During the Third Week of Lent, the elect to be initiated into Christ are presented the Creed. Just before the faithful proclaim it to them, the elect are instructed to “listen carefully to the words of that faith by which you will be justified” (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults 160).
Today’s second reading comes from a chapter in Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that is a warning against overconfidence. Although the elect will not hear this reading on Sunday (if they are present at the Sunday Mass, they will hear Year A’s readings for the First Scrutiny), Paul’s counsel is for us, the baptized.
We hand over the Creed to the elect as a kind of promise and reminder of what faith in Christ gives. For the righteous, these words are not a guarantee of salvation, for faith is not a transactional exchange. Click To TweetWe hand over the Creed to the elect as a kind of promise and reminder of what faith in Christ gives. For the righteous, these words are not a guarantee of salvation, for faith is not a transactional exchange. Rather, the Creed enlightens our vision to see without a doubt that God is kind and merciful.
“Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall” (1 Cor 10:12), Paul cautions, but he does not end there. With faith, he assures us, “God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it” (v 13).
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