One of the neat things about being a Christian is our unique connection with all of the other Christians who have ever lived. The Christian life is not just a trendy cultural fad or some fleeting “enlightened” moment in history. It’s something that has stood the test of time and has been uniquely preserved. And we are all connected as one Body, not only with the other Christians living along side us on Earth today, but across time and space.
We are connected with all Christians who have ever lived. And we are connected with them as the Church Triumphant (those in heaven), the Church Suffering (those being purified in Purgatory) and the Church Militant (those of us, as St. Paul said, still working out our salvation here on Earth).
Of course we are connected most intimately, especially and mysteriously through the Eucharist and the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. That is what makes it all possible. But that has been made practically tangible for us and passed down to us by way of that most familiar of historical conduits: Tradition. And, in particular, the Tradition of Jesus’ Apostles.
That’s why it is so comforting to look back at what the first Christians did to practice their faith and to find the familiar Catholic Mass. It’s quite the connection.
The following video recounts a letter from St. Justin Martyr to the Emperor Antoninus Pius in 155 AD explaining what Christians back then (only a generation or two after the Apostles) did to worship. Cool stuff.
More on the early Church Fathers here.
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This is why I am Catholic today.
Thank you for this! I really enjoyed the read and the video. God Bless all Catholics! The true Church!
Placing emphasis on the continuity of the Liturgy through the ages is a great evangelization tool. It has been more effective at bringing people into the Church than the almost constant infighting about post VII changes to the “modern” counter-reformation Mass established in the late 1500′s.
As the new monasticism continues to grow in urban areas among young people and protestants, we are wise to pay attention to the appeal that the early christians and the desert fathers have to the unchurched.
Can I just say… that every passing day I’m more in awe at just how true our faith is? Thank you for this.
What a sensation- a pride and peace of heart, to see how the Holy Mass remained nearly the same for all this years!
I feel a connection to all buddhists and the buddhist faith which existed before christianity. Hindus feel that about their religion which existed long before christianity. 155 AD was 155 years after the supposed life of Yeshua! Think how different everything was in this country 155 years ago! 1856 in the USA and the bible was being used to proclaim slavery was ordained by god.
Lozen – First, the death of the last apostles and final books of the Bible was toward the end of the 1st century, so perhaps 60 years before this letter. Second, there is lots of other material, including the new testament itself which dates to the times of the apostles, of course. Third, Christianity has historically documented roots which go back to the beginning of Judaism (long before Christ lived on Earth) and, ultimately, it really goes back all the way to the first human beings. Fourth, the fact that people have abused the bible to justify their own beliefs proves nothing about Christianity itself. Every good thing has been abused.
Great post! I am a convert because I want to hear the same air moving in the teachings today that moved when Jesus spoke to the disciples.
I converted a year and a half ago and have felt I’m now part of something special and timeless. Thanks for confirming my feelings!
Great post! Mike Aquilina wrote a great book called “The Mass of the Early Christians” which was instrumental in Lauren’s and my conversion in 2008.
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