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.