There are many incredible events in The Divine Life of the Most Holy Virgin but one of my favourites is how the Apostle's Creed came about. In the months after our Lord's death, the disciples had dispersed to preach across Africa, Europe and Asia but they had no rules on how to teach the faithful with uniformity. The Blessed Virgin Mary in her role of Mistress of the Church, considered that the faithful needed to believe the same truths.
She approached St. Peter about it and gathered together the Apostles. St Peter celebrated the Holy Mass with the Eucharist and when the Mass ended, they invoked the Holy Spirit for enlightenment. Each of the Apostles, then spoke as follows:
St. Peter - I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth.
St. Andrew - And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord.
St. James the Greater - Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary.
St. John - Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
St. Thomas - Descended into Hell, the third day, He arose again from the dead.
St. James the Less - He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
St. Philip - From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
St. Bartholomew - I believe in the Holy Ghost.
St. Matthew - The Holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints.
St. Simon - The forgiveness of sins.
St. Thaddeus - The resurrection of the body.
St. Matthias - And life everlasting. Amen.
They heard a voice saying, 'You have determined well,' and the Blessed Virgin and the Apostles gave praise and thanksgiving to the Most High. Then Our Lady made the first profession of the Catholic Faith, by reciting the Creed.
Saints John and Thomas both spoke of what was most significant to them: St. John being the only Apostle to witness the Passion and Crucifixion, and St. Thomas was, of course, the doubting Apostle to the Resurrection. Whenever I see or recite the Creed now, it makes me think of the Apostles and how they created the words that define the very core of our Catholic faith.
Fr. Bonaventure Amedeo de Caesarea, M.C. 1997. The Divine Life of the Most Holy Virgin. (An abridgement of the Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda). Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford, Illinois, pp 269-271.
