THE ESSENTIAL MARKS/TASKS OF THE CHURCH

THE ESSENTIAL MARKS/TASKS OF THE CHURCH

Christ Calls the Church t Be United

as One

The lesson is ordered to lead the students to:D: understand that the Church is called forth

to be united as one in Christ;M: act morally and spread the Gospel as

individuals and as members of Christ’s Church;

W: pray as one people to the Father, through the Risen Incarnate Son, in the Holy Spirit.

OBJECTIVES

LET’S DO IT!

HOW CAN YOU SHOW YOUR

“ONENESS” TO THE FOLLOWING

AREAS/SITUATIONS

Why is UNITY important in our lives?

What will happen to us if there is no UNITY?

Each of us always yearns for peace and unity in our midst.

But because of sin and its consequences, we struggle hard for the attainment of

what we yearn for. Knowing this, Jesus, in the Gospels

prayed for us

Ephesians 4:1-6

The Church is one, unified, because she

springs from her source, the One Living God in three divine Persons.

If Paul was with us today, would he have the same message? Why?

Why is the Church unified?

The Church is one, unified, because she

springs from her source, the One Living God in three divine Persons.

Christ is the head and the Church is the Body.

There can be no church without the Spirit.

There’s only one mission and there is one hope in our calling.

We are all proceeding towards the same goal.

Our methods, our organization, even some of

our beliefs may be different; but we are all striving towards the one

goal of a world redeemed in Christ.

Only sin and its consequences threaten the

Church’s gift of unity.

What is the threat to the gift of unity in the Church?

What binds Christians together ?

Charity is a gift of God made visible in the bonds

of communion in the Church

What are the bonds of communion in the Church?

the profession of one faith, the Creed, received from the Apostles [Doctrine];

the common celebration of divine worship, especially of the Sacraments [Worship

the loving service of the people of God [Morals]; and the apostolic succession through the Ordained Ministry, which maintains the unity in God's family.

How this gift of unity is maintained,

reinforced and strengthened in the Church?

Faithfulness to Christ and to His Church strengthens this gift of unity –

praying for, loving and serving one another in humility.

The unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and called for and empowered by the Holy Spirit. According to PCP II 821, there are certain things required in order to respond adequately to this call of Christ and the Holy Spirit:

a permanent renewal of the Church in greater fidelity to her vocation, a conversion of heart, prayer in common,

•fraternal knowledge of one another, •ecumenical formation and dialogue, and •collaboration among Christians.

Official breaks with the Church communion:

• heresy, the obstinate denial or doubt by a baptized person of a truth which must be believed;

• apostasy, the total repudiation of the Christian faith; and

• schism, the withdrawal of submission to the Pope or from communion with the members of the Church subject to him (CFC 1394).

The reason why Vatican II recognizes non-Catholic Christians

• “All who are justified in faith through Baptism are incorporated into Christ and, therefore, have a right to be called Christians and with good reason are accepted as brothers and sisters by the children of the Catholic Church” (UR 3).

A way to restore unity among Christian Churches

• Ecumenism which includes fair and respectful dialogue, working together on projects for the common good and even common prayer (UR 4; CFC 1395), without compromising the creed we profess and without condescending with unacceptable tenets.

VAT II recognizes non-Catholic Christians, for “ all who are justified in faith through Baptism are incorporated into Christ and, therefore, have a right to be called CHRISTIANS and with good reason are accepted as brothers and sisters by the children of the Catholic Church.”

HOWEVER…

Unity can be achieved only from a radical(fundamental, essential…)change of heart, new attitudes of mind, from self-denial and unstinted (abundant) love.

Church Teaching: Catechism for Filipino Catholics 1391

“ The Church is One, first from her very source, the One living God in three Persons, second, the Church is one in her Founder; Jesus Christ.”

CFC, 1391, confirms that the Church is One because of 3 reasons:

• Source: the Triune God, the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit,

• Founder: Jesus Christ, the Risen Incarnate Son, and

• "Soul": the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the believers, penetrating and ruling over the entire Church. Thus, the Church is one in her source, means and goal.

The Church then, is One in her source, her means and her goal.

The Church shines forth as a people made one with the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Think-pair- shareQuestions to ponder on…see p. 29

See also vocabulary words on p. 30