When the Protestant Reformation swept Europe, the foundation of this reform was "Sola Scriptura" - that the sole source of Faith is Holy Scripture; whereas the Catholic Church has two sources of Faith: Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition. But why did Jesus say to the Pharisees against their man-made traditon of "Corban" (a precept that says one could dismiss taking care of one's parents by telling them "corban") : "You negate the Scriptures (4th commandment) by your human tradition..." Thus "tradition" can be a bad or a good or a neutral tradition. Jesus was not condemning "tradition" ontologically: in itself. Rather He was condemning BAD tradition that contradicts the Holy Word of God!
Where are there some GOOD Traditions?
1) St. Paul said: "Hold fast to the tradtions you have received.."..and also: "Keep away from believers who are living in ideleness and not accourding to the tradtion that they received from us. ..For you yourselves know how to out ought to immitate us.." Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians 2.15.
2) When Peter and Paul had a difference of opinion as to what God required of Gentiles coming into the Fatih, Peter wanted them to become Jews first and be circumsized. Paul did not think this burden should be placed on converting Gentiles. This matter was NOT decided by the Old Testament or even or the oral Gospels but rather by the First Council of Jerusalem attended by Peter, Paul, James and John. The Holy Spirit rendered that Paul was correct not to impose on the Gentiles burdens they could not carry.
3) St. Paul said to Timothy to "stir into the flame the Spirit betowed upon you by the laying of hand.." St. Paul had ordained Timothy. This is tradition at its best.
4) But the most important tradition was the one that Jesus gave to His disciples to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Paul says how to do this and what to avoid. Paul said: "Is not this bread the Body of Christ and the cup we drink that Blood of Christ....whoever eats and drinks unworthily is guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord...and that is why there are some who are sick among you." Paul dictated what tradition was even to details like upraiding those who come and eat and drink food they bring and neglect those who have no food with them. St. Paul is thus concerned with tradtion and proper liturgy.
5) Those on the Road to Emmaeus later "recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread." Jesus celebrated the Eucharist after His resurrection. Notice that Jesus, Himself, observed the tradition that He, Himself, had initiated and instituted. But many Prostestant churches have done away with this tradition of the Sacraments because of their belief of "Sola Scriptura." Yes, these believers do understand what Jesus did at the last supper; but they ignore the centuries of the celebration of the Eucharist that has come down to us by Sacred Tradition.
Let us look at some comments by converts to Catholicism who were once Prostestants or Evangelicals, or Methodists who saw the inconsistency of Calvanism and Protestantism as to their understanding of Sacred Tradtion which turned about to be what really attracted them into the Catholic Church:
1) Scott Hahn, Professor of Franciscan University said: As a Presbyterian "I had a tradition of not believing in Tradition." He reconized that even as his church rejected the notion of tradition, still his congregation had many traditions: one of them being to not believe in Catholic Tradition. But who said that he should not believe in Catholic Tradition? It was the Presbyterian tradition that taught him this. That inconsistency led him with other things to come into embracing the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church. Also, his wife Kimberly really is the one who first evangelized Scott to see the truth of the Sacred Tradition of the Church even though that was not her original purpose. As a Protestant theologian, Kimberly did a paper on contracepition - was it Christian or not? Her research and quotes from Pope Paul VI convinced her of the absolute truth of the Catholic doctrine on the birth control and contraception. She was the first in this marriage to see the truth of Catholic Tradition that eventually led them both into the Catholic Church.
2) All Protestants - without really admitting and facing it - accept one important Tradition of the Catholic Church: acceptance of the 27 books of the New Testament as canons of Sacred Scripture. The table of contents in front of all Prostestant bibles is not inspired by the Sacred Scripture. These 27 books were placed there by Catholic Sacred Tradition. You will not find in Sacred Scripture which books should be part of the inclusion of these books into the Sacred Scripture.
3) Jews who convert to Catholicsm have no problem with accepting the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church because of their own Sacred Tradition being the very foundation of Catholic Tradition. As one said: "When the Word became flesh, the Word became a Jewish man." So, Judaism and Catholicism are united in the God-man, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of all the O.T. Prophets and the Law.
4) Evangelicals are not really Protestants because they are not protesting anything. But Evangelicals looked at Catholic Tradition as "barnacles" on the ship of the Church that Jesus launced 2000 years ago.
Martin Luther and Calvin tried to scrape these barnacles off and threw out the Sacraments, although Lutherans do have Baptism and Eucharist; but gone are the other five Sacraments and the Tabernacles that keep Jesus with us day and night. Calvin's Predestination and Luther's "by faith alone" are direct rections of Sacred Tradition that do not teach either one. James even says: "Not by faith alone.." but Luther called that remark the "gospel of straw". Sacred Scripture says that "I will that all men be saved and that none be lost." Calvin said that some are saved by God's gratutious grace and all the others go their own way to hell. The traditions of Luther and Calvin are in direct and mutually exclusive opposition to the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church..which St. Paul says we should all hold on to firmly.
