THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH ● The Church in the image of the Trinity both in

CHURCH its nature and mission

● Origin ○ Origin: from the saving design of the
○ OT: Qahal Yahweh Father, the redemptive mission of the
○ NT: Ekklesia Son and the sanctifying work of the Holy
○ now meaning “the people of God called Spirit.
together”, or “An assembly convoked by ○ Structure: the Church is a communion of
God”. believers drawn together by Christ in the
● Stress power of the Holy Spirit.
○ action, initiative of God in calling his ○ Mission: originates “from the mission of
people together; salvation is the work of the Son and the Holy Spirit, in accordance
God alone. with the wisdom (decree) of the Father.
● NB: The Church is a faith assembly whose ○ Destiny: the full realization of this
root cause is God’s free call to all, to share communion in the kingdom of God.
His divine goodness and love in Christ.
CHURCH AS A SACRAMENT
THE CHURCH AS A MYSTERY ● both a sacramental sign and an instrument of
● Mystery: a reality we can never fully grasp intimate union with God and of the unity of
because there’s always more to learn. all mankind. The Church is an effective sign
● Reality explained through calling to mind and symbol of:
Sunday experienced (the process of ○ Our union with God
assembling and the Actual assembly - for ○ The unity among men
Eucharistic celebration) ○ Of salvation
● Reality imbued with the hidden presence of ● Positive Idea of the Sacrament
God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit (Trinity) ○ unites the visible and invisible dimension
● CHURCH RELATED TO THE FATHER of the Church. The Church hierarchically
○ The Father resolved to assemble all those structured society (visible-humanity)
who believe in Christ in the Holy Church. making present the Spiritual community
Thus in His divine plan, the Church was: (Invisible - Trinity)
○ Prefigured from the beginning of the ○ directly relates the Church to
world - creation of one perfect community non-Catholics. Its an instrument for the
○ Prepared wonderfully in the history of redemption of all, and sent forth into the
Israel—gradually, patiently calling his whole world as the light of the world and salt
people towards him of the earth.
○ Instituted in the final moment - ○ the tangible sign of Christ’s presence in
messianic ERA the world visible to all drawing people in
○ Manifested in the outpouring of the Holy the power of the Spirit to communion with
Spirit—Pentecost God and with one another in Christ.
○ To be brought to completion at the end ○ unites the Church closely with the
of time--- Union with the Alpha & Omega Eucharist.
● CHURCH RELATED TO THE SON ■ Eucharist
○ Jesus Christ established and ceaselessly ● Bread & wine
sustains here on earth his holy Church. ● Makes present the risen Lord
○ The Church originated and grew from the BW=BB = words of Christ
side of Jesus. ● Ex opere operato
○ Divine Son: Church divine source of ■ Church
salvation, obtain the fullness of saving ● Men & women called together
grace - Presence of God ● Sign of presence of the Risen Lord
○ Incarnate, Human Flesh: Church in HS
hierarchy (dynamic organism) ● Church can be understood = words
○ Liberator: like Jesus who welcomed both of Christ
sinners and righteous: the Church ● Ex opere operato
composed of Sinner and holy people. ○ fosters strong loyalty and personal sense
● CHURCH RELATED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT of belongingness to the Church
○ Dwells in the Church and in the hearts of ■ to love the Church as our Spiritual
the faithful as in the temple (1Cor3:16) Mother and home where we find
○ Bears witness to their adoptive acceptance, love and support as we fail
Son/daughter ship (Gal4:6) by reason of our human limitation.
○ Guides the Church into the fullness of truth ■ As our Mother, the Church ceaselessly
(Jn16:13) exhorts her sons and daughters to
○ Guides the Church in unity of fellowship and continuous process of purification and
service, and constantly renews and leads renewal so that the sign of Christ may
her to perfect union with her Spouse: Christ shine more brightly over the face of the
(through the sacraments) earth.
 ■ making sacramentally present to us the
IMAGES OF THE CHURCH Person of the Risen Christ in his saving
● Kingdom of God sacrifice;
○ The reign of God who is sensitive to the ○ MYSTICAL BODY
needs and suffering of every human ■ the Church, the faithful united to Christ
being; the offer of pardon to sinners, the as their Head, and united and vivified by
banquet of table – fellowship and joyful His Spirit.
communion with the Lord and our fellow ○ Called to follow and share Christ life and
men and women, the gift of salvation, mission –Lk10:16
eternal life. ○ Christ identify himself with them –
○ A gift that we must seek, demanding Mt.25:40
vigilance and active use of talents; yet it ○ Christ spoke of an intimate communion
is also a task, a responsibility, a project, a with them – Jn15:4-5
mission and a process (to be brought to its ○ Christ gave the means to that communion
final fulfillment in glory) – Jn 6:56
● People of God ○ Christ promise them his constant
○ God has willed to make humanity Holy and presence – Jn 14:18; Mt 28:20
save them, not merely as individual without ● Temple of the Holy Spirit
any mutual bonds; but by making them into ○ “Christ has shared with us his Spirit who,
a single people which acknowledges Him in being one and the same in head and
truth and serve him in holiness. members, gives life to, unifies and moves
○ PRIESTLY PEOPLE the whole body. Consequently, the Spirit’s
■ by reason of our Baptism, strengthened work could be compared to the function
by Confirmation and nourished by the which the soul, the principle of life, fulfills in
Eucharist, we Christians offer spiritual human body”.
