In other words the Gospels paradigmatically unite faith with the historical event, with the real person of Jesus, and the announcement of the most profound sense of His presence, the redeeming meaning of His mission. Hence, effectively, faith cannot arise if humankind has not the opportunity to know the Jesus who existed in history, acknowledging Him as the Son of God, made Man; for this reason toning down the real events of His life, to conceal or allow suspicion to touch the meaning of His words, of His gift of His own life, of His entire mission, would certainly represent a serious impediment for the answers of those who believe in love. Growth of faith in the believing Christian is not possible if he does not progress in his knowledge of Jesus Christ, of the importance of His person and His redeeming work for Himself and for the destiny of the entire universe.

It ensues that it is fundamental to acknowledge the historical trustworthiness of the evangelical stories and also to understand their characteristics as a passionate testimony, preserved within the truth of the Spirit of Christ, allowing the authors to understand the person who is Jesus and be aware of His definitive transcendence that humankind may reach the truth about God and about itself, fulfilling its own destiny.

The Gospels are therefore ecclesial documents both in their origins and in their finalities. Their roots are deeply set in the totally unpredictable event of a communion with Jesus Christ in Whom, after the Resurrection and the Coming of the Holy Spirit, the community of life and destiny achieves an immeasurable profoundness, the adherence filled with faith and love that the disciples experienced with Jesus. The Gospels arise from the communion with Jesus Christ and only attempt to make it possible for all to know Him and love Him, to welcome Him in the fullness of His work and His Gift to humankind, thereby entering a profound unity with Him, the Son of God, the Saviour.

The Gospels’ ecclesial characteristics therefore mean above all the announcement and the gift made to the Church, that must be freely accepted, and their belonging to the same reality of communion with Christ who walks in history ever since the day of the Pentecost. In this sense, the Credo of the People of God, the real synthesis of the Scriptures, symbolises this ecclesial dimension of the Gospels also in the catechetic process.

This nature of the evangelical tales also emphasises that the catechist must first of all be a witness of this faith in the Lord, and consequently, of the communion of the Church. Only by belonging to the Church with all one’s heart, living within her the experience of a living communion with Jesus Christ, of the revealing within her of the truth about God and His existence, can he then adequately accomplish his mission. The catechist in fact, as the Gospels do, comes from this Communion and invites and educates within it, and this can correspond to a real reality only if pervaded by an adherence of faith and love for the Lord and passionate charity for the good of those entrusted to him for their education to the faith.