Ecclesiology-Church-as-Sanctifier-Sin-Penance-and-Reparation-RCIA-2012

references/sources

• Acts 8:1-15:1
• II Cor. 4:7-11
• Lumen Gentium , Chapter V.
• CCC 781-796, 823-829
• Cerfaux, Lucien. Christ in the Theology of St. Paul. NY: Herder and Herder, 1967. pp. 330-339.
• Escriva, St. Josemaria. The Way. NY: Scepter, 1982.
• Pratt, Fernand, The Theology of Saint Paul. Westminster: The Newman Press, 1950. vol. II, pp.344-345.
• Weigel, George. The Truth of Catholicism. NY: Harper Collins, 2001. Ch. VII, X.
• Raztinger, Joseph. The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood. San Francisco: Ignatius.

Content

• The People of God are chosen, insofar as they are called… in their universal vocation to holiness. (LG,V)
  • In imitation of the Trinity, we are called to be a communio personarum. Following the teachings of Christ, summed up (in this case) in the command, “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48)
  • There is a corporate dimension to this… we are saved as individuals, yes, but also and always as a body… because we are only saved by incorporation into Christ…and this is holiness.
• The three facets to how the People of God live their call to holiness are the Triple Munera
  • Priestly – Sanctifying
  • Prophetic – Teaching
  • Royal – Governing
  • On the sanctifying office of Christ –

    On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people’s unique, priestly vocation: “Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men, has made this new people a kingdom of priests to God his Father. The baptized by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood.” (CCC 784)

    • One body with Christ as head… one ministry that flows through him, with him, and in him. NOT of our own accord.
  • The holiness of the Church on earth is real but imperfect… to be fulfilled in heaven among the saints.
    • She is holy in her Lord and Creator, in her mission, and in her sainted members.
    • Thus, the sanctification of the world is something that happens only in Christ, and only over time.
• How does this sanctification happen?
  • Per se, in the sacraments, especially the mass.
  • Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy
    • Charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbors in their bodily and spiritual needs (2447).
    • The spiritual works of mercy include instructing, advising, consoling, comforting, forgiving, and patiently forbearing.
    • Corporal works of mercy include feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, sheltering the homeless, and burying the dead (2447). (CCC – Glossary)
  • Daily prayer and the sanctification of daily life
    • -mention St. Josemaria Escriva and his text, “The Way”
    • - discussion of lay movements and 3rd Orders
  • All of these are priestly functions, done as such by the priests/religious and followed during the course of daily life by the laity.
  • Keeping the saints as our guides
    • Pick patrons
• On Redemptive Suffering
  • “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Lk. 24:26-27, 44-45) (CCC 572-ff)
    • -Jesus own interpretation of the Old Testament on the road to Emmaus.
  • All of us partake in the suffering of Christ as part of our priestly ministry for the remission of sins/death.
    • II Cor 4:7-11
    • But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not strained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
    • Cerfaux, Christ in…, pp. 336-339
    • Pratt, The Theology of… v.II, pp. 344-345.
  • Acts 14:22 They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."
  • Rm. 8:16-18 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
  • Cor. 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
  • Thess. 2:14; 3:1-3 For you, brothers, have become imitators of the churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you suffer the same things from your compatriots as they did from the Jews,
    • This is why, when we could bear it no longer, we decided to remain alone in Athens and sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one be disturbed in these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
  • II Thess. 1:5 This is evidence of the just judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering.
  • Philip. 1:29, 3:8-11 For to you has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.
    I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
• Suffering
  • Accepting what we receive in life
  • Voluntarily taking on suffering
    • Examples from among the saints
    • Daily practices
    • Lent – a time dedicated to redemptive suffering Constitutes part of our daily life… and so part of our apostolate… including the apostolate of married people. Aims at joy… to be both received… and handed on…
    • Sanctification – a public mission (for the good of the world) done in private (“close your door and pray”)

Terms

• XX

Homework for next session

Begin selection of patron Saint. Check out:

• Saints & Angels at Catholic.org
• Catholic Saints.info