Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/838

 2. What was  the  subject,  or  matter  discussed  by  the  Council?

There was  no  question  of  setting  up  a new  doctrine,  but  simply of explaining  and  defining  that  which  God  had  revealed  about  the  point in dispute.

Thus has  it  been  with  all  General  Councils. They have  never  set up new  doctrines,  but  they  have  defined  and  explained  the  doctrines of divine  revelation,  in  answer  to  the  objections  and  denial  of  unbelievers and heretics,  so  that  the  members  of  the  Church  may  be  guarded  against error and  seduction.

3. What  was  the  significance  of  the  decision  arrived  at  by  the Council of  Jerusalem?

The decision  of  the  Council  was  not  merely  the  result  of  a consultation of  a number  of  wise  and  holy  pastors,  but  it  was  a decision made under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghost. The apostles  were  convinced that  the  Holy  Ghost  had  conducted  their  discussion  and  decision, and preserved  them  from  error. When, therefore,  they  announced  their decision to  the  Christian  Church,  they  did  not  say: “We  have  decided in such  and  such  a way”,  but:  “It  hath  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost and to  us”  so  to  decide.

The same  applies  in  matters  of  doctrine  to  the  decisions  of  every General Council  which  has  been  held,  because  it  was  to  the  Church  in her  office  of  teacher  that  our  Lord  promised  to  send  the  Spirit  of  Truth, to be  with  her  and  guide  her  unto  all  truth,  and  to  direct  her  definitions of  what  it  is  that  God  has  revealed  on  any  point  of  doctrine.

The Infallibility  of  the  Church  is  a great  consolation  for  all  the faithful. The Gentile  Christians  at  Antioch  “were  filled  with  consolation” when they  learnt  the  decision  of  the  Council:  for  now  all  their  doubts and fears  were  set  at  rest,  and  they  knew  exactly  what  God  required of them. So also  is  it  a great  joy  and  consolation  for  us,  living  as  we do  in  the  midst  of  the  errors  and  false  doctrines  of  the  age,  to  know that we  have  a guiding  star  by  which  we  can  steer  our  course,  namely the infallible  teaching  of  the  Holy  Church  of  God,  which  is,  in  the words of  St. Paul (1  Tim.  3,  15),  “the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  Truth”, being unerringly  guided  by  the  Holy  Ghost. We live  at  rest,  protected from all  anxious  doubts,  for  by  believing  in  the  Church  we  believe  in the  Spirit  of  Truth,  and  we  know  that  our  faith  does  not  rest  on  human but on  divine  authority. By yielding  our  faith  to  the  teaching  of  the Church we  submit  our  finite  reason  and  our  erring  spirits  to  the  Supreme Reason and  Spirit  of  God,  who  is  the  Eternal  Truth.

I thank God  every  day  for  the  gift  of  the holy Catholic  faith! Have you  been  in  the  habit  of  doing  so? O never neglect  this  in  the  future;  for  the  safe  possession  of divine  truth  is  the  greatest  of  all  blessings! And the  greatest joy is  that  of  being  a Catholic.