Jesus is the Divine Wellspring
by Pat Gohn in Faith on Thursday, November 12, 2009 6:00 AM
Nature always teaches me. Recently I walked the Massachusetts’ coastline where the Merrimack River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Gazing over that dynamic intersection of surging currents, my eye could not separate fresh water from salt water.
Indeed, mapmakers may separate distinct bodies of water, but in reality, river and ocean are part of the global water cycle that brings life and growth to the planet. Ultimately, both of those bodies of water flow from the same source: the water cycle.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Divine Revelation is transmitted to us from one common source with two distinct modes in CCC 80:
“Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal. [Dei Verbum, 9.]” [Emphasis mine.]
The Church always recognizes God, revealed in Jesus Christ, as the source of that divine wellspring. Like the water cycle that gives life and replenishes the earth, Jesus is the living water (see John 4: 5-14) that feeds the Church and refreshes every human person.
Sacred Scripture and Tradition are both aspects of the Word of God (written and oral) – the Deposit of Faith – that Jesus entrusted to the whole Church. All believers share in it.
There are two reasons why it is important to understand the link between Tradition and Scripture.
First, Catholics are often faced with societal attitudes that demean Tradition as nothing more than a collection of historical biases out of touch with modern times. For example, critics of the Church and the Bible often use historical reductionism to deny the supernatural aspects of the Gospels, such as the Incarnation, the resurrection, or the miracles performed by Jesus or others in his name.
The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults states:
Faced with the postmodern attitude that Tradition cannot be trusted… Knowing that what Tradition teaches has its ultimate foundation in Jesus Christ helps a person of faith to respond to Tradition with trust.
Second, a proper understanding of the relationship between Tradition and Sacred Scripture helps us converse with members of fundamentalist Christian denominations. Sola scriptura, (“the Bible alone”) denies the truth of Tradition. It is not a Catholic approach.
Debates over Bible literalism often leave Catholics being accused of diminishing the importance of the Bible. Nothing could be farther from the truth; one need only see the preponderance of Scripture readings in our liturgies as one example.
Additionally, Catholics show their deep reverence for the Scriptures precisely because the Church relies on Tradition to interpret what the Bible truly means, for no part of Tradition can contradict the Scriptures. Why? They both flow from the same divine wellspring, that is, the truth of God.
What’s more, the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church so that what has been handed down in Tradition yields a fuller and deeper understanding of the Scriptures. Certain teachings, only partially alluded to in Scripture, are interpreted by the Church’s reliance on Tradition – that which has been faithfully handed on from the apostles to their successors.
In other words, there is growth and development of what has been handed down over time. (Note: the Church does not invent new doctrines through the years… no, as an acorn can become a might oak, the Church can grow over time in its interpretation of doctrine that has been handed on from apostolic Tradition.)
Prime examples would be the doctrines of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Conception and her Assumption. Other examples would be the Church’s moral wisdom on life issues. Prohibitions against abortion and euthanasia are not found in the biblical texts, but they are implied by the Ten Commandments and corroborated by other scripture verses.
The early Church verified the dual relationship between Tradition and Sacred Scripture, and we begin to see the Holy Spirit guiding the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church. The Catechism states the Magisterium “ensures the Church’s fidelity to the teaching of the Apostles in matters of faith and morals.” For example, the early Church produced the Bible we hold in our hands.
This last point underscores that Tradition and Sacred Scripture are served by the Magisterium. These three, like a three-legged stool or a tripod, are supportive of one another. Remove one leg and the structure collapses.
St Paul writes: “Hold fast to the traditions you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.” (2 Thes. 2:15)
If we’ve been baptized we are immersed and in this glorious and vibrant wellspring of Truth, who is Christ Himself.
In the words of St. Paul, “hold fast”!
Want to read more?
CCC 98:
The Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes. (Dei Verbum 8 § 1).
CCC 100:
The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.
—Pat Gohn is a wife & mother celebrating 27 years of Catholic family life. Her Catholic writing, podcasting, and ministry life are found at PatGohn.com.
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