Saturday, September 6, 2008

Col 2, 18-19 Let no one disqualify you

(Col 2, 18-19) Let no one disqualify you
[18] Let no one disqualify you, delighting in self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, inflated without reason by his fleshly mind, [19] and not holding closely to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and bonds, achieves the growth that comes from God.
(CCC 792) Christ "is the head of the body, the Church" (Col 1:18). He is the principle of creation and redemption. Raised to the Father's glory, "in everything he [is] preeminent" (Col 1:18), especially in the Church, through whom he extends his reign over all things. (CCC 793) Christ unites us with his Passover: all his members must strive to resemble him, "until Christ be formed" in them (Gal 4:19). "For this reason we… are taken up into the mysteries of his life, . . . associated with his sufferings as the body with its head, suffering with him, that with him we may be glorified" (LG 7 § 4; cf. Phil 3:21; Rom 8:17). (CCC 794) Christ provides for our growth: to make us grow toward him, our head (Cf. Col 2:19; Eph 4:11-16), he provides in his Body, the Church, the gifts and assistance by which we help one another along the way of salvation.

No comments: