He said He would build.

Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ---St. Jerome, 4th Century

 

The scripture Jerome was talking about was the Old Testament. The New Testament was not put together as of the time he wrote these words. There were hundreds of letters floating around that had to be decided on as to whether they would be in the canon of books we call the New Testament. Christians lived for almost 400 years before they had a conclusive collection of what we take for granted each day. The letters that ended up being the New Testament were the ones most used for the readings in the Mass each Sunday. There were many that were not worthy of the Mass, and they were set aside. We must never forget that the teaching and traditions passed on by the Apostles is what our faith and doctrine is founded on, as Paul reminds us in his letter to the Thessalonians. The New Testament came from this, Glory to God! We also have such a hidden treasure in the writings of the early Church Fathers. We have such a beautiful, ancient, yet ever new living Tradition that binds us to the very ones who walked with our Lord and those who walked with them. We have gestures that mean so much. We have prayers, the sign of the cross, the Sacraments, the rosary, the Saints, Icons, the writings of the disciples of the Apostles, and the Holy New Testament. We still have the Church He said He would build.

 

wkm