The Church, a Divine Society
from the Catholic Encyclopedia
The Church is a Society formed of living Men, not a mere
Mystical Union of Souls. As such it resembles other Societies. Like
them, it has its Code of Rules, its Executive Officers, its Ceremonial Observances. Yet it differs from them more-than it
resembles them: for it is a Supernatural Society. The
Kingdom of God is Supernatural alike in its Origin, in the Purpose at which
it aims, and in the Means at its disposal. Other Kingdoms are 'Natural' in their Origin; and their Scope is limited
to the Temporal Welfare of their Citizens.
The Supernatural Character of the Church
is Seen, when its Relation to the Redemptive Work of Christ is considered. It is the Society of
those whom He has Redeemed from the
World. The World, by which term are signified Men in so far as
they have Fallen from God, is ever set forth
in Scripture as the Kingdom of the Evil One.
It is the "World of Darkness" (Ephesians 6:12), it is
"Seated in the Wicked One" (1John 6:19), it
Hates Christ (John 15:18). To
Save the World, God the Son became Man.
He offered Himself as a
Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World
(1John 2:2). God, Who desires
that all Men should be Saved, has offered
Salvation to all; but the greater part of Mankind Rejects the proffered
Gift. The Church is the Society of those who
accept Redemption, of those whom Christ
"has chosen out of the World" (John 15:19). Thus it is the
Church alone which He "hath
purchased with His Own Blood" (Acts 20:28). Of the Members of the
Church, the Apostle can say that "God hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness, and
hath translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love" (Colossians 1:13).
Saint Augustine terms the Church "Mundus
Salvatus " -- the Redeemed World -- and speaking of the
Enmity borne towards the Church by those who
Reject her, says: "The World of Perdition hates the World of Salvation".
To the Church, Christ has given the Means of
Grace He Merited by His Life
and Death. She Communicates them to her Members; and those who are outside her Fold she bids to
enter that they too may participate in them. By these means of Grace -- the
Light of Revealed Truth, the Sacraments, the
Perpetual Renewal of the Sacrifice of Calvary -- the
Church carries-on the Work of Sanctifying the Elect. Through their
Instrumentality, each individual Soul is Perfected, and Conformed to the Likeness of the
Son of God.
It is thus Manifest that, when we regard the Church simply as the Society-of-Disciples,
we are considering its External Form only. Its Inward Life is found in the
Indwelling of the Holy Ghost,
the Gifts of Faith,
Hope, and Charity, the
Grace Communicated by the Sacraments, and the other Prerogatives by
which the Children of God differ from the Children of the
World. This aspect of the Church is described by the Apostles
in Figurative Language. They represent it as the
Body of Christ, the Spouse (Bride) of Christ,
the Temple of God. In order to understand its True
Nature, some consideration of these comparisons is requisite. In the Conception of the Church
as a Body governed and directed by Christ as
the Head, far more is contained than the Familiar Analogy between a Ruler and his Subjects on
the one hand, and the Head guiding and coordinating the Activities of the several Members on the other. That Analogy expresses indeed the
Variety of Function, the Unity of Directive Principle, and the Cooperation of the Parts to a Common End, which are found in any Society;
but it is Insufficient to explain the Terms in which:
Saint Paul speaks of the Union between Christ and
His Disciples.
Each of them is a Member of Christ (1Corinthians 6:15);
Together they Form the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16);
As a Corporate Unity they are simply termed
Christ (1Corinthians 12:12).
The Church comes from God, not from Man - by Father Charles Irvin
A Series of Twenty (20) Audio Clips reflecting on the Creed,
each Ten (10) Minutes in length
The Athanasian, Apostles, Nicene, and Trentine Creeds; and the
Credo of the People of God
By Father Reginald Martin, O.P.
By Father William G. Most
Venerable Pope John Paul II has developed a new Theological Synthesis for
presenting the Catholic Faith, including this Presentation on the Church as the Person of Christ.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia
From the Baltimore Catechism
The Church as the Sturdy Ship/Ark/Barque that carries us to Salvation
A quick look at the Eastern Catholic Churches
As professed in the Apostles Creed, a detached account of Jesus' descent into Hell
from 'The Sorrowful Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ' by Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824)
By Father Paul A. Duffner, O.P.
By Father William G. Most
The tearing in two by God of the great Veil in the Jerusalem Temple starts the
Forty (40) year countdown to the Complete, Utter Destruction of the Temple and the Jewish Nation.
Prophesied by Jesus, this event symbolizes the end of the Jewish Religion as a means
of Redemption, leaving only the Redemptive Mission of His Catholic Church.
by Father Paul K. Raftery, O.P.
Sacred Scripture contains many Numbers.
The thoughtful man cannot escape being aroused to wonder why it is that
Moses and Elijah, and Our Lord Himself fasted Forty (40) days. Ignorance of the Principles of
Numbers will mean that a Man will fail to understand many things in the Scriptures.
Catholic Symbolism is the use of Signs and Emblems to teach and present Religious
Truths. Words often fail where Symbolism succeeds, while taken together they frequently make spiritual things more
fully grasped.
By Father Reginald Martin, O.P.
By Father Reginald Martin, O.P.
By Father Reginald Martin, O.P.
By Father Paul A. Duffner, O.P.
By Father Reginald Martin, O.P.
"We Love Jesus Christ in His Church because She is
His Immaculate Spouse Who came out of His Opened Side on the Cross, just as Eve came out of the
First Adam"
Saint Eugene de Mazenod
|
 |
 |
|
Birth of Eve,
the Bride of Adam,
from Adam's side |
Birth of the Church,
the Bride of Christ,
from Christ's Side |
|
"Water and Blood Symbolized Baptism and the Holy
Eucharist. From these Two (2) Sacraments the Church is Born: from
Baptism, the Cleansing Water that gives Rebirth and Renewal from the
Holy Spirit, and from the Holy Eucharist. Since the Symbols of
Baptism and the Eucharist flowed from His Side, it was from His Side
that Christ 'Fashioned' the Church, as He had 'Fashioned' Eve from
the Side of Adam".
Saint John Chrysostom
|
|
The State is a Society aimed at the 'Temporal Welfare' of the Community
