop comes from Late Latin “episcopus” from the Greek “episkipos” meaning to look more at…this could mean to oversee but could also for this discussion even be stretched to possibly mean to look more (closely) at.
How does the Magisterium ensure that they are in line with the will of the Master?
The Holy Spirit is who helps and guides the Magisterium
• To listen to His voice -- discern the will of the Lord (through graces received in their office, life dedicated to the study faith, scripture and to Lord and His Church)
• To guard and protect the Truth – give strength and conviction to defend the Faith (against all heresies, misunderstandings, attacks)
• To expound it faithfully (encyclicals, Apostles Creed, Catechism, papal audiences, homilies, books, etc.)
The Holy Spirit encourages and strengthens the bishops and the Pope to defend the truth. Many martyrs in the early Church were bishops, given the strength of the Holy Spirit to give the highest testimony of the Truth.
John 14:25-26
“These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
There were many things the apostles saw, and heard Jesus explain that they didn’t understand. For example Jesus would take his apostles aside separately and explain the deeper meaning and application of His teaching (e.g. Parable of the sower and seeds and even reaffirming the Real Presence in the Eucharist.)
John 16:12-15
“I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
In this passage, Jesus refers to the seamless unity of thought and will in the Trinity. The Holy Spirit helps the Magisterium understand the Truth (revealed in scripture and tradition).
The Magisterium brings together the scripture and tradition – both help us better understand God.
• We need all 3 (Scripture, Tradition, and Magisterium) for clear revelation of the Lord and for the salvation of our souls
• Dei Verbum #10
It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God's most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.
** We cannot separate any one of these three and still have full Truth. The following scripture passage shows how the early Church followed the teaching of the Apostles.
Acts 2:42
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.”
This refers to the first Christians who were converted by the preaching of Peter after Pentecost (The Essential Catholic Survival Guide, by Catholic Answers)
The apostles united with Peter established many of the elements of our faith e.g. what was important in the Mass. We see that tradition in Paul’s letter.
** We need the understanding of the Magisterium and Church teachings and tradition so that we can be guided for salvation.
Again, we need all three, sacred scripture, sacred tradition, and the Magisterium, to fulfill God’s desire for us which is for “everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) As we read in Dei Verbum, we cannot separate any of these three and still have the fullness of Truth.
What is our role as Laity?
CCC 87 Mindful of Christ’s words to his apostles: “He who hears you, hears me”, the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.
Our deepest desire to be in communion with God, that is where we find our ultimate happiness. It is our calling as followers of Christ to help others come to this realization by virtue of our testimony, that which we state with our words but also and more importantly how we live our lives. This paragraph #87 in the Catechism reminds us that we need to be “docile” in accepting the teachings we receive from the Magisterium. By being docile and obedient, we allow ourselves to be led by the Magisterium in deepening our understanding of the Lord through the scriptures and by fully living our traditions of the Faith. Being docile to their teachings and explanations does not in any way mean for us not to study Scripture or to explore questions we might have about the faith, all the contrary. The purpose of the Magisterium is to encourage and lead all the faithful into a personal and intimate relationship with the Lord. When you are in a relationship with someone you search for a deeper understanding and connection with that person or things related to that person. Which is why many of the encyclicals and teachings of the Magisterium relate to helping us understand the richness of our Catholic traditions and how all revelation leads us to know the Lord. This includes guiding us in matters of morality and ensuring that our relationship with Christ is the focal point of our lives and the compass for all decisions we make. If we are to be the Good News for others in any of our roles (priest, religious, catechist, lay member of a ministry, youth or young adult leader, professional, family member, etc.;) we must be faithful to the teachings and guidance of the Magisterium.
The Holy Spirit, who enlightens and strengthens the communion of bishops and the Pope, in continuing the commission they received by nature of their office (and which has been handed down in seamless succession since Christ Himself authorized His apostles, the first bishops,) is the same Who will guide all the faithful to profoundly live in union with God who loves us (in this life and for all eternity) and in being a light in the world for all those who search to know Him.
Questions:
1. What is something that you know how to do well and that you enjoy doing?
2. How did you learn it?
3. Why did you learn it from that person?
4. How do you keep your skills/abilities up to date/sharp?
When we want to learn something or get answers to a question, we go to a trusted, proven, reliable source of information in that area of study or profession because we believe that they have asked questions/ tested theories, and developed positions on a topic and can speak with authority on that topic to a degree that can assure us with confidence in their knowledge.
(E.g. dictionary –Webster, Larrousse; medicines & drugs, FDA or Physicians Desk Reference; toothpaste – American Dental Association, etc.) Even in this age of extensive access to information, we can go online to search for information but usually still go to “reputable reliable sources” …established portals or search engines i.e. Google, Yahoo, etc or to websites such as WebMD for health information.
The Church is also a trusted, reliable, proven source of Truth for us in matters of the faith and on living that faith in our day-to-day lives.
Last week, we spoke about how we have been “entrusted with this sacred deposit (scripture and tradition) of the Truth. And that Christ himself entrusted this truth to a specific group of people (His apostles) to be safeguarded and shared.
Last summer we spoke of two titles that the Church is given…Mother and Teacher. It’s not uncommon in many cultures for the mothers to be the teachers and keepers of tradition since many times they were the ones with more access to the children.
The Church is our mother because through her we become part of the family of God & because she feeds us spiritually through the Word of God and Eucharist.
The Church is also our teacher; we spoke about that last summer but we will reflect again on this today in more detail.
Going back to the questions at the beginning, when we want to learn something, we go to someone who has that knowledge or authority to teach.
