-
Our Faith
-
 ONE, HOLY, APOSTOLIC CHURCH
- By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
-
-
-
What is the right Christian attitude and mentality with
regard to the many non-Catholic churches and the non-Christian religions?
There has been a time that this attitude was in fact predominantly
negative. Non-Catholic Christians were heretic! Non-Christians were
pagans! That was it! Both categories were seen as God’s enemies.
Nowadays, things are somewhat different. In the Second
Vatican Council, it has been said: “The Catholic Church rejects nothing of
what is true and holy in these religions; She has a high regard for the
manner of life, and conduct, precepts and teachings which, although
differing in many ways from Her own teaching, nonetheless often reflect a
ray of that truth that enlightens everyone.”
Yet in spite of this positive attitude, we may not jump to
the conclusion, that our own Catholic faith has to be relativized, or that
it is partial and not the full truth. We accept in faith the inspired
value of Holy Scripture. It is God’s word to us. We accept beyond doubt
the definitive and complete character of the revelation in Jesus Christ.
We believe in the oneness of God’s eternal Word abiding in the Father
since all eternity, and Jesus of Nazareth. He is true God and true Man! We
believe in the unique and universal salvation brought about through the
mystery of Jesus Christ, and now is mediated by the salvific mission of
the Church. We believe in the inseparability of the
Kingdom of God and the
Church.
In Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God’s only begotten and
eternal Son has become Man in order to save fallen mankind. We must
absolutize all this! In John 10:9-11, Jesus said, “I am the gate. Whoever
comes in by Me will be saved; I have come in order that you might have
life, that is, life in all its fullness.” And in John’s first letter, he
writes, “We have seen and tell others, that the Father sent His Son to be
the Savior of the world. So if anyone declares that Jesus is the Son of
God, he lives in union with God and God lives in union with him” (1 John
4:13-14).
On many occasions Jesus, and later the Church, have always
proclaimed the universal, singular and exclusive character of the personal
mission of Jesus Christ and His Church. Salvation is given to the world
through Jesus only. So we cannot say that every religion is as good as the
other. There are not many salvations! There are not many Saviors! One
only! Yet it may often happen that, due to social factors and others, a
person does not know Jesus Christ at all. If so, and if he is pleasing to
God and sincerely tries to do God’s Will, his link with Jesus will be
hidden and mysterious, yet real. The same is true for non-Catholics and
the relationship of their churches with the Catholic Church. If somebody
is in good faith and of good will, yet does not belong to the true Church
without any fault of his own, he will be incorporated in the Body of
Christ the Church, though it be invisibly. God the Father in Heaven does
not by necessity withhold His Saving Grace from other church-communities,
which are separated from the Apostolic Hierarchy and the Eucharistic
table.
However, only the Catholic Church is the seed and the
beginning of God’s Kingdom. Other churches, which we must respect and see
as channels of God’s Grace, are only effective insofar they are linked by
a hidden and mysterious bond by faith with the Catholic Church.
In Numbers 11:25-39, it is told that two men, who were not in union with
Moses and the seventy elders, were moved by the Holy Spirit, and started
prophesying. Joshua did not like that, and said to Moses, “Stop them. They
do not belong to us”. But Moses thought differently. “Is it given to man”,
he said, “to put restrictions on Yahweh? Or are you jealous?” A similar
event is reported in Mark 19:38-43, 45, 47-48. Being annoyed and upset,
the apostles said to Jesus, “Master, we see a man who is not one of us,
casting out devils in Your Name. You must stop that!” But Jesus replied,
“Anyone who is not against us is for us”. In other words, people who fight
the same enemy are allies. People who love and care for each other, are
followers of the
One Church without
realizing it. If people are on the side of the poor and the sick, and
united in their struggle against evil, they bear the family name of God,
although they don’t know how to spell it correctly.
 The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Christ and One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church are closely interconnected from within,
however not identical.
- TELL US LIKE IT IS!
- Has something
wonderful and unique happened in your life lately? Did God answer your
prayer in a very unexpected way? Did you, like Isaiah, meet God’s
whisper?
- Have you felt His
powerful hand working in your life recently?
- Everyday, people are
experiencing God’s mighty Word in their lives and it is a pity that very
few know about it. Do you have a story to tell? Some Good News to
share?
- E-mail us (genesis@catholic.org) or fax us
(021-6627384), and tell us about it. That’s right! You don’t have to be
a great writer to do this. We can help you write it – just tell us like
it is!
- Don’t forget to write
the subject: “Let Me Tell You A
Story”
For comments, suggestions or
ideas:
E-mail us: genesis@catholic.org
Fax us: (6221) 662-7384
Genesis Catholic
Community - All Rights Reserved 2003
No part of this website may be copied,
reproduced or modified without the permission from the
webmaster.
|
This site has been awarded
IN THIS ISSUE:
HIS Servant
by Bro. Pete Lapid
Our Faith
By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
Messages
By Bro. Bo Sanchez
Place of Refuge
By Philip Yuson
Messages
By Bro. Ken Noecker
Messages
By Bro. Wimpie and Sis. Chairny,
KKK
Community Life ~ Here's the Latest
By Pinky Torres
Surabaya Corner
By Ramon Martillan
Surabaya Sharing
By Bombet Malina
Sharing
By Joji Escuban
Sharing
On Focus
By Sansu Garin
Saint for the Month
- Meet the
Staff
-
-
-
Catholic
Links
-
-
- PROFILE OF THE
-
GENESIS CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY
|
