Col 1, 1-4 The holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ

Letter to Colossians
Colossians 1

(Col 1, 1-4) The holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ

[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, [2] to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father. [3] We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones.

(CCC 2030) It is in the Church, in communion with all the baptized, that the Christian fulfills his vocation. From the Church he receives the Word of God containing the teachings of "the law of Christ". From the Church he receives the grace of the sacraments that sustains him on the "way." From the Church he learns the example of holiness and recognizes its model and source in the all-holy Virgin Mary; he discerns it in the authentic witness of those who live it; he discovers it in the spiritual tradition and long history of the saints who have gone before him and whom the liturgy celebrates in the rhythms of the sanctoral cycle. (CCC 954) The three states of the Church. "When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating 'in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is"' (LG 49; cf. Mt 25:31; 1 Cor 15:26-27; Council of Florence (1439): DS 1305): All of us, however, in varying degrees and in different ways share in the same charity towards God and our neighbors, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our God. All, indeed, who are of Christ and who have his Spirit form one Church and in Christ cleave together (LG 49; cf. Eph 4:16).