Who has authority to teach us about the faith? Why?
CCC 85 "The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ." This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome. (Dei Verbum #10)
Let’s look at what this paragraph of the Catechism is telling us.
Authentic: genuine, real, done or made in a traditional way. (Merriam-Webster dictionary)
Who gave the authority? Jesus! Why? Well lets think about this, when you have a message you want to make sure that that message is transmitted accurately, that what people hear is what you meant. For example: political candidates authorize the message in their political ads.
Magisterium: (definition from “Pocket Catholic Dictionary. John A. Hardon, S.J. 1980)
The Church’s teaching authority, vested in the bishops, as successors of the Apostles, under the Roman Pontiff, as successor of St. Peter. Also vested in the Pope, a Vicar of Christ and visible head of the Catholic Church.
Again, this authority c0mes from Christ:
Luke 10: 16
Jesus said to apostles, “He who hears you, hears me; he who rejects you rejects me, he who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me.”
So we can basically say that when the Magisterium teaches us on matters of the faith and of morality, it is Jesus who speaks.
Christ’s words must be fulfilled and cannot fail. So this promise of Christ protects all teaching of the Magisterium (when the bishops are in union with each other and the Pope) presenting doctrine or teaching on faith & morality for what is needed for our salvation.
When did this authorization happen?
Matthew 28: 16-20 When Christ Commissioned His Disciples
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all the I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the close of the age.”
How do they teach us? What does that mean? What does it look like?
CCC 86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith." (Dei Verbum #10)
To be a servant means to do the will of the master…to teach His message. The word bishop comes from Late Latin “episcopus” from the Greek “episkipos” meaning to look more at…this could mean to oversee but could also for this discussion even be stretched to possibly mean to look more (closely) at.
How does the Magisterium ensure that they are in line with the will of the Master?
The Holy Spirit is who helps and guides the Magisterium
• To listen to His voice -- discern the will of the Lord (through graces received in their office, life dedicated to the study faith, scripture and to Lord and His Church)
• To guard and protect the Truth – give strength and conviction to defend the Faith (against all heresies, misunderstandings, attacks)
• To expound it faithfully (encyclicals, Apostles Creed, Catechism, papal audiences, homilies, books, etc.)
The Holy Spirit encourages and strengthens the bishops and the Pope to defend the truth. Many martyrs in the early Church were bishops, given the strength of the Holy Spirit to give the highest testimony of the Truth.
John 14:25-26
“These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
There were many things the apostles saw, and heard Jesus explain that they didn’t understand. For example Jesus would take his apostles aside separately and explain the deeper meaning and application of His teaching (e.g. Parable of the sower and seeds and even reaffirming the Real Presence in the Eucharist.)
John 16:12-15
“I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
In this passage, Jesus refers to the seamless unity of thought and will in the Trinity. The Holy Spirit helps the Magisterium understand the Truth (revealed in scripture and tradition).
The Magisterium brings together the scripture and tradition – both help us better understand God.
• We need all 3 (Scripture, Tradition, and Magisterium) for clear revelation of the Lord and for the salvation of our souls
• Dei Verbum #10
It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God's most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.
** We cannot separate any one of these three and still have full Truth. The following scripture passage shows how the early Church followed the teaching of the Apostles.
Acts 2:42
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.”
This refers to the first Christians who were converted by the preaching of Peter after Pentecost (The Essential Catholic Survival Guide, by Catholic Answers)
The apostles united with Peter established many of the elements of our faith e.g. what was important in the Mass. We see that tradition in Paul’s letter.
** We need the understanding of the Magisterium and Church teachings and tradition so that we can be guided for salvation.
Again, we need all three, sacred scripture, sacred tradition, and the Magisterium, to fulfill God’s desire for us which is for “everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) As we read in Dei Verbum, we cannot separate any of these three and still have the fullness of Truth.
What is our role as Laity?
CCC 87 Mindful of Christ’s words to his apostles: “He who hears you, hears me”, the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.
Our deepest desire to be in communion with God, that is where we find our ultimate happiness. It is our calling as followers of Christ to help others come to this realization by virtue of our testimony, that which we state with our words but also and more importantly how we live our lives. This paragraph #87 in the Catechism reminds us that we need to be “docile” in accepting the teachings we receive from the Magisterium. By being docile and obedient, we allow ourselves to be led by the Magisterium in deepening our understanding of the Lord through the scriptures and by fully living our traditions of the Faith. Being docile to their teachings and explanations does not in any way mean for us not to study Scripture or to explore questions we might have about the faith, all the contrary. The purpose of the Magisterium is to encourage and lead all the faithful into a personal and intimate relationship with the Lord. When you are in a relationship with someone you search for a deeper understanding and connection with that person or things related to that person. Which is why many of the encyclicals and teachings of the Magisterium relate to helping us understand the richness of our Catholic traditions and how all revelation leads us to know the Lord. This includes guiding us in matters of morality and ensuring that our relationship with Christ is the focal point of our lives and the compass for all decisions we make. If we are to be the Good News for others in any of our roles (priest, religious, catechist, lay member of a ministry, youth or young adult leader, professional, family member, etc.;) we must be faithful to the teachings and guidance of the Magisterium.
The Holy Spirit, who enlightens and strengthens the communion of bishops and the Pope, in continuing the commission they received by nature of their office (and which has been handed down in seamless succession since Christ Himself authorized His apostles, the first bishops,) is the same Who will guide all the faithful to profoundly live in union with God who loves us (in this life and for all eternity) and in being a light in the world for all those who search to know Him.
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