It's The Message, More Than The Name And The Linkage

Reflection on Lk. 6:12-16

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude Thaddeus, Apostles

We remember the apostles for the lives they had lived. We recognize the witnessing they had done for the Lord Jesus. Because of them, the Lord Jesus becomes more present in His words and deed.

The call of the apostles revealed part of the plan of God. Salvation will begin in Israel (Chosen People) and from there, it will extend all over the world. God meant to include man in the work of salvation. This is reflective of the dynamics of salvation; (St. Augustine) " God created us without our consent; God will not save us without our consent." He first chose twelve men who will follow Him wherever He goes. Later, they will be sent to mission to those who are in need of salvation. What they had heard; what they had seen and looked at and what they had touched with their own hands, will be passed on to generation to generation for the salvation of all. Jesus was founding an organization which will continue to propagate the Christian faith. Now, we call that organization as the Church. 

There are questions today about which church is the true Church of Jesus Christ? Many groups claim, by their own reasons, as the True Church of Jesus Christ. Many appeal by the very name they call their Church. Some claim it because they can trace their roots in Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church, our faith and our church, does not give the former reason. We have a proof of the latter but even that is not our main reason why we claim to be the True Church of Jesus Christ. We are the True Church because we are faithful to the message that Jesus Christ had given during His ministry. This is the essence of the True Church. For even if we can trace our roots in detail to the Lord Jesus or use the very name He wants for His Church, the more important element of His true Church is the presence of His message of salvation. St. Paul experienced and realized this in the community where the original apostles lived. Paul claimed to be an apostle. The other apostles challenged it. Paul claimed that the Lord appeared to him on his way to Damascus. The risen Lord revealed to him the message of salvation. His claim of being an apostle was not just because of the appearance of the risen Christ to him but by the very message he preaches;

               "I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you 

                by the grace of Christ for a different Gospel. But there are some who are 

                disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we, 

                or an angel form heaven should preached to you a gospel other than the 

                one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! (Gal. 1:6-9)

Therefore, what matters is faithfulness to the message. We believe that these messages from the Lord Jesus had been preserved by the apostles like Simon and Jude. When the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, He commanded them to proclaim the Good News to all. The apostles acted as one in this mission. This mission and message (deposit of faith) were passed on from generation to generation. From the apostles,  the tasked is now given to the ordained ministry (Pope, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons)  and the baptized to proclaim the Good News of salvation. What we have received from the apostles is what we now profess. If it comes from the apostles, it must be true! Thanks to the apostles.