A Faithful Traveling Companion
By Steve Martin
Life is a journey. From the moment of birth we are constantly growing. Our bodies, our minds, and our souls continuously change and evolve. We are never the same today as we were yesterday. Some changes are intentional and come about through direct effort. Others are more subtle and seem to ‘just happen’ naturally as we interact with the barrage of stimulus around us and within us.
As Catholics we believe we are journeying to something. Our journey has a final destination. Those of us who are blessed with faith know this is true. God has a place for us in eternity. All people are created to share in the Holy Communion of the Blessed Trinity.
The very first paragraph of The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes this point strikingly clear. “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength.”1
It is good to remind ourselves of that final destination which God calls us to. God wants our final destination to be heaven. We can make better choices along the way of life when we are mindful of that fact.
As we journey forward, how do we know we are going in the right direction? Are we seeking God? Are we getting to know him? Are we truly loving him?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an essential roadmap to help us navigate the many crossroads of life. It is our Spirit given GPS. The Catechism, “aims at presenting an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental contents of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church’s Tradition. Its principle sources are the Sacred Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the Church’s Magisterium.”2 All the foundational truths of the Catholic faith are clearly and insightfully explored. In this one authoritative book we find all the basic facts on faith and morals needed to live our Catholic faith.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is divided into four main parts:
1. The Profession of Faith (The Creed)
Part One looks closely at all God has revealed about himself as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. It helps us in our quest to know God, and in doing so it helps us to know ourselves.
2. The Sacraments
Part Two explains how the saving action of Jesus Christ is made present in the Church’s liturgy and sacramental life.
3. Moral Life
Part Three focuses on living out our call to beatitude with the help of God’s law and grace.
4. Prayer.
Part Four stresses the crucial place prayer plays in the life of faith. In this last segment, the Lord’s Prayer is highlighted as a guide to direct the shape and heart of our prayer life.
Listen to the words of the late Pope John Paul II in his 1997 apostolic letter, Laetamur Magnopere. Don’t just gloss over these words… really listen.
“May this Catechism be known and shared by everyone, so that the unity in faith whose supreme model and origin is found in the Unity of the Trinity may be strengthened and extended to the ends of the earth.”
Do you want to grow and mature your faith? As you continue on your journey of faith, why not make the Catechism of the Catholic Church your faithful traveling companion? It will help you to deepen your understanding of who God is and encourage you to reflect on the proper response to such awe-inspiring knowledge.
1Catechism of the Catholic Church, pg. 1
2Catechism of the Catholic Church, pg. 11