Thought for the Day

"Most people today, due to a broadly secular mind-set and increasing spiritual ignorance, view the church with stunted vision. They often comprehend her historic sociological makeup – the church as human institution akin to the police force or civil service- whilst failing to grasp the deeper mystical reality, that thing which makes her so much more than the mere club or society of believers. It is hardly surprising for one requires living faith to truly understand this deeper mystical reality, the Christological nature and ontological purpose of the Church. Which is to state, ‘God conceives, creates and calls to himself a community of persons’.

"That the Church is a mystical body, something founded and nurtured by God himself, is a belief rooted in the Old Testament where the gathered people of Israel, the assembly, perceived its character and purpose from the one who called it into life. Hence Jewish history is written with a transcendent emphasis. The events taking place on earth, good or bad, are seen to have a deeper divine purpose. The community are, intentionally or unintentionally, therefore doing the work of the Lord.

"Viewed through the lens of the New Testament this divine calling finds its ultimate fulfilment in Christ and thus becomes a foreshadowing of the gathering of all nations into the Church. A belief leading the Catechism to state that the Church’s very origin, foundation and mission are grounded in the Trinity. The Church becomes central to God’s revelation to his people. So much so that the formation of the church is even evident at the very dawn of creation where ‘as Eve was formed from Adam’s side as he slept, so also was the church born from the pierced heart of Christ, as he slept, in death upon the cross.’ …"

-Roman Catholic Priest, Father Ed Tomlinson

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