YOUCAT Question n. 132 - Part III. Why is the Church holy?
(Youcat
answer - repeated) The Church is holy, not because all her members are
supposedly holy, but rather because God is holy and is at work in her. All the
members of the Church are sanctified by Baptism.
A
deepening through CCC
(CCC 827 a) "Christ, 'holy, innocent, and undefiled,' knew
nothing of sin, but came only to expiate the sins of the people. The Church,
however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of
purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal" (LG 8 §
3; Cf. UR 3; 6; Heb 2:17; 7:26; 2 Cor 5:21). All members of the Church,
including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners (Cf. 1 Jn
1:8-10). In everyone, the weeds of sin will still be mixed with the good wheat
of the Gospel until the end of time (Cf.
Mt 13:24-30).
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment)
Whenever we allow
ourselves to be touched by the Triune God, we grow in love and become holy and
whole. The saints are lovers—not because they are able to
love so well, but because God has touched them. They pass on the love they have
received from God to other people in their own, often original way. Once God
takes them home, they also sanctify the Church, because they “spend their
heaven” supporting us on our path to holiness.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 827 b) Hence the
Church gathers sinners already caught up in Christ's salvation but still on the
way to holiness: The Church is therefore holy, though having sinners in her
midst, because she herself has no other life but the life of grace. If they
live her life, her members are sanctified; if they move away from her life,
they fall into sins and disorders that prevent the radiation of her sanctity.
This is why she suffers and does penance for those offenses, of which she has
the power to free her children through the blood of Christ and the gift of the
Holy Spirit (Paul VI, CPG § 19).
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