During Mass we proclaim the Nicene–Constantinopolitan Creed: "For us men and our salvation [the Son of God] came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father...."
Is anything missing between these dogmatic statements? Specifically, why isn't there any mention of Jesus' life and ministry between the time of his birth and his crucifixion under Pontius Pilate? Where is Jesus' call to "Come, follow me" (Luke 18:22)? Where is the mention of the two "greatest" commandments to love God, and to love one another as God loves us? (Mark 12:30; John 13:24, 15:12). Where is the "Golden Rule" ("Do to others whatever you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12))? Why is there no mention of Jesus' ministry of outreach to others: healing the sick, the blind, and the possessed, feeding the hungry, raising the "dead" to new life, forgiving and eating with "sinners," outcasts, and the marginalized, challenging the unjust institutions, principalities and powers, teaching and proclaiming the "Good News" that we are not separated from the unconditional love of God, and proclaiming and living God's reign of love, peace, justice, freedom, mercy, forgiveness, healing, and salvation among us? Jesus did all of this and much more after he was born and before he was crucified.
Jesus was concerned with what happens during our lifetimes and how, with God's grace, we love, treat, care for, forgive, and support one another. Is your faith grounded on the belief in dogmas, or trusting in our unconditionally loving, faithful, and merciful God, and in living the ways of God modeled to us by Jesus, the human face of God for us, so that we "might have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b).