Christmas
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Cycle B
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Q351: If Jesus Christ is “the light of the world” that shines on in the darkness, why is there so much division even within Christianity?
At the beginning of St. John’s gospel today (Jn 1:1-18) we hear that God the Father sent his only Son to enlighten the world with His truth. At the end of Matthew’s gospel, the risen Jesus reminds his Apostles that he would be with them always, until the end of the age (Mt 28:19-20); and he sent them forth to baptize, teach, and make disciples. But in order to keep the Gospel forever whole and alive within the Church, the Apostles left bishops as their successors, “handing over” to them “the authority to teach in their place” (see Dei Verbum, #7). The Apostles, handing on what they themselves had received, warned the faithful to hold fast to the traditions which they have learned either by word of mouth or by letter (for example, 2 Thess 2:15). These successors are what we call “The Magisterium,” the official teaching office of the Church, and it is their obligation to continue to hand on and preserve the deposit of faith (“Tradition”) so that believers will not be led away from the fullness of truth.
But over time, some people began to interpret the Holy Scripture in ways that would fit their own private beliefs, even though those private beliefs disagreed with the authentic teaching of The Magisterium. So they began to “break away” from the Tradition, and because of their misinterpretation of scripture and/or misapplication, they no longer possess the “fullness of the truth” that is preserved only in the Catholic Church. This is especially evident in their rejection of the full sacramental system of the Church, and in the teachings on faith and morals. In 2001 the World Christian Encyclopedia listed 33,830 different Christian denominations who have departed from the Tradition preserved since the time of the Apostles! Despite this painful lack of unity, they all have one thing in common, the Holy Scripture (the Bible). So even though on too many occasions scripture is misused or distorted by those outside the Catholic Tradition, everyone without exception agrees on one fact: today we celebrate the birth of our Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world! Let us all rejoice in that astonishing mystery we call the Incarnation, and earnestly pray for the unity which is still lacking within our Christian family.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! Let us remember that the “People of God” include our brothers and sisters who do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter (see Lumen Gentium, #15); many elements of sanctification and truth are indeed found in those communities (CCC #819). Since unity subsists in the Catholic Church and is something she can never lose, we must pray and work to rebuild this unity that Jesus desires (CCC #820) - - can there be a better Christmas wish?
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