The Apostles Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord;
who was conceived by the
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell;
and on the third day
He arose again from the dead.
He is seated at the right hand of
the God, the Father Almighty;
and from thence He shall come to judge the living and the
dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church,
the
Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of
the body, and life everlasting.
AMEN
Impressions
The Apostles Creed
"I believe in God the
Father Almighty," I praise You
for you are the source of my being; my provider; my sustainer; my protector from
evil; my salvation; my all.
"Creator of heaven and earth;"
Just as you are the source of my being, you are the source of all being and the
sustainer of life. It is you alone who loves my so much that you provide
me all I need to find and know you and your goodness.
"and in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our
Lord;" How else, my Lord could
you tell me of you but to make me in your likeness and then take upon yourself
this physical flesh of your creatures and become one of us. "If you
have seen ME you have seen the Father"; those are your words to me,
give me the faith to see you clearly.
"who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,"
You alone are life giving, even though we are born of men it is through your
Holy Spirit that we get the grace to know you. Fill me with this grace and
give me courage to live as though I believe. Mary believed without seeing
and I pray that I may have faith that approaches her's/
"born of the Virgin Mary,"
Jesus, how afraid I would be if your angel summoned me. But I know I am
summoned every day to holiness and fall short. O Mary conceived without
sin pray for us who have recourse to thee. It is through Mary you chose to
show yourself to us; may we all see you as you are.
"suffered under Pontius Pilate,
It isn't just Pilate who rejected you. I reject
you every day when I fall short of holiness. "I hate the sin I
do." I can only help myself through your help and grace.
"was crucified,"
You love us so much that you give us your only begotten son for our
salvation. You O Lord Jesus are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of
the world. Not like the sacrifice of animals whose blood is not for
eternity, but needed to be repeated every year; your sacrifice is once and
forever. (for all time)
"died," The
blood of the lamb saved the Israelites from Pharaoh; but your blood is the
perfect sacrifice that saves us from our sins and is the blood of eternal
salvation.
"and was buried."
As your Son you truly died in your humanity, were buried until the third day.
"He descended into Hell;"
To those waiting salvation, all those who had died before and were not able to
enter into your heavenly presence due to sin, you came to proclaim their
salvation through your sacrifice.
"and on the third day He arose again from
the dead." The first day - the
day of crucifixion, Friday; The second day - buried in the tomb, Saturday; The
third day - resurrected, Sunday. You most surely are the Son of God;
God made man; for it is from your power alone that you resurrected
yourself from the grave. Now in your resurrected glorified body you walked
with your disciples to give them the confidence needed and show them the truth
of your love.
"He is seated at the right hand of the
God, the Father Almighty;" O
Jesus you reside in Heaven as Sovereign King. With the angels and saints
and as the sacrificial Lamb procuring our salvation forever.
"and from thence He shall come to judge
the living and the dead." I
know that I am accountable to you for my life. May I do my small part to
reflect some small part of your love in my life so that I may do your work here
on earth as you commissioned your disciples and be forever thankful for your
salvation.
"I believe in the Holy Ghost,"
You sent your Holy Spirit (the paraclete) to infuse in
us who believe and accept you, the power of your love.
" the Holy Catholic Church,"
"the Communion of Saints,"
All those who have gone before us and are in Your Holy Presence, we ask you to
pray for us in our time of need, as we beseech those of our friends and family
here on earth. May we also pray for those who have left this world and
have not yet been purified to complete holiness, that they may soon be in the
presence of the glory of God.
"the forgiveness of sins,"
When my sorrow is complete and my contrition complete I know that your
forgiveness is complete. Form my conscience so that I may have perfect
contrition of my sins.
"the resurrection of the body,"
As you, Jesus arose on Easter, and Mary was assumed into heaven, incorruptible,
so I know you will raise me to heaven on the last day, in an incorruptible and
purified body.
"and life everlasting."
to live forever with you in Heaven.
AMEN