The Creed serves as a personal profession of faith, which is why it begins with “I” rather than “We”, and is also called the “Symbol of Faith.”
We should also consider where the Creed is placed in the Mass. Why not begin our liturgy with the Creed to verify the communion of faith we are about to celebrate? Or profess it at the end to remind us of the faith we are to carry into the world? The Creed’s place immediately after the homily gives it particular significance.
The liturgy is a conversation between God and God’s people in which the priest serves as representative of both, and so speaks on behalf of both at different times. It is important to remember who is speaking and what is being proclaimed. In the biblical readings, God is speaking to the people. This conversation reaches a climax in the proclamation of the Gospel in which Jesus is proclaimed as the Word of God incarnate who now speaks to his body, the Church. For this reason, we stand for the Gospel and show other appropriate signs of reverence.
Following the Gospel, the priest or deacon proclaims the homily which continues the Word of God as it is applied to our daily lives, leading us more deeply into the Paschal Mystery we are called to live and the memorial of which we are about to celebrate in the Eucharist.
The Profession of Faith is our opportunity as God’s people to respond to the Lord’s self-revelation and salvation. The word of God must be understood and accepted, lest we be passive spectators rather than active listeners (James 1:22).
The Creed is how we say to God: We have heard you and we believe you! The Creed is a summary of Scripture. It expresses our faith in God who is a Trinity of Persons that has acted in historical events and is revealed definitively in the person of Jesus. This revelation continues to mature and grow through the Holy Spirit present in the Church. We are proclaiming that we believe all this revelation, not just part of it, and that God offers it to us as an effective testament of his saving and redeeming love for us.
The next time we profess the Creed at Mass, let us remember to whom we are speaking. Think about what God has just said to us in the Scriptures and in the homily. Reflect on what it means to be a member of Christ’s people accepting the fullness of what God has revealed and eager to witness Christ to the world.
Mueggenborg, Daniel “Why do we say the Creed at every Sunday Mass?”, Northwest Catholic, 27 August 2021, https://nwcatholic.org/voices/daniel-mueggenborg/why-do-we-say-the-creed-at-every-sunday-mass