On Ecclesiology
After the Catechesis on the Sacraments of Initiation, it is now good to talk about the Church so that we will at least know what we have entered into. We remember, one of the effects of Baptism is that the baptized has become a member of the Church. And so let us do some Ecclesiology, meaning, a study of the Church. This finds importance especially when there is a proliferation of churches or when we find ourselves in a place where Catholics are a minority.
To know what our Church really is, it is good to read the Vatican II Document on the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church known by its incipit “Lumen Gentium”, [Christ is] the Light of Nations. This document answers the question, “what constitutes the Church?”. Just like a country, school or organization, that is defined by a Constitution, it is best to know what defines us as a Church. What, where and who we are, what do we do, and how and why we do it. In short, Lumen Gentium teaches us the Identity and Mission of the Church. If we want a lighter read, we can refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the heading “I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church”.
When we profess our faith especially when we renew our baptismal promises, we say “I believe in…. the Holy Catholic Church” and the Nicene Creed adds “One and Apostolic”. These are the Marks of the True Church of Christ that is why the proper name of our Church is the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Our Lord Jesus Christ established a Church and entrusted her to His Apostles. Of course, we know that Jesus did not construct a physical structure or a building. What He founded was a Community of His Disciples. From the Latin word “ecclesia” which means a convocation or an assembly of people called by God, Church means the gathering of people who willingly answered the call of Jesus to follow Him. Having been established by Jesus himself who is Holy, this One Church is Holy and calls all her members to a life of holiness. When the Apostles, meaning, the ones sent by Jesus, spread the Good News to the nations, smaller communities of disciples were born like the Church of Jerusalem, Church of Antioch, Church of Ephesus, Church of Rome, and others, but they all form the bigger community of disciples of Jesus Christ. This character of universality was what prompted St. Irenaeus to call her the Catholic Church. Yes, the Church Jesus established is everywhere and truly embracing. But for the Church to be truly Catholic, she must be in full communion with the Pope who, as the successor of Peter, is the visible head of the Church. Lastly, for a Church to be True, she must be Apostolic, meaning, she must find her roots or origin from the Apostles on whom Jesus founded His Church.
500 years ago, this One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ reached the shores of our beloved country, the Philippines. Thanks be to God and thanks to the brave missionaries. May the gift we received, lead us to give it too…
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