CHURCH’S CHARISM OF INFALLIBILITY

The very last words of Jesus Christ in the gospel of Matthew are eternal promise of an eternal presence of Him in the midst of the Church. On that day of Pentecost, Jesus said to the disciples in behalf of the whole Church, “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b) Through that promise, we are assured that Jesus did not leave and will never come the time that He will abandon the Church. He will forever exist in all the actions of his bride especially in terms of faith and morals. “In order to preserve the Church in the purity of faith, handed on by the apostles, Christ who is the Truth willed to confer on her a share in his own infallibility.” (CCC 889) Through this charism of infallibility, “[t]he supreme degree of participation in the authority of Christ is ensured.” (CCC 2035) Thus, again, “without which the saving truth of the faith cannot be preserved, expounded or observed.” (CCC 2051)

God always puts into consideration our very humanity in his plan for us. He will never give and ask us of what is beyond our reach. What He is asking of us is a work which He is always included in its completion. He is always present as guide that accompanies us towards end. In my own limited opinion, I think this charism of infallibility is considering two panoramas of human condition.

First, He considers the limitation of man in relation to the Truth. Man has no total grasp of it. Thus, through the compassion of Christ, He willed to guide man especially the Church to know the truth of salvation. He is doing this act through his sharing of his own infallibility.

Secondly, Jesus knows that human as we are, demand assurance especially about the things that we are believing. “What makes this something true?” “How does it become true?” “Why should I believe it?” These queries are mere examples of a man demanding for an assurance. Faith must be anchored to the One who is Truth Himself which whom no matter what, this One will never do deceiving and will never be deceived because ultimately in Himself, He is no other than but Truth. Thus, again, to give authority to the Church, Jesus is continuously sharing and dwelling in it as the very source of the Truth. This makes the Church infallible.

This gift of infallibility is given to church for a great purpose. This is not concerned primarily in defining what is beyond its sphere, or could I say, secular. It is for faith and moral discussion. But this limitation does not mean limitation per se of the authority of Christ. It is just a matter of purpose – a degree of purpose, particularly. This is primarily given to Church in defining something which is inclined to the salvific plan of God. It is for a great purpose which is salvation.

Jesus does not want man to be deprived of the Way, the Truth and the Life towards salvation. Thus, Jesus has even revealed His very self just to assure us that He is always with us until the end of time.

St. Augustine Moderator's Group 2008

WHEN FAITH AND REASON UNITE

“Faith can move a mountain.”
“Truth will set you free.”
“Wisdom knows all and understands all.”
What are the relevance of these three dicta in us? In our personal lives, we encounter queries about our existence. We try to ask, seek and analyze things especially in making a decision. We try to understand things to know what to do. We would ask questions like, “Can faith really move a mountain?” “How could we move a mountain anyway?” “Why to move it?” “What is the meaning behind such mountain?”
Human reason is a wandering spirit that it naturally seeks for understanding everything just to know the truth or the meaning of existence. This is because we naturally desire to know ourselves. But human as it is, it has limited capacity over the absoluteness of truth that can cause danger in man. Sometimes, what we had found makes our reason distorted and being affected by the worldly and egoistic principles that we acquire in a pure rational way. Thus there must be a guiding foundation to direct reason to its proper end. Here is now the work of faith enters.
Faith is not merely a firm belief in something but a light to guide reason to what must be known. Dei Verbum says that, “By faith man freely commits his entire self to God.” But, how can we freely commit ourselves if we do not know the one whom we are committing ourselves to? It is the same as asking, “How could someone commit himself/herself freely if he/she does not know such self who will commit to? It is truth that will make us free. By truth, we came to commit not the incarcerated self or the superficial assent but the free one who has firm decision to believe that it is as the Absolute Truth who is God has said so. In here again, faith enters. “It is faith that allows individuals to give consummate expression to their own freedom.” To have faith is to decide freely to believe in a particular truth especially the truth concerning what God has revealed.
The aim of reason is not to destroy faith but rather to make it deeper. In a common parlance, “Faith can move a mountain” but in more special and spiritual way, “Faith with a deeper understanding can move God more.” Though “our vision of the face of God is always fragmentary and impaired by the limits of our understanding,” our efforts to know Him are more blessed indeed. We should never be stagnant or a mere nominal believer. We should not be contented “with partial and provisional truths, no longer seeking to ask radical questions” about what we believe.
Firm faith and enlightened reason are basically inviting us to have wise existence in relation to God. These will help us to realize our true selves under the shade of Wisdom where we freely commit ourselves to the knowledge and love of God. FAITH and REASON are efforts that will lead us to WISDOM and that these are being given by God and acted by man because of LOVE.