Praying with Those Who Cannot – The Apostle’s Creed

Greetings Dear Reader,

So we arrive at the heart of what started this thinking.   The prayers involved in praying the Rosary are common and known by many both Catholic and not.   To say that it is wrong to pray the Rosary is something that reflects puerile thinking and makes too many assumptions to be valid. 

If we examine the actual prayers of the Rosary we may find that there in good there into which every Christ follower may tap.   The first thing to consider is what we have already discussed; any prayer spoken in faith has validity.  Another consideration is that it is healthy to review things that we believe in an ordered manner.  It can reassure us and help us to ponder new questions in the proper framework.

The first thing we consider is the Apostle’s Creed.   I had to memorize it in grade three.  Here is the text:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

It is worthy to note a few important details here.  First is that this is the earliest creed of which we have record.  It influenced the Nicene Creed.  It is first recorded in Milan in 390 A.D.  In text we should consider a few distinctions that make it common to all. 

The first is that the word “catholic” here does not refer to the denomination of that same name but rather to the original meaning of this word which is “universal”.  It speaks to the common connection between all followers of Christ.   

Second the word “communion” refers to our common union in Christ.   We symbolize this in celebration of bread and wine.   No matter how we dress or windows or our ceremonies if we follow in faith we are united.  We cause the divisions when we fail to see this.

The last thought for this is that praying this creed affirms what we believe to the Father.  It reminds us that we have a common mission.  In Christ alone we stand and work.  His command is for us to do this in love.  There is no use in praying this rote.   The power comes from the affirmations and our faith in them.  In that I can stand in faith as I pray.  In that there is no shadow or doubt. 

Creed – Petra

I believe in God the Father, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ His only son, I believe in the virgin birth.

I believe in the Man of Sorrows, bruised for iniquities.

I believe in the lamb who was crucified, and hung between two thieves.

I believe in the resurrection, on the third and glorious day

I believe in the empty tomb, and the stone that the angel rolled away

He descended and set the captives free

And now He sits at God's right hand and prepares a place for me

This is my creed

The witness I have heard

The faith that has endured

This truth is assured

Through the darkest ages past

Though persecuted it will last

And I will hold steadfast

To this creed

I believe He sent His spirit, to comfort and to reveal

To lead us into truth and light, to baptize and to seal

I believe He will come back, the way He went away and..

Receive us all unto Himself but no man know that day

This is my creed

The witness I have heard

The faith that has endured

This truth is assured

Through the darkest ages past

Though persecuted it will last

And I will hold steadfast

To this creed

I believe He is the judge, of all things small and great

The resurrected souls of men, receive from Him their fate

Some to death and some to life, some to their reward

Some to sing eternal praise, forever to the Lord

And through the darkest ages past

Though persecuted it will last

And I will hold steadfast

To this creed

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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