Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 122 - Part VI.




YOUCAT Question n. 122 - Part VI. Why does God want there to be a Church?


(Youcat answer - repeated) God wills the Church because he wants to redeem us, not individually, but together. He wants to make all mankind his people.       

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 767) "When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church" (LG 4; Cf. Jn 17:4). Then "the Church was openly displayed to the crowds and the spread of the Gospel among the nations, through preaching, was begun" (AG 4). As the "convocation" of all men for salvation, the Church in her very nature is missionary, sent by Christ to all the nations to make disciples of them (Cf. Mt 28:19-20; AG 2; 5-6).

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) No one gets to heaven by the asocial route. Someone who thinks only about himself and the salvation of his own soul is living a-socially. That is impossible both in heaven and on earth. God himself is not a-social; he is not a solitary, self-sufficient being. The Triune God in himself is “social”, a communion, an eternal exchange of love. Patterned after God, man also is designed for relationship, exchange, sharing, and love. We are responsible for one another.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 768) So that she can fulfill her mission, the Holy Spirit "bestows upon [the Church] varied hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in this way directs her" (LG 4). "Henceforward the Church, endowed with the gifts of her founder and faithfully observing his precepts of charity, humility and self-denial, receives the mission of proclaiming and establishing among all peoples the Kingdom of Christ and of God, and she is on earth the seed and the beginning of that kingdom" (LG 5).    

(This question: Why does God want there to be a Church? is continued)

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