Answer. They did promise and vow three things in my name. . . . Secondly, that I should believe all the articles of the Christian Faith.

When Adam sinned his mind was injured (like a clock which has fallen). He, and everybody who came after him, including you and me, lost the power of seeing clearly the things of God (1 Corinthians 13, 12). But we did not lose the power of knowing God. This is called Faith; and Believing (the second step on the ladder) is having Faith. Faith is like the eyes of the soul (St. John 3, 3).

Our Lord came into this world to show us all what God is like, and to tell us what are the right things to believe about God. When he returned to heaven he sent God the Holy Ghost (or Spirit) on the first Whitsunday (or Pentecost) to live in the Church which our Lord had started, to speak through the Church, to teach you arid me and everybody “all the articles of the Christian Faith” (St. John 14, 26). An “article” is “a small piece,” like a bit of a jigsaw-puzzle.

In the Church you find the Creed (Latin, “credo; I believe”): it tells you what to believe.

In the Church you find the Bible (Greek: “a book”): it is the history-book and geography-book of God and the things of God, both in heaven and on earth.

In the Church you learn how to worship God in the right way. In the Church you find and receive the seven sacraments.

You are not bound to understand all the different bits and pieces (articles) of Christianity. I don’t think that we shall ever really understand the Holy Trinity, or, perhaps, the Blessed Sacrament, until we see God face to face in heaven. But you have promised to believe them; and the Church is here to help you in this.

Every Church spire is, you may say, God’s finger.

It points the way.