RICH IN TRADITION | KAIROS GLOBAL | SEPTEMBER 2021

Author: Fr. Benedict D’souza SM, Christchurch, New Zealand

When we have a question, we normally tend to search the internet. But there is a lot of fake news, a lot of lies and a lot of deception. We want to know the truth, and so we look for reputable websites, those which carry a sense of authority. The same applies with our faith. The Catholic Church has three sources of authority. Scripture, the Word of God; the magisterium, teaching authority of the Pope and bishops of the Church and Apostolic Tradition, the teachings of Christ handed down through his apostles and their successors. These sources are inter-dependent and cannot be separated. But this is exactly what our modern world is knowingly or unknowingly trying to do.

In a time of cancel culture, it seems very naïve for young people to cling to their Catholic culture and say that their tradition is part of their identity and a source of authority. But why is it that there are growing numbers of young people all over the world who are choosing to return to the Catholic Church, when the generation before them chose to reject it? Why is it that young people today know their Catechism and the Bible better than the generation before them? Why is it that many young people are choosing to study the Tradition of the Church at University and get degrees in theology, philosophy and scripture?  It is a search for the truth and authority.  We see that the Scriptures, the Word of God are the truth. We can see that the teachings of the Church help us to live out this truth, and that its tradition helps us to hold onto the truth and persevere in the truth.

  The Catholic Church has a very rich tradition which spans 2000 years and has grown in almost every country in the world. What makes the tradition of the Church different from others is that it is ALIVE. It is alive since it is rooted in the living Word of God. Because it is alive, it grows and it moves as it is guided by the Holy Spirit. Because of this the Church’s tradition is new for each successive generation, while remaining faithful to its past. It is like the growth cycle of a seed which sprouts, matures and bears new seeds which must die before they can sprout again.

At the core of the tradition of the Church is the liturgy. The word liturgy originally meant ‘work done on behalf of the people.’ The Catechism describes liturgy as ‘a participation in Christ's own prayer’ and ‘the work of Christ.’ Our tradition also tells us that through liturgy, the people themselves can participate in the work of God. This is why it is important to have good liturgy which is beautiful and well prepared. Some of the preparation is done for us by the Church, the order of readings in the lectionary and the order of prayers in the missal. But each parish works hard to have a beautifully decorated church, and choirs spend hours practicing the hymns for Mass, that it may help the parishioners encounter Christ. 

Our tradition doesn’t just have these big themes, we also have many small things to help us participate in this liturgy. Each time we bless ourselves with holy water or genuflect to our Lord in the tabernacle, we express our faith externally. This small act of cooperation with the grace of God, invites the Holy Spirit to teach us through the liturgical tradition handed down to us. All these small acts of faith act like small paths which lead us to the top of the mountain. And at the summit, we have the Eucharist. This is most apparent at the Sunday Mass, which is at the heart of every parish community. It is when they gather as a community, to be led by the priest in the prayer of Christ. 

So the next time that you go to Mass on a Sunday, prepare yourself, so you can be elevated by the tradition of the Church. Read the readings of the day in preparation, go to church early and pray so that when Mass begins, you are able to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Pay attention to the prayers said by the priest, or follow them in your personal missal. Think about why you bow to the altar and bend your knee to the tabernacle. All these traditions are what prepare us for the heavenly liturgy where we will be with all the saints. This is why I love the liturgy and the traditions of the Catholic Church.