5) Part of Catholic Sacred Tradition are all the cathedrals, art and writings of the Church Fathers. In fact Scott Hahn has made an interesting diagram. He place a triangle with the Holy Spirit in the center as the creator of the three points of the triangle: Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church (the interpreter of Sacred Scriture. Prostestans are seeing more and more that there needs to be a body of infallible interpretation of Sacred Scripure which was alway known and practiced in the Catholic Church.) When I saw St. Peters in Rome the first time as I stepped off the bus and looked around to see the dome of St. Peter, goose bumps appeared on my arms. I am an artist..and came to see the ceiling of the Cistine Chapel after it was cleaned. I have been Roman Catholic and still reacted this way. What of those who are not Catholic? When they see St. Peters, many want to be a part of this Church, the Catholic Church that has such magnificent art and architecture. In the Vatican Museum, I almost "OD'ed" on Beauty. And Truth is very much conveyed to us by Beauty. Many come to believe in the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church by it sheer Beauty of its Art and Liturgy.
6) Afer St. Francis Xavier came to Japan in 1549 and baptized thousands with his own hand, there broke out a great persecution of Catholics in China under Hiteoshi in 1597. There were once 100,000 Christians in Japan; but all were forced to go underground because Hiteroshi killed so many. Among those martyred were 17 who were priests, laypersons, two 13 year old boys and one 12 year old boy. These condemned were taken from town to town and publicably beaten. One lad, Thomas Kashchi, wrote his mother that "Dad and I will be going to heaven tomorrow. Do not be afraid...and do not place my brothers in the homes of pagans for school." Thus Paul Miki who strove to become a Jesuit priest for 11 years preached a beautiful sermon from the cross saying that he was "being killed for teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ." After 200 years of persecution, the Catholics came out of hiding. When the French missionaries were allowed into Japan, they asked these Catholics what they believed in. They gave the Tradition that they honor Mary, Mother of God and that many were living celebate lives like the priests. And that they believed in the Sacrament of Marriage. How did these Traditions survive 200 years without a priest? Like the baton that runners in a relay race pass on to the next runner, the Tradition of the Church was passed on. Such runners do not pass on a new baton but the one and same baton! Regarding the honoring of the martyrs of Japan - which is in itself a Tradition -Blessed John Paul II visited this "Hill of Martyrs" and re-named it "Resurrection Hill." All the lives of the Saints are part of the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church.
7) Even Winston Churchhill believed - as an Episcopalian of the Church of England - in tradition, sacred and secular. He planned the liturgy of his own funeral liturgy. He asked that after the ceremony that the "taps" would be played to siginfy the end of the day..the end of his life. Then after that was comleted that the trumpet would play loudly the "revelry" - the miltary rousing wake up call - to signify his new life and resurrection.
Therefore, there are many natural and cultural traditions that the Family of Man has developed. Tradion is a good word and never was condemned by Jesus Christ ontologically. He did condemn bad traditions that Pharisees and Scribes promulgated. But Jesus was the Word of God come down to us to give us Sacred Tradition including the 7 Sacraments and the Magisterium ("Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earht is loosed in heaven."..And "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive they will be forgiven; whose sins you retain, they will be retained." And He said: "Go into the whole world baptizing in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." And especially, "This is My Body and This is My Blood...Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood, I will raise him up on the last day."...and "Do this in memory of Me."
IN conclusion, it is Jesus Christ, the Living Head of the Catholic Church who has established His Church: "Tu est Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam." Do you notice that Jesus said "Church" in the singular...not 50,000 denominations. The Catholic Church is not a denomination. These denominations came to be because of not having the Magisterium of the Catholic Church to teach the infallible interpretation of Sacred Scripture. It is the Catholic Church that Jesus founded upon His chosen "rock", "Peter". And all the 230 popes since St. Peter testify to the Tradition that Jesus, Himself, started!
Let us pray:
Father, in Heaven, please grant to all our dear non-Catholic brothers and sisters to see the value and treasure of Catholic Sacred Tradition as well as Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium. Lead them all to come "Home" to the Catholic Church so as to be themselves part of the "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" - to be "one with us" as Christ's members and with Christ as our Head.
Please grant the prayer of Your Own Son: "Father, that they all may be one, just as You and I are one..that they may be one in us." Amen in Jesus' Name..through Mary, Mother of the Church.
Peace and love to All our brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.
Pio
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