Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegŏn and companion

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092012.cfm

A quiet neighborhood
in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.


Saint Paul evokes the earliest Christian tradition in these words from his First Letter to the Corinthians. Scripture scholars tell us he was quoting a familiar Christian "creed," It has the rhythms and sound of public recitation; but it also reflects the Jewish custom of telling a story. The Jewish people have never defined a set of dogmas for belief; their creed is their history of God's fidelity.

Several centuries after the tradition of Jesus had been established, bishops and patriarchs from all over the known world gathered to write a creed -- the word credo means "I believe" -- but until then Christian doctrine was learned through traditional songs, prayers,stories and rituals. Shortly after that, by the end of the fourth century, Christians of the east and west had agreed upon the twenty-seven books the 'New Testament." The Old Testament has yet to find universal agreement on its contents.

But most of us learned Christianity from the traditions, not the Bible. We didn't learn the Our Father by studying the words in Matthew 6. We didn't learn the Angel's greeting by reading Luke 1 but by reciting the Hail Mary. We learned our songs, gestures, piety and values from the traditions which must be guided and rooted in the traditions we find in the New Testament. Anything alien to the Bible certainly does not belong, any more than a funeral dirge should be sung at a wedding.

Catholics  often suppose we are not familiar with the Bible. But much of what is familiar to us is very scriptural. We recall the women beating their breasts as Jesus died in Luke's gospel; we still do that during the Confiteor. We meet faithfully every Sunday, 

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another... (Hebrews 10:25)

We eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus in literal obedience to his words. The Book of Revelation is especially rich with Catholic imagery; our candles, incense, readings, songs, stoles, visual symbols and many familiar titles of Jesus ("Lamb of God") are found in Revelation. If we don't read it every day it's because we live within the very tradition that wrote the 27 books in the first place.

Saint Paul concludes his recitation of the Christian story by adding his own personal story. That is where every Christian finds herself. We're not The End of the story, but we find our place within it. And, like Saint Paul, we are glad to be here.