The Nicene Creed – Changes #4 – of all things visible and invisible
This Week’s Focus on the Change by Fr. James Chelich
“of all things visible and invisible”
There are elements of creation that can be seen with the eye and there are elements that cannot – air and wind being an example. We can sense them with our other physical senses but not with our sight. We can see the effect of these elements on the things around us (like the grass and trees and the water) and conclude that they act on these other elements in predictable and sometimes unpredictable ways. This is an important principle of our religious faith. Sight, taste, hearing, feeling, and smelling are senses proper to our physicality (our body). Religious faith teaches us that we have senses that belong to our rationality (our soul), and senses that belong to our spirituality (our inner spirit). These senses must be attended to, exercised and developed if we are to live the life of a whole human being. What does this mean? The senses that belong to our rationality and spirituality enable us to live in relationship: in relationship with other human beings, with the fundamental physical and rational forces that move the universe, and with the Divine (the Origin, Sustainer and Unfolder of all things).
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8)
He criticized those who refused to develop their spiritual senses and only live with their physical senses: “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. (John 8:23)
Living in Faith we belong to both worlds – to the whole world – and move in a harmonious relationship with it.
The New Roman Missal
The Nicene Creed
Part 1 – The Creed and “I believe…”
Part 2 – …consubstantial with the Father
Part 3 – Was incarnate of the Virgin Mary
Part 4 – of all things visible and invisible
Part 5 – the only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages
Part 6 – he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day, in accordance with the Scriptures.
Part 7 – who has spoken through the Prophets.
Part 8 – I confess; I look forward to