Day 3: What We Believe (Part 1 Introduction with Jeff Cavins) (2025)
Jan 3, 2025
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In this conversation, Jeff Cavins, a Catholic author and speaker renowned for his expertise in the Bible and the Catechism, joins Fr. Mike Schmitz. They explore the foundational beliefs of the faith, emphasizing the significance of divine revelation and personal transformation. The duo discusses the balance between eagerness and patience in understanding faith and the importance of interpreting scripture through the lens of tradition. They also highlight the connection between the Old and New Testaments and the role of the Holy Spirit in nurturing spiritual growth.
The first pillar of the Catechism, focusing on the creed, emphasizes the relational aspect of faith and God's desire to share Himself with humanity.
Understanding divine revelation as a personal invitation transforms faith into a dynamic relationship, urging believers to actively live out their beliefs through actions.
Deep dives
The Structure of the Catechism
The catechism is organized into four pillars that serve as a framework for understanding the Catholic faith. The first pillar, focusing on the creed, outlines what Catholics believe about God, Revelation, and the community of believers. This structure is designed to simplify the complex information often encountered in Catholic education, allowing individuals to grasp the faith more clearly. By breaking down the teachings, the catechism aims to make the content more accessible, enabling believers to internalize and live out their faith.
God's Invitation to Relationship
The creed underscores that the core of what Catholics believe centers on God's desire to share Himself with humanity. It emphasizes the importance of understanding divine revelation not merely as knowledge but as a relational invitation from God to His creation. The catechism articulates that God seeks to form a covenant relationship with us, urging believers to recognize their identity as beloved children through baptism. This relational aspect is foundational, as it transforms the understanding of faith from a list of beliefs to a dynamic relationship with the divine.
The Search for God and Divine Revelation
The first pillar highlights humanity's innate search for God, facilitated through creation, reason, and personal longing. While individuals can grasp aspects of God through these means, the dialogue reveals that divine revelation is essential for deeper understanding. God actively desires to communicate with humanity, addressing the limitations of human knowledge by disclosing Himself through Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Thus, the catechism emphasizes the need for God to reveal Himself and the importance of being receptive to this revelation.
Responding to God's Revelation
The appropriate response to God's revelation entails a combination of intellectual assent and personal entrustment to His truth. This 'obedience of faith' is essential for actively living out one’s beliefs, translating them into actions that reflect one’s commitment to God. The catechism encourages believers to embrace the creed as not just a declaration of faith, but as a framework for living a life oriented towards divine purposes. As believers recite the creed, they are invited to internalize its truths, allowing them to transform their lives and relationships with God and each other.
Part 1 of the Catechism—the first pillar—is the longest part of the four parts of the Catechism, and arguably the most foundational. Fr. Mike sits down with Jeff Cavins to discuss the big picture behind this important pillar and prepare us for the journey ahead.
This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB.
For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy
Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
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