we have received.22 The Catechism’s genre is therefore precisely that of a teaching document. The Catechism has been written, in other words, in order to help form the Christian community as a catechetical body, so that, having been enriched with the wisdom of God’s revelation,23 we can carry Christ to others. We can turn to Mary, Mother of the Church, to accompany us as we take up this challenge. The Catechism notes that, even while he was still in her womb, Mary carried the growing Christ to her cousin Elizabeth.24 Mary’s action here perfectly captures the unstoppable need of the true believer and disciple to witness to Christ.25 Just as the Holy Spirit’s work in the Blessed Virgin provides us with the model and pattern we follow in our receiving of the Word in our lives, so also her co-operation with the Holy Spirit is the paradigm for every act of transmission of this same Word to others.26 The Catechism speaks beautifully of the way in which we move from a knowledge of the divine Son to this work of teaching in his name: “From this loving knowledge of Christ springs the desire to proclaim him, to ‘evangelise’, and to lead others to the ‘yes’ of faith in Jesus Christ.”27 The Catechism also points to the reverse dynamic contained in mission: that our sharing increases in us the desire to know and love Christ better ourselves: “the need to know the faith better makes itself felt”.
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