On the Creed

Do you believe?

Father David Jones

Catholic Practices

After we hear from God, the Liturgy of the Word, the next thing that comes out of our mouth is very important. “I believe…!” The Creed, a concise declaration of what we believe, a public declaration of the faith, follows what God said. God said it. I believe it! This is not an accident. It is very good liturgical design.

First giving honor to God, the Creed begins with what we believe about God, the Father almighty. The creator of heaven and earth, the beginning of everything and all things. The things that we see and most definitely, the invisible! Because the best is yet to come!

Speaking of God requires us to speak of God the Son who just spoke to our hearts. The Creed expresses our belief in the unity of the Father and the Son being so substantial that the two are consubstantial. They are of the same “stuff”, of the same substance. They are one!

The Creed sings, “I never shall forget what He’s done for me!” It tells the story of the sweet, sweet, Spirit, Mary, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension Thursday and Revelation in just four sentences. Talk about the twinkling of an eye!

The Creed then literally moves us to the Holy Spirit so the Holy Spirit can move us. The Mother of all processions takes us back to where we first believed. Back through the prophets, back to creation.

Then the Creed brings us back home. It takes us to Church! It tells the world that because we are baptized we forgive sins and we look forward, not backward. Again, I believe the best is yet to come!

The only way to end the creed is to ask can I get an AMEN? If given, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the church, the believer and the sister or brother has all just been reunited.

That is a great response to the Word of God, I do believe.