We%20imagine%20ourselves%20in%20the%20presence%20of%20baby%20Jesus,%20and%20Mary%20and%20Joseph.%20We%20are%20surprised%20to%20see%20men%20of%20eastern%20appearance%20come.%20They%20see%20baby%20Jesus%20and%20fall%20on%20their%20knees.%20They%20offer%20him%20homage%20and%20give%20him%20presents%20of%20gold,%20frankincense%20and%20myrrh;

1

• We imagine ourselves in the presence of baby
  Jesus, and Mary and Joseph. We are surprised to
  see men of eastern appearance come. They see baby
  Jesus and fall on their knees. They offer him
  homage and give him presents of gold,
  frankincense and myrrh gold because Jesus is
  king, frankincense since Jesus is divine and
  myrrh prefiguring his Passion. They tell us about
  the star and about Herod who knew nothing about
  Jesus birth. After their stay they set out on
  their return journey eastwards but not via
  Jerusalem since they want to avoid Herod. After
  their departure we spend time with baby Jesus.
  Baby Jesus, we do not have gold, frankincense and
  myrrh to give you but we can give you our love.
  Let our love be your manger. For a moment now let
  us love baby Jesus.....
• Baby Jesus, even while you were only a little
  baby you experienced both acceptance from the
  wise men and rejection from Herod. The wise men
  and Herod had two opposing attitudes, searching
  for God and being closed to God. Baby Jesus, we
  see that the wise men were blessed in their
  search for you by finding you. We are searching
  for you too, we want to come ever closer to you.
  Help us to draw ever closer to you and if we are
  closed to you like Herod, help us to open so that
  we can find you. Let us ask Jesus to help us in
  drawing closer to him.....
• Baby Jesus, not only had the wise men and Herod
  different attitudes to you, they also had
  different attitudes to life. The wise men were
  generous, Herod was selfish wanting to hold on to
  his throne. The magi gave you gifts Herod killed
  all boys under two years of age. The wise men
  were willing to put energy and goodness into
  life, Herod wanted to get all he could from life.
  The magi who sacrificed to put into life were
  happy, Herod who took all he could from life was
  unhappy. Baby Jesus, help us to foster a healthy
  attitude towards life, giving and caring, instead
  of grasping, and being selfish and possessive.
  Let us pray now asking Jesus to help us develop
  ever more wholesome attitudes towards life.....
• The magi were blessed. They were given the
  guidance of a star. In the darkness of this world
  we have all been given help on our journey to
  God the beauty of nature, the Word of God in
  Sacred Scripture, Spirit-filled witnessing and
  preaching, the faith of others and our own faith.
  For a moment let us thank God for giving us stars
  to lead us to him.....
• When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem, it seems
  they no longer had the guidance of the star,
  otherwise they would not have had to ask Herod
  for advice. Sometimes we too feel as if were in
  the dark, like the magi. Sometimes what or whom
  we relied on is not there any more. Sometimes we
  see only darkness around us. But we know that you
  are there, Jesus, and that eternal life awaits us
  even if sometimes in this world there is no star
  for us. Lord, in our moments of darkness without
  a star, help us not to give up but to keep
  searching, hoping and praying because that would
  be the best way forward. Let us pray now for
  strength to remain steadfast when there is no
  guiding star.....

2
THE CHURCH

• Ecclesiology the study of the Church.

3
Church a language lesson

• Kyriake Church (Greek) belonging to the Lord
• Ekklesia (Greek) those called out, a
  convocation or assembly
• Secular legislative assembly
• NT community called out of the world to live
  differently
• We are summoned to
• Be different (holy!)
• Be in the world but not of the world
• Gather to act on behalf of/in the name of God
• Be united with Christ

4
ChurchWhat does it mean

• Catholics who gather at liturgy
• liturgy the work of the people
• Local parish community
• Ex St. Michaels, Our Lady of Lourdes
• Universal community of believers
• catholic Greek for universal
• Catholic Proper noun referring to Roman
  Catholic Church

5
Round Robin

• Come up with as many symbols or images of the
  Church that you can.

6
Symbols and Images of the Church

• Sheepfold -The flock of which God himself
  foretold that he would be the shepherd (CCC
  754).

Cultivated field That land like a choice
vineyard has been planted by the heavenly
cultivator (CCC 755)
7
Symbols and Images Continued

• Building of God The Lord compared himself to
  the stone which the builders rejected, but which
  was made into the cornerstone, on this foundation
  the Church is built by the apostles and from it
  the Church receives solidity and unity (CCC 756)

8
Images and Symbols

• Body of Christ
• Bride of Christ
• Vine and Branches
• Marian Images
• People of God

9
Church as Mystery

• Theologically inexhaustible not unknowable
• Images (models) help us to describe what we
  already understand
• Ex church as servant, bride of Christ
• A reality imbued with the hidden presence of God
• Emphasizes ongoing work of Jesus in human history

10
Qualities of the Church

• Infallible The pope and bishops united with him
  cannot err when teaching the faith or morals to
  all Christians
• Indefectible The Church is preserved by the Holy
  Spirit from destruction or decay until the
  Parousia

11
Churchs Mission/Purpose

• The Churchs first purpose is to be the
  sacrament of the inner union of men with God
  (CCC 775).
• To continues the work and presence of Jesus
  Christ in the world with the guidance of the Holy
  Spirit.
• Goal unite all things human and divine
  realities in Him.
• The Church aims to create and nourish the
  relationship between each individual soul and its
  Creator.
• The Church is the visible plan of Gods love for
  humanity because God desires that the whole
  human may become one People of God, form one Body
  of Christ, and be built up into one temple of the
  Holy Spirit. (Lumen Gentium)

12
Who makes up the Church?

• Jesus Christ
• Apostles
• Holy Spirit
• US! All human beings
• Religious Bishops, priests, nuns, etc.
• Lay people everyone else

13
Where

• EVERYWHERE
• Physical (visible) structures, governance, and
  people exist within the world as a part of the
  Church.
• Spiritual(invisible) Mystical Body of Christ
  Church in heaven.
• We are a Pilgrim Church, We are made of the
  world but not of the world. (John 1519)
• -Complex reality of the visible and invisible
  church

14
When

• FOREVER
• From the beginning of time into eternity!
• God created the world to enjoy communion with
  Him.
• Convocation of men with Christ ? convocation is
  the Church
• The Church, at the end of time, will be perfected
  in Glory within heaven (eternal).
• Visible Church 33 A.D. present
• Invisible Church 8

15
Church History

• Theological ideal vs. Reality within history
• The how of the Church is recorded throughout
  history including all of its failures and
  successes.