The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"""""72 TiJE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.1against Our blessed Lord it." clearly intimateshere that the Church is destined to be assailedalways, but to be overcome, never.In the last words recorded of our Redeemer in theGospel of St. Matthew, the same predictionisstrongly repeated, and the reason of the Church aindefectibility is "fully expressed Go : ye, teach all.... and behold I am with you all days,nations,even to the consummation of the world." 2 This sentence contains three important declarations : 1st, Thepresence of Christ with His Church, Behold, I amwith you ;2d. His constant presence, without aninterval of one day s absence, I am with you alldays ;3d. His perpetual presence to the end of theworld, and consequently the perpetual duration of theChurch, Even to the consummation of the world."Hence it follows that the true Church must haveexisted from the beginning;it must have had notone day s interval of suspended animation, or separation from Christ, and must live to the end of time.None of the Christian communions outside theCatholic Church can have any reasonable claim toPerpetuity, since, as we have seen in the precedingchapter, they are all8 of recent origin.The indestructibility of the Catholic Church istruly marvellous, and well calculated to excite theadmiration of every reflecting mind, when we consider the number and variety, and the formidablepower ol the enemies with whom she had to contend1 Matt. xvi. 18.2 Matt, xxviii. 20.8Except some Oriental sects dating back to the fifth andninth centuries.