Scripture: Acts 11:19-26. Psalm 87:1-7. John 10:22-30. Lectionary # 280

Creeds are important for professing our faith. I especially like the
Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed which we use at Mass. One of my
Protestant friends told me of the fact that a little portion of the creed
is legendary as coming from each of the twelve. I like the idea, though it
is a "stretch." I thought of the creeds because of the Scriptures for
today and also because I witnessed a beautiful gathering of first Communion
boys and girls who said "I do" after each of the parts of the creed. They
did this around the baptismal font near the altar. All of us were quite
edified with their enthusiasm and reverence. They were louder than most
adults would be in saying "I do!" In our first reading from Acts we learn
of more Gentiles wishing to be a part of these emerging house churches and
small communities that are being formed by the disciples of Jesus. Today
it is Paul and Barnabas who go to Antioch to instruct the new converts in
their faith. They probably used the first beginnings of our creed to help
these neophytes. It is the mother church of Jerusalem that sends both
apostles to Antioch. We learn that it was in this city that the "disciples
were called Christians for the first time." (Acts 11:26). In our Psalm
response and its verses we are reminded of the beginnings that took place
in Jerusalem. There the faith in Jesus took place; there the church was
born alongside the Temple. The imagery is powerful in Psalm 87, one of my
favorites. I liked the following verse: " (There in Zion (Jerusalem) all
shall sing, in their festive dance and say "My home is within you." Jesus
is near the greatest place of prayer in his time--the Temple. It is the
feast of the Dedication and it is winter. He affirms to those who are
asking him whether he is the Messiah. He tells them to look at his works
and their effect which will give them an answer. He goes further and says
that "The Father and I are one." His messiahship is human and bound with
frailty whereas his union with God is divine and beyond our worldly
speculations about power and religion. All of this led me back to my
thoughts about the importance of creeds. I found the texts helping me to
understand their foundation formulations and their biblical background. I
am being led to take one of them today and recite and pray it slowly as a
compliment to what I learned and reflected upon from the Scriptures. Amen.