My Profession of Faith

One day I asked David, my husband,  "Why do we have to say the Creed during the Rosary?"

"Because Mary told us to, duh," he responded.

"I know, but it's not really a prayer. It seems kind of pointless to have to say it."

"Well... then... you're a heretic."


Hahaha ... these are the conversations that go on in our house.


I really was puzzled by this, but in reading about the martyrdom that is going on all over the world especially as ISIS has brought this persecution to light, I wondered....

If I was kneeling before a camera with a masked man holding a knife to my neck and demanding that I convert to Islam, would I be able to holdfast to my Catholic faith?

I remember Sts. Perpetua and Felicity. who both had children they would be leaving behind. When pressured by her father to reconsider her Christian faith, Perpetua said, "See that pot over there? Can it be called by any other name than what it is? Neither can I call myself by any other name than what I am -- a Christian."

I think of my own children. What if they had to watch me die? Could I still profess my faith?

It hit me.. this is why we pray the creed. We practice verbalizing our beliefs so hopefully they become ingrained in us that we should be able to state our belief when put to the test.

The Creed, in the Mass, is called the "Profession of Faith." We literally profess what we believe....

My profession of faith as I recite the creed should be so ingrained in my heart, in my mind, and in my life, that there is no separating the two - even unto death. I would pray that I would have the courage and trust in the Lord that He is bigger than masked men with knives. He is more powerful than any sort of persecution, and He is infinitely more merciful than any would-be captor.

I grieve over all of our brothers and sisters who have been martyred, but I know that they are caught up in the love of the Lord now, and they are praying for us. (See a great homily on Christian persecution in my previous blogpost. )

Next time I won't be so flippant about reciting the Creed.

I will pray it boldly and in unison with our fellow Catholics around the world.

We practice the profession of faith. We pray it. Because if we were ever put to the test and asked what we believe... we could, in confidence and courage say, "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty..."