16. The Church

16. THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST, IS A SIGN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH. Compendium 147-160 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14,26-27 1. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and Mary and the mission of the Church began in earnest. 2. Christ lives and acts in and with his church, especially through the preaching of the Word and the Sacraments. 3. "Ekklesia" are those who are called and gathered in Faith and Baptism to become children of God, members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit. 4. As members of Christ we are called to live our vocation, faithfully and robustly, for the common good. 5. "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" Matthew 28:16-17 6. His Kingdom is Truth and Life, Grace and Holiness, Justice, Love and Peace. 7. The Church does not only point to the Kingdom of God, it is the Kingdom of God in seed form, teaching us to live in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 8. The Church is a universal sacrament of salvation, effectively guiding and delivering the human family out of darkness. 9. We are called to live the new commandment of love, to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, leading all to God's Kingdom already begun on earth. 10. The Church is the Body of Christ and we are the members of that Body. 11. The Church is the Bride of Christ and we are the children of that Bride. 12. The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and we are the living stones of that Temple through Faith, Worship and Service, through the Sacraments and sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 13. One cannot separate the institutional church from its spiritual source, Jesus Christ, because he himself has ordained it so, fully aware of our weakness and unworthiness: "Upon this rock I will build my church." 14. Christ has ordained that as members of his body we share his vocation as priest, prophet and King. We accomplish this through the gift of the Holy Spirit who makes us holy because Christ is the head of our communal body. 15. The Church needs constant reformation of its members. 16. The Church has God as its Origin, Christ as its Head, the dignity and freedom of all as its Hallmark, its Mission is to be salt of the earth and light to the world, it's Law is the New Commandment of Love, The kingdom of God is its Destiny already begun on earth.

The Holy Spirit

15. I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT The Third Person of the Holy Trinity is the "Driving Force" of the Church's Life Compendium 136-146 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:16-17,26 1.To be the Third Person of the Trinity does not mean to be less important. The Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified and co-equal to the Father and son. 2. The Trinity is a splendid mystery of God's inward communion of life and love of which we are destined to share fully. 3. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, Counselor, Comforter and The Giver of Life. 4. The Holy Spirit is "Living Water" at Baptism and "tongues of fire" at Pentecost. The Spirit descends as a Dove at Christ's baptism. He is the inspiration of the Prophets. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit Mary conceived and became the mother of Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother. 5. The Holy Spirit enables us to pray and proclaim the saving Gospel of Truth And Love, he restores divine likeness in those who are baptized, confirms his gifts at Confirmation, empowers priests to bring forth the living presence of Christ in the Eucharist, imparts forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance. 6. When we open our hearts to the fruits of the Holy Spirit (charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity) we bring forth a rich harvest of new life and love."Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and they shall renew the face of the earth.” 7. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which we receive at Baptism and again at Confirmation, are Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. 8. An example of Wisdom was when Solomon resolved the case of the two women who gave birth the same night but one baby died. Both claimed the surviving baby was theirs so Solomon suggested cutting the baby in half and one woman agreed but the other said let the baby live even if the other woman would get the baby. So Solomon knew this was the true mother and gave the baby to her. 9. An example of Knowledge is when Peter said to Jesus “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God” and Jesus responded “you have received this knowledge from above.” 10. An example of Understanding is when they wanted to stone a woman and Jesus said “he who is without sin can throw the first stone.” 11. An example of Counsel is when Jesus told the women “Go in peace and sin no more.” 12. An example of Fortitude was Peter when he told the Sanhedrin they he must proclaim Christ even though they forbid him to do so. 13. An example of Piety was Anna the prophetess who lived in the temple most of her life waiting for the Messiah. 14. An example of Fear of the Lord was Moses before the burning bush.