Paragraphs 1 through 3 of the Catechism form a complete unit. In this introduction to the Faith, there are many sets of three. From Paragraph 1 recall that the faithful are to know, love and serve God. Immediately thereafter, the Church teaches us that the mission given to the Apostles by Jesus was to proclaim the Gospel, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and finally to teach the baptized all that they had heard from their Lord.
This three part commission was passed along through time by Apostolic Succession to all the Bishops of the Catholic Church! Having the same commission, the Bishops are to teach that which has been received. We call this received teaching, the Deposit of Faith or the Word of God. From the Apostles to the Bishops today, all in succession have the solemn duty of handing on the Faith as it was received, guarding the faith from adulteration, and preserving the Faith from heresy and error. However, the Bishops are not the only members of the Church that are called to a special duty.
Each member of the Church is to profess the faith by their manner of living, by celebrating the liturgy, and by their prayers. These three items are the general rules of living a holy life and for becoming a saint. The details fill the thousands of paragraphs that follow!
CCC 2-3
2 So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ sent forth the apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Mat 28:19-20) Strengthened by this mission, the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it." (Mk 16:20)
3 Those who with God's help have welcomed Christ's call and freely responded to it are urged on by love of Christ to proclaim the Good News everywhere in the world. This treasure, received from the apostles, has been faithfully guarded by their successors. All Christ's faithful are called to hand it on from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer. (Acts 2:42)
Q&A
Q. How did the Gospel spread through the entire world?
A. The Gospel was spread to all the nations by Christ's chosen Apostles.
Q. Why did the Apostles spread the Gospel to all the nations?
A. The Apostles spread the Gospel to all the nations because they were personally commissioned by the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Q. Was the proclamation of the Gospel the only task given to the Apostles?
A. No. The Apostles were commissioned by Jesus to carry out three tasks. First, they were to proclaim the Gospel to all the nations. Second, the Apostles were to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the Apostles were directed to teach the baptized to observe all the commandments that the Apostles had heard from Jesus while they were with Him.
Q. Did Jesus make any guarantees?
A. Yes. Jesus guaranteed that he would be with the Apostles not only in their natural life times but until the end of the age. That is to say that Jesus would be with the Apostles and their successors until He returned to end the age.
Q. Did the Apostles carry out the mandate given them by Our Lord?
A. Yes, the Apostles faithfully "went forth and preached everywhere."
Q. Did Jesus, Risen from the dead, Glorified, and Ascended to the Father help the Apostles in their mission?
A. Yes! The Gospel of Mark states that "the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through them" by causing miracles, called "signs" by St. Mark, to demonstrate to the world that the Apostles were acting with the power and authority of Jesus.
Q. Did the people who received the Good News and who were baptized by the Apostles also spread the Gospel?
A. Yes, the people of the time of the Apostles as well as we who have received the Good News today, are commanded to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ everywhere in the world.
Q. Who are the successors of the Apostles?
A. The successors of the Apostles are the Bishops of the Holy Catholic Church. The Bishops of the Church have preserved, guarded, and handed on the treasure of the Word of God received from Christ over all these many centuries.
Q. What are we, the baptized to do in our time?
A. We are called upon to profess the faith, to live the faith, and to celebrate the faith in liturgy and prayer.
BREVIARY
Jesus commissioned the Apostles and all the baptized to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world.
All believers who receive the Good News of Jesus Christ are to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All believers are to be taught the commandments that the Apostles received from Jesus Christ.
The treasure of God's Word first given to the Apostles has been handed on, guarded, and preserved by the successors of the Apostles, the Bishops of the Holy Catholic Church.
All of Christ's faithful are called upon to hand on the Faith in every generation by professing the faith, by living the faith in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating the faith in the ancient liturgy and by prayer.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Pray for us!
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