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AJ
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Hello Mike,
Happy New Year. I was hoping you might help me out with a question that came up while
talking to my priest.
I heard him say that there is no religion
that possesses all of the truth.
Well, I have always heard that the
Catholic Church has the fullness of truth, so when I mentioned this to
my priest he explained that having the fullness of truth is like knowing all about
God which cannot be possible due to the limits of our human minds.
- My first question is does the Church claim to have the fullness of truth?
- If so, how does the Church define the term fullness of truth?
- Can you point me to any Church document with this teaching?
Thanks for your help.
— AJ
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{
Does the Church have the fullness of Truth, and if so, how is this possible with our finite minds? }
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Mike replied:
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Hi AJ,
The Catholic Church founded by Our Lord Jesus on St. Peter and his successors does
possess the fullness of truth. Just because the Church here on earth cannot grasp all of that truth with our finite minds, doesn't mean we won't be able to in the next life, presuming we strive toward perfection in this life.
Man is a finite being (in this earthly life), yet through the Revelation of Jesus
Christ, Our Lord,
we know certain teachings to be absolute truths that can never change.
Catholics and non-Catholic Christians have looked to the Way, the Truth, and the
Life (Jesus and His Church) for guidance and direction since He founded His Church in 33 A.D.
Through the Eucharist and our study of Catholic
theology we can grasp some truth. Through this study we are able to explain some of the Mysteries of the Faith, but not all of them as your priest pointed out. Only if we persevere in
holiness will we be able to finally see all the fullness of truth in
Heaven.
Faithful Catholics see the fullness of truth in the Church in faith, the same fullness of Truth we will see in Heaven.
I stress in faith, because in Heaven there is no need for faith.
Faith is needed only for the Church militant, on earth.
You said:
- Can you point me to any Church document with this teaching?
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
| CCC 2625 In the first place these are prayers that the faithful hear and read in the Scriptures, but also that they make their own - especially those of the Psalms, in view of their fulfillment in Christ. The Holy Spirit, who thus keeps the memory of Christ alive in his Church at prayer, also leads her toward the fullness of truth and inspires new formulations expressing the unfathomable mystery of Christ at work in his Church's life, sacraments, and mission. These formulations are developed in the great liturgical and spiritual traditions. The forms of prayer revealed in the apostolic and canonical Scriptures remain normative for Christian prayer. |
Hope this helps,
Mike
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John replied:
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Mike,
This was a Stellar Answer. You covered all the points. Especially, the
concept that we have Mysteries that are beyond human understanding and
that we will only know in Heaven.
At the same time, the Church discerns
the truth of Mysteries which the Holy Spirit deems necessary for us to
understand.
Great Job!
John
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Eric replied:
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Hi AJ,
When we say the Church possesses the fullness of truth (and we do), we mean it in
the sense that everything God wanted to be divinely revealed, He revealed to the Church.
"But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth."
(John
16:13)
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
(John
14:26)
It does not mean that the Church possesses full knowledge of the Trinity, or the
details of quantum mechanics, or how to stop squirrels from raiding bird feeders,
all of which are truths but truths we may never know.
So in a certain sense the priest is right, if by truth you mean truth
in a broader sense.
If you mean truth in the sense of Revelation, in the sense
that we possess no more truth than Buddhism or Islam or what have you, he is mistaken.
Hope this helps,
Eric
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AJ replied:
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Thank you both for your quick responses.
I see what you mean by having the fullness of truth through
what Jesus revealed to His Church here on earth, yet not having 100% understanding
of that truth. Would it be accurate to say:
"That the Catholic Church possess the fullness of truth in both
what Jesus revealed and in the Eucharist?"
- Since Jesus calls himself The Truth, and is the same
Jesus who is present in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity,
would make sense to say that within the tabernacles of every Catholic
Church exist the fullness of truth?
Thanks again for your time.
AJ
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Mike replied:
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Hi AJ,
Sure!
This is also why Eucharist Adoration is so important,
especially in Catholic seminaries.
It is the time Our
Lord evangelizes us. We bring him our thoughts, problems and issues and He plants in our mind His suggestions and ideas.
Mike
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