2. Scriptural Images

The KINGDOM OF GOD was the dominant theme of the public ministry of Jesus Christ.

The Good News preached to the poor.

The Gift of God, our ABBA, father who sensitive to the needs and suffering of every human beings.

It is the seed quietly sown.

The offer of pardon to sinners.

The banquet of table-fellowship and joyful communion with the Lord.

The gift of Salvation and Eternal Life.

Christ inaugurated his Church by preaching the coming of GOD’S KINGDOM.

His parables about the Kingdom of God employed many specific images:

* a treasure hidden in a field. * the leaven raising the dough.

His parables about the Kingdom of God employed many specific images:

* the tiny mustard seed growing into a tall tree.

* a fish net catching the good and the bad.

The church serve the kingdom - as the leaven in the dough of humanity, - in sowing the seed and casting of the net.

The Church includes both the good and the bad fish, the wheat and the weeds.

The Church represents the coming Kingdom as the kingdom in process.

The petition “Your Kingdom come” in the Lord’s prayer indicates that God’s kingdom is something already here, but not yet in its fulfillment in glory.

The PILGRIM church stands between the already and the not yet, constantly striving to prepare the way for, and witness to, the kingdom in glory.

“ God has willed to make men holy and save them, not merely as individuals without any mutual bonds, but making them into a single people, a people which acknowledge Him in truth and serves Him in Holiness” ( LG 9 )

‘Calling together a people, making them one not according to flesh but in the Spirit.”

Distinguishing Characteristics:

a. Cause - God

“ You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people God claims for his own” (1 Pt 2:9f )

Distinguishing Characteristics:

b. Head - Christ

“ who was handed over to death for our sins and raised up for our justification.” ( Rom 4:25)

Distinguishing Characteristics:

c. Members - are those who believe in Christ.

“ who are reborn through the Word of the living God, of water and Spirit in baptism.” ( cf Jn 3:3,5)

Distinguishing Characteristics:

d. Condition

The dignity and freedom of the sons/daughters of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

e. Law -

Christ’ new commandment of love and the new law of the Spirit.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

f. Mission

To be the salt of the earth, the light of the world.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

g. Destiny

The final Kingdom of God, brought to perfection at the end of time.

This new people of God

Priestly ,Prophetic and Kingly People”

•As priest, Jesus was THE MEDIATOR between God and man.

•His life was characterized by holiness and prayer.

•He offered the sacrifice of himself for the sake of the forgiveness of sins.

We Christians offer spiritual worship for the glory of God and the salvation of men.

Jesus was the Father’s MESSENGER who proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom.

Jesus preached the Word of God both through his words and through his example.

We give witness to Christ so that the power of the Gospel may shine out in daily family and social life”

Jesus’ kingship was manifested not through domination but through selfless service to others.

We serve others especially the poor and the suffering in whom we recognize the likeness of our poor and suffering founder.

Christ’s body can refer to :

Physical body - the historical Jesus, assumed at the Incarnation.

Christ’s body can refer to :

Eucharistic body - making sacramentally present to us the person of the Risen Christ in his saving sacrifice.

Christ’s body can refer to :

Mystical body - the church, the faithful, united to Christ as their head, and united and vivified by His Spirit.

Unity in Diversity

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone.” ( 1 Cor 12:4-6)

“ You are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you”

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; therefore he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives.”

It is the Spirit of god, the Holy Spirit that is offered to all Christians in faith.

Those who follow Jesus are to make his Spirit their own.

For sure you still remember the Great Jubilee Celebration in the Year 2000. The JUBILEE, as described in the Bible, is a concrete manifestation of the Kingdom of God. The JUBILEE SONG describes to us what the Jubilee is all about, and perhaps may further clarify our understanding of the Kingdom.

It’s a time of joy, a time of peace,A time when hearts are then set free,A time to heal the wounds of division.

It’s a time of grace, a time of hope,A time of sharing the gifts we have,A time to build a world that is one.

It’s a time of prayer, a time of praise,A time to life our hands to God,A time to recall all our graces.

It’s a time to touch, a time to reachThose hearts that often wander,A time to bring them back to God’s embrace.

It’s the time to give thanks to the Father, Son, and Spirit,And with Mary, our Mother, we sing this song:

OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD AND BEGIN TO SEE THE MYSTERYTHAT WE ARE ALL TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY.NO MORE WALLS, NO MORE CHAINS, NO MORE SELFISHNESS AND CLOSED DOORSFOR WE ARE IN THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S TIME,IT’S THE TIME OF THE GREAT JUBILEE!

1. Visualize your own idea of the Church by a drawing or Illustration.

2. Briefly Explain your idea as portrayed in the Illustration.

Criteria : Visualization 40% Conciseness of Explanation 20% Coherence 20%

ASSIGNMENT

1.What are the three challenges we face on the way to communio?

2. How do you experience these challenges in your daily life?

3. In what ways can you overcome these challenges?