September 5, 2010 – Catechism 484-489

Alright, if you are still following along and reading the Catechism postings as well as the Bible ones, we are going to start a section, that if you just glance ahead, we get into some more less agreed upon territory.  If you are not Catholic or think of yourself as Catholic but have issues with the Church’s teachings, I ask that you read the following with an open heart.  I will try to give my take on the teachings, but smarter people than me wrote it, so I would encourage you to really read the paragraphs carefully.  As we saw in the audio talk I dissected, many people get the Catholic Church’s teachings wrong when they argue against them.  Here we have it from the Church itself.  If you don’t agree with its teachings, that is one thing, but I would encourage everyone to learn what the Church actually does teach, not just what someone thinks the Catholic Church teaches. 

As we go through these paragraphs, I would appreciate it if any non-Catholics would tell me which paragraphs they do not accept as true.  I will try to guess, but I am not familiar with non-Catholic teachings. 

The fullness of time.  Jesus came into the world at precisely the time God intended.  As He stated right after the fall, there would be a redeemer that would be sent to heal the wound created by their fall. 

Fecundate - to make prolific or fruitful, to impregnate or fertilize.  Had no idea what that word meant so here is the definition if you didn’t as well. 

So, the Holy Spirit is with Jesus from the very beginning, it is only Its manifestation that takes place gradually over a period of time.  This makes sense in looking at how God deals with things in the Old Testament.  Nothing is done quickly and people are taught things over the course of time. 

I think it is important to keep that first statement about Mary in mind anytime there is a discussion about her.  Anytime someone says that Mary is taking away or being called on in place of or instead of Christ, they are misinterpreting Catholic teaching.  Everything having to do with Mary is helping us to Christ or pointing to Christ.  She is never the end.  She is a guide to Jesus.  Remember this as a foundation for all of the Church’s other teachings.