Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers, who led them out of the land of Egypt, they followed the other gods of the various nations around them, and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD. Judges 2:11
The young man said to him, "All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Matthew 19:20-22
Piety
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ God’s only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come 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 life everlasting. Amen.
Study
The Apostle’s Creed is not found in the Bible. It was not even written by any of the original “apostles.” The Creed was written at least 150 years after the last apostles died. Sources explain that it is called the Apostles’ Creed because it is supposed to be a record of what the apostles taught. Yet, these days, there are so many groups using the “Christian” prefix in front of other nouns and adjectives that they claim also identify them, it might help to step back and reconnect with the meaning of the Creed so we do not end up sulking away from like the young man with many conflicting possessions.
Heart-based belief is the cornerstone of our faith and the ticket to admittance. When praying the Credo, we profess what we believe in our hearts. Those beliefs also must be mirrored in action or they are Satan’s empty promises. We believe in God – above anything else or anyone else -- who created everything out of unlimited love. We need to treat that creation and each other with love. God is second-to-none. Check.
In Jesus, we encounter someone in the likeness of the Divine. Jesus instilled his authority over the world through love. Not power. Not wealth. Not possessions.
"Jesus’ favorite way of expressing his faith was by calling God “Abba”, a term of endearment that expresses a child’s trust in a father’s love… “This lordship of love, peace, and justice will inevitably clash with other forms of dominant power and authority in the world. This clash is a distinct danger when we become disciples of love, as we shall see.”[i] When we put something or someone above God, we inevitably see a clash with the values Jesus asked us to embody and incorporate in our daily lives. Check.
God is unwaveringly present with all those who suffer. To emphasize that Jesus “died and was buried” is to indicate that a real, fully human body actually died and was lowered into the ground. It’s also to emphasize that Jesus was eradicated by the power structures he chose to stand up to, once again stressing the dangerous nature of walking this path of God.[ii]
See that perfect mercy and love of Jesus expressed to the Canaanite women with the troubled daughter.
See that perfect mercy and love expressed to the divorced Samaritan woman at the well.
See that perfect mercy and love expressed to the centurion from the belligerent, occupying Roman army with the dying child.
See that perfect mercy and love expressed to the thief hanging on the cross next door.
Action
What do I still lack?
Do I have the capacity to love those who are not like me? Will I abandon God’s plan or will I abandon the old thoughts that conflict with my Credo and the things that anchor me in my comfort zone rather than setting me free?
As the young man with many possessions learned, this invitation into a faith-based relationship with Jesus comes with a price. If I profess this Credo, I must choose to pick up my cross daily and walk with God. It is hard to hold my cross as I stare down at my smartphone or tablet.
The Credo is my way of saying and showing that I have a willingness to change the direction in which I seek happiness. Despite what I witnessed in the pictures and stories from Charlottesville to Boston, from Venezuela to North Korea, from Finland to Spain, the Holy Spirit is God alive in the world. Although Jesus is physically gone, it is up to us, to me – the church – the ecclesia – to implement that manifesto of love to the foreigner be it a person from Samaria, Canaan, Mexico or an Arab nation.
What do I still lack?
If I want to reconcile my personal or social sins, I have to give up whatever alienates me from the God of my professed beliefs and turn to the same Father of the prodigal son to embrace me on the road of return.
As Cardinal Joe Tobin[iii] wrote this week, “This vast Catholic community hopes to stand in prayer and solidarity with all people of goodwill and we witness to our Christian calling to ‘love your enemies…that you may be children of your heavenly Father’ (Mt. 5:44-45).[iv]
I can never fully abandon God because God is waiting for the first inkling of my change of heart. As I return, God will be there to greet me when I give up what alienates me from love.
Today, we remember Pope Pius X, the first pope elected in the last millennia. After he ascended to the throne of St. Peter, Saint Pope Pius X encouraged Catholics to become more politically involved. Yet, he died only a few weeks after World War I began. In a biography from Franciscan Media, we learn that he said, “This [war] is the last affliction the Lord will visit on me. I would gladly give my life to save my poor children from this ghastly scourge.”
This may not be a world war, but it is a battle nonetheless. Cardinal Tobin reminds us that Jesus tells us “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light so that his works might not be exposed” (John 3:20). Dark words and deeds must be met with light and love.” Based upon this Credo, in all circumstances, but especially in these difficult times, I am called to be an instrument of peace and light through faith-based words and actions.
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