Perhaps you’ve heard
the term Apostolic Succession. It’s a very important concept in our Catholic
tradition, but what does it mean? In a
way, we are asking how we are connected or linked to what Jesus did and taught
2000 years ago. Christ was sent to
reveal God’s identity as Trinity. He was sent to bring us the Good News that we
are called to share in the life of the Trinity. And He was sent to bring us
into that communion of life and love through his suffering, cross, and
resurrection. Christ entrusted all His words and deeds to His Apostles. He then sent them out to teach and preach
everything He had taught them: “He who
hears you, hears me and he who rejects you rejects me” (Lk 10:16). He gave them authority to teach in His name: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). Christ also promised that the Holy Spirit would
lead them into all truth (John 16:13).
But what happened as the apostles died? They entrusted
the message to others in their place.
They appointed successors
in each local community. They handed on
to their successors what they had seen and heard from Jesus. This is what Paul wrote to Timothy near the
end of his life: “What you have heard
from me before many witnesses entrust
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim
2:2) God sent His Son Jesus, Jesus sent
Paul, Paul sent Timothy, and Timothy was told to send successors of his own,
and so on.
