CLE Reviewer

Scriptural Images of the Church

 The Church as the Body of Christ
- Paul used this image of the Body to explain the relationships of Christ with believers.
~Christ’s body -the Church is one, just like human body is one in spite of its diverse members
-It tells us the need among the parts of the body to perform different tasks but always in view of
the welfare of the whole body.
-Likewise, the Church received from God many spiritual gifts for use in the different ministries that
will build the Church as one Body of Church

ST. PAUL EMPHASIZED TWO ASPECTS OF CHURCH’S REALITY

 DIVERSITY
Just in the body there are eyes,ears,and feet and other bodily parts which serve different functions,
in the Church there are different roles to play. It helps us to realize the value of each member of the
Church
 UNITY
- What are the accounts for Unity in the Church?
a. Each member, by himself cannot build the Church for each must depend on the other. Each of us may
have different callings- teachers, priest, police, etc.. Yet each one of us has basic calling, one that
unites all our different efforts- that of spreading the Gospel and building up the Church, the Body of
Christ.
b. There is one animator, one Spirit that breathes life into the Church- the HOLY SPIRIT
-There is only one Spirit, who according to his own richness and ministries, gives his different gifts for
the welfare of the Church
c. The Church is united by one head-CHRIST. Christ as the Head of the Church calls each member to an
intimate union with Him and with one another and even provides the means by which they would
achieve this communion-Eucharist.
 The Church as the People of God
-This image perhaps the Vatican’s II favorite
-This image rooted in the Covenant that Yahweh set up with His chosen people of Israel.
-Jesus perfected this Old Testament Covenant by instituting a New Covenant in his own blood, and
by calling together a people, both Jews and Gentiles, to be united in the Spirit.
-This is the Church, the New People of God today.
-As we continue understanding the Scriptural Images of the Church, let us also define and know our
rights and responsibilities as people of our country in order for us to deeply understand our
responsibilities as People of God as well.
-A right is an entitlement or a power, by virtue of a person’s citizenship, to do or not to do
something. For instance, a vote. According to Delfin Felipe, a Filipino author, karapatan, the Filipino
word for person has the right to vote or not to right, comes from the Tagalog root word dapat. It
means “an ownership of power on claim given to a person to develop his he full potentials.”
-The Basic Human Rights In 1948, the UN released the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR). This provides the basic rights every person should enjoy and is the basis of governments in
creating or establishing a law. The following is the simplified version of the basic human rights as
declared by the UN:
-All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
-No one shall experience any form of discrimination.
-Everyone has the right to life.
-No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
-No one shall be defiled of his/her rights wherever he/she may go
-Everyone is equal before the law.
-Every right is protected by the law
 -No one should experience illegal detainment
-Everyone has the right to trial
-No one must be convicted guilty unless proven
-Everyone has the right to marry and have a family
-No one shall be deprived to believe and be a part of a certain religion
-No one shall be deprived to express oneself, be it or thoughts or actions
-No one shall deprived to gather together and assemble in peace to defend his/her rights.
-Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his/her country.
-Everyone shall enjoy social security such as affordable housing, medicine, education, and
decent living.
-No one shall be deprived to work or earn for a living.
-No one shall be deprived of rest and leisure.
-Everyone has the right to food and shelter.
-Same goes with our rights and responsibilities as people of God, we are upholding the rights and
responsibilities of every human person regardless of one’s social, economic, political, and cultural status
in life. As stated in (Pacem in Terriss 11), “But first we must speak of man’s rights. Man has the right to
live.”
-He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life,
particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services.”

 The Temple of the Holy Spirit

-The Church is called the temple of the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit resides in the Body which
is the Church, gives life to, unifies, and moves this body.
-We can understand the Church only partially through these images for there is always more to
understand about it. Each image demands a specific behavior or attitude from us members.

As a member of the church, The Body of Christ, do you..

Develop your talents and use them to help the people around you?
Recognize and affirm the talents of others?
look beyond differences and try to reach out to others in understanding and love?
eagerly and consistently accomplish the responsibilities given to you?
pray to Christ for strength and confidence
seek communion with others and with Christ by attending the Holy Eucharist?
allow the Spirit of God to work in and through you so that you could help build up the
Church?
As a member of the Church, the People of God, do you…
willingly and eagerly obey God's command?
Reach out to others in friendship and love?
do what you ought to do and not what you want to do?
Spread Christ's love by words and deeds?
Attentively listen to the Word of God as it is proclaimed in the Holy Mass?
As a member of the Church, the temple of the Holy Spirit, do you…
faithfully live out your baptismal vows?
show courage in the face of temptation?
humbly admit your sins before God, ask forgiveness from Him and resolve not to sin again?
joyfully perform your duties as a son or daughter?