DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

SCHOOL OF ARTS, SCIENCES AND EDUCATION

LAOAG CITY
Rel Ed 003: CHURCH AND SACRAMENTS

Prepared by: MARGARITA AGONOY GALAT

I. Preliminaries

Definition:

1.1 Common Problems in entertaining the Church

- For most Filipinos, the Church is very familiar, perhaps in a sense

“too familiar.”

- For some, “Church” simply means the building where people go to

pray.

- For many, “Church” spontaneously evokes the image of bishops,

priests and religious or particular organizations.

1.2 Using the term Qhl alone would t only means = assembly

Association

Gathering

Organization

Adding the term YHWH would make God the object of gathering.

Qhl YHWH then could be an association or gathering of the people of God

centered on God.

* Church is an assembly convoked by God.

1.3 Why did God convoke an assembly?

Context:
 · Creation (Paradise) and Fall (Sin); in a situation of alienation God
wants the human community (and the rest of creation) to be reconciled
with Him….

· Announced by the Prophets in Old Testament

· Personally proclaimed by Jesus in the fullness of time…

2. Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13)

Significance

1. marked the birth of the Church

2. marked the beginning of the Church’s mission to spread the Goodnews of

salvation ( to all peoples)

+contrary to Jewish exclusivism)

- Peter and Cornelius Acts 10: 23b-48

-Council of Jerusalem 49 AD Acts 15:1-9

- Primacy of Peter Acts 2: 14-37

- More and more were added to the disciple‘s community Acts 2:37-41--
- communal life Acts 2:42-47

Activities:

1. they learned from the teachings of the apostles

2. they sold and shared their belongings

3. they lived a common life of sharing

4. they met every day at the temple

5. They lived in simplicity and joy

6. the Lord added their number everyday

- the Church continuously grew being the sign and instrument of salvation(by
preaching in word and deeds the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ
 - yet, this growth had a very hard beginning:

- There were disagreements and problems among members of the community

which led the apostles to choose 7 deacons responsible in the distribution of funds
especially to the Greek speaking Jews who claimed that their widow members were
neglected.

7 Deacons (acts 6:1-6)

1. Stephen

2. Prochorus

3. Nicanor

4. Timon

5. Parmenas

6. Nicolaus

7. Philip

-Persecution of Greek-speaking Jewish Christians (began with the martyrdom of

Stephen Acts 6: 8-7:60)

-St Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was a great persecutor of the Christians

Conversion Acts 9:1-9

Martyrdom 2Cor 11:6-13

Ministry of Paul Acts 13:1-28:31

The First missionary journey - Acts 13:1-14:28

The conference in Jerusalem Acts 15:1-35

The Second missionary journey Acts15: 36—18:22

The Third Missionary journey Acts18:23-21:16

Roman Persecutions:
- Nero: 64-67 AD:

Christians were not to be sought but those accused of being x’tians were
required to offer sacrifice to pagan gods

Martyred during this time:

· St. Paul

· St Peter

- Domitian 81 AD:

He commanded the lineage of David be put to death

During this time fabricated tales were made to injure the Christians;

Famine, pestilence, earthquakes or any calamities were just of the few.

Among the numerous martyrs that suffered during this persecution:

· Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem (crucified)

· St. John, who was boiled in oil

· Dionysius, the Areopagite- astronomer ( he had a particular

observation on the great and supernatural eclipse which happened at
the time of our saviour’s crucifixion) His sanctity and purity
recommended him so strongly to the Christians that he was appointed
bishop of Athens.

· Nicodemus, benevolent Christian suffered from the rage of

Domitian.

· Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Milan

· Timothy disciple of St. Paul, bishop of Ephesus.

- Trajan, 108 AD
-

Slaughtered Christians

Christians were beaten by beasts

Martyrs:

· Ignatius – Bishop of Antioch

· Alexander – Bishop of Rome (together with his two deacons)

· Quirinus and Hernes with their families

· Zenon, a Roman nobleman and ten thousand other Christians

· Faustines and Jovita

· Brothers and citizens of Brescia

· Calocerius, a pagan who was struck with admiration to the

Christians, suffered the same fate.

- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, 162 AD

Some Christian were force to pass with their already wounded feet over thorns,
nails, sharp shells, etc upon their points others were scourged until their sinews
and veins lay bare and after suffering the most excruciating tortures that could be
devised, they were destroyed by the most terrible deaths

Martyrs:

· Germanicus- delivered to the white beasts on account of his faith,

but with astonishing courage that several pagans became Christians.

