Butler's Irish Catechism - Lesson 3 - On the Apostles Creed

Q. What does the Apostles Creed contain? A. The principal mysteries of religion and other necessary articles.

Q. Which are the principal mysteries of religion? A. The Unity and Trinity of God, the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of our Savior.

Q. Why are they called principal mysteries? A. Because these five mysteries are most necessary to be explicitly believed, and because all other mysteries of religion are grounded on them. - John 17:3.

Q. What do you mean by mysteries of religion? A. Revealed truths which we cannot comprehend.

Q. Does God require of us to believe mysteries of religion? A. Yes; God requires of us to pay Him the homage of our understanding, and to submit our will to Him in all things.

Q. How do we submit our will to God? A. By cheerfully doing, in obedience to God, all things whatsoever He commands.

Q. What means the unity of God? A. It means there is but one God, and that there cannot be more Gods than one. - Eph 4:6

Q. Why cannot there be more Gods than one? A. Because God, being a supreme and sovereign Lord, cannot have an equal.

Commentary: Mysteries of religion. That's not a phrase we hear too much anymore. Likely because it indicates that man's mind is insufficient of itself to grasp the highest truths of reality. This angers modern man. Nothing is beyond the grasp of his intellect. Again, Rev. Butler puts to shame this notion with a few simple sentences. The mysteries, the revealed truths of God that we cannot comprehend, are the foundation of our faith. We believe in things we cannot comprehend. Yet is this not so for the unbeliever? Has his mind conquered the universe with all there is to know? Are there not things he simply must admit he cannot comprehend? If man cannot comprehend the world he can see, how can He claim to stand in no need of God or His revelation? As is often the case, reality is the exact opposite of what modern man claims. Not only does he need the revelation of God, the mysteries, he cannot actually make sense of anything without them. His knowledge is knowledge falsely so called if his intellect is not illumined with divine and Catholic faith. How so? Because the creator of his intellect is not acknowledged, is ignored, or is unknown without the faith. He does not know from whence he came, and why he came, so how can he know his destiny? How can he hope to plumb the depths of nature if he does not know where he came from and why he came from?

Submitting our will to God is true wisdom. We cannot truly understand ourselves or the universe around us without being baptized and accepting the Catholic faith. Once accepted, we must live our faith. We must follow the Savior in His example and live the Christian life. May God grant us the grace to so do.

Summary: The Apostles Creed, which contains the primary mysteries, or revealed truths of God, must be believed in and followed for salvation.