Very shortly in the Eucharistic Prayer we will say: ‘Great is the mystery of faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.’ This Eucharistic Acclamation focuses on Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, and second coming as the essential elements in the mystery of our faith.
St Paul’s first letter to Timothy has a slightly different and expanded list of what constitutes the mystery of our faith (1 Timothy 3.14-end), so let’s look briefly at the items in Paul’s list.
He was revealed in flesh – this is the mystery of the incarnation; that Jesus becomes one of us, moving into our neighbourhood and experiencing all that we experience, meaning that God understands all that we go through and takes it into himself in order that we are united with him - being with us, so we can be with him.
Vindicated in spirit – the mystery of vindication is at least twofold. Jesus was vindicated when those things he had prophesied, such as the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem – came true. He was vindicated as a true prophet as a result. He was also vindicated when the Holy Spirit came upon his disciples at Pentecost. Again, this was a promise he had made that was later fulfilled after his Ascension. But also, and more deeply, his Spirit was seen in his disciples and his Spirit taught his disciples all about Jesus. So, his disciples receive his Spirit and learn how to live like him by his Spirit.
Seen by angels – Jesus’ birth was hymned and proclaimed by angels as they sang peace on earth, goodwill to all. Angels were involved at every stage of his birth from the angel at the Annunciation, through the angels that appeared to Joseph, as well as the angels that proclaimed his birth. Later, he was ministered to by angels as he prepared for his ministry in the wilderness.
Proclaimed among Gentiles – although his ministry prior to the events of Passiontide was primarily to the lost sheep of Israel, Jesus did meet and impact the lives of many gentiles. From Peter’s vision that took him to the house of Cornelius, where Cornelius’ whole household became converts, on through Paul’s missionary journeys, the Gospel was increasingly proclaimed among Gentiles. This caused considerable debate in the Early Church, primarily in regard to what aspects of the Mosaic Law should apply to Gentile converts. The answer, as was increasingly understood, was none, beyond the greatest commandment – to love God with all you are and love your neighbour as yourself.
Believed in throughout the world – Christianity began as a Second Temple Judaic movement in the 1st century in the Roman province of Judea, from where it spread throughout and beyond the Roman Empire. Christian missionary activity spread "the Christian Way" and slowly created early centres of Christianity with Gentile adherents in the predominantly Greek-speaking eastern half of the Roman Empire, and then throughout the Hellenistic world and beyond the Roman Empire in Assyria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Georgia and Persia. Christianity is now the largest religion globally, with over 2.3 billion followers and a significant presence in nearly every country.
Taken up in glory – Jesus ascended to be with God the Father for ever but, by doing so, took his experience of humanity into the Godhead, indeed took humanity itself into the Godhead, meaning that he intercedes at God’s right hand on our behalf continually and that, as the first-fruits of the resurrection from the dead, he is the pioneer of our faith who has gone before us into the presence of God to open the way to God that we can subsequently also follow. He descended to be with us and he ascended that we might be with him.
The mystery of faith is the mystery of God with us, one with us that we might one with him. We state the mystery of faith in the acclamation we make in the Eucharist. Mysteries are not to be explained, instead they are to be experienced. That is what happens when we take bread and wine and thereby take Jesus into our lives. This how we become one with him. This is how the incarnation brings Jesus to us and the resurrection, ascension and Eucharist bring us to Jesus. Amen.
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Bruce Cockburn - Mystery.
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