· Polycarp - venerable bishop of Smyrna, but prayed for the

repentance of his guards and so it did.

· Justin and many more

Christians at this point were tortured, burnt served as torches at the empire.
 - Decius: 249 AD

Ordered all inhabitants to offer pagan worship

- Diocletian: 303 AD

Burning of churches and all sacred books

Ordered torture and execution of all x’tians

- 313 AD end of persecution: Edict of Milan by Constantine the Great

-basing from all that have been discussed so far:

The Church is the community of men and women (peoples), “who, united in
Christ, and guided by the Holy Spirit, press onwards towards the Kingdom of the Father
and are bearers of a message of salvation intended for all men” (GS 1)

*nb: root cause of the Church is God’s free will….

II. Nature of the Church

1. The Church as a Mystery

When we say that the Church as mystery, we simply mean that it is not
limited to what we observe in her. There is something beyond that guarantees her
continues existence and development despite her sinful members. This can only be
perceived by faith. Why? Because it is imbued with God, s presence, uniquely
related to the TRINITY in the economy of salvation and Trinity as model of
community and life.

2. The Church as a Sacrament

Sacrament is not necessary referred to the seven ritual sacraments. It is

basically a material symbol which effects or makes present a spiritual grace-filled
reality (ECCE). It is not merely a sign that represent something but manifests that
grace Jesus Himself bestowed. Thus, a sacrament is an efficacious symbol. It is a
sign that produces an effect.

The Church is the primordial sacrament of Jesus Christ. She represents

Christ and makes Him present in us. The Church is Christ’s presence for humankind.
It is an outward visible of God loves gift of himself in human history.

How? The Church does this in three ways:

i. As Herald of the goodnews of God’s love

“As the Father has sent me so I am sending you”.

(Jn 13:35

ii. Build up the community of Believers

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, If

you have love for one another”.

Review the life of the early community in Acts 4:32-37

iii. Living witness (service)

-leading all to salvation (present context)

Salvation- total liberation from all forms of evil and

oppression (social, economic, political and cultural situations)

Ø Jesus lived the life of Sharing, justice and love.

-primary witness of love, justice and sharing to

everyone

-continue Jesus’ mission of bringing the goodnews

of the Kingdom of God.

> The Church’ struggles to pursue this task thus; she

becomes the sign of Jesus ‘active presence in human
history.

. The Church as a sacrament is the effective sign and

symbol of our union with God, the unity among men,
and salvation.

Thus, the Church is the sacrament of Jesus because she continues Jesus’
saving acts.

The more the Christians love, the more Jesus is experience. The more
SHE serves, the more She reflects the visible grace of Christ operating in the
Church.
III. Scriptural Images of the Church

1. Kingdom of God

- the goodnews preached to the poor

- the seed quietly sown (mustard see)

- the leaven in the dough, gradually raising all in the pilgrimage to

the Kingdom of the Father, through Christ in the power of the Holy
Spirit.

2. People of God

- Head is Christ

- Sanctified by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

- Members: believers and baptized

- Law: Love

- Mission:

Salt of the Earth

Light of the World

- Destiny: Kingdom of God

3. Body of Christ

“By communicating his SPIRIT to his brothers ( and sisters), called

together from all people, Christ made them mystically into his own body (LG 7). The
CHURCH is a real living body whose members are formed in baptism into the
likeness of Christ, fed in the Eucharist with the very life of Christ, and animated and
unified by his Spirit as its soul.

Hence, we see how “Christ Body” can mean:

A. his physical body while he was on earth

B. his Eucharistic body, by his glorified body/Person is sacramentally

present to us, and
 C. Mystical Body of the Church formed by all disciples, united to him as head
and sharing his very life through his Spirit in the visible society governed by
the successor of the Apostles.

4. Temple of the Holy Spirit

Christ has shared with us his Spirit who, being one and the same in head and
members, gives life to, unifies and moves the whole body. Consequently, the Spirit’s
work could be compared to the function which the soul, the principle of life, fulfills in
the human body (LG 7).

References/Sources

Damo, Zacarias, HANDOUT IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 003,

summer 2007

Ordonez, Julius C. et. al. WITNESSING COMMUNITY THROUGH THE YEAR.

Christian Community Bible

Catholic Faith Catechism

Catechism for Catholic Church

Notes on Ecclesiology (SBI- Manny Mandapat)