worship for the glory of God and the
salvation of men ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
○ PROPHETIC PEOPLE CHURCH’S LIFE
■ give witness to Christ by our ● ONE: source & founder
understanding of the faith (sensus fidei) ● HOLY: Bride/Spouse of Christ and grace with
and the grace of speech (cf. Acts 2:17f) the means of the fullness of salvation (HS)
○ KINGLY PEOPLE ● CATHOLIC: Universal, complete,
■ we share in the power of Christ the King all-embracing:
who came “to serve and give his life as ○ World-wide: sent to all people
a ransom for the many” Mt28:19-20;Acts 1:8; Mk16:15
■ we serve others, especially the poor and ○ Blessed with the fullness of the means of
the suffering in whom we recognize “the salvation/all saving truths- Jn 16:13
likeness of our poor and suffering ○ Heals all kinds of sins –Jn 20:23
Founder” ○ Abound in every kind of virtue and spiritual
■ By sharing in the Spirit’s power “to gift==GT: RMPP
renew the face of the earth”, we work to
overcome sin and to permeate all with MISSION OF THE CHURCH
the values of Christ. “To be king is to ● In Northern Mindanao, in the Philippines, in
minister, to serve” Asia and in the World
○ Distinguishing characteristics as people: ● To help build a community of faith whose
■ Cause by God – 1Pt 2:9ff resources is directed towards total human
■ Headed by Christ - Rom4:25 development; the establishment of peace,
■ Members: baptized Christian believers – justice and national reconciliation.
Jn3:3-5 ● To help build a community of faith whose
■ Condition: Acquired New dignity – Sons resources are directed toward total human
and daughters of God: PPK development; the establishment of peace.
■ Law: New law of love – Jn13:34; Roman Justice and national reconciliation.
8:2
■ Mission: to be a sacrament of salvation MINISTRIES
– Mt5:14-16 ● Ministries: Apostolate, Service, - Charisms
■ Destiny: Final glory in union with God –
LG # 9 SUPPORTING THEMES
● Body of Christ ● Communion of Saints
○ Distinguishing marks as Body of Christ ○ In Holy things
○ PHYSICAL BODY ■ faith received from the Apostles
■ assumed at the Incarnation (Sacred Tradition)
○ EUCHARISTIC BODY ■ fellowship with the Lord, supported by
the charisms of the HS (life)
 ■ communion with the sacraments – ● through the Response: Renewed Integral
(Baptism & Eucharist) Evangelization;
■ possession material things – Sacred ● to the Vision: to become a Community of
Scripture Disciples.
■ charity –shared meals – Acts 2:24
○ In Holy People MINISTRIES OF THE CHURCH
■ still pilgrim on earth ● “Ministry” means “service,” and Christian
■ being purified ministry refers to “serving the people of God in
■ already in glory 2Macc12:46 a stable fashion.”
■ (Loving the same God and neighbor, ● characterized by doing something for God’s
being disciples of the same Lord, Kingdom in public on behalf of the Christian
animated by the same Spirit) community empowered by a gift of faith
● Mary: Daughter and Model of the Church received in baptism, or ordination, and
○ Mary, Daughter of the church identifiable within the diversity of ministerial
■ First to be redeemed activities.
■ Immaculate Conception ● not the privilege of a selected few, but the
○ Mary, Mother of the Church vocation of all baptized Christians.
■ First to be evangelizer ● ORDAINED MINISTRY
■ grew up from the side of Jesus ○ arise from the Sacrament of Orders.
○ Mary, Model of the Church ○ receive the authority and power to serve the
■ First to be evangelized Church, acting in the person of Christ, the
■ Docility to the Holy Spirit Head. But they are fundamentally ordered
to the service of the entire People of God
LESSON 2 ● INFALLIBILITY
MISSION AND MINISTRIES OF THE CHURCH ○ most important duty of the Bishop is
“preaching the Gospel”
MISSION ○ Bishops are the “authentic teachers,”
● Christ founded his Church to continue his endowed with the authority of Christ,
saving mission on earth. teaching in communion with the Roman
● to proclaim and to establish among all peoples Pontiff.
the Kingdom of Christ and of God ○ This gift preserves the Church from error in
● The mission flows from the Church as teaching what God has revealed in faith and
“Sacrament of salvation,” the sign and morals
instrument for achieving intimate union with ● LAY APOSTOLATE
God ○ founded in the Sacraments of Baptism and
● a mission mandate Confirmation, and for a good many of them,
● whose origin and goal is the Blessed Trinity in the Sacrament of Matrimony
● motivated by God’s love ○ field of evangelizing activity as: the vast and
● with the Holy Spirit as Principal Agent complex world of education, politics, society,
● MISSION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD and economics, as well as the world of
○ central theme in all four Gospels culture, of the sciences and the arts, of
○ Mark: “proclaiming the Gospel to lead international life, of the mass media.
others to the faith ● THE RELIGIOUS
○ Matthew: teaching of the Christian ○ The Religious Brothers and Sisters
community, the Church ○ faithful who bind themselves to Christ in a
○ Luke: transforming power to work state of life consecrated to God by the
conversion to God’s merciful love, and profession of the evangelical counsels of
liberation from the root of all evil, sin. poverty, chastity and obedience
○ John: Jesus sends forth his disciples on ● BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES
mission, just as the Father sent him ○ establishing communities, local Churches,
● Church’s mission toward non-Christians and forming Basic Ecclesial Communities
○ Christ is the one Savior of all, the one which become centers for Christian
mediator between God and man. formation and missionary outreach
○ God established the Church as “the ○ means for effectively spreading Gospel
universal sacrament of salvation, sent on values, and for bringing out the
mission to the whole world as the light of the eschatological dimension of daily life
world and the salt of the earth
● Church of the Poor
○ This mission involves a balance between
the essential inculturation of the Faith in
Filipino culture and the mission to all
peoples, or the Church’s international
outreach.
● from the Call: to be Church of the Poor;