15th Sunday Year A 16 July 2023 Word of God
In the first reading we hear God saying that His word goes out and does not return to Him without achieving what it was sent to do (Is 55,11).
What it is supposed to do includes to comfort the downhearted, confront the sinner, convert the unbeliever to the true faith; then to nourish us in the faith.
It is one thing to be born; another thing still, and better, to be brought to the true faith through baptism.
Before we were born there were people who believed what we believe now, and they helped us to grasp the faith and see how it fitted in with our lives.
Grandparents, parents, teachers, catechists, missionaries… they all played a part.
The faith is passed on from one generation to the next, so we have a double obligation – first to receive, secondly to pass on.
We have a central core of belief which is called the deposit of faith. This has been kept alive for two thousand years, approximately eighty generations!
No wonder things get confused sometimes, as we know how easily a message can be distorted despite the best intentions.
Our Lord established the Church and made the apostles the first bishops, so that there would be clarity and unity in the beliefs that were meant to spread to the whole world. ‘Go and baptize all nations’ (Mt 28,19).
The deposit of faith must be protected from errors and distortions, and from being diluted with the passing of time.
We do not have to agree on everything but we do have to agree on core beliefs and practices, such as the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
We teach the faith to children according to their level of understanding. We do not delay the teaching until adulthood because those offering false teaching will not wait that long.
Always evildoers have seen the young as easy targets, and put all sorts of enticements and temptations before them.
We protect our children from error and give them the means to determine right from wrong, true from false.
Truth will win out as surely as the word of God will not return empty.
Once we believe it we must not look back.
This is the fruit of the word going forth. Enough have believed to keep the flame alight.
Having truth does not excuse us from behaving well!
In fact the more we know something the more likely we are to act out that knowledge.
Knowing the faith puts us under extra obligation.
Bringing to faith, and then sustaining that faith is the work of the Church.
The Holy Spirit guides the Church through the Pope and Bishops.
Despite persecutions, heresies, schisms, all manner of trouble within and outside the Church, there is still a large number of people who hold to the truths of the Catholic faith.
Today there is a temptation in the name of tolerance that we should accept other beliefs as well as our own.
We do not force people to believe what we believe but this does not mean we accept their beliefs as right.
We have good reason for thinking that the Catholic faith has special claims to be right. It is because Jesus Christ has established that faith and has maintained it ever since. No other religion can claim that.
Certainly we should get along with others, but we cannot downplay the word of God just to keep the peace.
We have to correct error and be clear about what we believe.
Always mercy is available if we have been muddled about one or other point of faith, or behaving in a contrary way to God's word (either sin or error).
We learn as we go, and growing in charity and clarity. We thank God for those who helped to bring us to the faith, and pray that He helps us pass it on to those after us.
1 comment:
So true how they go after the young and we have to protect them
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