The Unity of the Catholic Faith
Saturday, September 21st Readings Reflection: Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
In today’s post, I would like to look at the Epistle from today’s Mass readings, which is an excerpt from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul wrote this Epistle from prison, urging the Ephesians to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3 DRB). He expressed the apostolic succession of priests and bishops, stating that Christ has given the Apostles and their successors in the priesthood authority over the Church “[u]ntil we all meet into the unity of faith” (Eph 4:13).
In the Creed, we profess our faith in the “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” These four adjectives are called the marks of the Church, which are “certain clear signs by which all men can recognize [the Catholic Church] as the true Church founded by Jesus Christ” (Baltimore Catechism #3, Q. 154). We say these words often, but we can easily pass over them without fully understanding their powerful and vitally important meaning. Much can be said about the four marks of the Church, but I would like to just briefly define each one in light of St. Paul’s words in today’s Epistle.
The Baltimore Catechism states that “[t]he Catholic Church is one because all its members, according to the will of Christ, profess the same faith, have the same sacrifice [the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass] and sacraments, and are united under one and the same visible head, the Pope” (Q. 156). After the Last Supper, before departing to the Mount of Olives to begin His Passion, Our Lord prayed that the Church may be one: “Holy Father, keep them in [T]hy name whom [T]hou hast given [M]e; that they may be one, as [W]e also are” (Jn 17:11). Thus, the unity of the Church is a divine command.
The attribute of holiness comes by virtue of the Church’s all-holy Founder, Jesus Christ. The Church is holy “because it teaches, according to the will of Christ, holy doctrines, and provides the means of leading a holy life, thereby giving holy members to every age” (Q. 157). Only through the Catholic Church can we attain holiness, because only the Church has the seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ to give us grace. As a result, the Church herself must be intrinsically holy, a good tree bringing forth good fruit (cf. Mt 7:17).
The word “catholic” means “universal.” This means that the Church is “destined to last for all time, [because] it never fails to fulfill the divine commandment to teach all nations all the truths revealed by God” (Q. 158). The Catholic Church is the only institution on earth to have survived unchanged and uninterruptedly for two thousand years. In fulfillment of Christ’s command in the Great Commission to “teach ye all nations” (Mt 28:19), the Church may be found in every corner of the world. While some nations try to restrict the Church’s authority and freedom, there are nonetheless Catholics all throughout the world, all believing the same, unchanging teachings of the Faith.
Lastly, the Church is apostolic, meaning that “it was founded by Christ on the apostles and, according to His divine will, has always been governed by their lawful successors” (Q. 159). Earlier in his Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul himself wrote, “Now therefore you are…fellow citizens with the saints and domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ [H]imself being the chief corner stone” (Eph 2:19-20).
From the earliest days of the Church’s existence, the faithful have recognized and acknowledged that she is one, holy, universal, and apostolic. Because of these four marks, the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Catholic Church. She is indestructible by virtue of her Cornerstone and Founder, Jesus Christ. Into this unity of faith we have been baptized, and in this same unity we must persist despite all attempts of the world and the devil to destroy our unity and lead us away from the truth.
Today is the feast of St. Matthew, the tax collector whom Christ called to be an Apostle and ultimately to give his life for the faith. May St. Matthew pray for the Catholic Church, that all her members may remain in the union of Christ’s sheepfold, the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
Yes, indeed! AMEN!