By RAYMOND DE SOUZA, KM
Part 3
These days we find people defining the Church simply as “God’s people,” as if it were merely an assemblage of individuals united by a common set of beliefs in a “faith community.” This minimalist view reduces the concept to something like a Protestant denomination.
In reality, the “People of God” is marked by characteristics that distinguish it from every other religious, ethnic, political, or cultural group in history: God has acquired this people for Himself through the Precious Blood of His Son; hence, it is the People of God.
A system of simple questions and answers will make it easier to follow.
How can the People of God be defined? St. Peter defines the People of God with very precise terms: Its members are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Peter 2:9).
How does one become a member of God’s People? Membership is acquired faith and Baptism, not by birth or by natural inheritance.
Who is the Head of God’s People? The Head of this People is Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
What is the status of this people? The status of this People is that of the dignity of sons of God and citizens of His Kingdom.
Does this Kingdom have laws and commandments? Yes. Its chief law is the new law of the Holy Spirit, with the new commandment to love one another as Christ has loved us.
Does it have a constitution? Yes. It has a constitution, too, which is divinely ordained, that of a hierarchical body led by the Pope and bishops succeeding Peter and the apostles.
What kind of culture does it have? Its culture is an extension of the Incarnation, is the true worship of God in spirit and in truth, and is the sanctification of all realities under the Lordship of Christ.
Why is it said that God’s People are priestly, prophetic, and royal? It is a priestly People, as they share in Christ’s priesthood by Baptism, and by offering spiritual sacrifices to God through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is a prophetic People, as they adhere to the teaching of Christ and bear witness to Him by word and deed. It is a royal People, as they enjoy a royal freedom from sin, and serve its King as intimates and members of His household, entitled to all the privileges He has bequeathed to them.
What is its specific mission? Its specific mission is to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world; to gather the scattered children of God into one (John 11:52), and to call all people unto itself and to spread the graces of salvation.
What is its final destiny? Its destiny is the Kingdom of God in all its perfection when Christ returns in glory and hands this People, risen from the dead, over to His Father.
Is the ordained ministry — priesthood, episcopate, papacy — open to all members of the Church, without distinction? No. The Church of Christ is not an egalitarian institution, where candidates for the leadership stand for office in a democratic election. The Church of Christ is an elective monarchy. In the Church, there is diversity of ministry, but unity of mission. That is, unity in variety.
All members follow Christ and advance His Kingdom, but not all are called to be His ordained ministers. Christ Himself is the source of all ministry in the Church. When He chose the Twelve, He set them up in the form of a college or permanent assembly, with Simon Peter as head under Him. He said to them: You did not choose me, I chose you (John 15:16).
How can the papal jurisdiction be explained? The papal jurisdiction can be explained in these simple terms: By divine institution, the Pope enjoys supreme, full, immediate, and universal power over the whole Church.
Is the Pope’s authority absolute, unlimited? No. The Pope’s authority is not absolute or unlimited, for it is received in delegation from Christ. The Pope is not Christ, but the Vicar of Christ. His mission is to guide God’s People, to teach and sanctify them.
Is the Pope an absolute monarch? No, he is not an absolute monarch, as authority in the Church is shared among the bishops. Each bishop has jurisdiction over the territory or people assigned to his pastoral care. But the College of Bishops has no authority unless united with the chief bishop, Peter’s Successor, the Roman Pontiff. Individual bishops have the task to preach, to sanctify, and to govern the faithful. They may be helped by the auxiliary bishops.
How is the Pope chosen? The manner in which a Pope is chosen has varied over time. In the beginning, the Pope would simply nominate his Successor. Later, the people of Rome would acclaim the new Pope. Today we have a College of Cardinals.
What is a cardinal? A cardinal is a cleric appointed as a voter in the election of a Pope, by special enrollment as a member of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome. They gather in Rome in a conclave, to elect a new Bishop of Rome, who by his election is Pope of the universal Church.
Is the cardinalate a new order in the priesthood? No, to be a cardinal is not to receive a new order, as when a layman is ordained a priest or a priest is named a bishop. The cardinalate is not part of Holy Orders, but is open to any cleric selected by the Pope. Generally, a cardinal is already an archbishop of a major see.
Seek The Kingdom Of God
Since the majority of the members of God’s people is composed of the laity, how do the lay faithful participate in the Church’s mission?
The members of the laity have been incorporated into Christ by Baptism and made sharers in their own manner in the priestly, kingly, and prophetic office of Christ. The mission of the laity is to seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. It is their task to permeate political, social, and economic life with the spirit of Christ.
What is the role of monks and nuns? They lead a consecrated life, which is a deepening of the consecration begun at Baptism, by profession of the three evangelical counsels of poverty (Matt. 19:21), chastity (Matt. 19:12), and obedience (Luke 22:42; John 5:30). In the Church, consecrated life takes many forms, among which are the religious, both active and contemplative.
What is a religious order? A religious order or institute is a community of men or women living by the evangelical counsels within a particular rule of life and constitutions.
Religious usually live a communal life with a specific apostolate and a particular spirituality. An active order or institute conducts an external work such as a school, parish, hospital, or charitable institution. A contemplative order or institute lives an enclosed life and focuses on prayer. Also, an institute may lead a mixed life, that is, semi-contemplative.
+ + +
(Raymond de Souza, KM, is available to speak at Catholic events anywhere in the free world in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Please email SacredHeartMedia@Outlook.com or visit www.RaymonddeSouza.com or phone 507-450-4196 in the United States.)
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress